{"0":{"sm_title":"Forgiveness Can Move A Mountain","sm_id":"409","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2022-08","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2022\/01\/19w1\/20220119w1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2022\/01\/19w1\/20220119w1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"rV1NiZbR8WY","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2022-08-forgiveness-can-move-a-mountain.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Mark 11:22–23 says, \\\"\\'Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say t o you, whoever says to this mountain, \\'Be removed and be cast into the sea,\\' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.\\\"<\/em> Can you imagine if we believed these two verses of scripture? People would be abandoning everything to come to prayer meetings or to go into their prayer closet and talk with God!<\/p>

Of course, this incredible promise is in the context of James 4:3, \\\"You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.\\\"<\/em> If we are asking for something just because we want to consume it upon ourselves, that is asking amiss, and we may not receive it. But when our motivation is the advancement of the Kingdom of God, we shall receive!<\/p>

Now, before he came to this point, Jesus was going back up into Jerusalem from Bethany. He was hungry, and when he saw a fig tree afar off, Mark 11:13 tells us, \\\"He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.\\\"<\/em> <\/p>

Jesus had approached a fig tree that only gave the appearance of bearing fruit. I have always believed this was a type of Adam, for in Genesis 3, when the Lord came down into the garden, Adam and Eve were covered with the glory of God. They did not need clothing, and they were unaware of nakedness at this point. But when they sinned against God, buying into the theology that they could be godly without God, they suddenly lost his glory. and became aware of their nakedness and their bankruptcy. So what did they do? They went to the fig tree, which has a broad, flat green leaf, and they made coverings for themselves. They exchanged the glory of God for fig leaves! How ridiculous they must have looked. This represents man\\'s attempt to be godly in himself—covering his struggles, failings, and sin. <\/p>

I want to suggest that Jesus knew there was nothing on this tree. It was not even the season for figs. So the Son of God, with all power, came to this fig tree, saw there was nothing on it, and cursed it, saying, \\\"Let no one ever eat fruit from you again.\\\" Now, if we take this at face value, it makes the Son of God look exceedingly petty. It seems to be just a vain display of power, unless he is teaching us something in this.<\/p>

I believe Jesus is looking at the faux covering that humanity has tried to place upon themselves—the sheer force of human will to get back into relationship with God and to be godly by human effort. In Jerusalem, the Pharisees had these fine coverings and these wonderful garments that they had concocted for themselves. But upon close examination, there was no fruit. When you got close, you found envy and pride. <\/p>

So Jesus said, \\\"\\'Let no one eat fruit from you ever again\\'\\\"<\/em> (11:14). \\\"Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, \\'Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away\\'\\\"<\/em> (11:20–21). And this is when Jesus spoke to them, \\\"Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain...\\\" (11:22–23). The fig tree was emblematic of the whole system of religion that was represented by the mountain of Jerusalem at that time—a system that had covered itself in its own religious fig leaves. It was not just the deception of the one fig tree but the whole system that offered a deceptive relationship with God. It was an exterior covering that was incapable of bearing the fruit that only God can bear in a person\\'s life. <\/p>

Jesus says, \\\"Not only can you say this to the fig tree, but to the mountain.\\\" Pray for the whole thing to be taken away from your life that it may not deceive you any longer. Furthermore, you have the power to stand against it in the lives of your family members. Did you ever know you could pray like that? You can pray for somebody that has fallen into a trap, saying, \\\"In the name of Jesus, I stand against this deception. Let my brother, my sister, my friend no longer eat from this tree of deception!\\\"<\/p>

If you have faith in God, you can speak to this deception. You can have authority in your prayers!<\/p> The Foundation of Forgiveness<\/span>

Jesus said, \\\"Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses\\\"<\/em> (11:24–26). Here we see that this incredible promise of cursing fig trees and moving mountains is all placed on the cornerstone of forgiveness! We are ambassadors of a Kingdom that is all about forgiveness. When Jesus was beaten, betrayed, spat on, mocked and crucified, in themidst of all His pain, He said, \\\"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do\\\"<\/em> (Luke 23:34). <\/p>

Jesus tells the story, \\\"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.<\/p>

\\\"The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, \\'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.\\' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, \\'Pay me what you owe!\\' <\/p>

\\\"So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, \\'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.\\' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servant saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done\\\"<\/em> (Matthew 18:23–31). <\/p>

\\\"And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. \\'So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses\\\"<\/em> (18:34–35). <\/p>

This is an especially hard portion of Scripture. Many people today are Christians but are living tormented lives today. One cannot help but wonder if there is unforgiveness involved. Perhaps they have come for forgiveness from God but refuse to forgive somebody else along the way. I am not suggesting that forgiveness implies that what the person did to you was right. It is simply a law in the Kingdom of God. Trust is earned. You do not have to trust somebody because you have forgiven them, but we are commanded to forgive them. <\/p> Freedom in Forgiveness<\/span>

Years ago, I was transferred to the Public Relations Department in the police force where I worked. A man named Tom was in the same department. Only about thirty-five years old at the time, he had a fatal disease with a life expectancy of only a few years. <\/p>

Tom and I became well acquainted, and one day as I was passing through the office, he remarked, \\\"Carter, I see something in you, but I\\'m not quite sure what. What is it that I\\'m seeing?\\\" I shared my personal testimony and the gospel with him in the office that day. I led Tom to Christ and we rejoiced together—what an awesome moment! <\/p>

Only a few weeks later, Tom came into my office and said, \\\"You\\'re not going to believe this. I\\'ve been to the doctor, and my disease is gone! There\\'s no trace of it!\\\" His secular doctor had even concluded, \\\"Tom, you have had a miracle. This disease does not go away on its own, yet there is not a trace of it in your body. You are cured!\\\" <\/p>

Interestingly, Tom and I never prayed for his healing. I asked him how he thought the healing happened. As a brand-new Christian, he did not have a whole lot of theology in his life, but he told me, \\\"Carter, when I was a boy, my father was an evil man. He would stand me in a bathtub full of ice-cold water, take off his belt, and beat me until welts broke out on my body. I hated that man. I could not wait to see him on his deathbed so that I could walk in and point my finger and say, \\'You\\'re finally getting what you deserve!\\' But the interesting thing is that when I opened my heart and gave my life to Jesus, I went home one night and said, \\'God, if You have forgiven me after all I have done, I no longer have the right to hold this grievance against my father. I forgive him.\\' When the bitterness left my life, the disease went with it!\\\" Incredible!<\/p>

Remember, we are completely unjustified in holding on to old grievances, no matter what was done to us, for surely nothing could be worse than what was done to Christ. Yes, people have let us down. But if we have received the forgiveness of Christ, we must be willing to let go of the debts, even if we feel the offenders owe us at least an apology. God says, \\\"No, let them go. And the promise that I make to you is that I am going to give you faith to see people around you set free. I will give you faith to make a difference in your society!\\\"<\/p> Where to Begin<\/span>

And so you ask, whom shall I forgive first? If Christ is your Savior, he calls you his own. He calls you clean; he calls you forgiven. Jesus said to Peter one day, \\\"Whatever I have cleansed, do not call common or unclean anymore\\\" (see Acts 10:15). So first, you must learn to forgive yourself. We have all made mistakes. We have all fallen short of the glory of God. Sometimes people can receive the forgiveness of God, but they cannot forgive themselves for what they have done. Accept God\\'s forgiveness, and then forgive yourself. <\/p>

Once you are operating from that perspective, then it is easier to let go of the debt that somebody else owes you. It is not worth hanging on to any longer. There is a story about a bear coming up to a campfire where he finds a cauldron sitting on the open flame. He picks it up with his big paws and holds it to his chest. It starts to burn him, but he does not know enough to let it go, so he holds it tighter, not realizing that the tighter he holds it, the more it is going to burn, eventually killing him. We are like that with unforgiveness. We grab onto it, we hold it, and we feel justified. And even though it is hurting us, we refuse to let it go. <\/p>

But God\\'s Word tells us clearly, \\\"I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, \\'Be removed and be cast into the sea,\\' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says\\\"<\/em> (Mark 11:23). <\/p>

The promise of God to you is if you will receive his forgiveness, forgive yourself, and forgive others, a whole new realm will begin to open to you—a whole new way of living, an understanding of his power, a release of his life within yours. You will be able to pull down strongholds, recover your family, and reclaim your purpose in life! Hallelujah!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"FORGIVENESS CAN MOVE A MOUNTAIN\\\"<\/strong>, a sermon given on January 19, 2022<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/strong>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"1":{"sm_title":"Jesus Help Me!","sm_id":"408","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2022-07","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2022\/03\/09w1\/20220309w1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2022\/03\/09w1\/20220309w1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"ZI6O0ARLXsM","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2022-07-jesus-help-me.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

This is one of my favorite prayers—a prayer that Jesus has always answered all my days. It is only three words: \\\"Jesus, help me!\\\" I am never too proud to pray this.<\/p>

Remember, we are living in a generation that is dark. Society seems to be unraveling all around us; evil is becoming good, good is becoming evil; and confusion is starting to abound. As the Bible says, lawlessness will get to the point where the love of many, even many of God\\'s people, will start to grow cold. This speaks to me of the love of the work of God, which is the redemption of the lost. That means we will need sovereign help to stay engaged with the work of God. It is no shame for us to pray, \\\"Jesus, help me!\\\"<\/p> Abraham<\/span>

In the Old Testament, a man called Abraham was given an incredible promise. God took him outside and showed him the stars in the heavens, saying, \\\"Count the stars if you can. That is the number of descendants you are going to have\\\" (see Genesis 15:5). Abraham had no way of understanding the greatness of God\\'s promise that through him, the whole world was going to be blessed. He could not have known that through the nation of Israel would come a Messiah, and through the Messiah would be born a people on the earth called the Church of Jesus Christ—and that through the Church, the world would be blessed.<\/p>

Now Abraham went on a bit of a journey. He was not a perfect man, but he simply believed God. And the Bible says it was accounted to him for righteousness (see Genesis 15:6).<\/p>

In Genesis 18, we see that Abraham had prospered. Four chapters earlier, he saddled up three hundred and eighteen trained warriors from his own house (14:14) and went to fight against the kings who took his nephew and family captive when Sodom and Gomorrah were defeated in a small civil war. Finally, he was at a place of rest. He had increased, he had shelter, and he had the presence of God with him. Suddenly, two angels and a preincarnate Christ (according to most interpretations) came and visited him. They sat in his tent, and the Son of God told him that Sarah, his wife, was going to have a son. So now he also had the promise of life that he had always longed for—the future that he had always wanted.<\/p>

The Lord left his tent after communing with him for a season. And then we read in Genesis 18:17–18: \\\"The Lord said, \\'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?\\'\\\"<\/em> The Lord then revealed to Abraham the wickedness in Sodom and Gomorrah. It had become so vile that the report of its vileness had ascended into heaven, prompting the visit by the preincarnate Christ and the two angels to see if it was as bad as the report had been.<\/p>

The Lord let Abraham know that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. We have seen throughout history that society can get so bad that it must be judged. I often wonder if we are getting very close to this. In our nation, we have killed sixty million children in the womb. We now call evil good and good evil. We are redefining everything that God defines as true and right and holy. It could be that as a society we are very close to the judgment of God!<\/p>

Abraham then came into what I call a prayer meeting outside of Sodom. The Scripture says,

\\\"Abraham came near and said, \\'Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked\\\"<\/p> (Genesis 18:23–25).<\/p>

Now, this is quite a bold prayer when you read it in context. Abraham was standing in intercession and saying, \\\"God, You cannot destroy the city if fifty righteous are in it because it is not like You. It cannot be said of You that You would treat the righteous in the same way that the wicked are treated.\\\"<\/p>

The Lord responded, \\\"\\'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within this city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.\\' Then Abraham answered and said, \\'Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: \\'Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?\\' So He said, \\'If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.\\' And he spoke to Him yet again and said, \\'Suppose there should be forty found there?\\' So He said, \\'I will not do it for the sake of forty.\\' Then he said, \\'Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?\\' So He said, \\'I will not do it if I find thirty there\\'\\\"<\/em> (18:26–30).<\/p>

Now Abraham continued, \\\"\\'Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?\\' So He said, \\'I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.\\' Then he said, \\'Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?\\' And He said, \\'I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.\\' So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place\\\"<\/em> (18:31–33). <\/p>

I have always been perplexed by this story. First of all, why did Abraham stop at ten? In Sodom and Gomorrah, there were four righteous. Their righteousness was iffy, but the Bible does declare Lot righteous. His wife and two daughters were also rescued and taken out of the city by the angels. So that means Abraham was only six souls short of victory. Sometimes in our prayers, we are so close when we quit. We read that after the Lord went His way, Abraham went back to his tent—to his wife, his family, his provision.<\/p>

I think if I were Abraham, I would have gone back to my entourage and announced, \\\"I need ten volunteers to live in Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord has told me if ten righteous people are in the city, He will not destroy it.\\\"<\/p>

Now, if the judgment was inevitable, Abraham should have warned the righteous to get out of the city. But, for some reason, he went home. It reminds me of prayer meetings in our generation where we go, we pray, and then we assume that our prayers are enough. Sometimes we pray, \\\"Oh, God, send deliverance. Be merciful to the city!\\\" We implore, and then we feel we have done our part, so we go home to our family and our comfort. <\/p>

However, the book of James says, \\\"Faith without works is dead\\\" (see James 2:17). Faith without an outworking of it does not bring us to say, \\\"God, send me if necessary. I throw my life in with my prayer.\\\" It is a concept that we have lost in the Western world. The thought of taking up our cross, going to the lost, being given for the sake of others has eluded our generation. Even when we do pray, we tend to hold on to a measure of our own protection, security, and comfort.<\/p> Jonah<\/span>

Another man in the Old Testament, Jonah, was commissioned by God to go to the people of Nineveh and he did not want to go. These people were known for their violence against the people of God and Jonah actually wanted them to be judged. He was afraid that if he preached to them, God might forgive them and let them live another day, and they would hurt more of His own people. <\/p>

And so Jonah went in the opposite direction. He was still a prophet of God, still called of God. But it was as if he was saying, \\\"Do I have to talk to the ones who have caused such heartache to our people—those who deserve Your judgment? Can\\'t I just pray for them? Isn\\'t that good enough? Do I have to give of myself?\\\"<\/p>

Out on the sea, on Jonah\\'s journey away from God, a great storm arose. Everybody on the boat that Jonah was on began crying out to their version of God. Of course, there was no answer because their versions were not the true God. Finally, they awakened Jonah, saying, \\\"Who are you? Where do you come from?\\\" And Jonah replied, \\\"Well, I am a Hebrew. And I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land\\\" (see Jonah 1:8–9).<\/p>

\\\"The men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, \\'Why have you done this?\\' For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. Then they said to him, \\'What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?\\'—for the sea was growing more tempestuous. And he said to them, \\'Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me\\'\\\"<\/em> (Jonah 1:10–12).<\/p>

I find that interesting. Was Jonah incapable of climbing over the side of the boat by himself? Think about it for a minute. The side of the boat could not have been that high. He knew what to do, but he just could not do it. And so he said to the men on the ship, \\\"Pick me up and throw me into the source of the storm, and it will become calm for you.\\\" In other words, \\\"Jesus, help me. I know what to do, but I cannot do it on my own. I know what You are calling me to do, but I do not want to do it, nor can I do it in my own strength. You have to pick me up and take me where I need to go!\\\"<\/p> The Grace to Love People<\/span>

When I was first called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, I did not really like people because they were a source of pain in my life. I remember the first time I walked into church as a brand-new Christian, and a guy came up to me and hugged me, saying, \\\"I love you.\\\"<\/p>

I just looked at him as he backed away from me. My wife asked me, \\\"Why didn\\'t you tell him you love him?\\\"<\/p>

\\\"I don\\'t even like the guy,\\\" I replied. \\\"Why would I tell him I love him?\\\"<\/p>

I did not want any kind of intimate relationship with anybody. I was probably the worst candidate to ever be called into the ministry. And so the only thing I could pray was, \\\"Jesus, help me! Throw me into the sea; throw me into where the people are because I cannot go there by myself!\\\"<\/p>

Remember, there is no shame in praying that prayer! As Paul said, \\\"I know what to do, and I delight to do it in the inner man. But I find another law warring against me in the members of my flesh, bringing me into the captivity of the law of sin\\\" (see Romans 7:21–23). In other words, \\\"I know that I should be kind. I know that I should do more than just return to my tent after I pray. I know people are perishing, and I should be willing to give of myself for their sake.\\\" That is the dilemma of this generation. One more time, God is going to have to stir us with the storm. He is going to have to give us the grace to yield our lives for His purposes—to not live merely to preserve ourselves. And so let us make that our constant prayer: \\\"Jesus, help me!\\\"<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"JESUS, HELP ME!\\\"<\/strong>, a sermon given on June 1, 2022<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"2":{"sm_title":"The Real Jesus Doesn’t Burn","sm_id":"406","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/TSC-Winter-Branding-YT-Thumbnail-SERMON-2-1.jpg","sm_date":"2022-06","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2022\/02\/06s1\/20220206s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2022\/02\/06s1\/20220206s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"dGXB3-6YXeM","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2022-06-the-real-jesus-doesnt-burn.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a w ise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 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\\\"<\/em> (1 Corinthians 3:10–13).<\/p>

In this portion of Scripture, the apostle Paul was essentially saying, \\\"I have brought to you the real Jesus. I have laid a foundation of truth for you as the people of God. The real Jesus will never fail you; He will not forsake you; He will walk with you through the fire. Whatever you have to go through, He promises to go with you.\\\"<\/p>

It is important to hold on to this truth, for we are entering a difficult season as a society that is not unlike the ones people of previous times have had to pass through. You see, there have been times throughout history when the world became hostile to the Word of God, the presence of God, and ultimately the people of God. <\/p>

The prophet Isaiah spoke of the social condition in such a season: \\\"No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; they conceive evil and bring forth iniquity... Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. So truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey\\\"<\/em> (Isaiah 59:4, 14–15).<\/p>

At this time, the people of God were about to come under persecution because they had dealt casually with God\\'s Word. And as Romans chapter 1 warns us, when any nation deals falsely with the truth, they are given over to a depraved mind, and they begin to do everything that the sinful heart of man has always longed to do apart from God\\'s restrictions. They call that which is unholy, holy and they begin to call that which is good, evil.<\/p>

Furthermore, the culture itself turns against those who believe that God\\'s Word is the standard of truth. Many of you today cannot speak the truth of God\\'s Word in your workplace. As soon as you do so, you are considered a hater. You could even be in danger of losing your employment. Sadly, the Word of God warns that the true gospel will be attacked in the last days—from without as well as from within the professing Church. Many people do not realize that the gospel has been attacked for a few decades in our nation. We are just waking up and beginning to realize what has been happening.<\/p>

Paul said to his young protege, Timothy, \\\"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables\\\"<\/em> (2 Timothy 4:1–4).<\/p>

The interesting thing about turning aside \\\"fables\\\" is that it does not necessarily refer to lies. The Greek word simply means \\\"good stories.\\\" There will be a lust for entertainment in the house of God. Many people will begin to gather around storytellers rather than preachers of the gospel. These stories may have a moral to them, and they might even bring you to tears. But if they are not the Word of God, they have no power to transform your life.<\/p>

Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, \\\"But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!\\\"<\/em> (2 Corinthians 11:3–4). In other words, \\\"I fear for you being so open to entertainment that somebody might come and present to you another Jesus.\\\"<\/p> Build-A-Jesus<\/span>

Build-A-Bear is a popular store in many malls throughout the country. I went there with some of my grandchildren one time and discovered what fun it is to build bears. When you go into the Build-A-Bear store, the first thing you do is pick an image of a bear that appeals to you. Does that sound familiar? In the last few decades, many churches in America have just been franchise operations for \\\"Build-A-Jesus!\\\" You pick an image of Jesus that you like and then find a church that caters to it. <\/p>

After selecting an image, the next thing you get to do at Build-a-Bear is choose the stuffing. Just like you might get to choose what will go inside this Jesus you are building. If some of the parts of the Bible seem a little too hard, you get to eliminate it and just put all the soft stuff in there instead—all the nice, fluffy words. Then you choose his eyes—what he decides to see. Perhaps a Build-A-Jesus overlooks sin. Next you get to choose his heart. You can even write things on the heart of your Build-A-Bear! So let\\'s take out all the warnings about sin and anything that makes you uncomfortable. And lastly, you get to record your voice and put it inside the bear so that when you pull the string, it says what you want it to say! When you pull the string of your Build-A-Jesus, His voice sounds a lot like you! Does that sound like some of the doctrines that have gone around in this nation for a couple of decades? <\/p>

Jesus says in John 14:6, \\\"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.\\\"<\/em> You cannot get to the Father\\'s hand except through the real Jesus. There is no genuine security in this world if you have a Build-A-Jesus in your heart. There is only one Jesus that will survive the coming fire. Remember, you and I are going to go into a season of trial. We have warned you from this pulpit for many, many years. The world as we know it is launching a wholesale and perhaps a final rebellion against the lordship of Jesus Christ. The lawlessness is not going to get better; the deception is going to get deeper. There is going to be a revulsion against Christ and the people of God that will intensify until the Lord Himself returns and intervenes. I am writing about this today because I do not want you to burn in the fire. I do not want you to find out at some point that the Jesus you have embraced is not the real Christ.<\/p>

Remember our opening scripture when Paul said, \\\"the fire will test each one\\'s work, of what sort it is\\\"<\/em> (1 Corinthians 3:13). A trial will test the Jesus that you\\'ve laid hold of. I understand this from some of the past experiences in my own life. Pastor Teresa and I have gone through fire, the loss of all things. We have gone through a flood; we have gone through sickness and trials. But by the grace of God, the real Jesus has walked with us through it all. If you have a living relationship with the Son of God, nothing and no one can triumph over you!<\/p> Three Who Refused to Bow<\/span>

In the book of Daniel, we read about a season when a king called Nebuchadnezzar decided he was going to erect an image of himself and command the people to bow down to it. \\\"At the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace\\\"<\/em> (Daniel 3:5–6). Does that sound like the day we are living in? Once again, fallen man says, \\\"We will tell you what truth is. We will tell you what society should look like. And you will agree with us—you will bend, you will bow, and you will do it our way. If you don\\'t, it is going to get exceedingly hot for you.\\\" <\/p>

Three young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, sat over the affairs of the province of Babylon. That means they had a good income; they had influence and authority. But suddenly, in the midst of all this, they had to make a choice: Do we bow to this other image or do we hold to the true image of God? And the report came that these three young men refused to bow to the cultural order of the day. <\/p>

Nebuchadnezzar called them in and said, \\\"Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you...do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace\\\"<\/em> (Daniel 3:14–15).<\/p>

They answered the king, \\\"If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up\\\"<\/em> (Daniel 3:17–18). So the king, in his fury, commanded the furnace be heated seven times hotter—so hot that it killed the people that threw the three young men into it. But suddenly he said to his counselors, \\\"I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God\\\"<\/em> (3:25).<\/p> Untouched by the Fire<\/span>

This is my point: The real Jesus doesn\\'t burn, nor do those who are in His hand. The flames of fire could not touch the Hebrew boys. Each of us, too, must decide today: Who will we serve? If you are serving a Build-A-Jesus, then you will probably have no problem bowing your knee. When you pull the string, your Jesus will tell you it is okay to do that. But remember, it is not the voice of the Son of God but rather your own selective truth. <\/p>

The end result of these three young men refusing to bend their knee is that the laws of the land were changed. Likewise, if we want to see change in our society, God\\'s people are going to be required to speak the truth and they must be willing to suffer whatever the consequences may be. Oh, may God give us the love and courage to refuse to bow to anyone but the real Jesus—that we might be able to stand and make a difference in this generation!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"THE REAL JESUS DOESN\\'T BURN\\\"<\/b>, a sermon given on February 6, 2022<\/b>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"3":{"sm_title":"Boldness in the Last Days","sm_id":"403","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2022-05","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2022\/01\/12w1\/20220112w1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2022\/01\/12w1\/20220112w1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"Y_lG3wSPhYo","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2022-05-boldness-in-the-last-day.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\\\"For Jerusalem stumbled, and Judah is fallen, because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord\\\"<\/em> (Isaiah 3:8). Here we see a society turning against God in its speech and the arrogance of its heart—unaware that their actions are bringing about their own destruction. They boldly believe that although they say things that are against the revealed Word of God, somehow they will suffer no consequences.<\/p>

But their tongue and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of His glory. \\\"The look on their countenance witnesses against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom\\\"<\/em> (Isaiah 3:9). In other words, they have been involved in sin that the Bible calls evil, and not only do they boast of it, they parade it in the streets as Sodom once did. \\\"Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves\\\"<\/em> (v. 9). In the last days, sinners are going to become exceedingly bold in their sinning. They are going to stand against the ways and the Word of God, declaring their sin publicly. They will stand against everything good, godly, and holy, doing it as if they were standing on the side of virtue and truth. However, we read in Proverbs, \\\"Even though hand joined in hand, hell has opened wide its mouth to receive them\\\" (see Proverbs 11:21). There is only one righteousness—only one way to eternal life—and there is only one name given unto men whereby we might be saved.<\/p> A False Boldness<\/span>

In the book of Timothy, Paul talks about the perilousness of the last days. He talks about men being lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. In other words, they are standing boldly with a false assurance in all that God\\'s Word warns them against. They are unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power, always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (see 2 Timothy 3:1–7).<\/p>

In verse eight, Paul warned Timothy of two sorcerers with a faux spirituality. They were drawn to power; desiring admiration from the people. So when a man showed up with his brother to bring the people to freedom, they resisted it. In other words, they resisted the true gospel of Jesus Christ. They propagated another gospel that was full of a form of godliness but denied the real purpose and power of God. Of course, that purpose is to bring men, women, and children out of the darkness of sin and into eternal life through Jesus Christ.<\/p>

You and I are living in an era when that boldness is once again on full display. The ungodly flaunt their sin as Sodom; they call evil good and good evil. The vitriol against God\\'s people is getting more severe all the time. We know historically that it can lead to extreme difficulty for many of the people of God who want to stand up and live for truth. Those who choose not to go along with this evil agenda will be called dividers and haters, ultimately deemed unworthy of being part of this new world order.<\/p> Holy Boldness<\/span>

However, another group of people will have a different type of boldness in the last days. Yes, we know the wicked are bold, but I want to remind you that it is time for the people of God to become even bolder. It cannot be just evil that is parading in the streets—there must be people through whom the glory of God is made known in the earth once again. There must be people who know the power of God and can speak to this generation, \\\"Let me tell you what God has done for me!\\\" There must be people who refuse to cower under the voices of those who are parading their sins.<\/p>

Consider when Stephen stood and gave defense for what he believed. The Bible says, \\\"Even the sinners there beheld his face as if he looked like an angel. The glory of God was upon him\\\" (see Acts 6:15). A young man there named Saul was holding the coats of those who were about to kill Stephen. I imagine that was the moment where the goads, or conscience, of God began to touch him, for later, on the Damascus Road, the Lord said to him, \\\"It is hard for you to push against these goads of God that are trying to move you in a different direction\\\" (see Acts 9:5). I believe that seeing the countenance of Stephen was the first pang of conscience in this enraged lunatic who was out to kill everyone who did not share his worldview.<\/p>

It says in the book of Hebrews, \\\"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need\\\"<\/em> (Hebrews 4:14–16). In this last hour I see the addicted, the afflicted, the marginalized, the depressed—the nothings of this society—suddenly rising up and boldly approaching the throne of grace. Not groveling, not coming in with their heads hanging down in shame but coming to the throne of grace as invited sons and daughters of God. That is where the boldness comes from—remembering that we are called children of God. <\/p>

We come to the throne of grace with confidence in our hearts that we are coming to a God who desires to bless, enable, and empower us. As the Lord once said through the prophet Isaiah, \\\"Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price\\\"<\/em> (Isaiah 55:1). In other words, \\\"Stop trying to procure your strength and your future. Come to Me, and I will give you everything you need to live for Me and represent Me in this generation. Come boldly!\\\"<\/p>

I want to especially challenge those of you who have been living for God for a long time. This is not just an invitation for the marginalized and the addicted. It would be a fallacy to say that we have already come as far as we can go. You see, there is no limit to what God can do through our lives. The only limit is the one we choose to place on Him. Part of the boldness includes saying, \\\"God, You said that the latter part of our lives would be greater than the former. You showed us in Your Word that whatever we ask for, believing, we shall receive. You did not put an age limit on moving mountains and seeing them cast into the sea. When You told us we could tread on serpents and scorpions and have all power over the enemy—assuring us that nothing would by any means hurt us—there was no little asterisk at the bottom of the page specifying, \\\"I am only speaking to people between the ages of 18 and 49.\\\" No! You said, \\\"Whosoever will!\\\"<\/p> Speaking the Word with Boldness<\/span>

In the book of Acts, when threats were being made against the early Church, they got together and began to pray, \\\"Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus\\\"<\/em> (Acts 4:29–30). The Scripture says that when they prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak the word of God with boldness.<\/p>

This does not mean they spoke with arrogance or were being argumentative. It means they spoke the Word with confidence. It would be the same as Christians today confidently telling others, \\\"Jesus will set you free if you will turn to Him. He will save you and give you His Holy Spirit. He will transform your life and you will become a new creation. Your life will have meaning and value and purpose far beyond anything you ever could have imagined!\\\" That is called speaking the Word of God with boldness—making an open declaration of who God is and what God does.<\/p>

I remember a time years ago driving my middle son home from a hockey game. We had a couple of other players in the car with us. Now in those days, we had a small church, a small salary, a small car. It was a miracle we could fit all these guys in the car.<\/p>

On the way home, we stopped at a hamburger place. We were in line, and everybody was counting their pennies. I was at the back of the line, and my son Jared, who was at the front, suddenly turned around to his friends and announced, \\\"Put your money away, guys. My dad will pay!\\\"<\/p>

Now, that was bold! That was confidence. Of course, I wish he had talked to me about it before he said it; nevertheless, I did not care if I had to spend the next week\\'s gas money. It did not matter where I had to find the money or what budget it was going to be taken from. I would not dream of embarrassing my son in front of his friends.<\/p>

How much more will God fulfill what we speak of Him in confidence! We can boldly stand and tell people that if they are willing, Jesus will save them. Jesus will change them and give them a reason to live. With boldness, we can warn even the most profound sinner that there is room in heaven, there is room at the cross, there is mercy with God. There can be a reason and a purpose to live!<\/p>

I want to challenge you to be bold in this generation. Be bold with God. Come into His presence with confidence. Come, knowing that we have a High Priest who is touched with our weaknesses. He struggled with the things we struggle with; He was tried with them, yet He was without sin. And now He invites us to come in with confidence: \\\"Come to Me and I will help you. Come to Me, you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Come learn from Me. I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls\\\" (see Matthew 11:28–29). Come and find healing for your mind, your body, your marriage, your children, your family. And not only that, come receive the strength to be everything that God has called you to be!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"BOLDNESS IN THE LAST DAYS\\\"<\/b>, a sermon givenon January 12, 2022<\/b>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/b>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"4":{"sm_title":"Rising Up to a Higher Calling","sm_id":"401","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2022-04","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/11\/16t1\/20211116t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/11\/16t1\/20211116t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"w0WSeug65i8","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2022-04-rising-to-a-higher-calling.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Many people have an idea of what kind of life would make them happy. However, I want to suggest to you that no matter what kind of an impression you may have formed in your heart, it is far short of what God has for you. He has something so much higher. As a matter of fact, the scripture says, \\\"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him\\\"<\/em> (1 Corinthians 2:9). He has something unique for you—something only He can do through your life. That is what makes it a supernatural life.<\/p>

So how do we get to this life? Let\\'s start with Matthew chapter 16, verses 24 and 25: \\\"Then Jesus said to His disciples, \\'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.\\'\\\"<\/em><\/p>

In Luke chapter 17, Jesus also talked about this concept of losing the life that you could have had for what God has for you. He prefaces it with these words: \\\"Remember Lot\\'s wife\\\"<\/em> (Luke 17:32). Now, Lot was a man who escaped from a perishing city—a place that was under the judgment of God. Yet in His mercy, God sent messengers to take Lot, his wife, and their two daughters out of the city before He judged it.<\/p>

In this particular journey out of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot\\'s wife turned around and longingly looked back, hoping in her heart to preserve what God had told her to leave behind. This is the dilemma that a lot of people face today. God is trying to draw them out of where they are, yet there is something in their life they want to preserve. <\/p>

Perhaps you, too, have a vision of what happiness is. You have a vision of what your life could be, but that vision falls far short of what God has for you. And so He has you by the hand today, trying to lead you out. Nevertheless, many people look back longingly at the things that should be left behind, thinking there is something there of great value even though God says, \\\"No.\\\" <\/p>

This same dilemma faced the people of God who were brought out of Egypt, a place of captivity, and into the wilderness. Initially, they wanted out of captivity. Their whole vision was, \\\"If God will just get us out of here, how wonderful our lives will be!\\\" <\/p>

So in faithfulness, God heard the cries of His people. He sent a messenger and brought them out into a wilderness place for a season. However, the problem with this early generation was that they did not want to enter into the place God had for them. They wanted to come out of what was oppressing them, but they did not want to make the journey in. A lot of people are like that today. They want out of addiction, they want out of a bad relationship, they want out of unforgiveness. They want out of all these things, and God in His mercy hears their cry and takes them out. But He has something much bigger and better than just a wilderness experience or a testimony of what used to be in the past. Likewise, He brings us out, and He wants to bring us into something that only He can make happen!<\/p> Unwilling to Leave it Behind<\/span>

Jesus reminds us that if we seek to save what we think our life should be, we will lose the life that God has for us. Let\\'s look at Lot\\'s wife again. She was destined to have a life and to bring a blessing. But in disobedience she turned around, looked behind, and what happened? She brought incredible loss not only to herself but also to her family. She lost everything that God had for her, and it ultimately brought incest into her home. From her two daughters and her husband came two tribes of people, the Ammonites and the Moabites, who became enemies of the people of God. <\/p>

That is amazing. Just one person looked back and was unwilling to leave the past behind. Likewise, there are certain things we must leave behind—even the things we assumed were good. When Lot\\'s wife turned around, there had to be something she thought was good back there, something of value. Did she have a sewing business? We don\\'t know what it was. But she turned around and looked back, and when she did, she brought incredible heartache into the lives of thousands of other people who came after her. <\/p>

In the same way, think about those who will not go into the life that Christ has for them—the heartache it brings to their own families! In our future, everybody associated with us will suffer if we choose not to go into what God has for us but instead will try to preserve what we thought our life should be. That is the point. \\\"Whoever desires to save his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.\\\"<\/em> Loses their life—in other words, they let go of what they thought would bring happiness and fulfillment. They are willing to say, \\\"God, I do not know what You have for me, but whatever it is, I know that it is better than anything my own heart can come up with. I am willing to let my vision go so that I may possess what You have for me, knowing it will bring blessing into the lives of others all around!\\\" <\/p> My Story<\/span>

I personally remember having to make such a decision. I was brought up under a lot of pressure. My father was in his first year of college when he had to leave to join the military and fight in World War II. By the time he came back, the opportunity for an education was gone. Now I was his firstborn son, so he started to vicariously live his dream through me. My grandfather was a judge, and I was going to be the next lawyer. I was going to have every opportunity that my father did not have—so he saved all his money in order to send me to college. The only problem was that at that time, I had absolutely no desire in my heart for the things that he wanted for my life. As a result, it brought incredible pressure into my life. I became fearful at the age of fifteen because I felt as though I could never live up to his expectations of me. I started to suffer panic attacks, which continued for nine years before I became a Christian and then Christ set me free in a moment of time. <\/p>

Suddenly, fear no longer had a stronghold in my life, and I was no longer afraid of crowds. I already had an undergraduate degree in law and sociology, so I was only three years away from earning a law degree. That which was denied to me for so long due to fear was now made available. And so a battle began to rage in my heart.<\/p>

On one hand, I was a believer in Christ, and I felt God was calling me to do something. Yet I had this other desire in my heart. I began to conclude, \\\"I would make a great Christian lawyer. I\\'m not sure if there is such a thing, but I would make a great one!\\\"<\/p>

I could have sought to save my life by choosing my own direction and making it a Christian thing. That is what a lot of people do—and perhaps they do some good. But I think of one outreach service in Africa where a hundred thousand people raised their hands to receive Christ. None of that would have happened if I had been in a courtroom somewhere, arguing a case before a jury. I would never have known what my life could have been.<\/p> Press On<\/span>

The apostle Paul says in the book of Philippians 3:12: \\\"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.\\\"<\/em> In other words, \\\"I have been called for a purpose. I do not fully understand it, but I am moving forward because I want to lay hold of it!\\\" <\/p>

This is a decision we must continually make. I am 68 years old, and it might be easy to envision what my life should be for the rest of my days. I could formulate some plans, seek to save my life at this point, and not go the full distance of what God has for my future. But many people might suffer if I make that choice. Paul continued, \\\"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you\\\"<\/em> (Philippians 3:13–15).<\/p>

Agabus, a true prophet of God, took Paul\\'s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, \\\"Thus says the Holy Spirit, \\'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles\\'\\\"<\/em> (Acts 21:11). But Paul answered them, \\\"What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus\\\"<\/em> (21:13). I love the next verse: \\\"So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, \\'The will of the Lord be done\\'\\\"<\/em> (21:14). <\/p>

Aren\\'t you glad Paul did not listen to Agabus? I am truly thankful that Paul did not seek to save himself and that he was willing to be imprisoned for the Lord. He had no idea that from a jail cell, he would pen the doctrine for theological practice for the Church for the next 2000 years! He simply pressed toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Clearly it is not always an easy path; in fact, it is a path that might even cause you to lose your freedom. <\/p>

Yet I implore you today, do not look back as Lot\\'s wife did. Make the choice to rise up and enter into the fullness of the calling God has for you, no matter how difficult the path may seem. You may not know exactly where the journey will lead, but if you are willing to follow Him, your life will have an impact far greater than you could ever imagine!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"RISING TO A HIGHER CALLING\\\"<\/b>, a sermon givenon November 16, 2021<\/b>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/b>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"5":{"sm_title":"You Will Soon Come Out of the Wilderness","sm_id":"399","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2022-03","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/11\/23t1\/20211123t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/11\/23t1\/20211123t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"6a4fENip9ls","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2022-03-wilderness.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Many people today find themselves in a confusing, dry place—unaware of how they got there and perhaps unable to find a way out. If you can relate, I believe you will be greatly encouraged by a verse from the Song of Solomon. This book, one of the most beautiful in the entire Bible, is the story of a bridegroom and his bride and the beautiful love they have for each other.<\/p>

The bride\\'s description of the incredible relationship she has had with her bridegroom is probably similar to what many of us experienced when we first came to Christ. Do you remember the day when you found out Jesus died for your sins? You opened your heart, gave Him your life, and suddenly nothing else mattered but Him. I clearly remember the days when I would go to church as a new believer in Christ. I would open the hymnbook and sing, tears streaming down my face as I read the words that so stirred my heart.<\/p>

However, we read that one day this bride recognizes something has happened—her bridegroom is missing. She feels that he is near, yet she cannot see him. So she heads out to find him, searching throughout the city. Eventually she finds him, or I would venture a guess that he found her. It then says in Song of Solomon 8:5: \\\"Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?\\\"<\/p>

The bride is leaning upon him, which reminds me of the fact that Jesus is \\\"touched with the feelings of our infirmities\\\"<\/em> (Hebrews 4:15, KJV). He is not aloof from us or indifferent to us; He is not angry with us in our struggles. Therefore, as we call upon Him, even in a wilderness experience, we know that Jesus will not only come and get us, but He will strengthen and guide us to where we need to go.<\/p> Are You in the Wilderness?<\/span>

I believe a lot more of God\\'s people than actually realize it are in the wilderness. Let me explain. In the book of Luke, we see Jesus at the age of thirty beginning the public ministry that would ultimately take Him to a cross. In order for Jesus to fulfill this ministry that God the Father had given Him, God\\'s Holy Spirit had to come upon Him. Jesus had to walk in obedience to the will of His Father. The scripture says, \\\"It came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, \\'You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased\\'\\\"<\/em> (Luke 3:21–22).<\/p>

You and I might assume that because Jesus was the Son of God, He would come out of the waters of baptism, the Holy Spirit would come upon Him, and then He would go straight to the temple and declare, \\\"I have been sent by God. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for this reason\\\" (see Luke 4:18).<\/p>

However, in between the river of baptism and Luke 4:18, there is a wilderness. The scripture says in Luke 4:1, \\\"Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.\\\"<\/em><\/p>

Jesus also said of His cross, \\\"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me\\\"<\/em> (Matthew 16:24). It is reasonable to conclude that if we are going to follow in the footsteps of the One who went to the cross, and bring His message of salvation to this world, there is going to be a wilderness moment for us as well. We are going to be tested. Jesus was taken by the Spirit into the wilderness to see if He was willing to fulfill the ministry that God had given Him. He was well aware that He was called to a ministry of suffering and being given for the needs of others. It was going to require the pouring out of His life. In fact, Jesus also told His followers, \\\"In the world you will have tribulation\\\"<\/em> (John 16:33). You are not going to escape trouble; it will be part of this journey. \\\"But be of good cheer, for I have given you the victory already. I have already made a way for you to come through—not in your strength but in My strength that will be resident in you\\\" (my paraphrase).<\/p> The First Test<\/span>

So Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested, just as we will be. The first test that came to Him was when the devil said, \\\"If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread\\\"<\/em> (Luke 4:3). Picture for a moment the Church of Jesus Christ going through the same wilderness testing. The devil comes with a theological test: \\\"If you are in proximity to God, if He is your Father, then command this stone to be made bread.\\\" In other words, use your proximity to the Father for yourself. Use it to satisfy your hunger.<\/p>

Sadly, many of God\\'s people have fallen into this theological trap. They settle in churches where their whole theology is based on the idea of using the power of God to fill their bellies. These people may think they are in the promised land, but in reality, they are in the wilderness. They are stuck in between the place of the calling of God and the beginning of the fulfillment of the ministry. Although they may try to convince themselves that they are in the promised land, a strange dryness and powerlessness comes.<\/p> The Second Test<\/span>

The second test was when the devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and said, \\\"If You will worship before me, all will be Yours\\\" (see Luke 4:7). In other words, \\\"If You will just do it my way, a quicker way, You can have the kingdom now. You do not have to suffer. You do not have to be rejected or go to a cross. You can have it all now!<\/p>

Remember, the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church: \\\"You are all reigning now. You are all kings. I wish indeed you were reigning, and I would reign with you\\\" (see 1 Corinthians 4:8). But Paul added, \\\"Yet we apostles are like the scarring of the earth. We are buffeted. We are struggling. We have to scrape for the strength to go forward\\\" (see 4:9–13).<\/p>

Many people have fallen into the temptation of skipping the hardship and going straight to victory. They spend their whole existence coming to church to just hear that they are kings, ruling and reigning in life. Yet there is no mention of sacrifice, suffering, or yielding to what God has for their life for the sake of others.<\/p> The Third Test<\/span>

The third test was when the devil brought Jesus to Jerusalem and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying, \\\"\\'If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: \\'He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,\\' and, \\'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone\\'\\\"<\/em> (Luke 4:9–11). I see this as a group of people who gather in the name of Christ, yet deep down at the core of their heart, they have difficulty believing that God is faithful and that His Word can be trusted. They always need a sign to believe. They want to have lights and all kinds of distractions. They need a sensory experience to believe that God is in their midst. And then when a trial comes, they no longer believe. They are constantly doubting the Word of God, always wanting to put God to a test to prove that He can be trusted.<\/p> In the Power of the Spirit<\/span>

After these tests in the wilderness, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. News of Him spread all through the surrounding regions. He began to teach in their synagogues, and this is when He came into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, found the place in the book of Isaiah, and began to read, \\\"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord\\\"<\/em> (Luke 4:18–19).<\/p>

Jesus was saying, \\\"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because I have been anointed to go to the cross. And by going to the cross and yielding My life as an atonement for sin, the poor will have the treasure of heaven open to them. The oppressed will be given new freedom and new life. And everyone will know that this is the day of their salvation—the day they can be free!\\\"<\/p>

In contrast, rather than being able to rightfully declare this over their lives, many of God\\'s people are still in the wilderness. They are still trying to use the gospel to fill their bellies, wanting to bypass the road of suffering and go straight to ruling and reigning, or needing continual proof that God can be trusted. But by the mercy of God, I believe a sudden hunger is stirring in the Church, just as with the bride in the Song of Solomon. There is a sudden yearning for that love relationship, knowing that something has been missing. It is the realization, \\\"There is more for me than I have been living for. I do not want to live with just a shadow of His presence—I want true intimacy! I do not want to live my life trying to figure out what I am supposed to be doing when God has already decreed a plan for my life that is greater than anything I could ever fully understand. I do not want to live this Christian life merely to preserve my comfort!\\\"<\/p>

Remember, the bride left her bed and went out into the streets in search of her bridegroom (see Song of Solomon 5:5–6). \\\"I am going to find him; I do not care what it takes. I am going to go where he is!\\\" It was a yearning in her heart, just like the yearning in the hearts of the true bride of Jesus Christ.<\/p>

For those of you who are tired of living in a dry place, tired of pretending to reign when you are not, tired of not trusting God—I have good news: He is coming to get you! You finally recognize, \\\"Jesus, You are the bridegroom, and I am the bride. I do not want to be apart from You. I want to be doing what You are doing!\\\"<\/p>

Yes, Jesus is going to take you by the hand, and you are going to come out of the wilderness. Just as in the verse, your only requirement is to lean on Him. Let Him take you by the hand and guide you. He will guide you through the Bible, lead you into righteousness and the plan He has for your life. He will do the miracles that He said He would do as you begin to walk with Him.<\/p>

Oh, I see a bride that is going to come out of the wilderness, leaning on her Beloved! Jesus is going to have a glorious bride in this last hour of time. He is going to have a victorious Church—one that is given for the sake of other people, willing to walk in intimacy and unison with her Bridegroom!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"YOU WILL SOON COME OUT OF THE WILDERNESS\\\"<\/b>, a sermon givenon November 23, 2021<\/b>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/b>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version©. Copyright©1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"6":{"sm_title":"I Believe","sm_id":"397","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2022-02","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/10\/05t1\/20211005t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/10\/05t1\/20211005t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"aVMgnw51bRc","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2022-02-I-believe.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In Acts chapter 14, we read of the miraculous healing of a crippled man. Just prior to this event, Paul and Barnabas had been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in a certain region when suddenly the people turned to violence and attempted to stone them. As a result, they ended up fleeing to Lystra where they also began preaching the gospel. <\/p>

\\\"And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother\\'s womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, \\'Stand up straight on your feet!\\' And he leaped and walked\\\"<\/em> (Acts 14:8–10).<\/p>

Here was a man who had never been able to walk in his entire life. However, he was listening intently to the Word of God, hearing that God was able to give him the ability to do something he had never done before. We see in the Scriptures that Paul observed him intently and saw that he had faith to be healed. The Bible does not describe what this faith looked like exactly. Perhaps it was the look on the man\\'s face. Nevertheless, Paul was able to see something that signaled to him that this man was engaged. In other words, the man had come to the point of simply saying, \\\"I believe.\\\"<\/p>

I remember arriving at that point in my own life. I had gone to church as a young believer in Christ with a horrid self-image and a lousy view of my future. But one day, I heard an evangelist speak about the simple fact that in Christ, all things are possible. Because of Christ, we become a new creation, and a new pathway is laid out for our lives. I remember sitting on the edge of my seat, thinking, \\\"Could this really be true?\\\" Week after week, I listened to this evangelist preach a similar message. I do not know what day it was, but there was a moment in my heart when I said, \\\"I believe! I truly believe this!\\\" And so I got up and began to walk toward this promise of a new life.<\/p> What Was Paul\\'s Message?<\/span>

I often wonder what Paul was preaching that suddenly gave this crippled man the faith to walk. Remember, he had been lame from his mother\\'s womb, meaning there was no muscle tone in his legs. There was nothing he could do physically to lift himself up. In fact, his legs had probably atrophied by this point, rendering them completely unusable. So, what could have caused him to even contemplate the possibility of walking? <\/p>

Was he hearing 2 Corinthians 5:17 where Paul says, \\\"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new\\\"?<\/em> Is that the point when the man decided, \\\"God, if this is true, I want it\\\"?<\/p>

Or perhaps it was Romans 8:11 where Paul says, \\\"If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies.\\\"<\/em> In other words, God will bring your mortal body to life and give you the ability to do things that you were never able to do before. The Lord will make you into more than you could ever hope to be, give you what you could never possess in your own natural strength, and take you further than you could ever go by your own initiative or effort. I wonder how many people in the Church of Jesus Christ today truly believe that—that you can be raised out of areas where relationships, hope, dreams, or ability died. <\/p>

You can be raised from places where you do not see any chance of changing or going forward, for the Spirit of God lives within you! He is the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead. In fact, that is what the gospel is all about—dead people living! It is not only about being forgiven but being raised from the dead—raised out of darkness, raised out of weakness, raised out of places you could never get out of in your own strength—all by the Spirit of Almighty God within you. <\/p>

Or perhaps Paul was preaching from Romans chapter 8: \\\"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? <\/em><\/p>

\\\"Who shall bring any charge against God\\'s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?<\/em><\/p>

\\\"As it is written: \\'For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.\\' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord\\\"<\/em> (Romans 8:31–39).<\/p>

Personally, I think Paul\\'s message was the same as it had always been—God loves you with a love and a compassion that you cannot fully comprehend. It can never be taken away. You can never be separated from the love of God and His passion to redeem you and make you into the person He has destined you to be. That means that no voice under heaven has the right to tell you that this is for everyone else but you—that you will never be free, you will never change, you will never be healed. When Jesus died on the cross for you, in His final breath He uttered the words, \\\"It is finished.\\\"<\/em> The right of hell, sin or death to govern your life was broken on the cross of Jesus Christ! And the fact that the Spirit of God raised Him from the dead on the third day is all the proof you need that the same Spirit will also quicken your mortal body. <\/p>

So as Paul preached, suddenly he noticed this man\\'s faith. Paul then said with a loud voice, \\\"Stand up straight on your feet,\\\" and the man leaped up and walked! Notice that he did not just stand up—he literally jumped up by the power of God. <\/p>

What was the response of the people when they saw it? \\\"They raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, \\'The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!\\'\\\"<\/em> (Acts 14:11). The people knew that only God could have done this. And it was all because this man had heard something and finally decided, \\\"I believe! I believe!\\\"<\/p> It is Only a Paper Wall<\/span>

Getting to the point of faith that this man finally arrived at makes me think of a football team right before a big game. Picture for a moment this team in their locker room. They put on all their gear, just as we are called to put on the full armor of God. Then they rouse each other up and excitedly start heading down the tunnel toward the field. But just before they actually get onto the field to start the game, they must break through a paper wall.<\/p>

Have you realized that the devil spends all his time writing things on your paper wall? He draws fake bricks to make you believe that you cannot go through—that somehow the wall is too tough for you. <\/p>

He writes, \\\"Loser, you will never amount to anything!\\\" along with a multitude of other lies to try to discourage you. However, it is important to remember that it is only a paper wall! You see, once you have the courage to get up and go through the paper wall, you finally get to be in the game.<\/p>

Everybody is a star in the game of God. When you get on that field of being raised from the dead by the Spirit of Christ, you bring glory to God. In other words, everyone gets in the end zone; everyone gets to spike the ball and shout with all their might!<\/p>

Of course, this means that there is a point in each one of our lives when we finally decide, \\\"I believe,\\\" and we stand up and start walking. Perhaps you are in a situation where you cannot see a future. Perhaps you are addicted, afflicted, or oppressed in some area of your life. Yet I encourage you today, as an act of faith, to get up. Stand up in the power of God, knowing that His Word cannot fail. <\/p>

Think about what it would have been like to watch the man who had been crippled from birth as he suddenly began to leap and walk. He was probably crying, \\\"I\\'m walking, I\\'m walking! Jesus made me walk!\\\" I imagine he would not have been able to stop confessing who God is and what God had done. <\/p>

I can picture the very same thing happening in your life. Once you truly stand up in faith and the Spirit of God comes and does the impossible in your life, you will not be able to stop singing and testifying of God\\'s goodness. And just like those who witnessed a crippled man suddenly begin to walk, people around you will have to acknowledge that only God could have done this! Hallelujah!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"I BELIEVE\\\"<\/strong>, a sermon given on October 7, 2021<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/strong>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"7":{"sm_title":"Understanding the Joy of the Lord","sm_id":"395","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2022-01","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/10\/19t1\/20211019t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/10\/19t1\/20211019t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2022-01-understanding-the-joy.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Many people do not understand the joy of the Lord, but I hope to make it clear to you today from the Word of God. To set the stage before we look in the book of Nehemiah, the children of Israel had been taken into captivity because they had dealt carelessly with the presence of the Lord. They had been held captive for seventy years by a nation called Babylon, which eventually fell to the Medo-Persians. Later, in three separate stages, the people were allowed to return home to begin to rebuild their testimony. The last group of people to return was under the leadership of a man called Nehemiah.<\/p>

Nehemiah was a cupbearer, or butler, in the Medo-Persian king\\'s court (see Nehemiah 1:11). His brothers had given him a report of what was going on in Jerusalem—how the people who had gone back were trying to rebuild but were greatly discouraged. When he heard the report, it broke his heart, and he began to pray. God gave him incredible favor to return to Jerusalem, and he encouraged everybody in the vicinity of their home to begin to build. Miraculously, the construction of the wall was accomplished in fifty-two days.<\/p>

When the wall was completed, Nehemiah, Ezra the priest, and other leaders gathered all the people together to open the words of God\\'s book. Remember, it was their casual attitude regarding God\\'s Word that got them into trouble in the first place.<\/p>

When the priests opened the Word of God, the scripture says, \\\"Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered, \\'Amen, Amen!\\' while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. ...So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, \\'This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.\\' For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law\\\"<\/em> (Nehemiah 8:6, 8–9).<\/p>

When the Word of God was opened, I am sure that failure was all the people could see. Have you ever felt that way? You open the Bible, and it is almost as if a red light goes off on every verse you read. Fail! Fail! Fail! That is how these people must have felt. \\\"Oh, God, You warned us, and we did not take it seriously. You told us what would happen to our children, but we did not listen, so we ended up in captivity and brought Your name into reproach.\\\"<\/p>

As they read the words of God, they once again recognized the calling of God on their lives. Abraham was their father, and through them, there was supposed to be a blessing that would touch the whole known world. So the people wept when they heard the words. There was ruin everywhere. <\/p>

However, something strange was said in the midst of it all. \\\"Then he said to them, \\'Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.\\' So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, \\'Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.\\' And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them\\\"<\/em> (8:10–12).<\/p>

The people might have wondered, \\\"How are we supposed to pretend we are happy when we\\'re not? Do we put a plastic smile on our face and walk around saying, \\'The joy of the Lord is my strength\\' even if we don\\'t feel any of it inside?\\\" Yet, we see here that the people understood the words declared to them, and they rejoiced greatly.<\/p>

You might ask, what were those words? And what is this joy of the Lord that is supposed to be my strength? <\/p> The Lost Son<\/span>

To understand this principle of the joy of the Lord being our strength, let\\'s look in the Word where Jesus talked about a certain man who had two sons. His younger son said to his father, \\\"\\'Give me the portion of goods that falls to me.\\' So [the father] divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living\\'\\\"<\/em> (Luke 15:12–13). This young man had a relationship with his father, as the children of Israel did with God in the Old Testament, but he did not appreciate it. He basically concluded, \\\"I\\'m done with this place. There must be more to life than this.\\\" <\/p>

Interestingly, the father did not even seem to resist. So the son took his inheritance, went far, far away from the heart of his father, and wasted it all on himself. This is like Christians who never find their purpose in life. They fail to understand that they are called to be ambassadors of an incredible kingdom. And so rather than living for the benefit of others, they choose to live for themselves. <\/p>

After this son had spent everything he had, a severe famine came upon the land, and he began to be in want. He ended up in the fields, feeding swine—and nothing could be worse for a Jewish boy than feeding pigs. This is the type of Christian who ends up doing things he never believed he was capable of—perhaps becoming hooked on pornography, feeding the unclean thing. <\/p>

The son was so hungry, yet he could not find anything that would satisfy. The society around him was selfish—nobody would give him anything to eat. There is nothing worse than knowing whose son or daughter you are, yet being in the world, and being totally rejected. That is what happened to this young man. The scripture says, \\\"When he came to himself, he said, \\'How many of my father\\'s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father\\'\\\"<\/em> (15:17–18). <\/p>

I can just see him going down the road, repeating his mantra, \\\"I am no longer worthy.\\\" How many people come to church like that, trying to get right with God? They sit and say, \\\"Father, I am not worthy. Make me like one of Your hired servants. I am so sorry for what I have done. I will come to the altar, cry, and repent. And that will be my whole testimony—what a horrible mess I made of my life, and You graciously allowed me to come home.\\\"<\/p>

\\\"But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him\\\"<\/em> (15:20). Just imagine the scene—suddenly the son looks up and sees an old man running down the road. His robes are flowing; his white hair is blowing in the wind. <\/p>

This father saw his son far away because he had been waiting for him to come home. That is what God is like! That is the purpose and mission of God in this world all along. He did not come to save the righteous; He came to save sinners. He came to us because we are weak and foolish. He came because only He could bridge the great divide between the kingdom of God and us. <\/p> An Unexpected Welcome<\/span>

How surprised the son must have been when his father embraced and kissed him. Under the religious rules of that time, when you embraced somebody, you took their smell upon you. When the father embraced his son, he took the smell of the pigs upon himself. Likewise, when Jesus went to the cross and spread His arms open wide, He took our smell. He took our stain and our shame. He took all the foolish things that you and I have done, even as believers. He took it all upon Himself! <\/p>

As the son starts saying, \\\"Father, I have sinned. I am no longer worthy. Make me one of your hired servants,\\\" the father does not even acknowledge him. Instead, the first thing the father does is call to his servants, \\\"Bring the best robe in the house and put it on my son!\\\" (see verse 22). <\/p>

That robe was reserved for royalty. When it was put on the son, it covered the smell of his shame. It covered the places he had been. How stunned the servants must have been! The Bible says in the book of Hebrews that the salvation of God is something the angels desire to look into. They do not understand that Almighty God, who lives in perfection, has set His heart and desire on you and me! We are His trophies forever. The best robe in the house of God is the blood of Jesus Christ—the covering that takes away the stain and reproach of what we have done.<\/p>

As if that were not good enough, the next thing the father said was, \\\"Bring the ring and put it on his finger.\\\" The ring was the sign of the father\\'s authority. The signet ring on the son\\'s finger meant that when he sealed a document with that ring, he carried the full authority of his father. Just as Jesus says to us, \\\"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions. and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you\\\"<\/em> (Luke 10:19). <\/p>

And then the father said, \\\"Bring shoes and put them on my son\\'s feet\\\" (see Luke 15:22). In other words, \\\"Son, you are going to take a journey. I am going to send you places, and you are going to talk about me.\\\" What do you think the son\\'s message was from that point onward? Was it the seven steps to success, obey this, do that? No! \\\"You must meet my father! My life was a mess. I was living in a pigsty but when I returned home, he came down the road and embraced me. He covered me, empowered me and invited me on a journey to tell others about him!\\\" <\/p> The Father\\'s Joy<\/span>

The father then brought him into the house, and this is where it gets really interesting. The scripture says that the father had the fatted calf killed and arranged a celebration with much music and dancing\\\" (see Luke 15:23–25). Now you can just picture the son standing in the corner of the room. He wore the robe, the ring, the shoes, and now he was the center of attention of this entire gathering. The musicians started to play, and the dancing began. I have attended a Jewish wedding and have observed the older Jewish men dancing. How they dance in a circle and raise their hands is just amazing. <\/p>

So the son looked at his father jubilantly dancing, and suddenly it hit him: \\\"It is my father\\'s joy to bring me home! It is my father\\'s joy to cover my failure. It is my father\\'s joy to empower me over my enemies. It is my father\\'s joy to call me to represent him in his kingdom!\\\" He looked, and it was not his joy—it was his father\\'s joy—that became his strength! <\/p>

\\\"The joy of the Lord is your strength.\\\" That is what Nehemiah and the others were telling the people. It is God\\'s joy to bring you home. It is God\\'s joy to restore you. It is God\\'s joy to give you the power to rebuild what was lost. It is the joy of the Lord to do this for you. That is the source of your strength! Yes, it becomes your joy, but it is His joy first! <\/p>

That is why Nehemiah and the others in Israel said to the people, \\\"Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared.\\\" In other words, God is inviting you today to feast on His incredible joy. And as you do so, allow it to spill over through your life onto all those around you who have never experienced it! Hallelujah!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"UNDERSTANDING THE JOY OF THE LORD\\\"<\/b>, a sermon given on October 19, 2021<\/b>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc.<\/b> You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"8":{"sm_title":"Holy Desperation","sm_id":"393","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-12","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/09\/14t1\/20210914t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/09\/14t1\/20210914t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2021-12-holy-desperation.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In the book of Esther, we see the incredible example of how the holy desperation of one person can change the course of history. Let me set the stage for you. The people of God lost the presence, provision, and protection of their heavenly Father because they dealt lightly with the things of God. As a result, they were conquered, captured, and spent seventy years in Babylon.<\/p>

Babylon itself was conquered by a nation called Medo-Persia, and King Cyrus eventually allowed the people of God to return home to rebuild the temple and testimony that they had lost on the earth.<\/p>

When God has a plan for His people, the devil will come up with a counterplan, and it always involves oppression, threats, and even death. This theme is common all the way through history, and we see it in the book of Esther. Imagine, if those who plotted to kill all the Jewish people in that day had been successful, we can conclude that the temple would not have been rebuilt. Jewish history would be entirely different; in fact, it would have affected all of history!<\/p>

So, what was God\\'s plan to thwart this scheme of darkness? Of course, we typically consider Esther to be the marquee player in this whole story because she was the queen. She prayed, fasted, went before the king, and petitioned him. However, I want to suggest to you that the real hero of this story is a man called Mordecai.<\/p> Passing the Baton<\/span>

Now the Persian king had issued a decree that the people of God should be eliminated. When the story reached Mordecai, a family member of Queen Esther—the wife of the king—he began to intercede.<\/p> \\\"[Mordecai] tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. He went as far as the front of the king\\'s gate, for no one might enter the king\\'s gate clothed with sackcloth\\\"<\/em> (Esther 4:1–2). Here was a man whose heart was gripped with holy desperation, but not for himself. That is where prayer finds its power—when we finally get away from our own struggles and trials. This was not just about \\\"God, save me,\\\" but rather \\\"God, save Your people.\\\" He was just a lone voice, dressed in sackcloth and ashes, repenting for the sins of his people as much as he knew how.

Notice that Mordecai went as far as he could physically go. In a sense, this was a picture of someone going as far as he could go in his prayer. He was like a runner in a multi-person relay race. He ran as far as he could and then stretched out the baton to someone in his family who was supposed to be the next runner. The problem is, the next runner did not even know that there was a race, let alone that she was supposed to be the closer of this race! Unfortunately, this is exactly what can happen to us.<\/p>

\\\"And in every province where the king\\'s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. So Esther\\'s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king\\'s eunuchs whom she had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was\\\"<\/em> (Esther 4:3–5). In other words, \\\"What is going on with my cousin, Mordecai? Why is he doing this?\\\"<\/p>

Society was turning against the people of God, leaving them seemingly powerless to defend themselves, and Mordecai simply would not accept any comfort. He had holy desperation in his heart. Perhaps he suspected that something dreadful was about to happen if this situation was not somehow countered by the power of prayer.<\/p>

\\\"So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king\\'s gate. And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king\\'s treasuries to destroy the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.<\/em><\/p>

\\\"So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave a command for Mordecai: \\'All the king\\'s servants and the people of the king\\'s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.\\'<\/em><\/p>

\\\"So they told Mordecai Esther\\'s words. And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: \\'Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king\\'s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father\\'s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?\\'\\\"<\/em><\/p> (Esther 4:6–13).

There is a fear in the hearts of many people today that will cause them to draw back and try to preserve themselves. But Mordecai said to Esther, \\\"Don\\'t be fooled into thinking you will escape because you carve out some nice little niche for yourself.\\\" Likewise, this evil is not going to pass over your house either. You have a choice. You either perish, or you fight and invoke Holy God to do what only He can do.<\/p>

\\\"Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, \\'Go gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!\\' So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him\\\"<\/em><\/p> (Esther 4:15–17).

Thank God that Esther, through the intercession of Mordecai, seriously took up the burden of prayer, throwing her life into it. She opened the door to God\\'s plan, God\\'s provision, and God\\'s power. She did eventually take the baton, but she took it because somebody else began to pray.<\/p>

It reminds me of the situation where perhaps one might say, \\\"Nobody in my family is walking with God. I am the only one.\\\" If this is something you identify with, I challenge you to go to the King\\'s gate. Go with holy desperation. Go with the knowledge that only God can make this happen. You may be surprised when you see who rises up to take the baton in your family.<\/p> Access to the King<\/span>

You see, others will not pray if we do not pray. They will not have a burden if we do not have a burden. It is not enough just to try to push somebody else into the arena. No, we must go to the gate. Remember, all it takes is one person with holy desperation in his or her heart to change history. It is the person who declares, \\\"I am not giving up until God moves. I don\\'t care who tells me to be quiet. I don\\'t care if people tell me that I am too extreme!\\\"<\/p>

Esther came out of that time of fasting and prayer with a wholehearted dependence on God, and God gave her incredible wisdom. I believe the Lord told her when to speak, how to speak, what to speak, and why to speak. When you begin to pray and fast, watch the influence God will start to give you over your family, even if you didn\\'t even know that you were supposed to be in the battle.<\/p>

Perhaps you have spent most of your life in self- preservation. Your prayers are all about yourself, but today God is challenging you. There is a bigger battle out there, a whole host of people who have no power to defend themselves against evil, and you are in a place where you have access to the throne of the King. They don\\'t; you do. They do not even know that there is a King who would move His scepter forward toward them. They have no knowledge of the goodness of God because they are so distant from the throne of power.<\/p>

However, you are in a place where you can go to the King, and the King\\'s favor will move toward you. The king said, \\\"Queen Esther, what is it that you would have me do for you?\\\" (see Esther 5:3). You and I both know that Esther was seeking to have this law of sin and death canceled over her people, and a new law written that would give them power to stand up and not only fight back but be victorious.<\/p>

Remember, it was not just about the people in Medo- Persia at that time. It was about those people who would eventually leave Medo-Persia and return to Israel to rebuild the temple and testimony of God. It was a link in the chain that could not afford to be broken in the redemptive history of God on the earth. Thankfully, this incredible link held, and the people of God were delivered. Families were given the power to stand up and fight back against this onslaught of hell—all because of one man who would not quit—one man with holy desperation in his heart.<\/p> Ask for Holy Desperation<\/span>

If you are going to pray for something today, let it be, \\\"God, give me holy desperation. Give me holy desperation for my family. Give me holy desperation for this generation. Give me holy desperation to see Your power released and the weight of darkness that is trying to swallow a whole society pushed back!\\\"<\/p>

I encourage you—stay in prayer. Whether it is two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes, an hour, it does not matter. Stay and pray until the power of God comes upon you. Stay and pray until you see clearly what the will of God is for your life. Stay and pray until you know in your heart that God is going to use you to reach your family. Pray for the family of God and your own family to become engaged in the spiritual battles for people today. Pray that your sons, your daughters, your brothers, your sisters, your mom, your dad would all pick up that sword of the Spirit and begin to fight the battles of God.<\/p>

Pray that those who are cowering would be given courage. Pray for power to stay faithful until the answer comes, as Mordecai did. Pray, pray, pray, and let\\'s believe God together that there is going to be a moment of mercy in this world and an end-time spiritual awakening.<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"HOLY DESPERATION\\\"<\/b>, a sermon given on September 14, 2021<\/b>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/b>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version©. Copyright©1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"9":{"sm_title":"Come Holy Spirit—We Need You","sm_id":"391","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-11","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/06\/29t1\/20210629t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/06\/29t1\/20210629t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2021-11-come-holy-spirit.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

A personal experience changed the course of my life. Although I was a believer in Christ, I was desperate for something that would allow me to break out of the box of my former life. I wanted God\\'s full plan for my life, but I did not know how to get to that place\u2026until the day that I had a profound encounter with Him.<\/p>

Before I get to my story, let\\'s look in the book of Acts to get a biblical basis for it. \\\"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord and 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 \u2026 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, \\'Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?\\'\\\"<\/em> (Acts 2:2—8).<\/p>

This is God doing what He said He was going to do in the last days. Now, the last days began on the Day of Pentecost, and it is going to culminate with the return of Christ. We are quite possibly in the last of the last days in our generation.<\/p>

\\\"\\'It shall come to pass in the last days,\\' says God, \\'That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams, and on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy\\'\\\"<\/em> (Acts 2:17—18).<\/p>

The question is, if we know this is the way God works, what hinders us from calling out again for what we obviously need in our time? Why would we talk ourselves out of the power of God that is promised to each of us in the last days? Here are three possible reasons, followed by a bit of my story.<\/p> FEAR<\/span>

First is the fear that God will not answer us. Some people\\'s faith is hanging by a thread: \\\"If I ask God for this and He does not give it to me, how can I trust Him for anything else?\\\" The root cause of such reasoning is fear.<\/p>

Remember that Jesus said in Luke 11:9—10, \\\"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.\\\"<\/em> If we ask God for the right reason\u2014to bring glory to His name\u2014He will surely answer us.<\/p> INDECISION<\/span>

The second reason why we may be hesitant to ask God for His power is the indecision about leaving where we are for what God has for us. Many people want to experience the presence of God\\'s Holy Spirit, but they do not want to move from where they are. In other words, \\\"I want the blessing here; I want it my way.\\\" On the other hand, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, there also comes a change.<\/p>

Consider Hebrews 11, where it says, \\\"By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh\\'s daughter\\\"<\/em> (verse 24). There was an immediate leaving of old associations\u2014a willingness to go with God no matter what the cost. The Word continues, \\\"Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward\\\"<\/em> (Hebrews 11:25—26). Moses was willing to embrace a new identity and a new path for his life. He was no longer the son of Pharaoh\\'s daughter with access to all that came with it.<\/p> PRIDE<\/span>

The third reason we are hesitant to ask for what we need is simply pride. No one wants to be rejected in the marketplace or by coworkers. Sadly, we often modify our behavior in attempts to fit in with a fallen society. We care more about what godless people think of us than what God says about us.<\/p>

Remember, Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in all of Egypt. There comes a point when we have to die to pride. God reminds us, \\\"I will give you what you asked for, but it is only in a place of humility that you are going to find this.\\\"<\/p> MY PERSONAL ENCOUNTER<\/span>

I certainly learned this in my journey with the Lord. When I was saved at the age of 24, I began attending a church that I loved. However, they taught that once the Word of God came, we no longer needed the Holy Spirit. <\/p>

I started reading the Word of God, and saw that Jesus said, \\\"If any man believes in Me, out of his inward parts will flow rivers of living water\\\" (see John 7:38). I remember thinking, \\\"My life is more like a leaky tap. I have a hard time sharing Christ with people. There must be more than this!\\\" I felt so free in church but so bound when it came to living for God the rest of the week. Eventually, after two years, I got sick of it. One day, as I was driving my patrol car, I punched the steering wheel and exclaimed, \\\"Jesus, I am going to live for You if it kills me! I am sick of the cowardice in my life!\\\"<\/p>

A couple of days later, another cop named Bob came to me at work and said, \\\"Carter, I got permission from the Chief to go to the regional jail to share Christ with the prisoners!\\\"<\/p>

I replied, \\\"Bob, there was a riot there last month. If they riot again and we are there in uniform, you know we are as good as dead.\\\"<\/p>

\\\"Yeah, I know that,\\\" he replied. \\\"Are you coming or not?\\\"<\/p>

I remember thinking, \\\"Oh, God, You didn\\'t have to take me up on my \\'I\\'m going to serve You if it kills me\\' vow so soon!\\\" But we headed out later that week to the Regional Detention Center. On the way, Bob said, \\\"I have a buddy who is an ex–outlaw in a motorcycle gang. It\\'s his one–year spiritual birthday, and I want to drop by the halfway house and say happy birthday.\\\"<\/p>

So we stopped at a facility that housed heavy–duty guys who had done big–time crime. They had gotten out of jail and were being integrated back into society. They all had found Christ in prison and we walked in there in uniform just as they were about to have a testimony and worship time.<\/p>

Bob asked me, \\\"Do you want to stay here instead of going to the jail?\\\" I agreed, knowing it was certainly safer than the jail.<\/p>

They started to worship, and the presence of God came down. With tears streaming down their faces, men testified of what Christ had done for them. Then at the end, the director asked me, \\\"Would you like to share your testimony?\\\"<\/p>

I went through all the doctrine I had learned in church and shared my testimony. And they said, \\\"But God will not just bring you to salvation through Christ, He will give you the power of the Holy Spirit so you can live as a witness for Him!\\\"<\/p>

Suddenly, I found myself arguing against them, but in the back of my mind, I heard this little voice saying, \\\"What are you talking about? You cannot witness to anybody. You remember punching the steering wheel; you know why you are on this journey!\\\" Finally, one of the guys said, \\\"Would you like us to pray for you?\\\"<\/p>

I tried to convince myself, \\\"Well, these are all coming out of jail; they will need the Holy Spirit to integrate back into society. But I\\'m a cop. I\\'m a fine, upstanding citizen. I\\'ve got the Word of God. I don\\'t need this!\\\" But another voice was saying, \\\"Who are you kidding? You know they have more victory in their lives than you do!\\\"<\/p>

I was battling within because of fear: \\\"What am I getting myself into here?\\\" Secondly, there was the hesitation of, \\\"Where is this going to lead? Will I now have to be associated with these people?\\\" And, of course, I was concerned about, \\\"What is the Chief going to say if he finds out these guys prayed for me?\\\" I experienced it all\u2014the fear, indecision, and pride. But, finally, I consented.<\/p>

One of the guys went to stand behind me. \\\"Don\\'t stand behind me,\\\" I objected, as it made me uncomfortable. He insisted, and then they said, \\\"Would you raise your hands?\\\" How ironic\u2014twenty ex–cons and me, the cop, and I\\'m the one with my hands raised! It just did not make sense to me. But I raised my hands while they prayed for me. The next thing I knew, I was flat out on a hardwood floor! I never felt a thing. I just went down on the floor and began speaking a language I had never learned. The only thing in my mind other than speaking in tongues was, \\\"What if the Chief finds out about this?\\\"<\/p>

All the way home that night, I was thinking, \\\"This didn\\'t happen to me. I\\'m not going to speak in tongues anymore.\\\" But I would open my mouth, and I would be speaking in the language I had never learned! Then I would argue with myself, \\\"I am just making that up. That cannot be God.\\\" So I would shut my mouth but when I opened my mouth again, another language would come out\u2014completely different from the former one!<\/p> I finally said, \\\"Oh, God, You\\'ve touched me!\\\" I got home and said to my wife, \\\"Hey, Teresa, listen to this!\\\" It was 11:30 at night, and she had been waiting for me to come home. I started speaking in tongues, then I ran out the door and went running through our 30–acre farm, shouting to the heavens, and singing \\\"Amazing Grace!\\\" My wife later told me that she thought I had lost my mind, but she acknowledged that I was a different man\u2014I had been transformed.

Everywhere I went, I could not stop speaking about Jesus. There was a river of His life flowing through me! Doors started opening, and since that time I have travelled all over the world. I have seen God do miracles, and it all began that time in my car when I said, \\\"God, I\\'m going to do it Your way!\\\"<\/p> ASK FOR HIS SPIRIT<\/span>

Being filled with the Spirit is God\\'s intended purpose for our lives. The Bible says that God is not a respecter of persons. Remember, Peter said, \\\"This is that! Your sons and daughters, your young men, the old, the young, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will find Christ and know the power of God.\\\"<\/p>

We are not going to be able to make a difference without Him. We desperately need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and we must be willing to be ridiculed by a lost world one more time. Let us esteem the reproach of Christ a greater treasure than all the treasures of the world. If you are willing, I am confident that what He did for me, He will do for you\u2014and you will be a powerful witness of the reality of Christ to everyone around!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"Come, Holy Spirit\u2014We Need You\\\"<\/strong>, a sermon given on June 29, 2021<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/strong>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"10":{"sm_title":"A New Song for a New Time","sm_id":"389","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/TSC-Thumbnail-217p-4.jpg","sm_date":"2021-10","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/05\/30s1\/20210530s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/05\/30s1\/20210530s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"zG16cc0QVfA","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2021-10-a-new-song-for-a-new-time.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\\\"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay\\\"<\/em> (Psalm 40:1). These are the words of David, the future king, who had found himself in an inescapable dark place. Yet, he went on to testify that the Lord \\\"set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord\\\" (40:2–3).<\/p>

David was essentially saying, \\\"God lifted me out of this place where my hope was sinking. He brought me out and put my feet in such a large, firm and wonderful place that it came with a song.\\\" Now this was not just an audible song, but a song of praise that is deeper than words—a song that emanates from the whole being of somebody who is fully given to the ways of God. <\/p>

\\\"Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies\\\"<\/em> (Psalm 40:4). There are all kinds of voices around us and the proud put their objectives and thoughts above the thoughts of God. But God can speak to those who trust Him. He can lift such a man or woman out of a place of uncertainty and bring them into a place of stability.<\/p>

The next verse gets even better as David says, \\\"Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak to them, they are more than can be numbered\\\"<\/em> (Psalm 40:5). David is saying, \\\"God, You are thinking things about each of your children—about our future, about the plans You have for each one of us.\\\" Remember that the plans of God go beyond this world—all the way into eternity! There is no end to the thoughts of God toward us and the things we are going to do even in heaven in unison with Him. <\/p> Open to the Voice of God<\/span>

David then goes on to say, \\\"Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; my ears You have opened\\\"<\/em> (Psalm 40:6). In other words, \\\"You do not want me doing perfunctory religious works. You do not want me to simply perform the same old rituals, as wonderful as any of those things may have been in the past. Instead, You have opened my ears.\\\"<\/p>

\\\"Then I said, \\'Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me\\'\\\"<\/em> (Psalm 40:7). The psalmist was saying, \\\"You opened my ears. I heard something from You, and I moved toward the sound of Your voice.\\\"<\/p>

\\\"I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart\\\"<\/em> (Psalm 40:8). God took David out of this place of confusion, fear, and difficulty by opening his heart to the voice of the Lord. David did not try to figure it out himself nor did he form a league with the proud who resisted the ways of God. He did not gravitate to lies about the past, the present, or the future. Instead, he said, \\\"God, speak to me. I want to hear Your voice. Do not let me come to You just to have my agenda verified. I want to follow You!\\\"<\/p> Stuck When Things Do Not Go as Planned<\/span>

You and I are living in a similar situation today and it is imperative that we hear and follow the voice of God. The Lord is calling His people into something incredible. He has a path of strength and stability before each of us—a path that carries a brand-new song with it—a song of confidence. This generation surely needs to see that path and hear that song again, as many are losing confidence. <\/p>

In this psalm, David was speaking of being stuck at a particular time in his spiritual journey. He described this place as a pit. In other words, it was walled before him, too high to climb. His feet felt as if they were in quicksand, and he was sinking deeper and deeper into despair.<\/p>

When you look at the difficulties facing society today, it is obvious they are causing a lot of people to feel that same way. Perhaps you have been feeling that way, too. We get stuck when things do not go the way we thought they would. We all have this tendency to form a picture in our minds about what our life will look like when we come to Christ. I am sure David did so when Samuel walked into his house and poured a horn of oil on his head. He was saying, in essence, \\\"The Spirit of the Lord anoints you to be the next king of Israel\\\" (see 1 Samuel 16:13). The Spirit of God came upon David, and he was able to go into a battle that even seasoned soldiers could not fight. David defeated a fierce enemy, and he must have thought, \\\"It just does not get any better than this!\\\"<\/p>

Yet suddenly everything took a negative turn and David found himself being pursued by a king to whom he was loyal. He ultimately ended up in a cave with about 400 discontented, distressed, and indebted men gravitating to him. Surrounded by an army that vastly outnumbered him, in his mind he was probably stuck because things just did not seem to be going right<\/p> Stuck in the Past<\/span>

You and I can also get stuck when we think God can do no better in the future than He has done in the past. For example, in 2004 I had the privilege of speaking in Cardiff, Wales, and surrounding areas, and I visited the church where the Welsh Revival started in 1904. The Welsh Revival spread Pentecost throughout a good part of the world and was responsible for a great ingathering of souls into the kingdom of God and a resurgence of fervor in the Christian Church. That chapel is the site where a little group of people still meet and pray. They mourn and grieve, and they wait for God to do in that building what He did a hundred years ago.<\/p>

I think of all the people who have been a part of that small group over the years and all that they have missed in the meantime. As they mourned the loss of a past experience, they probably missed the Billy Graham years when the great evangelist preached to more people than any other preacher of all time. They missed seeing David Wilkerson start up Teen Challenge, and multiplied millions of people coming to Christ throughout the world. And they missed seeing Nicky Cruz come to Christ and traveling the world, preaching to more than thirty million people.<\/p>

The point is, we can get so stuck in the past that we lose sight of the future and the fact that God is thinking things about us and the Church. He has a plan that is so much bigger than our thoughts. He is always on the move!<\/p> Stuck When the Future Looks Fearful<\/span>

We also get stuck when the future looks fearful. The present, though it might be dry, is at least safer than what we perceive lies before us. Think of the children of Israel —taken out of captivity, led through the wilderness, brought right to the border of the Promised Land—yet being fearful. I am sure a lot of them were thinking, \\\"At least we are safe here. Maybe it is a little dry, but the manna is still here. In the place that God wants to lead us, there are giants that look way bigger than us!\\\" They failed to realize that fear is one of the biggest giants of all, and so they chose to live in a wilderness experience.<\/p>

In contrast, the Lord did something for David that brought him to a new level of worship and produced in him a confidence in God that transmitted to others. As he said, \\\"He took me out of the miry clay and out of this horrible pit, out of this place where I was stuck. He set my feet upon a rock, and He established my steps.\\\" In other words, \\\"God did not call me out just to have me stand in one place. No, He laid out a pathway before me. He said, \\'This is where I am taking you. This is what I want you to do. This is how My name is going to be glorified!\\'\\\"<\/p>

Remember, it was in David\\'s future to be king of Israel. Not only that, but in his actual physical loins was the DNA of the man Jesus Christ who would be born into this world and would redeem mankind through his lineage. My point is that the plan of God is so much bigger than you and I can understand! The only way we can ever begin to lay hold of it is if we allow God to lift us and say, as David did, \\\"My ears You have opened, and You put in my heart a delight to do Your will. Even when it looks fearful, even when I do not understand, even when you are leading me into an unfamiliar place, God, I delight to do Your will because I know You are thinking something about me that I have not considered!\\\"<\/p> Open to the Voice of God<\/span>

Let\\'s look at verse five again: \\\"Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.\\\" God is thinking something about this moment in history, and it is time that we ask Him to help us think these thoughts along with Him. I truly believe the greatest days for the Church are just ahead of us.<\/p>

And so I ask you today: Are you going to stay stuck in the past because the future looks fearful and at least in the present you have a sense of security? Or are you willing to do things God\\'s way—believing that He is going to put a new song in you and cause you to be part of this amazing end-time harvest?<\/p>

Remember, you do not get this song by sitting in a pit and sinking further into quicksand. You get it by opening your heart to the voice of God. You get it by coming before the Lord and saying, \\\"God, wherever that kind of song comes from, I want it! I am tired of singing the song I am singing down in this pit. I am tired of my song being dictated to me by what I hear on the news or what proud people are speaking. I want the song that comes only from You.\\\" <\/p>

Let God set before you the pathway He has intended for your life!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"A New Song for a New Time\\\"<\/strong>, a sermon given on May 30, 2021<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/strong>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"11":{"sm_title":"What is Written on Your Heart?","sm_id":"387","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-09","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/03\/02t1\/20210302t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/03\/02t1\/20210302t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2021-09-what-is-written-on-your-heart.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Are you tired of being where you are? Perhaps you know what kind of life you should be living—an honest employee, a loyal spouse, a generous friend—yet you cannot find the strength to get there, and it is leaving you weary. If this is what you have been feeling lately, I believe you will find hope in the book of Jeremiah.<\/p>

\u201cBehold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, \u2018Know the Lord,\u2019 for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more\u201d<\/em> (Jeremiah 31:31–34).<\/p>

What an incredible passage! God was making a new covenant with His people. In this case, He was referring to Israel, but it has an application to you and me as His Church.<\/p>

When God brought His people out of captivity, He gave them laws to obey. He wrote the first part of that law—the Ten Commandments— on tablets of stone. They were visible, but they were outside of human ability. God essentially said, \u201cI want you to be honest, I want you to have no other gods before Me. I do not want you to commit adultery. I do not want you to kill. I do not want you to hate but to be a forgiving people. I do not want you to covet your neighbor\u2019s goods. I want you to be truthful. I will be God to you, but this is the kind of people I want you to be in the earth.\u201d<\/p>

In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul spoke about these requirements God had for His people as well as the inability of us to perform them in our own strength. He said, \u201cFor we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do\u201d<\/em> (Romans 7:14–15). Have you ever lived there? Before I came to Christ, I cannot tell you the number of times I made promises at midnight on New Year\u2019s Eve. I promised myself I was going to change this and change that. Just like Paul said, I knew what to do. But I could not perform it, and it was so discouraging. We are all made in the image of God and have an innate understanding of what kind of people we ought to be.<\/p>

\u201cIf, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells\u201d<\/em> (Romans 7:16–18). In other words, I want to do right—perhaps just like you today. You do not want to do what you are doing. You are tired of the depression, the drugs, the pornography, your own speech. You are tired of this constant war inside against the ways of God.<\/p>

Paul says, \u201cBut how to perform what is good, I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.\u201d<\/em> Paul continues, \u201cNow if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God, according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.\u201d<\/em> Then he concludes by saying, \u201cO wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?\u201d <\/em>(Romans 7:18–24).<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m just so fed up with wanting to do good but not finding the ability to do it. How is this going to happen in my life?\u201d But he concludes, \u201cI thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!\u201d<\/em> (Romans 7:25).<\/p> Erasing the Former Things<\/span>

Remember the promise that God made through Jeremiah: \u201cThere is a day coming when the law will no longer be outside of you, for I will write it on the tablet of your heart\u201d (see Jeremiah 31:33). Incredible! When we come to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes and takes up residence inside our earthen body. I picture Him coming with an eraser and erasing the former things that were on our heart: vengeance, grievances, old habits we cannot break, the yearning for things that promised comfort but did not deliver. He starts erasing these things and instead starts writing the law of God on our hearts.<\/p>

The law of God becomes part of our character. We are no longer trying to obey God out of the sheer force of human will, which only leads to frustration. Rather, we begin to have an innate desire to do things that we never considered before. In other words, we are no longer fighting against our nature to do right; it has become our nature to do these things.<\/p>

Let me give you an example. I started drinking beer and whiskey when I was 13. Not a very good thing to do, but that is what I did on a regular basis. So, at the age of 24, even as a new believer in Christ who was excited about God and His Word, I was still drinking. I saw a problem with drunkenness, but not with drinking. I had never heard a sermon on this topic; nobody had ever spoken to me. But remember the scripture said, \u201cNobody will have to teach you anymore. You will know God for yourself\u201d (see Jeremiah 31:34).<\/p>

One morning after working the night shift, I was on my way home and stopped at a restaurant that served the best bacon, eggs, ham and home fries in the entire country, as far as I am concerned. I ordered my regular breakfast and a beer. Then I took out my Bible. So I had bacon, eggs, my Bible and beer all on the table at the same time. I was reading and was just so excited about the Word of God. I had a sip of beer and a little bit of eggs and a little bit of fries—and I did not see a problem with any of this.<\/p>

But then I started reading the passage in Luke where the angel came to Zachariah and Elizabeth and said, \u201cYou are going to have a son and this son is going to be the forerunner to Christ.\u201d Of course, we know that he was speaking of John the Baptist. And the scripture says, \u201cHe will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He is going to turn many people away from iniquity and turn them towards living for God.\u201d And then the scripture said, \u201cAnd wine will not touch his lips\u201d (see Luke 1:15). I read that this man would turn many to Christ, and one of the qualifications was that wine would never touch his lips. I remember thinking, \u201cGod, I want to be used of You, and I do not want anything in my life that is going to hinder that purpose.\u201d<\/p>

The promise was that God would start to write this law in your heart and then the Holy Spirit would teach you. The Bible says in Psalm 37:4: \u201cDelight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.\u201d<\/em> I see that two ways. There are godly desires that God will grant you, but He will also give you the desires—new desires—as you delight yourself in Him. That is what happened to me that morning. I delighted myself in God, and He gave me a new desire. Up until that point, I never had the desire to stop drinking. But that morning, God erased the old things that were written on my heart, and He was writing something new. Nobody said, \u201cDo not drink.\u201d But when I read that passage of scripture, I reached out, put my hand on the glass of beer, and pushed it across the table.<\/p>

That was 42 years ago and I have never touched alcohol since; in fact, I have had no desire to touch it at any time. And God has used my lips to bring people unto Himself. You see, if you are still under the law, you are reading on these tablets of stone, \u201cThou shall not drink\u201d and then you spend your whole life fighting not to do something, yet the desire is still there to do it. But God says, \u201cNo, I am going to do it a different way. I am going to give you a new heart, a new mind, a new spirit, a new life, a new hope, a new future, new giftings. All I am asking of you is that you delight yourself in Me, and I will give you new desires for your heart. And then I will fulfill them!\u201d<\/p> Empowered by the Holy Spirit<\/span>

And so I ask you today: What is written on your heart? Are you willing to let God erase the old things? I believe it is time for many of you who are reading this to stop trying to serve God in your own strength and let Him do what He wants to do. Stop trying to justify wrong and calling it right. Let God put a new law in your heart. Just as I pushed that beer away from me for the rest of my life, there are things in your life that you can push away as well. You can push bitterness, depression, self-condemnation away. Remember, when the Holy Spirit comes into your life, He will not only give you the desire but the power to walk in newness of life. This whole kingdom is animated by the power of God from within you, not trying to serve God who is without.<\/p>

So, what does He require on your part? Ask for it! Come to Him and say, \u201cI want to live for You, Lord. I want my life to count. I do not want to live my whole life just seeing how close I can get to the fire without being burned. I want to have the power to be given for the sake of others so I can make a difference in this generation. So write Your law on my heart and empower me to walk in Your ways—that You may be glorified on the earth!\u201d<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"What is Written on Your Heart?\\\"<\/strong>, a sermon given on March 2, 2021<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"12":{"sm_title":"God Has Chosen You","sm_id":"385","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-08","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/05\/04t1\/20210504t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/05\/04t1\/20210504t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2021-08-god-has-chosen-you.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence\\\"<\/em> (1 Corinthians 1:26–29).<\/p>

The point that the apostle Paul is making here is that God is the one who has done the choosing. Just as He has chosen to reveal Himself to others throughout history, God has chosen to reveal Himself to you. You see, there is going to be a last-day awakening before Jesus Christ comes for His Church. He is going to raise many people up in this last hour of time, and their lives are going to become a testimony of His glory. Let\\'s take a look at an example of this in the book of Acts.<\/p>

\\\"Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, came to me; and he stood and said to me, \\'Brother Saul, receive your sight.\\' And at that same hour I looked up at him. Then he said, \\'The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard\\'\\\"<\/em> (Acts 22:12–15). This is the apostle Paul sharing his own testimony.<\/p>

If you and I were in charge of the kingdom of God and we were looking for somebody to be a witness, probably the last person we would select would be Paul! Before he was the apostle Paul, he was a man called Saul—an angry man who stood against the Word and ways of God. He was so enraged at a certain people group that claimed to know God in a different way from what he did that he began to resist them vehemently. In fact, he was willing to hurt them in attempts to cause them to turn from their testimony. Yet, while on his journey to bring more people into captivity, suddenly a light from heaven shone round about him, and he encountered the presence of God.<\/p>

Paul recounted the incident: \\\"I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, \\'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?\\' So I answered, \\'Who are You, Lord?\\' And He said to me, \\'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting\\'\\\"<\/em> (Acts 22:7–8).<\/p>

A lot of people today have been resisting God. It may not necessarily be that they hate God or His people the way Saul did, but rather they just have a deep sense of unworthiness. They hate themselves and simply do not believe that God could ever use them. When they look in the mirror, they see a failure. They have embraced a view of themselves that God does not share. However, the Lord sees each of us as the person we will be when we have a living encounter with Him—when we allow Him, by the power of His Holy Spirit, to begin to change our life.<\/p>

Have you ever considered that humans are the only creatures in all of creation that have the capability of resisting God? The geese do not resist Him; they fly south in the winter. The birds do not resist Him; they sing their songs in the morning. The clouds do not resist Him; they go wherever they are directed to go. Even darkness could not resist Him, for when He spoke, light had to come. The only thing ever created by the hand of God that has the power to resist Him is you and me! But when we stop resisting God and begin calling out to Him, suddenly darkness gives way to light; purposelessness gives way to a divine calling that God has for each of our lives.<\/p> PRAYING FOR THE LEAST EXPECTED<\/span>

Let\\'s return to the passage in Acts where we saw Ananias praying, and God instructed him to go and lay hands on Saul. Ananias replied, \\\"Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.\\' But the Lord said to him, \\'Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine\\'\\\"<\/em> (Acts 9:13-15).<\/p>

Can you imagine being in a time of prayer like that? You are praying and suddenly the Lord says, \\\"I want you to go to this violent man and lay your hands on him because I have chosen him for a divine purpose.\\\" Talk about having to step out in faith!<\/p>

I believe God is calling us as His Church in this last hour to do what Ananias did—to step out of our places of prayer and believe that one more time God is going to choose the nothings, the nobodies, the vile, the violent—all the people that nobody else wants. The Lord says, \\\"I want you to go and pray for them because I have chosen them to glorify My name in this last hour. I am going to raise them out of death, open their prison doors, and give sight to their blind eyes. They are going to become my endtime army of witnesses to show the world who I am and what I can do!\\\"<\/p>

\\\"And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, \\'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.\\' Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized\\\"<\/em> (Acts 9:17–18). In other words, \\\"Let me put my hands on you. When I do, you are going to see the purpose for your life, and you will be filled with the Spirit of God.\\\"<\/p>

This is what the end-time spiritual awakening is going to look like. People that you least expect are suddenly going to see things that the religious cannot see. They are going to see God\\'s plan, His power, and the reason He has chosen them!<\/p> CHOSEN TO KNOW GOD\\'S WILL<\/span>

\\\"Then he said, \\'The God of our fathers has chosen you\\'\\\"<\/em> (Acts 22:14). Imagine how hard it must have been for Saul to believe this at that moment. \\\"This God that I have fought against—whose people I have hurt—has chosen me?\\\"<\/p>

This is what I believe God is going to do in this last generation. It will not be by any might or power that we possess. Instead, the presence of God is going to come one more time to a people who least expect it. The apostle Paul considered himself the greatest of all sinners. He truly understood that he was chosen and stood only by the mercy of God!<\/p>

Ananias continued, \\\"...that you should know His will\\\"<\/em> (Acts 22:14). When the Spirit of God comes upon you, you will know His will. It will be engraved deeply within your heart. The Bible promises that you will hear an inner voice that says, \\\"This is the way, walk in it\\\"<\/em> (Isaiah 30:21). You will begin to see the giftings that God has for you—abilities that will come into your life to do things that you cannot do right now. You will be able to speak words that you do not have the power to speak without the presence of God; you will possess humility and courage you do not naturally have. You will have all that you need to do the work God has called you to do.<\/p> YOU WILL BE HIS WITNESS<\/span>

Ananias said, \\\"You should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth\\\"<\/em> (Acts 22:14). Just as Saul did, when you yield your life to God\\'s will, you will begin to hear His voice. And he continued, \\\"For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard\\\"<\/em> (22:15). Your life will be so touched by God that you will serve as a witness of His mercy and power!<\/p>

Then Ananias asked Saul, \\\"Now why are you waiting?\\\"<\/em> (Acts 22:16). This is my question to you today. Why are you waiting? What is your hesitation? God has chosen you and wants to use your life for His glory. \\\"Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord\\\"<\/em> (22:16).<\/p>

It really is that simple. Arise! Stand up in your heart, stand up in your mind. Whichever way you can, arise and call out to God! God is about to raise up a Church in this last hour—people who may be the least likely candidates—confused and angry, addicted and in distress. God is willing to meet anyone who is willing to meet Him.<\/p>

The Bible says that as you behold the victory of Christ, you will be continuously changed by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, and you will become a witness to others of what God has done for you. You see, that is the whole story of my life—telling others that God will do for them what He did for me. I had my struggles and problems; I had things that were spoken over my life that had me in captivity. I had a lot of fear in my heart as well. But I heard about who God was and what He was willing to do, and I made the choice to arise. I simply decided, \\\"God, if this is true, I am going to go with You.\\\"<\/p>

As you make the choice to arise and believe that God has chosen you, I encourage you to do one more thing as well: Start telling the good news to everybody you know who needs Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Invite the struggling, the addicted, and the depressed to come in and pray with you. You do not need a degree; you do not need to have it all together to do this. Simply bring whoever you can into your home—people you know from the streets—and say, \\\"I want to tell you something. God has chosen you, and He is going to use your life for His glory!\\\" And as you gather in prayer, in the simplicity of faith, start calling out to the Holy Spirit. Just lay hands on one another and pray that you will all be filled with the Spirit of God.<\/p>

You see, this is where spiritual awakening starts. It starts with just ordinary people coming together and saying, \\\"God, we need You,\\\" and knowing deep in your heart that you truly do need Him. You begin to pray \\\"Lord, give us everything that we are told is ours because of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Fill this room with Your Holy Spirit. Raise us up and let our voices and our lives become a testimony of the reality of who You are. Let us be part of Your end-time army that will bring glory to Your name!\\\"<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU\\\"<\/strong>, a sermon given on May 4, 2021<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version ©. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"13":{"sm_title":"When Your Prayers Have No More Words","sm_id":"383","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-07","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/04\/20t1\/20210420t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/04\/20t1\/20210420t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2021-07-when-your-prayers-have-no-more-words.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Have you ever come to the point when your prayers have no more words? I certainly have been there. You feel as if all that is left inside of you is a whisper coming from the dust. Although you have an inner groaning for something that only God can give, you are so tired that you cannot even make any more appeals to God over it.<\/p>

In the book of First Samuel, we see that Hannah found herself in such a state. \u201cNow Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard\u201d<\/em> (1 Samuel 1:13). It was a wordless prayer! She longed for a child, but the Lord had closed her womb. Every year, Hannah went to the temple of God during what was supposed to be a time of thanksgiving, yet she felt utterly empty inside. To make matters worse, \u201cHer rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb\u201d<\/em> (1 Samuel 1:6). This is a type of you and me going to prayer and the enemy saying, \u201cIs God really faithful to you? Look how empty you are. Look how little life you have produced. You are not doing anything that is giving glory to His name. Your whole purpose on the earth is not going to be fulfilled!\u201d<\/p>

Hannah\u2019s adversary was provoking her, in a sense, to believe that perhaps God had found some secret displeasure with her that caused Him to close His hands of generosity over her life. The Scripture says that she wept and did not eat.<\/p>

Her husband, Elkanah, said to her, \u201cHannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?\u201d<\/em> (1:8). But Hannah had come to a place where she was not pacified with such comforts. It is like when you have an inner desire for something God has promised you or destined your life to be, but people all around are urging you, \u201cJust cheer up.\u201d Nevertheless, an inner sorrow remains because you know in your heart that your life is not amounting to the fullness it was intended to be. Hannah knew the life that was supposed to come through her had not been conceived, and she could not be comforted.<\/p>

The passage continues, \u201cHannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish\u201d<\/em> (1:9—10). Interestingly, Hannah\u2019s day was somewhat similar to ours. The nation of Israel at that time was on the very edge of defeat; in fact, just a short season later, the Ark of the Covenant would be captured by the Philistines. In the natural, everything looked hopeless. A backslidden priest was leading the nation, deaf and dull to the moment in which they were living. His two sons were greedy and immoral. The only thing left to do at this moment is what Hannah did–she prayed as much as she could.<\/p>

You see, this has always been God\u2019s remedy for critical times throughout history. He looks for that person–the one who, in the natural, would appear to be the least usable in the Kingdom of God. In a moment such as this, Hannah was just a barren woman full of disappointment and bitter in soul. She was in such anguish that there were no more words to her prayer.<\/p>THE TURNING POINT<\/span>

However, there came a turning point for Hannah that changed everything and allowed God to do something that only He could do. \u201cThen she made a vow and said, \u2018O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head\u2019\u201d<\/em> (1:11). This was the moment when barrenness gave way to conception!<\/p>

The scriptures tell us that afterward, Hannah \u201cwent her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, \u2018Because I have asked for him from the Lord\u2019\u201d<\/em> (1:18—20). Hannah literally put it all into the hands of God and said, \u201cLord, if You will do something supernatural and give life to me, here is the promise I make to You: I will not use it for myself, but I will bring it back to You for Your glory.\u201d And by the end of her prayer, she walked away and was no longer sad!<\/p>

You see, this is the moment that changes everything. It is when you and I say, \u201cGod, if You will do something in my life, I will bring it back to You for Your glory. I will not be silent about it. It will be a testimony of Your mercy and grace all the days of my life!\u201d<\/p>

I believe that is the moment God is often waiting for. I am sure there were a lot of prayers offered up in the temple when Hannah was there. Prayers of \u201cgive me this\u201d and \u201cI want that.\u201d The Scripture does say that God is good and that He delights in giving us good things. But, as it says in the book of James, there are prayers that are prayed so that we can \u201cconsume it upon ourselves\u201d (see James 4:3). We ask, but sometimes God says \u201cno\u201d to those prayers until we finally get to the point where we have no more words left. All that remains is a groan that says, \u201cGod, if You will, then I will.\u201d<\/p>MY SURRENDER<\/span>

I remember the day I prayed such a prayer. I had so many issues and struggles in my life when I first came to Christ. I had a horribly bad temper; I was extremely selfish; and I was hurting everybody around me. I finally got so fed up that one day I went into my kitchen and prayed, \u201cGod, if You will touch my life and set me free, I will live for You all of my days.\u201d<\/p>

Suddenly, I had an encounter with God right there in the kitchen that I will never forget for as long as I live. The presence of God literally came into that room. Pastor Teresa was there and witnessed it. The Lord touched me in a way that I still cannot fully explain. He miraculously released me from these issues of character that had held me for almost my entire life up until that point. Sure, I could have gone to counselors for the rest of my life, but I probably would still not be free. I could have tried to encourage myself with all the words that people could offer me or whatever my own heart could muster, but I would most likely still be the same man today that I was then.<\/p>

But you see, the Word of God came, and I believed Jesus when He said, \u201cYou shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free\u201d<\/em> (John 8:32). I allowed the Word of God to touch my heart, and as the Spirit of God came, the darkness in my life had to give way to the light of God. The prison doors were commanded to open; the blindness in my eyes was washed away by His presence. Suddenly, I began to see a future. And just like Hannah, I walked out of that kitchen no longer sad but instead filled with hope. I was confident that the God who had touched my life in such a powerful way was now going to lead me into something that would give Him glory. Since that time, I have been practically all over the world. I cannot count all the people who have heard the testimony of what God has done for me!<\/p>

And so here is my message to you today: God is no respecter of persons. What He did for me, He will do for you if you will simply yield to Him. Let His Word touch you in your barren place–anywhere you do not have any hope of bearing life or ever going forward.<\/p>

Simply pray a prayer of surrender, saying, \u201cLord, if You will touch me, I will bring the freedom, the blessing, the life that You birth through my life all back to You for Your glory!\u201d<\/p>

Of course, it must be a genuine prayer. Hannah did exactly what she had promised the Lord she would do. When God granted her a son, Samuel, she brought him back to the temple after she had weaned him. Consider how costly that must have been to her. This son was the desire of her heart, and she was bringing him to Eli, a backslidden priest–into a temple that looked like it was going to fall apart, as a season of captivity was encroaching upon the nation. Yet Hannah still chose to bring the most precious thing in her life and give it to God for His glory.<\/p>

The rest, of course, is history. Samuel was probably the greatest judge ever raised up in Israel, and he remained a righteous man all the days of his life. He turned the nation back from the brink of judgment to the service and worship of the one true God. Isn\u2019t it amazing that all of this came about from a prayer that had no words?<\/p>

I encourage you today to take heart! If you have a prayer that no longer has any words to it, you are actually in a good place. You are positioned for God to do a miracle. You are in a place where you finally understand that it has to be all God and none of you. All the Lord is asking of you is, \u201cBring it back to Me.\u201d And as you genuinely yield the answer to Him, you will be astounded at what He will do in and through you to bring glory to His name!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \u201cWHEN YOUR PRAYERS HAVE NO MORE WORDS\u201d<\/strong>, a sermon given on April 20, 2021<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New Kings James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"14":{"sm_title":"Your Sons and Daughters Shall Prophesy","sm_id":"379","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-06","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/02\/23t1\/20210223t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/02\/23t1\/20210223t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202106-your-sons-and-daughters-shall-prophesy.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In the book of Joel, the Lord speaks about a day in the nation of Israel—which of course affects the entire world—when He promises to restore the things that had been taken away by darkness. He said, \u201cSo I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you\u201d <\/em>(Joel 2:25). You see, God had removed His restraining hand due to the casualness of His own people toward Him. Things that had previously been held back by His presence were allowed to come in and wreak havoc and destruction in their society. However, the Lord promised to restore those years to them. \u201cYou shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God and there is no other\u201d<\/em> (2:26–27). In other words, \u201cI will not make promises that I will not fulfill. Your confidence in Me will not be in vain.\u201d<\/p>

The Lord continued: \u201cAnd it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days\u201d<\/em> (2:28–29). Now, \u201cthose days\u201d began 2,000 years ago on the Day of Pentecost, marking the beginning of the end times. The apostle Peter stood up that day and said, \u201cThis is that which God promised through the prophet Joel he was going to do\u201d (see Acts 2:16). One hundred twenty formerly fearful people burst out of an upper room, empowered by the Spirit of God, speaking the \u201cmegaleios\u201d<\/em> of God—the anticipated outworking of the new inward presence of Christ in their lives. The sons and daughters began to prophesy!<\/p>

Sadly, a lot of people have taken the concept of prophesying and turned it into something it was never really meant to be. They predict weather patterns and other such things, but this is not the context of the verse. When God speaks about prophesying in Joel 2:28, He means to come into agreement with what He is speaking. When the disciples stepped out of that upper room, they were speaking supernaturally about things that were to come in the future. In the same way, God is going to speak to you about something He wants to do through your life. It is very likely something you are not capable of doing in your own strength. However, the Lord is simply calling you to walk and speak in agreement with Him.<\/p> SPEAK WHAT HE SPEAKS <\/span>

The Bible gives us another picture of what this looks like in the book of Ezekiel. The prophet Ezekiel said, \u201cThe hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry\u201d<\/em> (Ezekiel 37:1–2). The Lord brought Ezekiel out to look at the nation of Israel. The people of that time had literally died around the religion they had formed—a religion that had left them distant from God. The decay was so deep that only dry bones remained around their altars. This is a type of the person who would say, \u201cMy family history died years ago. My great-grandfather became an alcoholic, and the hope of his becoming anything in the future died. He passed it on to my father, and my father has said that is what I am going to be. Now we are all just dry bones around whatever religion we had.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cAnd He said to me, \u2018Son of man, can these bones live?\u2019 So I answered, \u2018O Lord GOD, You know\u2019\u201d<\/em> (Ezekiel 37:3). In other words, Ezekiel answers, \u201cWell, God, You know what You can do and what You desire to do. I do not know if these bones can live or not, but if You will speak it to me, I will agree with you.\u201d<\/p>

The Lord then said to him, \u201cProphesy to these bones, and say to them, \u2018O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: \u201cSurely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord\u201d\u2019\u201d<\/em> (Ezekiel 37:4–6). God was saying to Ezekiel, \u201cHere is what I want you to do. I am giving you My Word, and now I want you to prophesy. Speak what I am speaking to you in a public declaration!\u201d<\/p>

This is what God looks for in us. He speaks to us about things He wants to do in our lives, at which point we have two choices. We can merely say with Ezekiel, \u201cWell, God, You know,\u201d and retreat into religiousness which stems from unbelief. Or we can begin to speak what God is speaking. \u201cI do not know how it is going to happen, but I know that God has spoken to me about something He is going to do!\u201d<\/p>

In verse seven, we see that Ezekiel came into agreement with God: \u201cSo I prophesied as I was commanded.\u201d Remember, he is standing before a valley of dry, scattered bones. In the natural it is insanity. You cannot even tell which bone belongs to which body. There is no human possibility of putting this back together, but God says, \u201cIt is not about you. It is not by your power or by your might. It is by My Spirit! All I am looking for is your agreement with Me and your starting to speak what I speak!\u201d<\/p>

\u201cSo I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them\u201d<\/em> (Ezekiel 37:7–8). This is a type of the person who starts reading the Word and finds hope rising in his heart. I remember in the early years of my walk with God, when I began to read His promises and hear the preaching of the Word, I would wonder, \u201cCould this be true? Is this really possible?\u201d I began to speak the way God was speaking about me—not the way I felt about myself nor what others said I was. And as I began to prophesy, I was filled with a sudden infusion of hope that was not there before!<\/p> A MIRACLE IN JAMAICA<\/span>

Then the Lord said again, \u201cProphesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, \u2018Thus says the Lord God: \u201cCome from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live\u201d\u2019\u201d<\/em> (Ezekiel 37:9). I remember standing on a killing field in Jamaica years ago. We were sent by God to break the spirit of poverty and violence over this community of 100,000. Rows and rows of people lined this thirty-acre rectangular field, too afraid to even step on the land where there had been around 800 murders in the past thirty years. On the second night of our meeting, I just stepped back from the pulpit and began to cry out to God, realizing the hopelessness of the situation. I knew things would never change by my preaching but only by speaking to the people about what God wanted to do in their lives and then stepping back and calling out to God. I literally prayed the way Ezekiel did, crying out, \u201cO, Spirit of God, come and have mercy on these people. Breathe on these slain!\u201d<\/p>

As I called out to God, all of a sudden His presence descended on us and I started weeping for the people. Then the weeping began to sweep over the few who were gathered in front of me. Suddenly weeping spread to the field, going through the ranks, all the way to the back of the thirty acres. One of the ladies who was there later told me that even a guy at the back with a gun in his belt began weeping. We saw the Holy Spirit come and touch an entire community! Today, in that place that was once a killing field stands a church and a playground!<\/p> A PROMISE FOR OUR GENERATION<\/span>

\u201cSo I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army\u201d<\/em> (Ezekiel 37:10). As Ezekiel chose to believe God, the impossibility around him became possible, and suddenly he saw a nation arising before his eyes. I love the fact that God simply found a man who walked in agreement with Him.<\/p>

This is the promise that we, too, have for our generation. Remember, the Lord told us that our sons and daughters shall prophesy. We are living in a moment in America where people are dying around their religion; hope is lost and bones are scattered everywhere. Families are being destroyed, minds are being devoured by the locust and the cankerworm.<\/p>

However, I believe that sons and daughters are going to rise up and prophesy one more time, and it begins with you! Start agreeing with what God speaks to you, and then call out to the breath of God. \u201cHoly Spirit, make this word that You are speaking to me a reality. I see something that you are revealing to me about my life—something You want to do that will bring glory to Your name. So come, Holy Spirit, and do this work. I cannot do it, but You can! I see it for my future, for my family, for my community. I see Your people coming out of captivity and darkness and bondage. I see a spiritual awakening!\u201d<\/p>

Oh, this is truly a great hour to be part of the Church of Jesus Christ. As we begin to speak what God speaks, we will see Him do something supernatural in our generation!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \u201cYOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,\u201d<\/strong> a sermon given on February 23, 2021<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"15":{"sm_title":"The Will of God for the Weak","sm_id":"377","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-05","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/02\/16t1\/20210216t1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2021\/02\/16t1\/20210216t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202105-the-will-of-god-for-the-weak.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In the Gospel of John, Jesus gives two definitions of Himself, revealing what His heart is and why He came to the earth. \\\"\\'Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.\\' Then they said to Him, \\'Lord, give us this bread always.\\' And Jesus said to them, \\'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst\\'\\\"<\/em> (John 6:32–35).<\/p>

Later, in John 11, a man whom Jesus loved had died. Instead of going to him when he was sick, Jesus waited until he was dead for four days. The man\\'s sister, Martha, said to Jesus, \\\"\\'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.\\' Jesus said to her, \\'Your brother will rise again.\\' Martha said to Him, \\'I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day\\'\\\"<\/em> (John 11:21–24). In other words, \\\"I have no hope for the present. My only hope is for when we are all going to rise and meet You in the air.\\\"<\/p>

But Jesus said these important words to her, \\\"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die\\\"<\/em> (John 11:25–26). In other words, He offers a present hope—supernatural life for all that is dead and hopeless.<\/p> THE MISSING MANNA AND ROD<\/span>

Jesus revealed Himself as \\\"the bread of life\\\" as well as \\\"the resurrection and the life.\\\" I want to take a moment to consider these two ideas in the Old Testament. Now in the Old Testament, the \\\"bread of heaven\\\" was known as \\\"manna.\\\" It supernaturally provided for the people through their wilderness journey. It was like white coriander seed and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey, and it provided the Israelites with complete nutrition for many years.<\/p>

We also see in the Old Testament a type of \\\"the resurrection and the life.\\\" When there was once a dispute as to who was truly the priesthood called of God, the Lord said, \\\"Let every man bring his rod, lay them in a pile before the tabernacle, and I will show you who belongs to Me\\\" (see Numbers 17:1–5). So they brought their rods, which were simply sticks that had long been dead, and in the morning, Aaron\\'s rod had budded. It was an absolute miracle—out of a dead stick came life!<\/p>

In the book of First Kings, something very interesting happens regarding these elements. At the time, the Ark of the Covenant, which has always represented the presence and victory of God, was brought to Solomon\\'s temple. Inside the Ark were the tablets of the commandments that were given to Moses on Mount Sinai, the rod of Aaron, and a golden pot of manna (see Hebrews 9:4). All of these things were put inside the Ark as a reminder of who God is.<\/p>

However, by the time Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant into the temple, something strange happened. The Bible says that they put it behind the curtain in the Most Holy Place, where the shekinah glory of God would reside, and \\\"nothing was in the Ark except the two tablets which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they had come out of Egypt\\\"<\/em> (2 Chronicles 5:10).<\/p>

What happened to the manna and the rod?<\/p>

There are a lot of theories—some interesting, others ridiculous. My personal belief is that they were removed by God. Consider for a moment what everything represented. The Temple of Solomon, the Ark of the Covenant, and the stone tablets that were left all represented the law. It was an Old Testament covenant where the people had to come into the presence of God and make promises to Him. In this particular Old Testament temple, there would literally be a river of blood. People would bring in their goats and lambs as offerings for their sin, promising that they were going to try to do better. In other words, the things that remained all represented our human attempts to be godly in our own strength—the promises we make to God, our best efforts to obey His will through our own power.<\/p>

On the other hand, the manna and the rod, which were no longer there, represented the supernatural provision and life found in a relationship with God!<\/p>

You see, the law with its temple were both doomed to fail. There would be a day coming when not one stone would be left upon another—not just of the temple— but of the whole system. When Jesus came into Jerusalem near the end of His life on earth and He cursed the fig tree, I believe He was cursing the whole system of human effort and human covering (see Mark 11:12–14). Remember that in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were covered in fig leaves, having embraced this thinking of Satan that \\\"I can cover myself. I can produce righteousness in my own strength.\\\" How ridiculous Adam and Eve must have looked! Yet our human efforts to be godly in and of ourselves look just as ridiculous in the sight of God.<\/p>

The problem is that humanity does not know it is impossible to be godly without God. We keep making promises, only to grow more discouraged. We come back into the presence of God, confess our sin, say we are going to do better, and try our best to do better. But the whole system of you and me making promises to God was doomed to fail. That is why there had to be a cross. In other words, the supernatural life and provision were removed from that old system, only to be returned at the cross.<\/p>

That is why I believe the hand of God, however He chose to do it, removed the manna and rod. He removed this promise of life coming from death, for it was going to be returned only through Jesus Christ. It was just as Jesus said—\\\"I am the bread of life,\\\" and \\\"I am the resurrection and the life.\\\"Nothing in biblical history was happenstance; it was all orchestrated by God and led to one conclusion: There is no hope apart from divine life through Jesus Christ! There is no hope to live a godly life apart from the covering of His blood and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. However, this divine empowerment and supernatural life is what He has come to give us each day!<\/p> HE HAS COME TO HELP<\/span>

I would now like to pose the question: What is the will of God for the weak—for those who are tired of seeing their best efforts to obey God constantly failing; for those who have come to the end of strength?<\/p>

Let me share a personal story that I believe will encourage you today. I have been a Christian now for about forty-three years. Roughly thirty years ago, I left full-time employment and entered full-time ministry. We bought and renovated a church and even started a food bank. I was preaching, fasting, doing everything I knew to do to serve God and people. But one day, I completely ran out of physical strength. The church was in revival; a lot of good things were happening, and people were coming from miles away to experience the presence of God.<\/p>

But I was standing in the front of the church, so weak that I could not even sing. I could not pray; I could hardly speak. As I stood there, the thought came into my mind, \\\"I\\'m finished. I can\\'t do this anymore.\\\" I was due to preach in about fifteen minutes, and I was trying to figure out how to tell the church that I was done.<\/p>

Suddenly, I heard the audible voice of God, which has happened only one time in my life. I am typically led by His Word or through strong impulses in my heart. That is how I have known the voice of God. But this time it was audible. It was not an impression on my heart or a thought in my mind. Somebody actually spoke to me. Was it an angel? Was it the Spirit of God? I have no idea, but it was a voice about five inches from my right ear. And in the midst of my deepest despair, this voice said, \\\"I have come to help you.\\\"<\/p>

It so startled me that I jumped and looked over my shoulder to see who was speaking to me, but there was nobody even close enough to have spoken those words. So, in the strength of that word, with the sudden sense of the infusion of God\\'s help and power, I got up to the pulpit and preached that morning. I have never turned back. I continued going forward, not in my strength, but in the strength of God. I have now traveled over most of the world. I have preached to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people. I still thank God for speaking those words into my ear at the weakest time of my life.<\/p>

Today, I believe I am called to be the voice from God to you today, saying, \\\"I have come to help you.\\\" The Lord has come to help you out of your weakness, your struggle, your self-loathing, your fear. All you have to do is what I did—simply get up and move towards the first place God has put before you. The first place I had to go from that place of weakness was to the pulpit to speak for the next thirty minutes. God did not show me India or Africa. He did not show me the civil wars where I would to be sent to help. He did not show me standing in the houses of prime ministers or presidents. He simply showed me the pulpit that was right before me.<\/p>

You see, that is where it begins. For some of you, it is time to just get out of bed. It is time to open your Bible and start reading it. Remember, it is not about just trying to follow the rules anymore.<\/p>

You will instinctively do it, because God promised to write His law in your heart. The \\\"bread of heaven\\\"and the \\\"resurrection and the life\\\"that was taken from the Ark in that old system has now come down to you and me. Even if you feel dead and dry, the Lord says, \\\"Come, and I will satisfy you. Lay down before Me and before the morning comes, there will be new blossoms in your life. It will be done supernaturally, not by human effort. You will not live by making promises to Me. Rather, you will live by My promises to you!\\\" It\\'s time to get up and trust Jesus to be your supernatural life and strength!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"THE WILL OF GOD FOR THE WEAK,\\\"<\/strong> a sermon given on February 16, 2021<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version\t®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"16":{"sm_title":"Learning to Pray with Thanksgiving","sm_id":"375","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-04","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/11\/24t1\/20201124t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-2021-04-learning-to-pray-with-thanksgiving.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\u201cBe anxious for nothing\u201d<\/em> (Philippians 4:6). These words were written by the apostle Paul who, of all people, certainly seemed to have a reason to be anxious. He was shipwrecked, thrown into jail, beaten, stoned. And almost every time he preached somebody was trying to kill him!<\/p>

Nevertheless, Paul is the man into whose hand God put a quill that wrote on a parchment to this Philippian church: \u201cBe anxious for nothing.\u201d<\/em> I suppose we could focus on just those four words for the rest of our Christian life, for you and I know how hard it is not to be anxious about anything. But Paul was reminding them, \u201cDo not worry about it. Do not worry about where you are going to go, how you are going to get there, what you are going to do when you get there. Do not worry about what your life is going to amount to. God has a plan for you that is bigger than you could even think or imagine!\u201d<\/p>

The verse continues: \u201cBut in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus\u201d<\/em> (Philippians 4:6–7).<\/p>

The end result of not being anxious—of having a heart that truly trusts in God—is a peace that transcends human understanding. In other words, it is not based on anything we think, feel, know or see; it is based on confidence in God. And when people see our confidence in God, it surpasses their understanding as much as it does ours.<\/p> DO NOT WORRY<\/span>

Jesus also had a similar exhortation for His disciples, \u201cTherefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens,for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?\u201d<\/em> (Luke 12:22–24).<\/p>

I remember when the Lord was leading me to leave my career and start pastoring a small group of Christians who were meeting in a hotel. The salary that they offered me did not even pay my electrical bill. In the natural it was foolishness, yet in my heart, I felt drawn by God. I am not going to suggest there was no battle in the decision. I was concerned about my children, about how I was going to feed and clothe them, where we were going to live, and how we were going to pay our bills.<\/p>

However, one Sunday while I was still a police officer, I was actually preaching to this small group of people, \u201cGive your all to God, walk with God!\u201d Yet I was in the battle of my life, for I was preaching something that I was in the throes of deciding for myself. It was wintertime, and as I was preaching, I suddenly looked out the window and saw four or five little brown sparrows in the driveway. It had been snowing, but a truck had plowed the ground and the birds were all pecking the ground. I could not see what they were eating, but they were being nourished.<\/p>

Immediately, the verse came into my mind: \u201cConsider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?\u201d<\/em> (Luke 12:24). Sometimes God is trying to comfort us, yet we just push it out of our mind, thinking, \u201cYeah, that\u2019s nice.\u201d I continued preaching, still exhorting the people to give their all to God. I looked out the window again and saw those little birds pecking at the same spot. I still could not see what they were eating. And again, the Lord said to me, \u201cAre you not worth more than these birds? I do not want you to worry about what your future is going to be, how you are going to feed your children, where you are going to live, and the things that you are going to have.\u201d<\/p>

The verse goes on to say, \u201cAnd which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?\u201d<\/em> (Luke 12:25–28).<\/p>

I love the fact that the Lord spoke so simply to us. He said, \u201cJust take a look at the flowers. I dressed them, and see how beautiful they look. They are not worried about it. They just let me do what I do, and I am faithful to them.\u201d<\/p> SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD <\/span>

\u201cAnd do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you\u201d<\/em> (Luke 12:29–31). I like how it is written in Matthew: \u201cBut seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you\u201d<\/em> (Matthew 6:33). This has been such a central verse for my life as a believer in Jesus Christ.<\/p>

After we went into full-time ministry, our house burned down to the ground, and we literally lost everything. We had to stay at the home of another pastor, and we did not even have clothes for our children. I remember going out for a run one of those mornings, and I quoted this verse back to God, \u201cLord, You told me that if I sought first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, You would add all these things to me. So I am just going to take You at Your Word. I am going to jog and not worry about it because I cannot change this situation. I am just going to trust You to be who You say You are to me.\u201d Within just a short season, so much provision came in from so many unexpected places that we were able to purchase a brand-new home outright. We paid cash for it, got all new furniture and new clothes for our children. I even got a pair of ice skates that I had always wanted but was never able to afford!<\/p>

Jesus continued, \u201cDo not fear, little flock, for it is your Father\u2019s good pleasure to give you the kingdom\u201d<\/em> (Luke 12:32). Remember, it is the pleasure of God; He is not a reluctant God! He did not go to the cross to die for you just to go back to heaven and fold His arms, watching how you make it in life. No, He died to be God to you. He died so that, as the Scripture says, \u201cyou might have life and that you might have it more abundantly\u201d (see John 10:10). The writer of Hebrews also reminds us, \u201cHe who promised is faithful\u2026 do not cast away your confidence\u201d<\/em> (Hebrews 10:23 and 35).<\/p> GOD WILL SUPPLY<\/span>

I remember yet another time we saw God\u2019s faithfulness as a family. Iron had gotten into our well and ruined our water supply, and we did not have any money. And so I gathered Pastor Teresa and our little kids, opened the Bible, and showed them that same promise: \u201cSeek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you\u201d<\/em> (Matthew 6:33). I also showed them where it says in the book of James, \u201cYou ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures\u201d<\/em> (James 4:3). I then assured them, \u201cThis is not for our pleasure. God knows we need water, and He knows that we do not have the money. Now the contractor said it will cost $3,000 to dig a brand-new well and connect it to the house. I am going to have him do it anyway because we need water. God is going to provide!\u201d<\/p>

So the contractor came and dug a new well. He hit a beautiful vein of crystal clear, cold water. The day before the invoice was due to arrive, I went to the mailbox and found a card from my father. I thought it was strange, so I opened the card and saw that he had written: \u201cYour grandmother left money for your education when she died. We did not use it all for your education. Here is what was left.\u201d And it was a check for $3,000!<\/p>

The bill actually came to about $2,981, so we had enough money left after paying for the water supply to go out for a large pizza as a family to celebrate.<\/p> BUILDING OUR CONFIDENCE IN HIM <\/span>

I have been saved forty-three years now, and I can tell you that God has been absolutely faithful. Through flood, through fire, through trial, through sickness, through difficulty, through sorrow, through times of excitement and times of despair, all of these things that came our way—God has been faithful. I have come to the point in life where I am not worried about what I am going to wear, where I am going to live or what I am going to eat. I refuse to live in an anxious place. I will never go back there for the rest of my life, for I know Him and I have witnessed how faithful He is. Whatever He asks me to do, that is what I will do, and I know that He will supply everything I need.<\/p>

I believe that the Lord built my faith up in the early days so I could trust Him for the bigger days. He knew I would one day be on a field in a war-torn area of the world, more than one time, actually, and I was going to need faith. You see, the Lord does not just take you from zero to that kind of faith. He starts building your confidence in Him. When you allow Him to prove Himself to be God in the small things, then you start moving to the bigger things throughout life. Perhaps one day you will find yourself in a place where you need an absolute miracle of God. But you will look back on your life and remember how God never failed you. You will remember how God has been lavishly generous to you and truly delighted to give you the kingdom. Before you know it, you will leave that anxious place and be praying with thanksgiving, just as the verse instructs us, for you will be confident that God is going to answer your prayer!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \u201cLEARNING TO PRAY WITH THANKSGIVING,\u201d<\/strong> a sermon given on November 24, 2020<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted. <\/p>"},"17":{"sm_title":"Preparing to Live Off the Grid","sm_id":"373","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-03","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/11\/17t1\/20201117t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202103-preparing-to-live-off-the-grid.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Have you considered the fact that we are extremely vulnerable when it comes to this world\\'s power grid? If there were to be some kind of attack—whether through the internet, an explosion, or whatever can be produced by another nation these days—we are extremely vulnerable. As a matter of fact, our power could go out in a moment, and everything would shut down. Even our military generals are incredibly concerned about this in our country today.<\/p>

However, in the last couple of decades, there are people who have found various ways to get off the power grid. Obviously, one alternate and ever-reliable energy source in this world is the sun. It has a proven track record of reliability. It comes up at almost the same time every morning and goes down around the same time at night. The sun causes things to grow; it causes the vapors on the earth to ascend so that clouds can be formed to give rain to the land. It is no surprise that many people in this world are turning to the sun for their energy supply. Still others are relying on the wind as an alternate power source. Even in the summertime, we see wind turbines all over the place supplying energy. I applaud all these efforts to become more self-sufficient should the power grid of this world fail.<\/p> PROVISION FOR THE DAYS AHEAD<\/span>

In the book of Luke, Jesus talked about a person who made provision for the difficult days that he knew were approaching. \\\"There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, \\'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.\\' Then the steward said within himself, \\'What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses\\'\\\"<\/em> (Luke 16:1–4).<\/p>

This man lived outside the kingdom of God and was called an unjust steward. When he found out he was about to be cut off from his stewardship—or heaven\\'s supply—he used the wisdom he had to create what we might consider an \\\"alternate source of supply.\\\" He reached out to his master\\'s debtors and alleviated a portion of their debts that he might find favor with them when he needed it.<\/p>

After telling this parable, Jesus makes a statement: \\\"For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light\\\" (Luke 16:8). The children of this world—those who are dependent on this world for their sense of wellbeing—are sometimes wiser than the followers of Christ. They are making preparation for the days that are ahead. This brings me to a question: What provisions are you making for the future?<\/p>

I am sure you are aware that difficult days are coming. I have had a warning in my heart for the last three or four years that this world is mounting its last offensive against the lordship of Jesus Christ. We are seeing an increasing lawlessness all over the world. An antichrist spirit seems to be gripping societies all over—even ones that formerly knew the light of God. Jesus warned us that men\\'s hearts are going to fail them \\\"from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken\\\"<\/em> (Luke 21:26). And so we would be wise to prepare ourselves now.<\/p> TRUSTING THE SON <\/span>

I believe the first thing we must do is begin to get off this world\\'s power supply. Of course, I am talking about a shift of focus—a shift from attaining our sense of wellbeing and assurance for the future from what the world offers. As some people in this world are turning to the sun for their source of supply, in the Kingdom of God, we would be wise to shift all our trust to the Son of God—the faithful One who never fails!<\/p>

As it says in the book of John: \\\"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it\\\"<\/em> (John 1:1–5). In other words, people who are looking to the things of this world to give them life and light are eventually going to be utterly disappointed. But those who look to the Son of God will never be disappointed, for He is the light that has been there since the beginning. The Son of God has always been a reliable power supply!<\/p> MORE RELIABLE THAN THE WIND<\/span>

In the book of Ezekiel, we read about another time when everybody\\'s life source had failed them. People felt like dry bones in the dust; they did not know where to turn. But the Lord spoke to Ezekiel and said, \\\"Prophesy to the breath...\\\"<\/em> In other words, speak the Word to the breath of God, for it is God who, by His speech, creates life. \\\"Prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, \\'Thus says the Lord God: \\\"Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.\\\"\\' So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army\\\"<\/em> (Ezekiel 37:9–10).<\/p>

While others in the world are turning to the wind for their alternate energy supply, I believe it is time for us to turn and speak to the \\\"breath of God\\\" just as Ezekiel did. Remember, it is God who, by His speech, creates life. When He speaks, He puts things into motion. As the scripture says, God \\\"calls those things which do not exist as though they did\\\"<\/em> (Romans 4:17). You see, God does not need to have anything in order to create something. Just by the words of His mouth, He can lift you out of your depression and make you into a person who will stand in the storm that we all soon will have to face. So begin to speak the Word and watch as God moves on your behalf.<\/p> A POWER SUPPLY THAT CANNOT BE EXTINGUISHED<\/span>

Remember, this world\\'s power supply can be taken out in less than an hour. It is like the warning in Revelation that says, \\\"In one hour your judgment has come\\\"<\/em> (Revelation 18:10). This world can lose all its false comforts, all its bravado, all its assurances of a future in just a moment of time. But the Son of God is eternal and everlasting. He was there in the beginning, and He will be here when it is all over. To all who turn to Him, He promises to be a power supply that will never fail.<\/p>

I want to challenge you today to pull the plug wherever you need to. Of course, I am not suggesting that you turn the lights out in your house. What I am suggesting is that you pull the plug on wherever your trust is not founded in the Son of God. Never forget that He is faithful to keep all His promises. He is the one who can save you and your family to the uttermost. That is why it says in the book of 1 John, \\\"I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God\\\"<\/em> (1 John 5:13). In other words, as you believe in Jesus, you will have a strong confidence, for you will be attached to a power supply that this world knows nothing about. If the world turns dark, your light will shine even brighter than any false hope that this world has to offer.<\/p>

And so it is time to ask God for what only He can give you. As the scripture tells us: \\\"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything, according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him\\\" <\/em>(1 John 5:14–15). As we ask the Lord, He will surely give us the power, the security, and the assurance of a future that we are all longing for. He will endow us with the strength to stand when the land starts shaking, societies start dissolving, and the ungodly rise up against the testimony of Christ. But remember, even if people stand outside and rage against the sun all they want, it will still come up in the morning and go down at night. In the same way, the ungodly may rage against the Son of God, but He is still the Alpha and Omega. He is still God, and there is nothing they can do to change that!<\/p>

The good news is that as we trust the Lord to be our strength and stability in troubled times, it will not be just for our sake. God is willing to give us such a source of life that people will be drawn to us. As the apostle Peter said, \\\"Be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you\\\"<\/em> (1 Peter 3:15). It is evident that this world is very quickly losing its hope. But the Bible says that you shall receive power when the Spirit of God comes upon you (see Acts 1:8). You shall be witnesses of the reality of God and the lasting hope that is found in Him. You will be a voice for good—a herald with light and oil in your lamp that will call people to the throne of God in a season of incredible darkness!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"PREPARING TO LIVE OFF THE GRID<\/strong>,\\\" a sermon given on November 17, 2020<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"18":{"sm_title":"Eight Words That Change Everything","sm_id":"371","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-02","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/11\/10t1\/20201110t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202102-eight-words-that-change-everything.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In the book of Acts, we read of Saul, a man who had a definitive objective in life. He thought he understood what truth was, so he set out to persecute the Church of Jesus Christ. Yet, as he was on the road to Damascus one day, a blinding light from heaven suddenly caused him to be thrown to the ground. The Scripture tells us that he was blind for three days (see Acts 9:3, 9). Everything he thought he was, all that he was attempting to do, every purpose he thought he had in life suddenly came to an end.<\/p>

It may feel the same way for you today. Perhaps you thought you knew what your life was going to be. But whether gradually or suddenly, like Saul—who, as we know, became the apostle Paul—you have come to an end. You can no longer see a way forward.<\/p>

Paul, trembling and astonished, had an encounter with the living God. The first thing he prayed in response was a prayer that I believe everyone who wants a living relationship with God must pray. He spoke eight words that changed everything, not just for him, but for millions of people around the world.<\/p> IT STARTS WITH \\\"LORD\\\"<\/span>

The first word of his prayer was simply, \\\"Lord.\\\"<\/em> In Luke 6:46, Jesus said to the religious leaders of the day, \\\"Why do you call Me \\'Lord, Lord,\\' and not do the things which I say?\\\"<\/em> Yet when Paul called Him \\\"Lord,\\\" he meant it. It was a confession that he was no longer in charge; there was a new boss in his life. Paul understood that he was called to lay down his plans and everything he thought his life was going to amount to.<\/p>

I believe that part of the reason many Christians in this generation are so powerless is because they have never truly come to that place of surrender, saying, \\\"God, You are Lord of my life now. Your Word is supreme. Your thoughts are above my thoughts; Your ways are above my ways. If Your Word says it is wrong, it is wrong—even though I might think it is right. I am not going to be among those who call You \\'Lord, Lord\\' but do not do the things which You say. I yield the rights to my life.\\\"<\/p> A DIVINE PURPOSE<\/span>

The next words that Paul said in his prayer were, \\\"What do You want me\\\"<\/em> (Acts 9:6). This implies that God not only had the right to his life, but He had a divine purpose for his life. The will of God is not always pleasant. We often want to craft some pleasant thing in our heart and bring it to God, saying, \\\"Okay, here is Your will for my life; obviously You are going to agree with this.\\\" Yet Jesus Himself said in Matthew 26:39, \\\"O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless not as I will, but as You will.\\\"<\/em><\/p>

Remember, God does not want your plans; He does not need your strength. Imagine this formerly enraged man called Saul hauling Christians out of their homes and torturing them to the point of blaspheming God just to get out of the pain. When Stephen, a precious young servant of God, was martyred, Paul was there holding the coats of the witnesses, consenting to his death (see Acts 7:58). No doubt Saul was a man full of ideas. His whole life had been governed by his own zealous agenda. But now he had come to the point of saying, \\\"Lord, what do You want? You have a divine purpose for my life.\\\"<\/p>

We must understand that the divine purpose of God for our life is far beyond our thinking. He says in Jeremiah, \\\"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope\\\"<\/em> (Jeremiah 29:11). In other words, \\\"I am thinking thoughts about you that you have not even considered yet. I am able to do more for you and through your life than you can even ask or think.\\\" In the natural, we are confined in our minds by our past experiences, by the depths of our struggles, by the parameters of what other people have said about us. But the Holy Spirit, who comes to live inside of you when you yield to the Lord, is not confined by these things. He is the God of the universe, and He can do things that you cannot even imagine!<\/p>

We see in the Bible that the last two words of Paul\\'s prayer were, \\\"to do,\\\" making the full statement, \\\"Lord, what do You want me to do?\\\"<\/em> (Acts 9:6). In other words, He is the Lord of my life with a divine purpose for my life, and now His plan requires my active cooperation. God starts to open doors, and we are simply required to walk through them. Remember Jesus said to the Church of Philadelphia, \\\"See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name\\\"<\/em> (Revelation 3:8). The open door is set there by God. All He requires now is our cooperation—our willingness to go where we have never gone, to do what we know we cannot do without Him, to speak even though we do not know what is going to come out of our mouth, to be put in uncomfortable places.<\/p>

Consider Paul going from enraged persecutor of the Church to suddenly finding himself in the midst of followers of Jesus Christ—looking for acceptance and trying to convince the disciples that he was no longer against them. It must have been incredibly uncomfortable for him. Yet we know that from that initial prayer, God did things through his life that you and I are still talking about two thousand years later!<\/p> SMALL BEGINNINGS<\/span>

When Paul prayed, \\\"Lord, what do You want me to do?\\\"<\/em> we might expect God to have replied, \\\"Paul, I want you to get up and start writing the Scriptures. I want you to go out and establish churches.\\\" You see, you and I always want the whole package—the full answer. But God\\'s first answer to Paul\\'s prayer was simply, \\\"Arise and go into the city\\\"<\/em> (Acts 9:6). That was all God told him! Although we want the entire pathway laid out before us, God says, \\\"No, just take the first step. Just do the first thing.\\\" He does not lay it all out before us, because He knows that we would not be able to handle it. If, within the first few weeks of my salvation, Jesus had told me the plan He had for me, I think I would have collapsed on the sidewalk! I had a lot of struggles in my life at the time. I was not yet free from fear and could not speak publicly, so everything He would have laid out before me would have seemed like an absolute impossibility. So in His mercy and His gentleness, God just tells us to do the first thing first.<\/p>

Remember, do not despise the day of small beginnings. Do not regard that initial answer to your prayer as nothing. Perhaps God will tell you to just get up and open your Bible. Maybe He will tell you to go to the pantry and pour that bottle of liquor down the sink or flush those drugs down the toilet. Maybe He will tell you to get a word and speak it to the heart of your wayward son or daughter. Whether they scoff or scorn or curse you out, just go through that first door by faith.<\/p> A FAR-REACHING MINISTRY <\/span>

In Paul\\'s case, after he was told to go into the city, the second answer that came to him was when God sent a man called Ananias to lay hands on Paul so that he would receive his sight back. The Lord said to Ananias, \\\"Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel\\\"<\/em> (Acts 9:15). So Ananias obeyed God, went to Paul, and essentially said, \\\"God sent me here, and this is what He told me about you: Your ministry is going to be greater than anything you could ever imagine it to be. But it is not big to God, it is just big to you. God is going to use you because you have chosen to obey. However there is a caveat that comes with it—\\\"For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name\\'s sake\\\"<\/em> (Acts 9:16).<\/p>

In other words, \\\"Yes, your ministry is going to be far-reaching, but it is not going to be easy.\\\" Likewise, I believe there is going to be hardship ahead for many who choose to stand for Christ today. They will go on to have a widespread ministry, but it will be costly. Nevertheless, we know that our generation desperately needs the Church to begin to walk in all that God has ordained for us.<\/p>

My prayer is that God will give each of us the grace and willingness to say the words, \\\"Lord, what do You want me to do?\\\"<\/em> Remember, Paul did not start by saying, \\\"Lord, I have a hundred ideas about how to advance Your kingdom. I have a strategy.\\\" He came in surrender to the Lord\\'s plans.<\/p>

Don\\'t forget that God\\'s plan for your life is so much bigger than even the best one you can imagine for yourself. It simply starts with the desire to get up and then wait until the Lord speaks to you. If you will follow the leading of His voice, though it will not be easy, you will impact your known world—starting in your own home. In fact, your ministry could change the trajectory of your entire family; it could have a lasting impact at your workplace, within your community, and beyond. If God can simply find an obedient heart, it is amazing what He can do!<\/p>

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"EIGHT WORDS THAT CHANGE EVERYTHING,\\\"<\/strong> a sermon given on November 10, 2020<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"19":{"sm_title":"Are the Thoughts of God Foolish to You?","sm_id":"369","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2021-01","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/10\/20t1\/20201020t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202101-are-the-thoughts-of-god-foolish-to-you.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\\\"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope\\\"<\/em> (Jeremiah 29:11). Did you know that God is thinking thoughts about you that you have not yet thought about yourself? He has a future and a hope for you that He already won for you 2,000 years ago when Jesus died on the cross for your sins. And when He rose from the dead, the scripture says He took your captivity captive and gave gifts to you—things that only He can do. That means He begins to operate through your life and make you into much more than you could ever hope to be in yourself.<\/p>\r\n

The verse goes on to say, \\\"Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart\\\"<\/em> (Jeremiah 29:12–13). What an incredible promise! God will listen to us, and we will find Him. We will know what He is speaking to us and how He is leading our life.<\/p>\r\n

However, in order to get to this place, we must stop thinking our own thoughts and begin to agree with the thoughts of God. We must get beyond the battle of the mind. That is really where victory or defeat in the Christian life is found. If we never become people of faith, then we will live far beneath what God has for us. We must have a new mind—a new way of thinking.<\/p>\r\n

The apostle Paul made a distinction between spiritual people and natural people. Natural people live within the parameters of their old thinking and therefore remain in a realm far beneath their inheritance in Christ Jesus. Paul told the Corinthian church, \\\"As it is written: \\'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.\\' But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God\\\"<\/em> (1 Corinthians 2:9–10).<\/p>\r\n

Natural people cannot know the things God has prepared for them. But when you came to Christ, God sent His Holy Spirit into your life to lead you into all truth. He gave you the power to live in the promises of God, and your life became everything that God has been thinking about you. Paul warned, \\\"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him\\\"<\/em> (1 Corinthians 2:14).<\/p>\r\n

So here is my question to you: Do the thoughts of God sound foolish to you? Do you push away the things that God is thinking—those whispers that come into your heart every once in a while? Perhaps during your Bible reading one day, He spoke to you about something He has for your life that is far beyond your ideas about yourself. Do these thoughts of God sound like foolishness to you?<\/p>\r\nA GREAT AND EFFECTIVE DOOR<\/span>\r\n

The apostle Paul once told the Corinthian Christians, \\\"For a great and effective door has opened to me\\\"<\/em> (1 Corinthians 16:9). Now when we think of a great door, we think of a doorway to a palace, perhaps, or a doorway to power. But Paul did not see it that way. Paul was given eyes of the Spirit, because in the natural, it was a prison door that God was leading him to. Think about this for a moment. In the natural, Paul was going to be taken captive, put on a ship, transported to Rome and other places, and eventually he would spend much of the remainder of his life in prison.<\/p>\r\n

A lot of people lose their vision because of their circumstances. But picture the apostle Paul—led into a prison, chained between guards, with only a pen and paper in his hand. However, he somehow knew in his heart that a great and effectual door had been opened to him. Later, he was able to write to the people that he left behind in his journey, \\\"I believe that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose\\\" (see Romans 8:28). He was able to write to the Roman church, \\\"I believe that no mountain, no valley, no opposition, no power, no principality—nothing out there—can separate me from the love of God\\\" (see Romans 8:38–39). He believed that the victory was his, that he had been led into this place.<\/p>\r\n

In the natural, Paul was a man who had been beaten and shipwrecked, stoned and taken captive. However, as a spiritual man, he was not living in those places. He was living in a place where he was walking in the thoughts that God was thinking about him. In the realm of the Spirit, he was not just visiting one church in Corinth. In fact, he has been visiting every church for 2,000 years! He is even here today because we are reading his words. He is visiting you today in your living room, your situation, your marriage, your family, your life!<\/p>\r\n

You see, it was as if the apostle Paul saw you in the future. You are what was inside this great and effective door that God was opening to him. He understood that God\\'s thoughts about him were so much bigger than what the people around him thought or even what he thought about himself. That is why Paul could write to the Corinthians, \\\"To the natural man, the thoughts of God are foolishness. But to the spiritual man, they are life and power for the journey. They are vision to understand something far beyond the natural confines of our lives\\\" (see 1 Corinthians 2:14).<\/p>\r\nIT ALL BEGAN AT STARBUCKS<\/span>\r\n

Perhaps you are now wondering, \\\"Well, how does this apply to me? I am not the apostle Paul.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Let me tell you a story. Several years ago, a lady told Pastor Teresa and me how she started to pray, \\\"God, You must have a door for me. You must have something that You want to do in my life that I have not considered yet.\\\" As she prayed, suddenly a strong impression came into her heart: \\\"Go to Starbucks, order a coffee, sit down at a table, and just start reading your Bible.\\\" Those were the thoughts God was thinking about her! Isn\\'t that amazing?<\/p>\r\n

And so she obeyed God and went to Starbucks. She ordered a coffee, sat down at a table, opened her Bible and began to read. After a little while, a lady who was also there having coffee came over to her table and asked, \\\"What is it that you are reading?\\\" She answered, \\\"I am reading the Bible. It is the Word of God.\\\" The other lady asked, \\\"Would you mind if I joined you?\\\" She sat down, and the lady who had heard from God realized that her new friend was not a believer. She was able to share Christ with her. Finally, the lady asked her, \\\"Do you think we can meet back here again next week?\\\"<\/p>\r\n

The next week the new lady came back accompanied by about six friends. They were all sitting around the table! Eventually, this Christian lady had a discipleship group of brand-new believers in Christ, and every week everybody was bringing somebody else. By the time we talked to her, she was leading a group of between forty to sixty women in a study of the Scriptures! This was just somebody who began to seek God and ask, \\\"What thoughts do You have for me?\\\"<\/p>\r\n

We always want to go from zero to a million people in a conference somewhere and we forget that almost everything we do for God starts with a small beginning. As it says in Zechariah, \\\"Don\\'t despise the day of small things\\\" (see Zechariah 4:10). I believe God is reminding you today that what He has called you to do will be done. So when He speaks to you, do not think that His thoughts toward you are foolish, even if it seems that way in the natural.<\/p>\r\n

After all, who would have thought this kind of evangelism could happen at Starbucks? Remember, it was not just sixty women finding Christ as their Savior. I am sure that each of those women went on to have an effect on their world. Many of them probably will lead their husbands to Christ. Many of their families will become Christian families. Many of their kids will begin to go to church. A number of them will go on to become great evangelists in the Kingdom of God, winning thousands to Christ. And finally, when this lady who went to Starbucks appears at the throne of heaven one day, there will be a hundred thousand people saying, \\\"Thank you for what you did in Starbucks that day! Thank you for opening your Bible. Thank you for obeying God. Thank you for letting the thoughts of God govern your life. Because of you, we are here!\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Remember, \\\"a great and effective door\\\" may look small in the natural. Imagine the people in Corinth who did not have a spiritual mindset, shaking their heads and saying, \\\"Well, whatever happened to the great door that God was going to open for Paul?\\\" He ended up chained between soldiers, and all he had was a piece of paper and some ink. All he could do was write some letters to some of his friends.<\/p>\r\n

Yes, God\\'s ways are foolish to those who live in the natural! But I believe it is much better to be counted a fool to the world and live for God. Remember, His thoughts toward you are of peace and not of evil, to give you a hope and a future. And if you are willing to embrace His thoughts rather than counting them foolish, you will see that He is indeed able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you can even ask or think!<\/p>\r\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"ARE THE THOUGHTS OF GOD FOOLISH TO YOU?<\/strong>,\\\" a sermon given on October 20, 2020<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"20":{"sm_title":"Eating the Food of the Land","sm_id":"367","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2020-12","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/07\/21t1\/20200721t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202012-eating-the-food-of-the-land.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\u201cLet nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name<\/em>\u201d (Philippians 2:3\u20139).<\/p>\r\n

There is no greater reputation than being God, but the Scriptures tell us that Jesus made Himself of no reputation. He came down from on high and walked among us, suffered our infirmities, and then went to a cross to pay the price for our sins. And now Paul instructs us in this passage, \u201cLet this mind be in you.\u201d As the Church of Jesus Christ, we need to once again see the needs and sufferings of the people all around us. We must make a choice to move toward them\u2014just as the Son of God moved toward us. Yes, this will involve a whole new mind\u2014the mind of Christ\u2014which means we must stop looking only for our own comfort and security. As Paul says, we must consider \u201cthe interests of others.\u201d We must choose to be obedient, even if it takes us to a place of suffering.<\/p>\r\nA RECKONING<\/span>\r\n

The generation of Israelites who came out of bondage in Egypt were an example of those who refused to make that choice. They ultimately decided not to go into the place of promise that God intended for them\u2014a decision that was based on self\u2013preservation. They looked at the size of the giants; they saw the fortifications of cities that God told them would belong to them. And then, out of fear, they drew the conclusion, \u201cWe are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we\u2026The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight\u201d <\/em>(Numbers 13:31\u201333). Sadly, in every generation, there are Christians who make that choice, and they end up living in a spiritual wilderness. Though it is not a place of total defeat, it is not a place of victory. Their life has no influence, they conquer nothing for God, and they do not operate in the supernatural.<\/p>\r\n

However, in the book of Joshua, we see a new generation arise. They had been raised in the wilderness, but they were being called by God to go into the place of promise that their forefathers had chosen not to enter. This generation stepped up and made the choice to obey and fight. It is phenomenal when you begin to consider that, in a sense, they were actually fighting for you and me. They were paving the pathway that would ultimately lead to Christ\u2019s being born in the Promised Land. Of course, after His death and resurrection, Jesus became our \u201cpromised land.\u201d Our life, our hope, our mind, our wisdom, our victory, our future is in Him. Every promise of God no longer resides in a physical land\u2014they are now all found in the person of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\r\n

Now before they went in, \u201cThe Lord said to Joshua, \u2018Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.\u2019 So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come up out of Egypt\u201d<\/em> (Joshua 5:2\u20134). Circumcision was a covenant\u2014in this case, a whole new generation committing to God: \u201cOur forefathers may have chosen security over Your glory, but we are going to follow You, Lord.\u201d And so they had to endure the shame, pain, and separation of circumcision. It began with exposure\u2014an admission in their hearts: \u201cI am not everything I should be. God is calling me to more.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Likewise, I believe God is bringing His Church into a place of reckoning. He is trying to remind us once again what we are supposed to be. Many of God\u2019s people have lived in the wilderness far too long\u2014out of Egypt, but not in the place God promised. Yes, they have come out from under the penalty of sin, but they have not become what God wanted them to be\u2014not conquering the things God called them to conquer.<\/p>\r\n

We have had no passion for prayer because, in many cases, we were content to dwell in a dry place without the mind of Christ. However, we have reached a point where there must be a reckoning with the failures of the past; otherwise we will not go to where God is calling us. We will simply justify who we are and blame somebody else for the mess that our nation is in.<\/p>\r\n

You and I must ask the Lord to give us the grace to go further than what others say is far enough; the grace to suffer so that the sufferings of others may cease. Yes, there is a certain pain that comes with separation. There is the pain of putting away old practices, old relationships, old ways of thinking, and becoming separated unto God. Embracing that separation means saying, \u201cI am going to be identified as a follower of Jesus Christ from this day forward.\u201d No more hiding in the closet. I am sure you are aware that it is going to cost you to have a biblical opinion. But if we are ever going to know the power of God manifested through our lives, we must be willing to stand up and be separated.<\/p>\r\nCROSSING INTO THE PROMISED LAND<\/span>\r\n

The Scripture then tells us: \u201cThey ate of the produce of the land on the day after Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day. Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year\u201d (Joshua 5:11\u201312).<\/p>\r\n

In the season when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, there was a grace covering them called manna. It is amazing to think that God gave them this bread from heaven while they were still uncircumcised\u2014while they still had not made the decision to go into the Promised Land. Similarly, each of us is given this incredible grace when we come to Christ. Although we are immediately forgiven of our sins, it can be a long time before we decide to actually go in and become what God has called us to be. In that season, God still rains His provision on us\u2014showering us with His favor, keeping and sustaining us. Nevertheless, there is a time when childishness needs to be put away and we must become sons and daughters of God. There comes a point when the calling and mind of Christ must become ours again.<\/p>\r\n

The day the Israelites made the choice to go into the place of promise was the first day they began to eat the food of the land. I love how the original King James Version says, \u201cThey did not eat of the old corn of the land\u201d<\/em> (Joshua 5:11 KJV). In our day, I believe this would be like going back to what the Bible says a Christian really is\u2014returning to the old truths that somehow got hidden in this self-consumed generation that has chosen to live in the wilderness.<\/p>\r\n

You see, when we make the choice to cross into the place that God is calling us to, suddenly the old food of the land becomes available to us again. We start reading passages of Scripture that perhaps have largely been forgotten in our generation, and we discover that the Word is coming to life. This is critical, for if we are going to fully become what God has intended us to be, His promises are going to be the only food that will keep us.<\/p>\r\nA SERIOUS CALL<\/span>\r\n

We see in the Bible the first thing that happened after the Israelites began to eat the food of the land was that Jericho fell. They did not have to do anything but march around the city and shout! God gave them a marvelous victory over a fortified place that was declaring its dominance over the Promised Land.<\/p>\r\n

We have many strongholds in our society today as well\u2014in our cities, in our culture. I believe that the bitterness, division, and godlessness has now gone too deep for any kind of human response to adequately deal with it. We need a divine response\u2014which God always releases through His people. He ties the working of His hand to you and me, and that is why He charges us, \u201cLet this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus\u201d<\/em> (Philippians 2:5).<\/p>\r\n

I am not going to suggest to you that this \u201ceating of the food of the land\u201d is going to be easy. The early Church knew this, and churches in some of the persecuted countries around the world today know this as well. And though we in America have largely chosen to live in the wilderness, we no longer have that option. It is a do-or-die moment for the Church of Jesus Christ in this nation.<\/p>\r\n

I hope that you are seriously considering the call of God on your life, just as I am. Jesus shed His blood and gave His body for us. The Scripture tells us that we are now called to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him (see Matthew 16:24). We cannot put away this old truth or attempt to make it palatable.<\/p>\r\n

Some of us may suffer in the days ahead. However, I want you to always remember that even if you consider yourself weak, you are mighty in God. Simply yield to Him and trust Him for the grace to get up and go forward, understanding that He has an incredible plan for your life. Let His power and life flow through you; let the mind of Christ be in you!<\/p>\r\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \u201cEATING THE FOOD OF THE LAND<\/strong>,\u201d a sermon given on July 21, 2020<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version\u00ae. Copyright \u00a9 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"21":{"sm_title":"The Incredible Kindness of Jesus","sm_id":"365","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2020-11","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/08\/11t1\/20200811t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202011-the-incredible-kindness-of-jesus.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\\\"All the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, \\'This Man receives sinners and eats with them\\'\\\"<\/em> (Luke 15:1\u20132). Picture the scene. There are those who know they are very distant from God, yet they feel comfortable in His presence. On the other hand, there are those who feel they are close to God but feel very uncomfortable in His presence. Isn\\'t it interesting how that can happen?<\/p>\r\n

Jesus tells this story: \\\"A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, \\'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.\\' So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living<\/em>\\\" (Luke 15:11\u201313). This younger son took the life that his father had given him\u2014the heritage, the title, the resources to accomplish what his life was supposed to be\u2014and went to a place that was far, far away from the heart of his father.<\/p>\r\n

Just like this son, when people turn away from God, they often turn away from the purposes of God. In their hearts, they may not think they have turned from God, but they begin to gravitate to a self-focused gospel. Sadly, when the house of God has become legalistic and strict\u2014where it all becomes about the length of clothing, church attendance, and doing your service for the house of God\u2014another generation takes this inheritance of God and goes far away from His heart. They do not want to go to hell, but they do not want to be in a joyless religion. They want freedom, they want to dance in the house of God, they want to express their faith, but nobody will let them do anything. So they take their inheritance of life that is promised through Jesus, and they go to a place where it is all about their own future and happiness.<\/p>\r\nA FAMINE IN THE LAND<\/span>\r\n

\\\"But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land\\\" <\/em> (Luke 15:14). When you live for yourself, it is an exhausting life. And eventually, you hit a wall. Dreams do not materialize; nothing satisfies. The verse continues, \\\"and he began to be in want\\\"<\/em> (15:14). Many Christians today are fed up being where they are. They are tired of the addiction, tired of running from relationship to relationship, tired of the endless pursuit and going nowhere in life.<\/p>\r\n

\\\"He went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine<\/em>\\\" (Luke 15:15). The last thing this young man should have been feeding was swine, for it was the most unclean thing to a child of God of that time. But he was in a field, feeding them or, in other words, allowing it to happen. This speaks to me of the kind of person who does not want to go back to what he left behind, so instead he becomes \\\"cause driven.\\\" A lot of young people today are cause driven, even if they are not sure what the cause is. They have a marginal understanding of what kind of society they are looking for. They are being driven by causes and slogans, and they begin feeding things that they should not be feeding\u2014anger and division.<\/p>\r\n

\\\"And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything<\/em>\\\" (Luke 15:16). This young man must have felt that he did not matter to anybody. Have you noticed today that everything matters? Everybody is holding up a sign that says this matters, that matters. But not once have I seen a sign that said, \\\"Christians matter.\\\" I am somewhat thankful for that because God is causing the world to reject us as believers. He will not allow us to find satisfaction in a place where we should not be.<\/p>\r\nAN EPIPHANY<\/span>\r\n

\\\"But when he came to himself...<\/em>\\\" (Luke 15:17). In other words, the prodigal had an epiphany, which was simply this: \\\"What am I doing here? I was created for something greater than this!\\\" My prayer is that many who have strayed from God\\'s heart will come to themselves and say, \\\"I am not created to do these things. I am not created to give my life wholly to some cause that is short-lived.\\\" It might even be a good cause, but it is short of what could be accomplished through their life. Remember, God can do something that is exceedingly above and beyond all that we can ask or think.<\/p>\r\n

\\\"He said, \\'How many of my father\\'s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, \\\"Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants\\\"\\'\\\"<\/em> (Luke 15:17\u201319). And so he got up and tried to figure out what he was supposed to say in order to be received back. The statement that came out of his mouth was very telling, because to \\\"sin against heaven\\\" means that in his heart he was thinking, \\\"I have lost my eternal reward.\\\" Not only that, a sense of shame filled his heart as he concluded he was no longer worthy to be called his father\\'s son. In other words, \\\"to come back to my father\\'s house means I will live in perpetual shame.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Many people who have wandered away from the kingdom of God feel that way about themselves. \\\"I would come back, but I have already blown it. I have lost the favor of God, and I am destined for a life of shame. Everyone else has a glorious victory story, but mine is such a disgrace that I am ashamed to open my mouth. So I will just hang my head, take up my broom, and work to regain some of God\\'s favor.\\\"<\/p>\r\nTHE COMPASSION OF THE FATHER<\/span>\r\n

\\\"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him<\/em>\\\" (Luke 15:20). He did not see his father, his father saw him. Perhaps you do not have a clear view of God, but God has a clear view of you. This verse continues, \\\"...his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him<\/em>\\\" (Luke 15:20). Can you imagine what this boy felt like as he looked down the road and saw his father running toward him? At first, he was probably wondering if he was coming in anger. Maybe he was coming to yell, \\\"Don\\'t come near my house! You are such a disgrace; get away from here!\\\" How shocked he must have been when suddenly his father fell on his neck and kissed him!<\/p>\r\n

Remember, the boy had been in a field with pigs. When his father embraced him, he took the smell of his son upon himself. In other words, he was saying, \\\"I am not ashamed of you, son.\\\" Likewise, when Jesus went to the cross and opened His arms wide with those nails through His hands and feet, He took the smell of our sins upon Himself\u2014everything we have ever done, everything we are doing, everything we will ever do. If we find that we have strayed in any way from His heart, all He asks is that we get up and make our way back to Him. He will always come running toward us, ready to embrace us.<\/p>\r\nRESTORED TO ROYALTY<\/span>\r\n

I do not think the boy knew how to deal with his father\\'s reaction, because he started saying again, \\\"Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son<\/em>\\\" (Luke 15:21). But the first thing his father said was, \\\"Bring out the best robe and put it on him\\\"<\/em> (15:22). A robe is reserved for royalty, for an honored guest in the father\\'s house. When that robe was put on the son, he was completely covered. He no longer looked like somebody who had just climbed out of a pigsty. And in the kingdom of God, the Father covers anyone who comes to Him in the purest robe available\u2014the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.<\/p>\r\n

Then the father said, \\\"Put a ring on his hand\\\" <\/em>(Luke 15:22). This was a ring of authority that the father gave to those who were the most trusted in his house. Remember, the son thought, \\\"My father will never trust me again.\\\" Yet suddenly before he even had a chance to prove his worth, he was covered and trusted in the sight of his father. When the son put the seal of that ring on anything, it carried the weight and power of the father and his whole house behind it!<\/p>\r\n

And then to top it all off, the father said, \\\"[Put] sandals on his feet<\/em>\\\" (Luke 15:22). This is an interesting concept because usually in an encounter with God, such as the ones Moses and Joshua had, the command was, \\\"Take your shoes off of your feet\\\" (see Exodus 3:5, Joshua 5:15). In other words, God says to His people, \\\"I do not want your strength or your plans. I want you to walk humbly before Me and do what I tell you to do.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

But now you see the father has a son who has been broken, who knows what he is without his father. He understands grace. So now the father can say, \\\"Put his shoes on because he is not going to fight with me. He is not going to bring his own ideas into this kingdom. Now I can send him on a journey where he is going to be doing what he was destined to do. He is going to tell other people about the mercy and kindness of his father.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

And that is what our message is now. It is about God\\'s invitation through His Son, Jesus Christ, for everyone to come home. It is no more difficult than that. Jesus paid the full price for our sins on the cross. He calls us to Himself so that He can cover our wrongdoing, empower us to live a new life, and send us out with a message for others: \\\"My life was a mess; I had ruined everything. But I came home, and my Father ran to me. He kissed me, covered me, filled me with power, and invited me to tell others about His incredible kindness. You must meet my Father!\\\"<\/p>\r\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"THE INCREDIBLE KINDNESS OF JESUS<\/strong>,\\\" a sermon given on August 11, 2020<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version\u00ae. Copyright \u00a9 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"22":{"sm_title":"Hear Him!","sm_id":"363","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2020-10","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/07\/07t1\/20200707t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202010-hear-him.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\\\"Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, \\'Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah\\'<\/em>\\\" (Matthew 17:1\u20134).<\/p>\r\n

Here we see humanity and divinity meeting together on a mountain where God was about to do something phenomenal. In our humanity, we will always gravitate to present or past experiences for our sense of comfort and well-being. Peter was a man who did just that, saying, \\\"It does not get any better than this. We have the Son of God here. We have Moses and Elijah. We are on a mountaintop and do not have to deal with the people all around us. This is a great place to camp. Let\\'s stay here forever!\\\"<\/p>\r\n

However, that was not what God was speaking. \\\"While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, \\'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!\\' And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid<\/em>\\\" (17:5\u20136). Now, this was not said for the benefit of Moses, Elijah or Jesus. God was telling Peter, James and John, \\\"Stop speaking, and start listening to the Son of God! He is going to lead you somewhere.\\\" In other words, your opinions do not lead into the supernatural; they do not bring deliverance to people who are hurting.<\/p>\r\n

All you can build is something that will ultimately become irrelevant if you are not willing to hear the Son of God. That is why many churches that once knew great moves of God are now irrelevant. We must move with the voice of God, not with what somebody spoke hundreds of years ago. We must remember that Jesus is calling us to follow Him rather than spending all our time seeking personal revelation, comfort, and spiritual experience.<\/p>\r\n

There is a whole segment of the Church today running from place to place just seeking some new experience. Their whole pursuit is a \\\"Mount of Transfiguration,\\\" and they want to camp there. However, the revelation of who Jesus Christ is ought to lead us to what He does. In Luke\\'s account of this event, he tells us that Moses and Elijah were discussing with Jesus what He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem\u2014that everything that was prefigured through the law and the prophets was about to be fulfilled at the cross. A Church was going to be born to go into all the world to preach this wonderful message of salvation through Christ.<\/p>\r\n

Jesus was leading these disciples somewhere, but they were so engrossed in their own ideas of what spiritual experience leads to that they could not hear Him. It was as if God had to override the whole thing, stop Peter in the middle of speaking, and declare, \\\"This is My Son. Hear Him!\\\"<\/p>\r\nFULL OF OUR OWN STRENGTH<\/span>\r\n

When the Lord speaks to each of the churches in the Book of Revelation, notice that He says, \\\"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.<\/em>\\\" I want a hearing ear; I want God to lead my life. Sure, I have had a wonderful past; in fact, it has been a miraculous journey. But I have learned that God is not interested in my ideas. If He is not leading, there is no power in it, and we are merely on our own with our little tabernacles on the top of the mountain, talking about our past spiritual experiences.<\/p>\r\n

We often cannot hear the Lord because, just as with Peter and the others, we are still leaning on our own strength and understanding. It is similar to the time when Jesus told Peter, \\\"Where I am going, you cannot follow Me.\\\" What was Peter\\'s response? \\\"Oh, yes, I will follow You. And if You go to Jerusalem to die, I will go and die with You. These others here may not have the courage to go, but I will not turn back!\\\" (see Matthew 26:33, 35). He was full of himself\u2014full of his own ideas and his own strength.<\/p>\r\n

Yet Jesus was trying to speak to him, saying, \\\"Peter, before the rooster crows, you are going to deny Me three times\\\" (see Matthew 26:34). But Peter could not hear it because he was still relying on his own strength and ideas. He did not understand that where Christ leads, we cannot follow without His strength. So, God had to bring Peter to the end of himself.<\/p>\r\n

He had to bring him to a place where he had nothing left to say. After he denied Jesus three times, all he could do was weep bitterly. All his boasting came to an end, and when it did, he could finally start to hear the voice of the Son of God.<\/p>\r\n

Perhaps your testimony today is that you have come to the end of yourself. Your ideas have come to nothing and you have run into the brick wall that all humanity runs into when we try to follow God in our own strength. Well, the good news is that the end of you is the beginning of God. Now you are ready to hear and to follow where God is leading you.<\/p>\r\nUNWILLING TO EMBRACE THE NEW<\/span>\r\n

There is another reason why many find it difficult to hear the Son of God: they are unwilling to put away old things and embrace what is new. The Bible tells us that anyone who is in Christ is a new creation; old things have passed away and all things are new (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). God is not just taking us out of where we used to be, He is bringing us into where He would have us to go. The Spirit of God begins to show us things to come. He starts speaking to us about what He has for us, not what we have for Him\u2014and there is a huge difference. In our humanity, we will make promises to God that we cannot fulfill.<\/p>\r\n

Finally, when we come to the end of that, suddenly God starts making promises to us. It is through these promises that we become everything He has called us to be. It starts with a willingness to put away old things\u2014for example, old comforts and old experiences. Yes, we can remember them, but we cannot camp there with them. Sometimes old friends have to be put away. A lot of people want the kingdom of God, but they want their old friends at the same time. Some want to keep those old relationships alive, that old romance with someone who is not a believer in Christ. Remember when the children of Israel came out of slavery in Egypt and suddenly, in the wilderness, they started remembering the fish and the leeks and garlic in Egypt (see Numbers 11:5). They somehow forgot that they were crying out to God in their bitter bondage!<\/p>\r\n

We are all prone to saying, \\\"It was so good back there, wasn\\'t it?\\\" We forget the depression, the addiction, the brokenness. And so we are unwilling to make the break. A lot of people want that little sip of something to make them feel good, or that little peek on the internet at things they should not be looking at\u2014and then they wonder why they cannot hear the voice of God.<\/p>\r\n

Sometimes we are unwilling to make the break from our past achievements. We want to sit in our office and gaze at all our certificates on the wall. Yet consider how the apostle Paul said, \\\"What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ<\/em>\\\" (Philippians 3:7). We must be willing to be led away from even good things. Remember, Peter had concluded, \\\"Lord, it is good for us to be here<\/em>\\\" (Matthew 17:4). Yet what God has for us is even better than what we declare to be good.<\/p>\r\nWHERE HE LEADS<\/span>\r\n

Last, just as happened with Jesus after the Mount of Transfiguration, we must be willing to be led from spiritual experience to spiritual need. Jesus could have stayed on the mountaintop with Moses and Elijah, with His Father speaking from heaven. He had a small entourage\u2014followers whom He could teach, and He could have stayed there forever. But He had a mission!<\/p>\r\n

Yes, the mountaintop offered this wonderful spiritual experience. But at the bottom of the mountain was a father crying out for his demon-possessed child who was being destroyed by the powers that had hold of him. Consider what is happening to our children\u2014the unbridled passion, the unmitigated confusion, the sense of hopelessness and anger that is consuming this present generation. You and I can live our Christian life just talking about old experiences, or we can follow Jesus down the mountain to where human need really is.<\/p>\r\n

That is exactly what happened in Acts chapter two. The disciples were in the Upper Room having a marvelous experience. The Spirit of God filled every one of them, and they were given this explosive ability to communicate with people of other cultures and other languages. They could have just stayed there and spoken in tongues for the next five years.<\/p>\r\n

However, they were led by the voice of God to spiritual need. Just outside, there were thousands of people coming from the temple, making great journeys to get there. Worshiping God in the best way they knew how, they remained deficient and short of redemption through the Son of God. The disciples heard the voice of God leading them out of their wonderful spiritual experience right into a morass of spiritual need. That is how the Church was born, and that is how she was led all the way through the Book of Acts.<\/p>\r\n

The best thing that could ever happen to you and me, as well as to this present generation, is that we learn to hear the voice of God once again. If you are broken, if you feel like a failure, if you are wounded, if you feel destroyed\u2014you are the perfect candidate to be used by God! Get up from where you are and start to walk with Him. Walk toward not just the healing that you need, but also walk toward the healing that somebody else needs.<\/p>\r\n

You do not have to have it all together to tell somebody else that God is good, and that Jesus died for them. All you need is to be willing to go where Jesus is leading you. You have a choice now. You can camp on an old experience and die there\u2014yes, you will get to heaven, but you will spiritually die in that old experience. Or you can just leave it and go where God is leading you.<\/p>\r\n

If you are willing to hear Him, you will be amazed at what He will do. He will give you light in darkness, water in seasons of drought, strength when strength is failing all around you. And you will be a part of God\\'s answer to the great mountain of spiritual need we see in this generation!<\/p>\r\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"HEAR HIM!<\/strong>,\\\" a sermon given on July 7, 2020<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version\u00ae. Copyright \u00a9 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"23":{"sm_title":"How Will You Wake Up Tomorrow?","sm_id":"361","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2020-09","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/06\/09t1\/20200609t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202009-how-will-you-wake-up-tomorrow.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

I have two questions for you: How did you wake up today? How will you wake up tomorrow?<\/p>\r\n

The Bible tells of a time when the people of God woke up in the morning and discovered that \\\"the enemy that was against them had come by night with a great army and surrounded the city\\\" (see 2 Kings 6:14). Have you ever experienced that? You wake up and find yourself surrounded\u2014by your struggles, your trials, perhaps an illness in your body. You may even feel as though you are being taunted by the voices of the enemy all around you.<\/p>\r\n

In this particular scenario, a servant of the prophet Elisha got up early and found the army surrounding them. \\\"His servant said to him, \\'Alas, my master! What shall we do?\\' So he answered, \\'Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.\\' And Elisha prayed, and said, \\'Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.\\' Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha<\/em>\\\" (2 Kings 6:15\u201317).<\/p>\r\n

Here we see two types of men waking up at the same time. Now both are followers of God. Elisha is called into a specific ministry, and so is his servant. If you were to ask the servant, \\\"Are you a follower of Jehovah God?\\\" he would answer, \\\"Absolutely. I am Elisha\\'s servant. If he goes somewhere, I go with him. I am pursuing the same God he is.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

The problem is that although this servant was a follower of God, he had little to no spiritual vision. There are a lot of people like that in the Church of Jesus Christ. They are followers of God, they go to church, they go where the servants of God go. They do the things they are asked to do, yet they have little or no spiritual vision. When the enemy comes in, just as in this case, their very first response is, \\\"What shall we do?\\\" God is not even in the equation. In other words, \\\"Something has to be done, and it has to be done by us.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

The New Testament calls this type of man a natural man. Yes, he has come to salvation through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Yet, just like Elisha\\'s servant, he sees with his natural eye and pushes forward with his natural strength and reasoning. He remains outside of where the power and the wonder of God are.<\/p>\r\n

I don\\'t want to live there. I never wanted to live there. Right from the beginning, I said, \\\"God, I see something in Your Word. You operate in a kingdom that cannot be seen with the natural eye and sometimes cannot be comprehended with the natural mind. It cannot be attained with natural ability. You invite us into this kingdom by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. You give us Your Holy Spirit to take the victory You won and show us what we have inherited.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

This is important because we are in a battle now for the very soul of our nation. We are in a battle for the testimony of God in our generation, and we are not going to be able to reason our way through this. It requires a supernatural victory that can only come by the hand of God.<\/p>\r\n

The book of First Corinthians says it this way: \\\"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God... But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned<\/em>\\\" (1 Corinthians 2:12, 14). In other words, the man who lives by his own strength and reasoning cannot know the things of the kingdom of God. He will always live in a realm of \\\"What shall we do? What can we do?\\\" It will always be that reasoning.<\/p>\r\nBECOMING AS LITTLE CHILDREN<\/span>\r\n

The book of John gives us another picture of how the kingdom of God works. \\\"Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, \\'Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?\\' But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do<\/em>\\\" (John 6:5\u20136).<\/p>\r\n

Jesus saw a great multitude\u2014a great need that He knew could not be met through human resource. And so He tested a man who had been walking with Him for a season. Now Philip should have known better. The disciples knew Jesus could do miracles. Yet immediately, Philip resorted to his natural understanding and said, \\\"Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little\\\" (John 6:7). When you do not have the strength to meet the need that is before you, have you ever considered that God might be testing you to see if you are willing to look away from your own resources? Are you willing to look away from your own ideas about how to achieve your desired end?<\/p>\r\n

\\\"Andrew, Simon Peter\\'s brother, said to Him, \\'There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?\\' Then Jesus said, \\'Make the people sit down.\\' Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted<\/em>\\\" (John 6:8\u201311). You see, the kingdom of God operates through faith. Jesus knew what he was going to do, and He knew who His partner was going to be in doing it. A little boy with five loaves and two small fish pressed through the crowd and presented his lunch to one of the disciples. I can imagine him saying, \\\"This should do it. Between me and Jesus, we can feed this crowd!\\\"<\/p>\r\n

I have grandchildren, and that is the way they are. They do not see impossibility. They do not get up in the morning and look at the size of the problem. If Papa tells them, \\\"It\\'s all going to be okay,\\\" then in their minds, it\\'s all going to be okay. They do not have to figure it out. If I tell them we are going to get ice cream today at five o\\'clock, they know they are going to get from where they are to the ice cream shop even though they cannot drive a car. They do not have to know how it\\'s going to happen, they just need to know that Papa told them it is going to be done.<\/p>\r\n

Jesus Himself said, \\\"Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven<\/em>\\\" (Matthew 18:3). Now, He is not talking about salvation. He is talking about entering into a place of God\\'s power and wonderment\u2014this kingdom that starts with just a small seed but grows into something that can provide for multitudes. Unless you become converted and become as little children, you will wake up in the morning just like Elisha\\'s servant. It does not mean that heaven is not your home. It means that while you live on the earth, you will live outside of this place of the miraculous. You will be part of that crowd that gets up in the morning and says, \\\"Alas, master, what shall we do?<\/em>\\\"<\/p>\r\nTHREE SIMPLE PRAYERS<\/span>\r\n

Now Elisha\\'s response to his servant\\'s question was quite simple. He said, \\\"Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see<\/em>\\\" (2 Kings 6:17). The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. His eyes were suddenly open to a whole kingdom and power he had been unaware of.<\/p>\r\n

Then he saw Elisha pray two more simple prayers. The first: \\\"Strike them with blindness\\\" (see 2 Kings 6:18). In other words, do not let the enemy achieve their desired end of trying to captivate Your testimony. You and I should pray this again in our generation as darkness attempts to take away the testimony of Christ, redefining good as evil and evil as good.<\/p>\r\n

Elisha then said to this foreign army, \\\"Come, follow me,<\/em>\\\" and he led them right into the midst of Samaria (2 Kings 6:19). A whole army was taken captive by a praying man! Then Elisha prayed one more prayer: \\\"Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see<\/em>\\\" (6:20). In other words, open the eyes of our enemies and give them spiritual sight to see that there is a kingdom bigger than theirs.<\/p>\r\n

When the king of Israel asked, \\\"Shall I smite them?\\\" Elisha replied, \\\"You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master<\/em>\\\" (2 Kings 6:22). In other words, \\\"Show them that there is a God much greater than anything they have ever understood.\\\" And so he had them sit down at the table for a great feast. Then he sent them home, and the Scripture says they never came back again. Nobody wanted to fight that kind of battle!<\/p>\r\nSPIRITUAL EYES<\/span>\r\n

Think about how Elisha\\'s servant got up in the morning and, in the space of just a few short hours, saw something that he had never seen before. How do you think he woke up the next morning? \\\"God, show me those chariots again. Show me the soldiers of heaven again. Help me to pray like Elisha. Help me never to trust what I see with my natural eyes or think with my natural mind. Help me never to lean on what I can come up with in my natural strength. You have shown me Your power, so do not let me settle for less!\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Perhaps you woke up this morning like Elisha\\'s servant and essentially said, \\\"Alas, master, what shall we do?<\/em>\\\" Maybe you got up and spoke to your spouse or to your mom or dad and said, \\\"What are we going to do? We have to do something.\\\" Your whole life has been stuck in this narrow corridor of human effort and human reasoning.<\/p>\r\n

My prayer is that God will open the eyes of His people one more time. We have lived in the natural for too long. We have strategized ourselves into spiritual impotence. Now we find ourselves surrounded by enemies who are hellbent on stamping out the testimony of Christ in this generation. We must have our spiritual eyes open. We must have that faith of a child that says, \\\"God is much bigger than me. God has a great plan. God is my Father. God can be trusted. God\\'s ways are not my ways.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

I am praying that tomorrow you will wake up and instead of asking \\\"What shall we do?\\\" you will say, \\\"God is with me.\\\" Your circumstances may not have changed, but you will have light in your eyes and joy in your heart. You be able to confidently say, \\\"I do not have to understand everything. My enemies can bark over the wall all they want, but God has promised to keep me. God has sealed me in His hand, and no one can take me out of that hand. God has promised that He is going to bring me to a desired end!\\\"<\/p>\r\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \u201cHOW WILL YOU WAKE UP TOMORROW?<\/strong>,\u201d a sermon given on June 9, 2020<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version\u00ae. Copyright \u00a9 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"24":{"sm_title":"The Joy of Asking","sm_id":"359","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"\/files\/\/files\/49701_jb_20200308.jpg","sm_date":"2020-08","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/03\/08s1\/20200308s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/03\/08s1\/20200308s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"NaLUzEouoa4","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-20200-the-joy-of-asking.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\\\"Until now you have asked nothing in My name<\/em>\\\" (John 16:24). Interestingly, Jesus spoke these words to His disciples who, by this point, had walked with Him for quite some time. Without a doubt they had asked a lot of questions along the way, just as you and I do in our Christian walk. Yet suddenly He made this statement, and then He added, \\\"Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full<\/em>.\\\" In other words, \\\"There is a joy that you have not entered into yet. You have a lot of knowledge and a lot of experience and you have witnessed things that other people have never seen. But you have not really been a partaker of something I want to give you now. If you will open your heart to it, it will bring you into a place of joy.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Isn\\'t that amazing? The asking brings joy\u2014not just a partial joy, but a full joy! Certainly, we ought to discover what Jesus meant by asking in His name. But first, let\\'s take a look in the book of John to see some of the things His disciples had already asked, for it is likely that you and I have had similar questions along our journey with Him.<\/p>\r\nTHE QUESTIONS THEY ASKED<\/span>\r\n

In John 1:38, Peter\\'s brother, Andrew, and some others started following Jesus. When Jesus turned around and asked what they were seeking, they asked Him, \\\"Where are you staying?<\/em>\\\" In other words, \\\"We are willing to come to Your house and hear what You have to say to us.\\\" They felt they had found a teacher worth following. That is where it all began for most of us, as well. Before I was a believer in Christ, I remember sitting in the back of a church saying aloud, \\\"If You are real, I wouldn\\'t mind knowing who You are.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

As the disciples journeyed on with Jesus, they began to realize that He had a source of nourishment they did not understand yet. \\\"His disciples urged Him, saying, \\'Rabbi, eat.\\' But He said to them, \\'I have food to eat of which you do not know.\\' Therefore the disciples said to one another, \\'Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?\\' Jesus said to them, \\'My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, \\\"There are still four months and then comes the harvest\\\"? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!\\'<\/em>\\\" (John 4:31\u201335).<\/p>\r\n

Jesus was explaining that there was nourishment available for them, but the implication was that they had to go into the harvest to get it. You can get knowledge by sitting in church, which is wonderful, but this nourishment\u2014this ability that is God-given; the strength that comes only from the Holy Spirit\u2014does not come until you start to walk into the work of God.<\/p>\r\n

The disciples later discovered that Jesus\\' words had limitless power to heal. A nobleman came and said, \\\"My son is at home and he\\'s at the point of death. Will you come and heal him?\\\" (see John 4:49). Jesus did not go to the man\\'s house or even to the man\\'s town. He simply said, \\\"Go your way; your son lives<\/em>\\\" (John 4:50). There was no limitation by distance; He spoke and it was done! Can you imagine the questions that the disciples must have had in their hearts: \\\"What kind of man is this?\\\" It was probably similar to the time they were in a boat during a storm, and Jesus stood up to rebuke the wind and the sea. They then asked one another, \\\"What kind of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey Him?\\\" (see Matthew 8:27).<\/p>\r\n

In John 6:53, Jesus declared, \\\"Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.<\/em>\\\" In other words, \\\"There is something of Me that you need in order to truly have life.\\\" The majority of His disciples at that time turned and walked away, concluding, \\\"This is too hard.\\\" It is the same way in the Christian Church today. People walk with Jesus, assuming that the Christian life is simply supposed to make them healthy, wealthy and wise. And then when the trials come, they conclude, \\\"This is not what I signed up for. It\\'s too hard.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Jesus turned to His twelve disciples and asked if they were going to leave as well. Peter responded with the question: \\\"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life<\/em>\\\" (John 6:68). In other words, \\\"We are staying because we know You have the words of eternal life\u2014not because we understand it, and not because we feel we can do it. We do not know where else to go.\\\" There comes a point in every Christian\\'s life when we make the choice to keep walking with Jesus\u2014not because we understand everything but because we know that He is the source of life, and He is leading us on a pathway of eternal value.<\/p>\r\n

Later, Jesus tells His disciples, \\\"Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward<\/em>\\\" (John 13:36). Peter then asks Jesus, \\\"Lord, why can I not follow You now?<\/em>\\\" (verse 37). And Thomas asks, \\\"You tell us to follow You, but we don\\'t even know where You are going! How can we know the way?\\\" (see 14:5). Similarly, you and I have had times when we ask, \\\"God, what is it that You want from my life? How am I supposed to know the way? I have walked with You, I have studied Your Word, I have seen Your power. Now You are calling me to follow You, but I do not even know where You are going! How am I supposed to do that?\\\"<\/p>\r\nI WILL SHOW MYSELF THROUGH YOU<\/span>\r\n

In John 14:22, Judas (not Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him) had another question: \\\"Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?<\/em>\\\" And so we come to the most pivotal question of all: \\\"Why are You showing all of this only to us?\\\" We could ask that today as well: \\\"God, why are You speaking all of these things to us? Why are You sending us Your Word when You have the power to send it to the whole world?\\\"<\/p>\r\n

This is where it gets interesting because Jesus essentially answers, \\\"I am going to show Myself to the world through you, that\\'s why.\\\" That is the plan of God\u2014there is no plan B. You might ask, \\\"Well, how in the world is that going to happen? I spend my day just trying to survive. I spend my time trying not to curse those who curse me. I work two jobs to feed my kids and keep the bills paid, and You are going to show Yourself to the world through me? How is that going to happen?\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Jesus tried to explain to the disciples: \\\"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you<\/em>\\\" (John 16:12\u201315).<\/p>\r\n

Here is the point that Jesus was making: \\\"You cannot bear it because I am going to the cross. I am going to take all captivity captive; I am going to pay the price for your sins so that you no longer have to be separated from God. I am going to purchase for you a new life\u2014something that will make you a wonder to the people of this world. The Holy Spirit is going to dwell in you and show you the things that I have bought for you on the cross.\\\"<\/p>\r\nA DIFFERENT KIND OF ASKING<\/span>\r\n

Jesus goes on to introduce a different kind of asking. \\\"A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father...Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. And in that day you will ask Me nothing<\/em>\\\" (John 16:16, 22\u201323). He is talking to His disciples about the day when He is raised from the dead; when the debt has been paid; when the power of the Holy Spirit has come; when this new life that is promised us in Christ becomes ours. In other words, \\\"You will not need to ask all these former questions anymore. They will all be answered.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

\\\"Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you<\/em>\\\" (John 16:23). Now the question is, do you believe that? If you truly believed it, you would pray first thing in the morning. You would pray at noon. You would pray at night. Of course, He is not talking about asking for a Porsche. He is speaking in the context of His manifesting Himself to the world through us. He is talking about asking for the power to be yielded for the sake of the lost, given for the sake of other people. He is speaking about asking for the power to serve, the power to love when others do not love us.<\/p>\r\n

\\\"Whatever we ask the Father in Jesus\\' name.\\\" This is available to people like you and me who say, \\\"God, I want the power to live my life for the sake of other people. I recognize the limitations of my physical body, of my natural mind, my natural heart. I recognize that I do not have the strength to go where You are calling me, but in the strength of Your victory, You are going to make me into another person. You are going to bring glory to Your own name through me. I am asking that You cause my life to make a difference for Your kingdom\\'s sake!\\\"<\/p>\r\n

\\\"Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full<\/em>\\\" (John 16:24). And so we begin to understand that in order to experience this fullness of joy, there must be a shifting of focus. The joy must not be about ourselves anymore but rather about others. The joy is that I see people coming to Christ; the joy is that even enemies are finding forgiveness from God. It is not just about getting happy, it is that joy that is in heaven over every sinner who comes to Christ. It is that joy that the angels know around the throne of God. However, it does not come until we are surrendered.<\/p>\r\nFOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS<\/span>\r\n

As society is perishing around us, it is becoming more apparent that it is time to ask. It is time that we rise up out of infancy and, as mature sons and daughters, say, \\\"Lord, I understand now that I cannot follow where You are going in my own strength. I am asking for Your Holy Spirit.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Remember that before Pentecost, the disciples all knew they had no power to go forward. But when God\\'s Holy Spirit came, they burst out of the upper room and started speaking about the things that God was going to do. In the first day alone, three thousand people bent their knee to Christ!<\/p>\r\n

And so, my prayer for my own heart as well as for the Body of Christ is that God would give us the courage to ask in Jesus\\' name. Start by asking for a life that is yielded for the sake of others. Don\\'t forget that the Lord is delighted to give us all we need in order to make a difference in this generation. And when you discover that your heart is changing and giftings are starting to abound in your life\u2014when you find yourself speaking things that you never thought you would say and doing things you know you are not capable of doing on your own\u2014suddenly you will enter a joy that words cannot even begin to describe. It is the indescribable joy of being given for the sake of others!<\/p>\r\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"THE JOY OF ASKING<\/strong>,\\\" a sermon given on March 8, 2020<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version\u00ae. Copyright \u00a9 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"25":{"sm_title":"All Things","sm_id":"357","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2020-07","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/05\/19t1\/20200519t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202007-all-things.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\\\"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose\\\"<\/em> (Romans 8:28). That means that everything God allows into our lives has a divine purpose. God puts it there for a reason because He is conforming us to the image of His Son. He is leading us on a pathway that will bring His name glory through our lives.<\/p>\r\n

Keep in mind that the apostle Paul wrote these words as a man who had been shipwrecked, stoned, and betrayed. He had been in perils among brothers and perils among those who hated him. When you look at his life, it is very hard for anybody alive today to say, \\\"Well, my life has had a more difficult trajectory than Paul\\'s.\\\" And yet, after all the things he suffered, he was able to write that all things work together for good. In other words, \\\"Everything that God allowed into my life had a divine purpose\u2014whether I understood it or not. God was doing something in me. He was bringing me to a specific place. He was teaching me specific truths that I might not have learned otherwise.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Quite often, we spend our days trying to get out of \\\"all things.\\\" This is what our prayer life is all about. \\\"God, get me out of this, and I will love You. Deliver me from this, and I will serve You.\\\" Many times our focus is about getting out of the very things that God is allowing in order to form His character and His purposes in our lives. So instead of praying, \\\"God, get me out,\\\" we should pray, \\\"Lord, what are You teaching me? What is it that You are producing in my character that could not come any other way?\\\"<\/p>\r\nIS THIS REALLY NECESSARY?<\/span>\r\n

Romans 8:28 has been the verse that has kept me all the years of my Christian life\u2014through flood, fire, trial, difficulty, hardship, blessing. All the things that God has allowed have been for divine reasons. Sometimes I understood them and sometimes I did not until the worst of it was over in my life.<\/p>\r\n

When I came to New York in 1994, we moved into a house in New Jersey. We had no idea that the house we moved into was infested with toxic mold. By the time it was discovered in 2001, the mold was so thick that those who inspected the house condemned and quarantined it on the spot. The whole attic was so filled with toxic black mold that no visible wood was left. It scarred my bronchial tubes, which is why I still cough a lot today.<\/p>\r\n

At the time, we were also fighting against a terrible onslaught in New York City. I stood with Pastor David Wilkerson, fighting to have the church go forward. I gave my all, but I kept getting sicker and sicker, to the point where I could hardly breathe. The headaches were extremely bad, and my energy level was almost at zero. I could sleep for eight hours, get up in the morning, and feel like I had not slept at all. I could barely stay awake and could hardly breathe. One day, I was walking down Eighth Avenue in New York City, and I was to the point where I could see black flecks floating in front of my eyes. Also, I was always on the verge of passing out. Suddenly, in frustration, I said out loud on the street, \\\"Oh, God, is this really necessary?\\\"<\/p>\r\n

I was so surprised to hear God\\'s reply: \\\"It is. It is very necessary in your life.\\\" And suddenly, out of nowhere, verses from Psalm 119 came into my mind. The psalmist says, \\\"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word\\\" <\/em>(verse 67). And \\\"It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes\\\" <\/em> (verse 71). And \\\"I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me\\\" <\/em>(verse 75). God had allowed these things for a divine purpose!<\/p>\r\n

God could have kept us from moving into that house, but here is what He said to me on Eighth Avenue that night: \\\"You have a very strong will. I am going to teach you how to be dependent on Me.\\\" He did. I needed Christ every moment of every hour of every day because my own strength was gone. The Lord began to teach me how to hear His voice. He taught me that if He was not leading, I ought not to go there. I could not accept just any invitation to go anywhere and speak because if it was not the Holy Spirit leading me, it could take a week or two to recover physically when I got back. However, when the Spirit was leading, I would come back stronger than when I went out.<\/p>\r\n

I was learning to be governed by the voice of God rather than by good ideas. At that time, I had no idea that I would be the next Senior Pastor of Times Square Church. I was only there to help this man of God for as long as he needed me. I did not know that God had another plan\u2014and that in faithfulness, He had afflicted me in order to work out that plan in my life.<\/p>\r\nBORN OUT OF AFFLICTION<\/span>\r\n

I remember, during the worst part of this affliction, I had an oxygen tank on wheels that I had to pull around the apartment with me. Every morning, I had to wear a mask and breathe pure oxygen for 15 minutes to clear out the phlegm in my chest and help alleviate the massive headaches I woke up with. I had to do this before I could even read my Bible. There were mornings when despair just wanted to eat at my heart. I wondered, \\\"Oh, God, are You ever going to heal me? Could any good ever come from this?\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Some mornings I was so down that I would take my pen and just start writing poems, many of which eventually became songs. You see, I had made a choice to declare God to be faithful in the midst of my affliction. David Wilkerson insisted the songs be put on a CD, which is titled \\\"Quiet Times,\\\" and most of the songs were written during this time of affliction. It sold more than 40,000 copies in its first run, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for missions all around the world.<\/p>\r\n

One particular morning, I sat down and wrote a poem which later became a song called, \\\"If You\\'ve Lost Your Heaven\\'s Song.\\\" The first verse says: \\\"If you\\'ve lost your heaven\\'s song, it\\'s so hard to carry on when tomorrow looks as sad as yesterday. Just remember Jesus came, and He keeps singing just the same if you will listen, when you go to Him and pray.\\\" And the chorus goes: \\\"When Jesus came to live in you, He carried heaven\\'s sweetest tune with words, \\'I love you. And forever I will stay.\\' When days are cold and darkness strong, things might seem lost, but not for long. His song within you cannot ever pass away. His song within you cannot ever pass away.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

I received the most beautiful letter a couple of years after the CD was initially produced. A pastor\\'s wife wrote to tell me that one day her husband came home and said, \\\"I want out of this marriage. I want to live a new life. And as far as I\\'m concerned, our marriage is finished.\\\" She was devastated. She rented a hotel room and then went to the pharmacy to get the prescription pills she needed to commit suicide. Then she got in her car, intending to return to the hotel and take her life.<\/p>\r\n

A copy of \\\"Quiet Times\\\" was in the CD player, and \\\"If You\\'ve Lost Your Heaven\\'s Song\\\" was playing when she turned the car on. She started listening to the song and later wrote to me that she drove for three days. I assume she would stay in the hotel at night, but in the daytime, she would just drive around. She wrote, \\\"I put your CD on repeat and listened to this same song over and over again. It brought me back to the faith of my childhood\u2014when I first received Christ, when I walked with God. I remembered how faithful God has been to me and how He won\\'t forsake me in my affliction. And after three days of driving around, knowing that my marriage was finished, I just decided to go home and live.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

When she got back home, she went into her house and found her husband, sick at heart, sick in his spirit. He said to her, \\\"Oh, honey, I\\'m so sorry. I don\\'t know what came over me. I don\\'t know what I was thinking. I made such a mistake, and I\\'ve been such a fool. I love you. I believe that God is going to work out our marriage.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

To prevent a woman from committing suicide, God had to allow affliction in another man\\'s life in a city far away, sit him in his office with an oxygen mask on his face, put a pen in his hand, and inspire him write the words to a song. I know all things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose!<\/p>\r\nREALIZE THERE IS A PURPOSE<\/span>\r\n

Perhaps today you are depressed in your mind, or you do not know how you are going to pay your rent and feed your kids. You do not know how you will ever be sane again. I want to remind you that God will be faithful to you. However, you must make a choice now either to believe that all things are working together for God\\'s good purpose in your life, or they are not. It cannot be just some things. It has to be all things\u2014the things that you like and the things you don\\'t like; the things you understand and the things you don\\'t understand; the things you would love to come your way and the things that you wish would be gone\u2014all of these things are working together for a divine purpose that God has ordained for your life.<\/p>\r\n

This valley of the shadow of death will last only for a season. Part of the victory is finally coming to the realization, \\\"Lord, You put me on this job for a reason. You put me in this marriage for a reason. You gave me these children for a reason. I live in this apartment for a reason. And if I have an affliction in my physical body, there has to be a reason for it that maybe I do not yet fully understand.\\\"<\/p>\r\n

Yes, there is a purpose. Paul learned to believe this. As a matter of fact, he got to the point where he was able to write in his epistles, \\\"When I am weak, then I am strong\\\" <\/em>(2 Corinthians 12:10). He believed that even though he was confined to a jail cell at the end of his life, \\\"All things work together for good, even if all I can do is write some letters to some of my friends.\\\" He did not know he was writing to hundreds of millions of people over thousands of years\u2014that his letters to his friends were going to be the doctrinal basis for much of our practice of faith in Christ.<\/p>\r\n

So I encourage you\u2014do not just pray to get out of where you are right now. Pray to learn the lesson that needs to be learned. Pray that when you do come out on the other side of the valley of the shadow of death, you will be able to say, \\\"I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I have learned that nothing can separate me from the love of God, which is mine in Christ Jesus. I have learned that God has a purpose beyond my understanding. I have learned to trust Him that somehow, some good is going to come out of it\u2014so much more than I can ever think or imagine!\\\"<\/p>\r\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"ALL THINGS<\/strong>,\\\" a sermon given on May 19, 2020<\/strong>. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version(\u00ae). Copyright (\u00a9) 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"26":{"sm_title":"When the End Comes, Where Will You Be?","sm_id":"355","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"\/files\/\/files\/\/files\/\/files\/49697_jb_20200301.jpg","sm_date":"2020-06","length_sec":"00","length_min":"00","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/03\/01s1\/20200301s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/03\/01s1\/20200301s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"azdQSfGvGzA","sm_pdf":"http:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/sermon-newsletter-202006-when-the-end-comes-where-will-you-be.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In the book of First Thessalonians, the apostle Paul exhorted the early Church about the day that is now coming upon us\u2014the day of Christ\\'s return. \\\"But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night<\/em>\\\" (1 Thessalonians 5:1\u20132). The day of Christ\\'s physical return to the earth will be preceded by the rapture\u2014His coming to gather His Church to Him. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead in Christ are going to rise, and then we who are alive and remain shall be gathered together with them. Imagine how lost you would feel if you did not know Christ as Savior at that moment and suddenly all the believers disappeared!<\/p>\r\n

\\\"For when they say, \\'Peace and safety!\\' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief<\/em>\\\" (1 Thessalonians 5:3\u20135). Jesus Himself once said, \\\"If the man in charge of the house had been aware that a thief was in the neighborhood, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into\\\" (see Matthew 24:43). Likewise, if there was a thief in your neighborhood who was striking every night, wouldn\\'t you do something to protect your house or your apartment? Wouldn\\'t you examine the windows and the doors to make sure everything was secure?<\/p>\r\n

Now, in the context of the last days, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:19, \\\"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you?<\/em>\\\" He put it more simply in 1 Corinthians 3:9: \\\"You are God\\'s building.<\/em>\\\" Therefore, which house is the thief trying to break into? You are the house! You are the temple of God\u2014the place of God\\'s dwelling. You are the one called to bring glory to the Lord because of the light and life that is inside of your earthen vessel. Meanwhile, the devil will do everything in his power to break in during this darkened hour in which we live. So what are some specific things we should be watching for?<\/p>\r\nTHE END OF THE AGE<\/span>\r\n

To help answer that question, let\\'s see what happened when Jesus\\' disciples asked Him, \\\"What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?<\/em>\\\" (Matthew 24:3). In other words, \\\"What will the spiritual temperature be? What will be happening?\\\" Jesus began His reply by saying, \\\"Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, \\'I am the Christ,\\' and will deceive many<\/em>\\\" (24:4\u20135).<\/p>\r\n

He was warning them that in the last days, the devil will do everything he can to \\\"break into\\\" the people of God. False messiahs will arise who will stand up and say, \\\"Yes, the Holy Spirit is leading me. If you look at my life, you will see what Jesus looks like.\\\" They will claim to have the words and the way to go forward into security, and they will deceive many.<\/p>\r\n

So how do you discern the difference between what is being animated by the Spirit of God and what the devil is animating as an imitation of God? There are several references in the Old Testament to Satan and his ways of thinking. For instance, the prophet Isaiah said, \\\"How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: \\'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.\\' Yet you shall be brought down to [hell], to the lowest depths of the Pit<\/em>\\\" (Isaiah 14:12\u201315). Simply put, Satan\\'s theology focuses on self. In contrast, the theology of Christ focuses on others. For example, you may be listening to a preacher who is telling you, \\\"You are not the tail, you are the head. You will sit in places of prominence in society. You will always be healthy and rich, and trouble will never come to your door. You will be known among people everywhere you travel, and you will be like the Most High\\\"\u2014and that is all his message is. If this is true, it is inspired by darkness.<\/p>\r\n

Of course, I understand there are moments when we have to say, \\\"God, I need this,\\\" or \\\"I need to be free.\\\" However, when we come to maturity in Christ, the focus shifts to, \\\"Not my will, but Yours, be done<\/em>\\\" (Luke 22:42). In other words, \\\"God, use my life for the sake of those who do not know You\u2014for those who are going into a Christless eternity.\\\" The focus of Christ is always about others. That is why Jesus said, \\\"If any man does not take up his cross, he cannot be My disciple\\\" (see Matthew 16:24). Any gospel that causes you to focus solely on yourself is from hell itself.<\/p>\r\nOTHER SIGNS OF HIS COMING<\/span>\r\n

Jesus continued, \\\"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet<\/em>\\\" (Matthew 24:6). In other words, there will be an increase of angry speech. Nations will start threatening other nations, ideologies will start threatening other ideologies. As a matter of fact, we are already seeing this in our own society here in America.<\/p>\r\n

\\\"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places<\/em>\\\" (Matthew 24:7). In the last days, the world will not just speak about violence but will actually turn to violence. There will be famines, earthquakes, new diseases coming into the world. And here we are facing the coronavirus now in our own society.<\/p>\r\n

\\\"All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name\\'s sake<\/em>\\\" (Matthew 24:8\u20139). This is already happening in China and various other places throughout the world. What started as a marginal tolerance of Christianity has now turned to intolerance and even violence in many places. Perhaps you have already been experiencing it in the workplace or in your community. It seems one cannot have a biblical opinion anymore without being vilified or deemed a hater and a divider.<\/p>\r\n

\\\"And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another<\/em>\\\" (Matthew 24:10). Paul also warned us that before the return of Christ, there would be a great falling away (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3). There will be people who will conclude, \\\"I did not sign up for this. When I came to Christ, I was told I was going to be healthy, happy and rich. I was going to have a big house, a nice car, the best spouse, a great family. I didn\\'t sign up to be hated. I didn\\'t sign up to be part of a religion that society does not endorse!\\\" And so many will be offended. \\\"And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold<\/em>\\\" (Matthew 24:12). Mankind will descend into a depravity perhaps unseen in the history of the world. It will sweep the world in lawlessness and immorality.<\/p>\r\nA VICTORIOUS CHURCH<\/span>\r\n

However, here is the good news: \\\"But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come<\/em>\\\" (Matthew 24:13\u201314). There will be a victorious Church in the last days. There will be a people of God empowered by the Holy Spirit. They will be given supernatural ability to stand and there will be power in their speech. They will have a love that will cast out all fear.<\/p>\r\n

Yes, multitudes will be descending into darkness. And, sadly, there will be multitudes of formerly professing believers who will be following them. But thank God, there will be a victorious Church as well as an incredible harvest of souls in these last days. God will empower His Church to continue loving when the love of many grows cold. She will be empowered to keep on giving when selfishness is abounding and countries are fighting over resources. While everyone else is pointing the finger, there will be people committed to pointing the way to eternal life. Their lamps will be filled with light to help those who are trying to escape the darkness. Lastly, God will have a Church empowered by the Holy Spirit to have hearts filled with praise even when the joy of the land is gone.<\/p>\r\nIS YOUR HOUSE READY?<\/span>\r\n

And so the question I ask you today is: When the end comes, where will you be? Are you certain that you will you be part of this victorious last-days Church? I suggest that it is time for you to do a security evaluation of your house. Do you have the motion sensors working to detect prowlers? You cannot have them if you are not in the Word of God. You will not know when somebody who is not truly representing Christ has suddenly come to your ears\u2014whether in a church service, on a podcast, or through some other means. Remember, if the message you hear is not leading you to a lifestyle of being yielded for the sake of others, then your motion sensors should go off. You might have a prowler outside your house.<\/p>\r\n

Are your doors locked? Are you letting anything into your dwelling that should not be there? Is anybody sitting at the table who does not belong inside your house? Are you reading something that you should not be reading? King David once said, \\\"I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away<\/em>\\\" (Psalm 101:3). You need to make sure, for you cannot play games with this one. You cannot live in duplicity and assume you will suddenly have the strength to stand in the coming days. You do not know what tomorrow is going to bring; you do not know the severity of what is coming upon our world. In fact, you do not even know for sure if you will still be alive in a month.<\/p>\r\n

And so, are you ready? Is your house ready? Have you trusted God for the strength, the power, and the giftings of God to live for His glory? Are you able to praise Him in the midst of your darkness? Are you looking every day for somebody, somewhere\u2014some need that God can meet through you? We are living in the last days\u2014Christ is coming! Let us pray, \\\"Lord, prepare me. Give me the character I need, and give me power. Give me everything I need of Your Spirit\u2014not for myself, but for the sake of Your glory first and for the sake of others second. Pour out Your life through me and give me a song that this world cannot take away!\\\"<\/p>\r\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \\\"WHEN THE END COMES, WHERE WILL YOU BE?<\/strong>,\\\" a sermon given on March 1, 2020<\/strong> in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version(\u00ae). Copyright \u00a9 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"27":{"sm_title":"The Wolf is at The Door","sm_id":"353","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"49687_jb_20200209.jpg","sm_date":"2020-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/02\/09s1\/20200209s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/02\/09s1\/20200209s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"XsGT7gr-HNk","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49724_sermon-newsletter-202005-the-wolf-is-at-the-door.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all<\/em>\" (Isaiah 53:1–6).<\/p>\n

It is important to understand that a religious system crucified Christ. Although the Roman authorities were the instruments of His death, the religious order of the day—created by God's own people—put the Son of God on the cross. There were leaders in that generation who adorned themselves in righteous robes and loved to be called \"Teacher\" in the marketplace (see Matthew 23:7). They ended up creating a system of salvation that was much wider and more inclusive than the one God had given. All kinds of people were coming into the temple defiled and going out the same way. They were living in ways that the Bible clearly indicated would leave them excluded from the kingdom of God forever.<\/p>\n

In contrast, Jesus came in a form that lacked grandeur in the eyes of men. He was not dressed in righteous robes, not trying to garner their titles, not doing things their way. The Bible says, \"There is no beauty that we should desire Him<\/em>\" (Isaiah 53:2). They despised and rejected Him because He challenged their religious system of redemption. Remember, it is the propensity of humankind to conclude that we can be as God, becoming judges of what is good and what is evil—the original sin in the Garden of Eden. If you take that to its logical extension, we can start declaring that God forgives things when He does not. We can start telling people that they are going to heaven when they are not. That is the grave danger of religion. Can you imagine sitting inside a place as a supposed believer in Christ only to end up at the throne of God one day and find out you have been outside all along? What a tragedy it is going to be for so many.<\/p>\n

He was \"a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief<\/em>\" (Isaiah 53:3). There was a heaviness in the heart of the Son of God as He looked on the people as sheep without a shepherd. \"And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him<\/em>\" (53:3). We are, in great measure, reliving the Scripture again in our day. In many places, even where God's people are gathering, the Word of God is despised. We are now gravitating toward fancy preachers who have opened the door wide to people who are not going to heaven, giving them false peace when they are not at peace with God.<\/p>\nTHE FULL COUNSEL OF GOD<\/span>\n

Paul was a true shepherd who did not hold back from declaring the truth. This is what he said in the book of Acts: \"Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God<\/em>\" (Acts 20:26–27). It is the cry of my heart that if anyone reading this today ends up in hell, let it never be because I failed to declare to you the whole counsel of God or did not warn you of something that had the power to drag you down into eternal darkness.<\/p>\n

Paul continued: \"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears<\/em>\" (Acts 20:29–31). He warned that wolves are going to come—which we are seeing in packs in our generation. These wolves are going to devour the sacrifice of Christ and the promise of new life through Him. They are going to promise the people liberty, though they themselves are slaves to corruption (see 2 Peter 2:19). Wolves teach that you can live a lifestyle against the Word of God and still claim heaven as your eternal home. Such a wolf is now at the door of the Christian Church in America.<\/p>\n

Yet the apostle Paul clearly warned in the book of First Corinthians: \"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators...<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 6:9). These are people who engage in sexual intercourse outside the bonds of marriage between one man and one woman—and will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived into thinking you can live an immoral lifestyle and still have heaven as your eternal home. This is hard for this generation to hear, especially when so many preachers are saying, \"Well, God understands need and God is a God of love. He won't send anybody to hell.\" That is not true! Yes, He is a God of love, we know that, but the Bible tells us that fornicators have no inheritance in the kingdom of God.<\/p>\n

\"Nor idolaters...<\/em>\" These are people who have other loves—something in their life that is their whole obsession. Christ (or church) is just a little part of their life; they are pursuing something else.<\/p>\n

\"Nor adulterers...<\/em>\" Today we take a word such as adultery and call it an \"extramarital affair\" as if it is a black tie event. \"You are invited to an extramarital affair next Friday at 5 o'clock.\" Yet the Bible calls it adultery. Settle it: Sex outside the bonds of the person you are married to will keep you outside the kingdom of God.<\/p>\n

\"Nor homosexuals, nor sodomites...<\/em>\" In other words, this applies to both men and women. I understand the dilemma that some might face in same-sex attraction. Nevertheless, you cannot give in to that lifestyle on any level because the Bible clearly says it will leave you outside the kingdom of God.<\/p>\n

\"Nor thieves...<\/em>\" This refers to all people who steal—even just a little. Perhaps they have a contract and steal a little bit more than they should, or maybe they cheat on their taxes.<\/p>\n

\"Nor covetous...<\/em>\" These are people who are always wanting more of the things of this world, never satisfied with what they have.<\/p>\n

\"Nor drunkards...<\/em>\" Week after week, there are people who go to church on Sunday after being out at the club the night before, drinking and dancing.<\/p>\n

\"Nor revilers...<\/em>\" Especially in our country today, reviling has become the speech of the day. It is fashionable just to curse everybody around you.<\/p>\n

\"Nor extortioners<\/em>\" In other words, those who take advantage of others will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9–10).<\/p>\n

However, Paul finished with good news: \"And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 6:11). He was saying, \"In contrast, you are set apart for the kingdom of God. You have honestly repented and walked away from what God's Word says is wrong. You have walked away from this old way of thinking and behaving and have instead set yourself apart for the kingdom of God.\"<\/p>\nTHE HIRELING WILL FLEE<\/span>\n

Nevertheless, we must be aware that we are living in an hour when the wolf is heading to the door of the Church, demanding that we bow down to these new definitions of good and evil. The days of being able to declare truths like the ones above without penalty are very close to being over, if they are not over already.<\/p>\n

Jesus once said, \"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep<\/em>\" (John 10:11–13).<\/p>\n

There are hirelings in a lot of pulpits in America today. They do not necessarily leave the people, but they leave biblical truth when the wolf is at the door. The wolf says, \"This is what you will preach; these are the truths that you will espouse.\" And the hirelings bow down when the music plays in order to save themselves, for it has always been about them and never really about the sheep. And so the hirelings end up leading the people into the broad way of destruction rather than into the narrow way of eternal life.<\/p>\n

In contrast, the true shepherds of God in this generation are going to care more for the people than for their own safety or reputation. Of course, it will not be an easy road. We are about to join our brothers and sisters in China, Iran and other places who are being persecuted and even put to death for what they believe. We have lived a very comfortable, lazy Christianity in America, but those days are over. The wolf is now at the door.<\/p>\n

And so I challenge you with all my heart to turn from sin. Find that new life in Christ, and rise up to be the person that God has called you to be. You already know what God has His finger on. Ask Him for help in turning away from watching pornography, from drinking, from flirtation in the office, from railing. Ask Him to deliver you from cowardice and instead put a love for people in your heart—a love that casts out all fear.<\/p>\n

Let this society despise Christ, consider Him ordinary, rebel against His words. But by the grace of God, we will not bow before the wolf in this generation. By His grace, we will stand unashamedly for the truth of God. We will begin to pray again as a Church Age. We will have the courage in this generation to stand for those who do not have a voice for themselves—for our children, for the unborn, for our high school students, for college students; for every mother, father, and child in this country who needs to know there is a Savior who died for them!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"THE WOLF IS AT THE DOOR<\/strong>,\" a sermon given on February 9, 2020<\/strong> in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"28":{"sm_title":"God Is With Us. Let's Rise and Build!","sm_id":"351","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"49668_jb_20200112.jpg","sm_date":"2020-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/01\/12s1\/20200112s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2020\/01\/12s1\/20200112s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"ix2V3JjnrUw","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49713_sermon-newsletter-202004-god-is-with-us-lets-rise-and-build.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia<\/em>\" (Ezra 1:1).<\/p>\n

Let me set the scene for this particular moment in history. The people of God had been called to a specific place—the nation we now call Israel—and to a particular city—Jerusalem. In this place, the glory of God dwelt in the temple. And the people were called to be a special people, changed and empowered by God, to be a praise and a testimony to Him in the earth.<\/p>\n

This exact same calling is on your life and mine as part of the Church of Jesus Christ in our generation. However, the people of that time dealt very casually with their calling. The service and worship of God gradually became a matter of convenience, taking on forms that God never intended. Sadly, God's ordained purpose for them slipped through their fingers like sand, and suddenly they found themselves powerless as an enemy called Babylon began to take them captive. In three stages, the people of God were taken into a foreign land for seventy years. This tends to happen throughout history—to believers, families, churches. We end up in a place we were not destined to be.<\/p>\n

This captivity was a time of chastening—a time for the children of Israel to reconsider their calling in the earth. And then, suddenly, revival came! It is important to note that, first of all, revival is God's initiative. It is something that God determines in His heart to do. The Lord had already predetermined that He would let the enemies of His people capture them for seventy years. He had spoken through the mouth of Daniel the prophet at the time they were taken into captivity that at the end of seventy years, He would visit them and bring them home. And this is exactly what happened, as we saw in our opening scripture. Cyrus, a Medo-Persian king, was not a partaker of the Jews' religion, yet the Lord stirred his spirit so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom: \"Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah<\/em>\" (Ezra 1:2).<\/p>\n

Revival usually happens in response to a cry among at least some of God's people. Of course, there were probably others who were quite content in Babylon in those days. Perhaps they had acquired a fairly good life for themselves there. However, there is always a voice that rises up.<\/p>\n

It could simply be a person such as you or me in our own house, sighing, \"God, the way Your people are being treated is not right. It's not right that You are not known and revered. Your word is being cast into the streets as if it is something evil. It is simply not right!\"<\/p>\n

The decree continued: \"Who is among you of all His people?<\/em>\" (Ezra 1:3). Who in this kingdom actually belongs to God? Who desires to live a life that brings glory to His name? Who is concerned about regaining what was lost through neglect and negligence?<\/p>\n

\"May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem<\/em>\" (Ezra 1:3–4). King Cyrus was saying, \"As the people get up to go rebuild, everybody who is part of the family of God should help them in whatever way they can, even if they cannot go themselves. Everybody needs to do something in this rebuilding of the testimony of God in the earth!\"<\/p>\nNOTHING HAS BEEN LOST<\/span>\n

What happens next is phenomenal: \"King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his gods<\/em>\" (Ezra 1:7). This included everything that God had given a pattern for to King David, who in turn had given it to his son, Solomon. Solomon had fashioned all of the instruments that were necessary in the worship of God—all the things that were part of the religion of that time.<\/p>\n

Yet when the Israelites were taken captive, they probably assumed all of the articles had been lost, never to be regained. That is exactly what the devil would have wanted them to believe. But you see, nothing of God is ever lost. It is merely in storage. The Bible tells us that the articles were counted: \"Thirty gold platters, one thousand silver platters, twentynine knives, thirty gold basins, four hundred and ten silver basins of a similar kind, and one thousand other articles. All the articles of gold and silver were five thousand four hundred<\/em>\" (Ezra 1:9–11). Can you imagine being there as all these items were brought out of storage? The Babylonians or the Medo-Persians could have easily melted them down and made gold bars out of them. But God is always in charge of everything!<\/p>\n

You may say, \"Where is the word of knowledge?\" It is in storage. \"Where are the gifts of healing?\" They are in storage. \"Where are the prophets?\" They are in storage. Nothing can be lost to the kingdom of God. There have been times and seasons throughout history when God suddenly says, \"Bring out everything that was taken captive and give it back to My people!\" The Lord makes everything available to His people once again and asks, \"Who wants to rebuild? Who wants to go home? Who wants to glorify Me in the earth? Who wants to see captivity taken captive one more time in this generation?\"<\/p>\n

A psalmist wrote about it in Psalm 126:1: \"When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream,<\/em>\" In other words, \"We thought it was all lost forever. But suddenly we realized the hand of God was moving again—that our captivity had indeed been taken captive!\"<\/p>\n

The psalmist continued, \"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him<\/em>\" (Psalm 126:3–6). In other words, \"Our confidence is in God— no matter where we are, no matter how powerless we may feel to do anything about the hour we live in.\" If you and I have that cry in our heart, we will come home rejoicing, bringing a harvest with us!<\/p>\nIN EVERY PLACE<\/span>\n

The next chapter of Ezra goes on to say: \"Now these are the people of the province who came back from the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his own city<\/em>\" (Ezra 2:1). And for the rest of chapter two, different houses that arose to rebuild are listed. For example, in verse three, we read: \"The people of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two.<\/em>\" Verse six says, \"The people of Pahath-Moab, of the people of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve<\/em>.\" Verse ten: \"The people of Bani, six hundred forty-two<\/em>.\" Verse fourteen: \"The people of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six.<\/em>\"<\/p>\n

This is what it speaks to me: Not everybody will get up and rebuild, but in every town, in every city, in every state, there will be somebody! If the United States of America were in this book of Ezra, perhaps it would say: \"Of the state of Florida, 7,644 got up to build. Of the state of New Jersey, 5,322 got up to build.\" And not just states, but little towns. \"Of these little towns, 600 got up—400—123.\" There will be people of all denominations, in all places rising up!<\/p>\n

The people of God did not hear just the decree of King Cyrus—they heard something in their spirit. \"God is with us. Let's rise up and build!\" It is the same thing that many are hearing in America today.<\/p>\nWHEN SOMEBODY STANDS UP<\/span>\n

In every one of these houses listed in the book of Ezra, somebody had to be the first one to speak. Somebody had to stand up in their house and say, \"I am hearing something in my heart. God is calling us back to the place where we once were—a place where we worship Him again in spirit and in truth, where we as His people bring glory and honor to His name.\" And so it will be today—someone has to be the first to stand up in his or her house.<\/p>\n

Perhaps you would say to me: \"Who is going to listen to me? I am the least in my house.\" But you see, that is why throughout history, God has used people who give us a picture of what real spiritual authority looks like. Consider, for example, Nehemiah. He was merely a butler to the king who received a report that his city was in reproach and his people were suffering. Yet Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem with the king's permission, and he told the people \"of the hand of my God which had been good upon me and also of the king's words that he had spoken to me. So they said, 'Let us rise up and build.' Then they set their hands to this good work<\/em>\" (Nehemiah 2:18).<\/p>\n

Now, I have no doubt that there were leaders, architects, and skilled civic workers in Jerusalem. Yet, suddenly, this man, whose only claim to fame is that he carried a tray to the king, showed up and said, \"God's hand is on me, and the king has given me good words, telling me this thing can be done.\" And the people's response was: \"Let us rise up and build!\"<\/p>\n

Never underestimate what God can do through you as you stand up and answer His call—whether you are a person of high or low position, whether you have been successful or a failure in your own sight. You see, God is giving us a window of time to do something only He can enable us to do. If we are wise, we will rise up and begin to rebuild the testimony of God on the earth once again. We will believe that God is still God of the impossible. We will take to heart what Nehemiah told the people: \"For the sake of your children, rise up and build. For the sake of your families, rise up and build. For the sake of the stranger, rise up and build. Watch what God will do!\"<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"GOD IS WITH US—LET'S RISE AND BUILD<\/strong>,\" a sermon given on January 12, 2020<\/strong> in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"29":{"sm_title":"Will I Ever Be Free?","sm_id":"349","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"49627_jb_20191110.jpg","sm_date":"2020-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/11\/10s1\/20191110s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/11\/10s1\/20191110s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"hoeDv-1816w","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49699_sermon-newsletter-202003-will-i-ever-be-free.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, 'Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.' Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, 'See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them'<\/em>\" (Matthew 8:1–4).<\/p>\n

I believe the following question tugs on the hearts of many Christians today: Will I ever be free? Surely the leper in the above account was living with the same question in his heart. In those days, leprosy carried a stigma with it so severe that the person with the affliction was required by Old Testament law to put a veil over his face. This speaks of the necessity for the person to mask his or her true condition. They walk through society feeling unclean, pretending that they have victory when they do not—as is the case with many in the Body of Christ today.<\/p>\n

The leper's condition may have started small—perhaps as a little spot under his eye—but eventually it began to consume him. Similarly for many today, captivity starts as a small thing. Consider how so many people in this generation are trapped in pornography, not realizing its mental and physical repercussions. They may have started viewing something online, unaware that it was going to make an impression on their brain and become part of their character. They thought they could contain it, but now it has spread throughout their mind, and they are captivated by it. Pornography puts people in a prison from which it is almost impossible to escape, apart from the power of God.<\/p>\n

Or think of the person who just reached for a glass and thought, \"I can consume this little bit of alcohol. What harm can it do?\" They thought they could control it, but now it controls them. Or maybe it started as just a little bit of depression, but now it seems to be a darkness that literally envelops them. And now they are left with a cry in their heart, \"Oh, God, is there any hope for me? Will I ever be free?\"<\/p>\nTHE HUMAN CONDITION<\/span>\n

The apostle Paul speaks of the condition of the human heart in the book of Romans: \"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find<\/em>\" (Romans 7:18). In other words, \"I know what I should do; I know what my life should look like. But somehow I have lost the power to move in that direction. \"The good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice<\/em>\" (7:19). Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever made a New Year's resolution only to have it crumble into the sand ten minutes after midnight? You were convinced that it was going to be different this time. You were going to be that husband or that wife that you never had been. You were going to be that father, that brother, that friend. You were going to be honest. You were not going to lose your temper. You were not going to drink. But it was not long before you were right back in your old behaviors because you are imprisoned.<\/p>\n

Paul goes on to say, \"Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good<\/em>\" (Romans 7:20–21). In other words, \"I want to do right, but something has gotten hold of me, and it is consuming me. It sends me on a pathway that I do not want to be on—practicing things that I know are wrong. \"For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?<\/em>\" (7:22–24). Who will set me free? Who can make a difference in my life? Then he says, \"I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!<\/em>\" (7:25).<\/p>\n

That is where freedom is found, just as in our opening passage when Jesus reached out and touched the leper. I love that picture. Jesus simply touched him, and healing came immediately. No terms, no conditions. He did not say, \"Let's go back and talk about who caused this in your life. Did your father love you? Was your mother kind?\" He just reached out because here was a man who knew what he was: someone who could not change himself; a man who was sick of feeling unclean.<\/p>\n

When you become sin-sick, you are at the beginning of a healing that only God can bring to His people. You get to the point where you say, \"I don't care who knows what I am. I want to be free. I want to be clean.\"By stepping out of the crowd and saying what he said, the leper was identifying himself to the multitudes that were all around Jesus. He stepped out and admitted, \"I am dirty. Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.\"<\/p>\nEVERYTHING POINTS TO CHRIST<\/span>\n

Interestingly, after Jesus healed the man, He said to him, \"See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them<\/em>\" (Matthew 8:4). This may seem a bit odd unless we remember that everything in the Bible points to Jesus. You see, before the world was even formed, God knew His Son would have to come and die in order to redeem those who had been created in His own image. Therefore everything, even in the Old Testament, points to the Savior. So let's look in the book of Leviticus to better understand why Jesus gave the man those instructions.<\/p>\n

\"Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest. And the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall examine him; and indeed, if the leprosy is healed in the leper, then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living and clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop'<\/em>\" (Leviticus 14:1–4). It was understood under Old Testament law that leprosy was an incurable disease that only the hand of God could heal. And if God, in His mercy, chose to heal you, then a gift had to be offered in the temple before God as a testimony.<\/p>\n

\"The priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water<\/em>\"(Leviticus 14:5). Note that after Jesus had died on the cross, the Bible says, \"One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out<\/em>\" (John 19:34).<\/p>\n

\"As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop<\/em>\" (Leviticus 14:6). \"Where they crucified Him<\/em>\"(John 19:18). The cross would be the cedar wood. So one bird was to be sacrificed, and one was to be washed in the blood. But it was to be done in conjunction with wood, which represents the cross of Christ.<\/p>\n

The book of Matthew tells us that the soldiers stripped Jesus, and they put a scarlet robe on him (see Matthew 27:28). As Jesus was dying on the cross, \"they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth<\/em>\" (John 19:29). So now we have the cross, which is the cedar wood. We have the robe, which is the scarlet. And then the hyssop that they put to His mouth. Everything in the Old Testament points to Jesus Christ!<\/p>\n

\"Dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water. And he shall sprinkle it seven times [which means the perfection or completion of God] on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose in the open field<\/em>\" (Leviticus 14:6–7).<\/p>\n

In other words, the one who is cleansed in the blood is to be released—no longer confined or restricted but sent into the open field! And the purpose is not just to fly around aimlessly, for all creatures in nature—birds in particular—do what God tells them to do. And so when Jesus sets you free, you become what God has designed and intended for you to be. Remember, the Bible says that if you are in Christ, you are a new creation. The old things in your life have passed away. Old bondages have lost their authority over your life; old prison gates must open and let you go. You have been set free by the blood of the Lamb to go and become everything God has called you to be.<\/p>\nTHE LORD IS WILLING<\/span>\n

The beauty of this whole story is the fact that God still desires to touch you, even though something may have put you in bondage. You may feel ashamed, you may be rejected by people—even those who claim to be followers of Christ. But, remember, Jesus was not offended by the leper who came to Him. He was not at all affronted by his condition. As a matter of fact, Jesus reached out and touched him immediately. You see, every time the Son of God encounters an honest heart, He simply reaches out and touches.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the question in your heart is, \"So, what do I do now?\" I encourage you to press through the crowd. Die to your pride. Go to Jesus and say, \"Lord, if You want to, You can touch me and cleanse me.\" If you come with an honest heart, I can assure you that He will reply, \"I want to.\" He always has wanted to, and He always will want to! That is the reason Christ came to earth. He came to set you free and give you a new future.<\/p>\n

You and I are living in an hour when the Church has to be free. We have to have a living testimony of Christ. After all, it is hard to argue with a leper who has been miraculously healed. It is time for the Church to arise and say, \"Lord, touch my life. Set me free and send me into the open field—wherever it may lead, whatever it may require.\"<\/p>\n

If you let the Lord touch you, people will begin to look at your life and say, \"That is the bird who used to live in a cage. There it goes!\" You are going to fly through your city. Everywhere you go, there will be something noticeably different about you. You will not be bound by the cords of this society any longer. And you will understand and experience what Jesus talked about when He said, \"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free<\/em>\" (John 8:32).<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"WILL I EVER BE FREE?<\/strong>,\" a sermon given on November 10, 2019<\/strong> in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"30":{"sm_title":"Not Without You: The God-Touched Life","sm_id":"347","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2020-02","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/10\/06s2\/20191006s2.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/10\/06s2\/20191006s2.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49683_sermon-newsletter-202002-not-without-you-the-god-touched-life.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Then Jacob said, 'O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, \"Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you\"'<\/em>\" (Genesis 32:9). Here we see that Jacob was being called back to an old place armed with a new understanding. It was a place of blessing— a place of affecting the futures of many people, even you and me today.<\/p>\n

Now Jacob had sought this place of blessing before, but he had not done it God's way—in truth. \"Jacob said to his father, 'I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.' But Isaac said to his son, 'How is it that you found it so quickly, my son?' And he said, 'Because the Lord your God brought it to me.' Then Isaac said to Jacob, 'Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.' So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, 'The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.'...'Are you really my son Esau?' He said, 'I am'<\/em>\" (Genesis 27:19–24).<\/p>\n

This conversation would be the same as the Lord asking us today, \"Are you really who you say you are? Do you speak truth? Do you love your brother unconditionally? Are you willing to go wherever I lead you? Are you really My son, My daughter?\"\"Oh yes, Lord, I am. I am genuine,\" we would reply.<\/p>\n

\"[Isaac] said, 'Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's game, so that my soul may bless you.' So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, 'Come near now and kiss me, my son'<\/em>\" (Genesis 27:25–26).<\/p>\n

This speaks to me about the pretended embrace of the responsibility that comes with the blessing of God. In Jacob's case, it was a self-focused pursuit of the incredible promise that was once given to his grandfather, Abraham: \"Now the Lord had said to Abram: 'Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you'<\/em>\" (Genesis 12:1–3).<\/p>\n

Who wouldn't want that blessing? People will pass you walking down the street and know that the protective hand of God is on you. He will go to battle against your enemies. But there is a last part to the promise: \"And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed<\/em>\"(Genesis 12:3). This implies that the blessing is not just for you, but is something God is going to do to flow through you for the sake of other people.<\/p>\n

Now, we know that this promise was fulfilled in Christ and, ultimately, in you and me as His Church. So technically we are the fulfillment of the promise of the blessing that God made to Abraham. However, just like Jacob, there are many people in every generation who say, \"God, bless me,\" but it is not a truthful seeking. They more or less mean, \"Bless me the way I think my life should be blessed,\" while completely negating what that blessing is intended to be all about.<\/p>\n

In other words, they fully embrace the first half of the promise, but they push away the second half. They want a great name, a great position, a great future, the assurance that their enemies will not prevail—but they do not want Part B where God is supposed to flow through their lives. The blessing of God ought to become known wherever we go. Families everywhere should be brought to the knowledge of God and touched by His presence and power as evidenced in our lives.<\/p>\nFACE-TO-FACE ENCOUNTER<\/span>\n

Let's see what happened when God called Jacob back to the place he once had sought by deceit. First of all, on his way back, there was something he had to face: his fear of his brother (see Genesis 32:9–23).<\/p>\n

I believe this is a type of many people in the Body of Christ today who are afraid of what it might cost to go back to the place of God's calling. Sure, we love to talk about the book of Acts, sit around and philosophize, put on big productions. We love to do everything but personally go back there—back to the place where we fully give ourselves for the sake of others. In order to face his fear, Jacob ended up in a face-to-face encounter with God. I feel we are in a similar place as the Church of Jesus Christ. We fear a face-to-face encounter with God where we must make a decision of how deep we want to go with Him. How willing are we to be fully given for a sin-sick generation?<\/p>\n

The Scripture tells us, \"Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day<\/em>\"(Genesis 32:24). You and I now know this Man to be the preincarnate Christ. \"When He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, 'Let Me go, for the day breaks.' But he said, 'I will not let You go unless You bless me.' So He said to him, 'What is your name?'<\/em>\" (32:25–27).<\/p>\n

Remember, the last time Jacob went for the blessing and his father asked him his name, he replied, \"Esau.\" He lied to his father and declared himself to be a man that he was not. The name Jacob actually means \"deceiver.\" However, this time Jacob was finally willing to be honest with God. He said, \"My name is Jacob. My name is deceiver. I sought the blessing without the responsibility that comes with it\" (see Genesis 32:27).<\/p>\n

But Jesus said to him, \"Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel<\/em>\" (Genesis 32:28). You see, when we have a face-toface, honest confrontation with the Son of God, our nature is changed. We become a new creation. We are given a new passion, new power and new vision. We become a different person once we stop trying to get the blessing our own way and finally say, \"Lord, bless me Your way.\"<\/p>\n

\"For you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed<\/em>\" (Genesis 32:28). How did Jacob prevail with men? He was not even wrestling with men. But God was telling Jacob, \"Your face-to-face encounter with Me has given you an authority that will move the hearts of men.\"In the same way, you will receive a spiritual authority when you wrestle honestly with God. There will be power in your speech. God's presence will go with you, and those around you will be blessed.<\/p>\nSTAYING WITH THE LEAST<\/span>\n

In the next chapter, Jacob finally encounters his brother, Esau. Esau is what I call the self-made man. He is in the lineage of God, the first inheritor of the blessing, but he sells it off for the satisfying of his own appetite. He does not want the promise that through him all the world will be blessed. In Esau's world, it is, \"To hell with the rest of them. I just want soup for my belly.\" In other words, \"Just feed me, clothe me, give me a nice house, make me comfortable. That is all I am looking for in life.\"<\/p>\n

During their encounter, Esau says to Jacob, \"Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you<\/em>\"(Genesis 33:12). Here we see the heart of the carnal Christian. \"I will go before you—me first. I want the best place. I want the preeminence. I want to be known as a warrior in a victory.\" Esau has 400 soldiers with him, ready to gallop off to conquer something.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, Jacob is now a God-touched man, entirely different from his brother. Jacob replies to him, \"My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir<\/em>\" (Genesis 33:13–14).<\/p>\n

The mark of the God-touched man or woman is that they are not willing to go any faster than the slowest among them can go. The Esaus of this generation might end up in pulpits around the nation—where the people are just things to be counted in their victories. But to the Godtouched man and woman, every soul is precious in His sight. This person is the one who says, \"No, you go ahead. I am not going any faster than the weakest among us can travel. I am not leaving anybody behind. The motto of my life is the motto of Christ's life: I am going to heaven, but not without you.\"<\/p>\n

I believe it was God's grace that gave Jacob a limp after he wrestled with Him. I, too, have learned to thank God for every struggle and trial—for everything He has ever allowed into my life that has kept me from running ahead of Him and His people. Every once in a while, if I get a little bit ahead of Him and myself, He just touches my hip one more time and reminds me, \"Slow down, son. You are going just a bit too fast.\"<\/p>\nRETURNING TO THE PLACE OF POWER<\/span>\n

Just as God called Jacob back, He is now calling His people back to something deeper than we have ever known. He is calling us to be a blessing. Yes, we may be afraid of the cost, but who knows what will happen if we will move in this direction?<\/p>\n

Jacob had no idea what getting up and going back would produce. He had no idea he was carrying Jesus Christ in his physical DNA. He had no idea he was carrying the Church of Jesus Christ—you and me. But in his simple act of obedience, Jacob became the fulfillment of the blessing, \"In you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed!\"<\/p>\n

And so it is time for the Church to return to that place of power! It is time for us to come before the Lord and say, \"God, give me influence in this generation. Give me strength and vision that is not my own. Give me a life plan that is so much deeper than anything I could ever hope to come up with on my own.\"<\/p>\n

I think you and I will be amazed at what a simple act of obedience can produce in our world!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"Not Without You: The God-Touched Life,\"<\/strong> a sermon given on October 6, 2019<\/strong> in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"31":{"sm_title":"Not Without You: The Commitment To Unity","sm_id":"345","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"49596_jb_20191006.jpg","sm_date":"2020-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/10\/06s1\/20191006s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/10\/06s1\/20191006s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"8X5Rx-ta-wo","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49654_sermon-newsletter-202001-not-without-you-the-commitment-to-unity.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 11:17–21).<\/p>\n

Here we see the apostle Paul talking about the grave necessity of unity within the Body of Christ. This group of Corinthian believers was gathering for a time of worship and thanksgiving in the presence of God, yet something was occurring in their midst that was displeasing to the Lord.<\/p>\n

Paul continued, \"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you; that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me'<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 11:23–24).<\/p>\n

Paul begins contrasting the heart of Christ with the selfishness of the Corinthian fellowship. He was saying, \"This is not what the worship of God is supposed to look like. When you come together, I want you to remember how the Lord Jesus took the cup and said, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me'<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 11: 25). In contrast to the Corinthian church, Christ was willing to be broken and poured out for the sake of other people.<\/p>\n

\"As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 11:26). There is power in that proclamation. There is power when we as the Church of Jesus Christ turn away from focusing on our own problems and needs and instead look to the needs of one another. The fellowship that Christ is looking for in His Church is found when we begin to ask, \"Is there anybody I can allow myself to be broken for?\"<\/p>\n

Now, I am not talking about everybody running around with $50 in his hand, looking for somebody to give it to. I am talking about having a word for somebody who is discouraged; inviting somebody who looks lonely for a cup of coffee—being willing to have the plans of your day broken in order that you might be poured out for the sake of somebody else. Paul says, \"If you do this, you become a proclamation of the Son of God who came to this earth and poured out His life for the sake of others.\"<\/p>\n

\"Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 11:27). Many quote this verse with regard to people who have sin in their life yet they partake of the communion table. While it can have some application in that way, that is not the context in which Paul was speaking. He was talking about being given to one another in the Body of Christ just as Christ was for us.<\/p>\n

He went on to say, \"Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 11:28–31).<\/p>\n

An \"unworthy manner\" means coming to the communion table and partaking of the promise of the One who was given for us in totality, yet not realizing that we are called into that kind of fellowship with one another. This is the seriousness of being committed to one another in the Body of Christ. Failure to understand what it means to be part of the Lord's body is the reason many are spiritually weak. There is no such thing as \"just me and God.\" No, we are grafted into a body. Casual interaction with one another is a good thing to a point, but the call of the Lord is into something deeper.<\/p>\nESTEEM ONE ANOTHER<\/span>\n

Biblical unity requires that we learn to not merely tolerate each other but to actually esteem one another. Paul went on to say, \"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that 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<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 12:12–13). In other words, there is one Church composed of people from different cultures, backgrounds, and socioeconomic states—people who are known and those who are not.<\/p>\n

\"For in fact the body is not one member, but many....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<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 12:14–18). You are exactly where God wants you to be! He set you where you are, to be what you are, to do what you do, to glorify Him in the unique way that only you can.<\/p>\n

\"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<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 12:21–23). Everybody is of value in the kingdom of God. There are no big people and little people. Everyone has an incredible, inestimable worth in the sight of Almighty God.<\/p>\n

In the next chapter, Paul sums it up with what I consider to be the glue that holds it all together: \"Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging symbol. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 13:1–8). This is the kind of love that the Lord calls us to have for one another!<\/p>\n

I was doing a radio interview recently, and the interviewer said to me, \"Pastor, I have read your book. The stories about what God has done around the world are amazing. You have done outreaches, you have spoken to governments, you have seen civil war come to an end. But now tell me and our listening audience: What is the greatest miracle of all that you have seen in your life over the years?\"<\/p>\n

Without hesitation, I replied, \"The greatest miracle of all is that I love people.\"<\/p>\n

With deep emotion in her voice, she said, \"I never, ever would have thought that would be your answer. With all these things that have happened over the years— all these wondrous things you could have spoken about.\"<\/p>\n

\"If you knew me before I got saved —if you knew the journey and how difficult it has been—you would understand what I am talking about!\" I said. I really do love people now. I don't fake it. It is something God put in my heart as I was willing to take the journey.<\/p>\nTHE BLESSING OF UNITY<\/span>\n

Clearly, this commitment to walking in unity and love is a huge undertaking. However, there are incredible blessings that God promises will be the result. King David wrote, \"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down to the edge of his garments<\/em>\" (Psalm 133:1–2). Where there is biblical unity, something begins flowing through members of the Body of Christ that cannot be produced by anything in this world.<\/p>\n

\"It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 133:3). A thirst is satisfied, not only in God's people, but in all those around as well. \"For there the Lord commanded the blessing— life forevermore\" (verse 3). And God commands a blessing of life! Remember in chapter two of Acts when the disciples were gathered in the Upper Room in one accord? They were unified with God and with one another—not in strength, but in weakness. They all knew they needed God as well as each other. Suddenly the door opened, and the hundred and twenty went out into the marketplace, overturning the whole known world of their day. You see, when people witness the unity of the Church, suddenly there is a stirring in their hearts that says, \"Whoever their God is, is God! I want that Christ in my life!\"<\/p>\n

As a man of God, not just as a pastor, I have made a determination in my heart: I am going to heaven, but not without you. Not without the young; not without the old; not without the educated; not without the uneducated; not without those with whom I feel comfortable and those with whom I am ill at ease. Unity means the whole Body of Christ going beyond convenience—where we are not content just to get to heaven ourselves; we are unwilling to go without those around us.<\/p>\n

Think about it! Rightfully, Jesus could have stayed in heaven and fully enjoyed it forever. He did not have to come here. But in His heart, He said, \"I am not going to enjoy eternity without you.\" And so the love in the heart of God compelled Him to break through the canopy of eternity into time where He walked among us, endured our frailties and went to a cross. Paul said, \"This is the Christ I presented to you.\" This is the manner in which we must learn to interact with one another.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that in this last hour of time, we must realize that not everybody in the Church does everything the same. Unity is more important than being in agreement on every little single point of doctrine. We may have opposing viewpoints on some things, but if we can come back to that common ground where salvation is—by God's grace, through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ—then I can take the hand of any man or any woman anywhere in the Body of Christ and say, \"You are my brother. You are my sister. Let's go together. I am not going to take this journey without you.\"<\/p>\n

We have a huge fight ahead of us for our country, our culture, our families, our children. We need the whole Body of Christ. And so by the Spirit of God, may we not fall into the trap of division thinking somehow it is holy. May we go together as one body, walking in the love of Christ and the incredible blessings of unity that God has promised!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"Not Without You-Part 1: The Commitment to unity<\/strong>,\" a sermon given on October 6, 2019<\/strong> in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version(R). Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"32":{"sm_title":"Wilderness Shakers","sm_id":"343","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"49586_jb_20190915.jpg","sm_date":"2019-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/09\/15s1\/20190915s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/09\/15s1\/20190915s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"AZwBazW1XuE","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49641_sermon-newsletter-201912-wilderness-shakers.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.\"<\/p>\n

\"The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everyone says, 'Glory!'The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, and the Lord sits as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace\" (Psalm 29:1–11).<\/p>\n

How incredible is the voice of the Lord! If you go back to the very beginning of the Bible, it says that everything that exists in this world began with the Spirit of God moving and God speaking. Darkness turned to light; confusion suddenly yielded to divine order; and ultimately even dust produced life when God spoke to it.<\/p>\n

We know that in the beginning, God also created man and woman—Adam and Eve. Created in His image, they were given the power of speech. Picture Adam and Eve walking through the Garden of Eden, tending to this world that God had created, speaking in the capacity God had given to them to work in unison with Him in His creation. Everything they spoke would have been in accord with the heart and mind of God. And because of it, everything carried on in divine order as it was meant to...until sin entered the human race.<\/p>\n

With Satan's influence, Adam and Eve began to believe that they could be godly apart from God. They decided they could judge what is good and what is evil. And so through sin, human speech became corrupt, and human ears began to be closed to the voice of God.<\/p>\n

That is why, when the Pharisees came to John the Baptist's baptism, he said to them, \"Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?<\/em>\" (Matthew 3:7). In other words, \"The seed of the serpent is in you, and a snake has no ears. And since a snake cannot hear, it is guided by its tongue. Likewise, you cannot hear the voice of God anymore; you are being guided by your own speech.\"<\/p>\n

Does that not describe our generation today? Once we no longer hear from God and our speech is not in accordance with His Word, we succeed in turning light to darkness. We turn divine order into confusion—much like the state of the Earth in the beginning when it \"was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep<\/em>\" (Genesis 1:2). Dominated by emptiness, it lacked purpose and meaning. The original translation says it was \"confused.\" There was no meaning to it until the Spirit of God moved and God began to speak.<\/p>\n

Although humanity, in a sense, devolved back to the beginning through sin, when you came to Christ, God spoke into your darkness. You did not find God, He found you! He whispered to you; He moved upon the person who invited you to church. He revealed Himself to you and started speaking to you in your darkness, calling you something phenomenal. He said, \"If My Spirit is in you, you become a new creation—no longer part of the old order of death and confusion. The old things in your life have passed away, and all things have become new.\"<\/p>\n

Remember, this does not happen by human effort. Only the Spirit of God can bring us back to life again. As we open His Word, God speaks and the Spirit moves again in His new creation—just as He did in the very beginning.<\/p>\nTHE VOICE OF THE LORD<\/span>\n

Let's return to Psalm 29 and take a more detailed look at what else happens at the voice of the Lord.<\/p>\n

\"The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty<\/em>\" (29:3–4). In other words, the voice of God is above all those places of confusion—everything that has tried to attach itself to you. He is above your self-view and all the words that others have spoken over you. He is even above all the doomsayers of our present day.<\/p>\n

\"The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon<\/em>\" (Psalm 29:5). In other words, certain patterns in our lives may be deeply rooted. The thing about cedars is that they seem to last forever. I used to be a farmer, so I know that if you put any kind of post other than cedar in the ground, it will literally rot and break off in about three years or less. But if you build a fence with cedar posts, it will probably last so long that when your son or daughter takes over your farm, it will still be there.<\/p>\n

God uses this illustration to remind us that His voice can break even those things that seem to be entrenched in our lives. In fact, He not only breaks them, He splinters them—dissolving them like fluff on a dandelion. And out of that, He says He makes them \"skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox<\/em>\" (Psalm 29:6). He breaks these old strongholds and brings new life.<\/p>\n

\"The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire<\/em>\" (Psalm 29:7)—those places that stand before all of us as a prohibitive sign of darkness.<\/p>\n

The enemy says, \"You cannot go through here, you are going to get burned.\" But the voice of God opens a door through every impossible way before us. Everything that we think we cannot do, God addresses: \"Now, hear My voice and let My Spirit lead you. Watch where I will take you.\"<\/p>\n

\"The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare<\/em>\"(Psalm 29:8–9). As co-laborers now with Christ, we are called to speak for Him. God does not need us, but He has chosen to use us. He could have angels floating through the air preaching the gospel in America. He could have cats preaching on the street corners. He could do whatever He wants to do, but He has chosen to speak through us. We are His Body and He has chosen to call us to speak again to this barren, lifeless wilderness called planet Earth. Our part is to speak and believe; His part is to cause new birth to come. He strips bare those things that try to hide people from His presence.<\/p>\nGOD'S VOICE THROUGH HIS PEOPLE<\/span>\n

We are called to speak to this world, not just about God, but actually with the voice of God speaking through us. Consider Acts 2 where we see a hundred and twenty weak believers who were failures. They made promises they could not keep and spoke of a love and loyalty that failed them when Christ needed them most. Yet they gathered in an upper room, having received a word from God: \"Wait, and the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and you will be given power\" (see Acts 1:4–8). The Spirit of God and the Word of God began moving together once again, just as in the beginning.<\/p>\n

\"And suddenly as they prayed, the sound of a rushing mighty wind filled the room. And cloven tongues of fire sat upon each of them\" (see Acts 2:2). Suddenly, by the Spirit of God, they stepped out of that place of hiding and stood in the open marketplace, speaking about the power of God available to every man and woman. They were speaking with an enablement of God that was obvious, for people from other countries heard them speak these mysteries in languages they knew these Jewish people had never learned. There was not only a declaration but a demonstration in their lives of the power of God.<\/p>\n

What an amazing thought! Five thousand people on their way home from the temple, a place of hearing thoughts about God, suddenly confronted by people through whom God is actually speaking. This is what we need again in our generation. As wonderful as thoughts about God are, they are not going to win the moment. This generation needs to hear the voice of God through a people who are walking in unison with Him, empowered by His Spirit.<\/p>\n

This is a whole realm of God that you cannot reach unless you are willing to be the person God is calling you to be. You cannot drag your wagon of sin with you. You must be willing to say, \"God, I need You. I need Your Spirit, and I need Your Word to govern me. I need this new life. I want You to speak through me to this generation.\"<\/p>\n

The only thing that will turn this generation is a Spirit-led, Spirit-filled, Word-centered Church of Jesus Christ, speaking what God speaks and bringing forth new life. And what do the people say in response? \"And in His temple everyone says, 'Glory!'<\/em>\" (Psalm 29:9).<\/p>\nNO RESISTANCE<\/span>\n

When people get to know the glory of God, a cry comes into their hearts: \"Oh, God, use my life for Your glory. Let me discover Your voice, and may there be no resistance in me.\"<\/p>\n

I believe this is the key: May there be no resistance in us. In Genesis 1, there was nothing that could resist God. There was nobody in this purposeless world that had the power to say \"no.\" When there was no resistance, God said to the seas, \"This is where your borders are,\"and that is where the borders were established. When He told the birds to fly, they just flew. None of them asked, \"How do we do this? Are You sure this is going to work?\" They simply did what they were told to do. When the Lord commanded the sun to shine, it shone. When He commanded light to permeate the darkness, it blazed forth. Everything that God said happened.<\/p>\n

Then humankind came on the scene. Of course, God knew when He created man in His image that He was creating beings with free will. Suddenly somebody in creation said \"no\" to God, and everything that was being created started going backwards, in a sense. But as we saw in Acts 2, there was a Genesis 1 moment again. In that Upper Room no resistance to the Word and the Spirit of God existed, which is why those one hundred twenty people were able to step out in power, and eventually even Rome was brought to her knees.<\/p>\n

When the Lord finds a heart that will not resist Him; when He finds a mind that does not have to reason everything out before undertaking the journey; when He finds one He can speak through and His Spirit can move upon, there is no limit to what God can do. Remember, \"The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness<\/em>\"(Psalm 29:8). I don't know about you, but I want to be a wilderness shaker for the rest of my days. Yes, we are living in the wilderness now. But what an incredible opportunity to see the kingdom of God advance with great glory!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"Wilderness Shakers<\/strong>,\" a sermon given on September 15, 2019<\/strong> in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/strong>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version(R). Copyright (C) 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"33":{"sm_title":"Escaping The Taskmasters","sm_id":"341","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"49575_jb_20190901.jpg","sm_date":"2019-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/09\/01s1\/20190901s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/09\/01s1\/20190901s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"niEl8kTv7F8","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49619_sermon-newsletter-201910-escaping-the-taskmasters.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph<\/em>\" (Exodus 1:6–8).<\/p>\n

Even though Joseph was taken into captivity in Egypt, during that captivity the presence of the Lord was on his life and he was given great wisdom. God used Joseph to spare the nation of Egypt from a great famine, which also affected all the known world at that time. The people would have died had it not been for him. However, we see in this verse that this new king did not know the history of Joseph's accomplishments.<\/p>\n

As has happened throughout history, people tend to forget where their blessing is coming from. Today in America, people are even deliberately trying to erase the past—the formation of this nation, our godly heritage, the origin of our laws and social order.<\/p>\n

The king at this time in Egypt said to his people, \"Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we<\/em>\" (Exodus 1:9). It is amazing that he recognized something the people of God no longer recognized. Similarly, do you realize that seventy-one percent of Americans today still believe in God? Do you know that the majority of people in this country still believe the Bible is a holy book? Do you understand that as we face this onslaught of godlessness, the people who still believe in God are actually more and mightier than the godless in our midst?<\/p>\n

So the king said, \"Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land<\/em>\" (Exodus 1:10). And so taskmasters were set over them to afflict them with their burdens and they were forced to build supply cities for Pharaoh. Nevertheless, the more they were afflicted, the more they multiplied.<\/p>\n

Darkness always has a strategy to keep the people of God from rising up within their society. In this case, it was a four-fold strategy. As history repeats itself over and over again, it is good for us to study the Word of God so that we can be prepared. Therefore, let's take a closer look at what happened.<\/p>\nA FOUR-FOLD STRATEGY<\/span>\n

The first strategy was to keep the people of God convinced that they were fewer and weaker than they actually were, using whatever means available. It was basically a type of psychological warfare. We see this in action today as we are marginalized, ridiculed, and declared to be losing influence. Many Christians in our day have bought into the lie that we are living in a post-Christian society, which is actually not true. Yet these Christians have been convinced by the voices of godlessness that what once brought blessing to our nation is now obsolete.<\/p>\n

The second strategy was to keep the people of God focused on building things which were neither eternal nor in line with their actual purpose in the world. Remember, God told Abraham that He would bless him and his descendants to be a blessing in all the world—and that He would make His name known through them (see Genesis 12:2–3).<\/p>\n

You and I are called to build the kingdom of God. We are to be an influence every day to the people around us—bringing the savor of Christ everywhere we go. We can speak with the power and authority of God. But there are taskmasters who sometimes come into the house of God, causing the people to focus on building things that are of no eternal value.<\/p>\n

I am sure there were motivational speakers there telling the Hebrews, \"Wow! That is a really nice pyramid you just built! I can hardly wait to see the next one.\" So they continued hauling bricks and building buildings, though this was not their purpose on the earth. Their purpose was to bring glory to God; to be a people who were a wonder, causing others in society to say, \"Who is their God and how do they get to be such a people?\"<\/p>\n

The third strategy was to threaten them. \"Also the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, 'Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before?'<\/em>\" (Exodus 5:14). In other words, \"Do things our way. Do no more and no less than what we tell you to do or it will get very, very hard for you.\" Perhaps you live in a work environment that is just like that. You are told to keep your mouth shut, and everything will go well. If a discussion about marriage comes up in the lunchroom, you have been trained not to share your biblical worldview or things will be very difficult for you.<\/p>\n

Lastly, and worst of all, go after their children—their future, their source of strength. Pharaoh instructed the Hebrew midwives, \"When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live<\/em>\" (Exodus 1:16). And when that failed, the decree went out to the people of Egypt that if they saw a male child who had survived out of the womb, they were to throw him into the river (see Exodus 1:22).<\/p>\n

This is essentially what is happening in our day. Our children are being murdered inside as well as outside the womb. Others are being thrown into the river of confusion— forbidden to pray, becoming genderconfused, and becoming radicalized by Marxists against both God and country in their schools. God help us to recognize the evil of this moment and declare, \"Enough of this!\"<\/p>\nWHEN GOD'S PEOPLE CRY OUT<\/span>\n

The good news is that when God's people rise up and cry out to Him, His heart explodes with the desire to show Himself powerful and compassionate once again. We see this in Exodus 3 when the Lord said to Moses, \"I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows<\/em>\" (Exodus 3:7). God was saying, \"I am not distant from their struggles. I am not far away somewhere and merely receive a report of their cries. No, I have heard them Myself!\"<\/p>\n

\"I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites<\/em>\" (Exodus 3:8). It would be the same as God saying to you today, \"Some power of darkness is occupying the place where you are supposed to bring glory to Me. But I have heard your cry and I am going to raise you up. You are going to drive every last one of them out of that place where you belong, and you are going to become the person that I have called you to be.\"<\/p>\n

\"Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt<\/em>\" (Exodus 3:9–10).<\/p>\n

God was about to show them the way back to victory. Try to picture it: You have been in captivity for hundreds of years—marginalized, ridiculed, made to serve with rigor. And you have taskmasters over you. But you call out to God, and one day the answer comes walking into town—an 80-yearold man with his 83-year-old brother! All Moses had was a stick in his hand and a one-line sermon: \"Let My people go that they may serve Me in the wilderness.\" God was showing them the same thing He is trying to speak to us again today—that His strength begins when our strength ends.<\/p>\nINSTRUCTIONS FOR THE EXODUS<\/span>\n

Later, in Exodus 12, we find God's specific instructions for their deliverance, which is very similar to the instructions that He would give to us today. The Lord spoke to Moses: \"Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: 'On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household'<\/em>\" (Exodus 12:3). In other words, \"Start eating of the lamb in your own house. Get into the Word. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, the Bread of Life.\" Jesus Himself said to His disciples, \"If you do not eat of My flesh, if you do not eat or partake of the victory I am winning for you, you will have no life in you.\" We must get back into the Word of God in our homes. Do not rely on somebody else's revelation, but read the Bible yourself. If you have a hard time, ask God to give you the ability to comprehend it.<\/p>\n

Next, they were told to reach out to their neighbors. \"And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man's need you shall make your count for the lamb<\/em>\" (Exodus 12:4). When you start getting into the Word of God, you will find a supply—promises, vision and hope for the future. Soon it will begin to overflow. And when that happens, do what God told these people to do—reach out to somebody who has nothing and invite them into your fellowship. Get into community.<\/p>\n

\"They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it [the lamb]<\/em>\" (Exodus 12:7). Set yourself apart for God. Don't live with one foot in the church and one foot in the world. Choose this day whom you will serve. Put the blood of the Lamb on the doorpost of your house and say, as Joshua did, \"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord<\/em>\" (Joshua 24:15).<\/p>\n

\"Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it<\/em>\" (Exodus 12:8). Leaven always speaks of hypocrisy. In other words, \"Eat the Word of God without hypocrisy; eat the bitter with the sweet. Read it all—the things you want to read and the things you don't want to read.\"<\/p>\n

He continued, \"And thus you shall eat it; with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand<\/em>\" (Exodus 12:11). If you are going to do these things, get ready for a journey. Your life is going to change!<\/p>\n

God is going to take you to a place that belongs to you—a place He has ordained for you. He will give you power, and you will be able to conquer all by the presence of God that goes with you.<\/p>\n

And so my question for you today is: Would you like to escape the taskmasters? That is essentially what Moses had to ask the people. Are we going to let our children be taken captive, killed, thrown into the river? Are we going to stand by while our families are destroyed? Are we going to let the unrighteous dominate our future and further marginalize and oppress the people of God? Or are we going to rise up, take our place, and proclaim, \"I am going with God!\"<\/p>\n

If that is the cry of your heart today, just watch what God will do. He will start fighting your enemies. New strength will come into your life and new vision will come into your eyes. Compassion will flood your heart, you will walk with God-given authority, and many people will be set free!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"Escaping the Taskmasters<\/strong>,\" a sermon given on September 1, 2019<\/strong> in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/strong>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from other versions are noted.<\/p>"},"34":{"sm_title":"A Dry Stick At a Religious Meeting","sm_id":"339","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"48989_jb_20190519.jpg","sm_date":"2019-10","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/05\/19s1\/20190519s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/05\/19s1\/20190519s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"Y29_sgx-j9Q","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49602_sermon-newsletter-201910-a-dry-stick-at-a-religious-meeting.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, 'Where is your God?'<\/em>\"(Psalm 42:1–3).<\/p>\n

Perhaps you have felt like this psalmist. You say, \"Lord, I am thirsty for You. In the midst of what seems to be a place of plenty, I have gone dry. I can barely sing my songs of praise and worship and I feel like I don't have anything left to give. What has my life amounted to? When will You speak to me? I am tired of crying at night; I am tired of going to bed with these thoughts from hell permeating my mind, saying, 'Where is your God? Why are you so dry if God is with you?'\"<\/p>\n

In the Old Testament we read of Aaron, a man likely plagued with such thoughts. He was essentially dragged into service because somebody else invited him. I don't think he was overly certain that God was the one who had initiated the ministry in his life. Nevertheless, because somebody else insisted that he was needed, he went along with the plan.<\/p>\n

Today, some people are like that in the house of God—uncertain that they personally heard the call to ministry because somebody else told them they should get involved. Now they find themselves asking, \"God, am I in the right place? And if I am, then where is the evidence of Your presence in my life?\"<\/p>\n

We see in the Bible that as Aaron went along in ministry, he made mistakes. In fact, he made a huge one when he crafted a wrong image of God before the people (see Exodus 32:2–5). This mistake was pointed out by his own brother, Moses, and subsequently by many people around him. Everywhere he went, I am sure there were whispers, \"There is the man who did that thing.\"<\/p>\n

Of course, we all make mistakes. When I was a young pastor, after having been a police officer with a bachelor's degree in law, it was natural for me to read the Bible and see the legal side of God. I saw all the requirements—all the do's and do not's. As I started traveling the country, I became somewhat masterful at discerning the underbelly of what was going on among the people because of my spiritual gifting. I could go to a church and fill the altar with weeping people. But I once said to Pastor Teresa, \"The Jesus that I preach is deficient.\" Now, I did not believe that Jesus Christ actually was deficient, but the Christ that I was preaching<\/em> was.<\/p>\n

\"Well, why do you say that?\"she asked.<\/p>\n

\"Because I am filling the same altars in the same churches, year after year, with the same people crying the same tears over the same sins and struggles,\" I explained. I realized that the Jesus I was preaching was bringing everybody under conviction of their sins and shortcomings, but He was not bringing them into a life of victory. I was so discouraged that I went away for three days to fast and pray. \"God, You must help me in this!\"I came out of that time of fasting with a message that I did not even understand and I returned home doubly discouraged. I went back to prayer and said, \"Lord, You have to show me who You really are. You must show me the other half of this coin.\" And He did. He gave me a message about the New Covenant called \"The Shout of a King.\"<\/p>\n

After I came into a deeper understanding of the grace of God, I felt so bad about my previous preaching that I had a reunion several years ago with the people I had once pastored in Canada. I also met with those who had come under their influence, and I asked their forgiveness for not preaching the full counsel of Christ to them. Yes, we all make mistakes along the journey.<\/p>\nEVIDENCE OF HIS CALLING<\/span>\n

At a certain point in Aaron's life, another generation arose whom the Bible describes as \"men of renown.\"Two hundred fifty of them rose up and essentially said to Moses and Aaron, \"Listen, you guys have had your time; it is our turn now. We hear from God just like you do\" (see Numbers 16:1–3). I can just picture Aaron standing there with his staff—basically a dry stick—in his hand. He did not have a legacy of faithfulness in the sight of God. He just had a dry stick and a somewhat ignoble history. Now before him stood leaders who were new, innovative, smart and powerful. And to add insult to injury, Moses spoke to these men, saying, \"Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord.\" And then he says this: \"And what is Aaron that you complain against him?<\/em>\"(Numbers 16:11). In other words, \"What is Aaron? I mean, I can see you rising up against the Lord, and maybe against me, but him?\" Now Aaron was being belittled by his own brother!<\/p>\n

Imagine standing there and thinking, \"Yeah, you are right. Who am I that anybody should rise up against me? I have no history of faithfulness; I have made mistakes. All I have is a dry stick in my hand.\" Now, that staff represented the calling of God, but it was dried out because it had been dead for so long with no moisture left in it. We get like that sometimes in our service to God— we just go dry, and it seems like there is no life left in us.<\/p>\n

Then God said to Moses, \"I am going to show you the evidence of whom I have called. I want every house of Israel to bring forth their staff. There will be twelve rods, and I want you to put these in the place of meeting. I will show you who belongs to Me and who does not\"(see Numbers 17:1–5).<\/p>\n

I believe God is reminding us, \"It is My choice, not man's choice. I called you; I put you where you are.\" Rest assured that you did not just randomly slide into a place. You have been led by the Lord to do everything that you have done for His kingdom. Maybe all you have left today is a dry stick in your hand and, just like Aaron, you say, \"There are so many people around who could do this much better than I can.\" Yet suddenly God says to you, \"Come meet with Me. Everybody who is called by My name, come and meet with Me. Put those dry sticks down in front of that tent of meeting, and I will show you whom I have called.\"<\/p>\n

I can see Aaron coming with his stick, just tossing it into the pile, thinking, \"Man, nothing is going to happen.\" It is like when you and I get to the point where things just seem so hopeless, yet we perform one last act of faith. \"Maybe I am called of God; maybe God did lead me to do what I am doing.\"<\/p>\n

All the rods were placed in front of the Tabernacle overnight. The next day, Moses went to the Tabernacle and \"behold the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds<\/em>\" (Numbers 17:8). The rods of all the people who had great abilities and leadership qualities were still dry, but Aaron's had sprouted and blossomed miraculously! That is the evidence of the calling.<\/p>\n

I can just picture Aaron walking through the camp, saying, \"Would anybody like an almond?\" If somebody picked one, another one would immediately appear. This man whom so many had written off was not written off by God! As he held that rod in his hand with fresh leaves coming out and new blossoms appearing every day, the scent of it must have been amazing. The people would have had to stand back and wonder at him, saying, \"How is this possible after all this man has done?\" It is only possible by the mercy of Almighty God!<\/p>\n

Sometimes you and I do not realize how gracious and involved in our lives God is until we get to the point where we are dry. Suddenly it all has to be by His power. We do not feel the best about ourselves, but we come to the tent of meeting, and the presence of God is there to say, \"Now I am going to show you who belongs to Me—whom I have called.\"<\/p>\n

That is why the prophet Isaiah cried out, saying, \"'Sing, O barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,' says the Lord. 'Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited'<\/em>\" (Isaiah 54:1–3). God was saying, \"I am about to do something supernatural in you and through you—something that can be done only by My hand. All I require of you is to pick up that rod; pick up the calling that I gave you.\"<\/p>\nA SUPERNATURAL LIFE<\/span>\n

Remember, you and I are not called because we are noble. We are not called because we are strong or of royal birth. We are called because we are weak and foolish. We are called because we need the strength of God to stand in this hour.<\/p>\n

We all are aware that we are living in the last moments of time and everyone is called of God to make a difference. It is time to throw your dry stick into the pile and pray— even if you have been wondering if God really called you to be where you are. Have the courage to bring your dryness to the tent of meeting and simply say, \"Lord, if I am going to live, it is going to be You who causes me to live. If I am going to serve, it is going to be You who empowers me. If Your name is going to be brought to reputation through me, it is going to be by Your grace alone!\" After you pray, you will pick up your stick again, and it will have new life. And it is going to have fruit. The presence of God in your life will become the evidence that you belong to Him and are called by Him!<\/p>\n

Remember, nobody did anything to those rods outside the tent of meeting—God did it all. All we do is admit our condition and bring our dryness to Him, and then He does everything else. He brings the blossoms, He brings the fragrance, He brings the ripe fruit—He does it all! That way, no one can glory in anything but Him. So let's believe God for this promise of a supernatural life—the very life of God being lived inside of us, bringing healing and hope to this generation!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"A DRY STICK AT A RELIGIOUS MEETING,\" a sermon given on May 19, 2019 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version(R). Copyright (C) 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.<\/p>"},"35":{"sm_title":"When Fathers Come Home","sm_id":"337","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"49030_jb_20190616.jpg","sm_date":"2019-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/06\/16s1\/20190616s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/06\/16s1\/20190616s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"8aBAOKByD1M","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49579_sermon-newsletter-201909-when-fathers-come-home.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive<\/em>\" (1 Samuel 30:1–3).<\/p>\n

What happens when men of God seek refuge in places where God clearly has not called them to go? In this case, it all began with faulty reasoning. Those who carried the anointing of God—signified by the anointing on David, the man who was called to be king—began to be pursued. This is a type of when society turns against the men of God, which is what we are seeing in our day.<\/p>\n

David was called to rule and bring glory to the name of God, but eventually he grew tired of the constant battle and determined, \"Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand<\/em>\" (1 Samuel 27:1).<\/p>\n

This is a picture of righteous men becoming tired of fighting—tired of trying to stand up and be godly, tired of constant opposition. And so the thought comes into the heart, \"Well, I will just back away a little. I won't be quite as radical or as vocal about the things I know are true, the anointing on my life, the place that God has promised to take me. I am just totally worn out.\"<\/p>\n

I understand we all get tired. We have been in a battle since the day humankind declared war on God. Jesus warned all His followers that in this world we will have tribulation (see John 16:33). No doubt about it, as a man of God, you are going to be opposed. There is going to be a fight for what God has called you to do. Yet the worst decision that can be made is the one once made by King David and the six hundred men who followed him. They essentially concluded, \"We are so tired of constantly being opposed. Let's just back away and make peace with our enemies.\"<\/p>\n

And so David and his men sought a false refuge. It is almost unthinkable that they ended up on the wrong side of the battle, aligned with the Philistines—those who were determined to destroy the testimony of God through His chosen people! It was all summarized back when the Philistine giant, Goliath, stood on that other side of the valley and taunted the Israelites, saying, \"You will serve us!\" (see 1 Samuel 17:8–10).<\/p>\n

What voice are we facing in this generation? \"You will serve us, men of God. You will bend your knee to us. You cannot fight against us. We are too strong for you!\" This world is in open warfare against Jesus Christ and, therefore, against men of God. The devil knows that as men, we are called to lead and protect. We are called as conquerors; we have power in our speech. We are called to defend our families; speak into the lives of our children; defend our communities; stand up for those who have no voice to speak for themselves. We are not called to cower or just read our Bibles in the bathroom where nobody can see us. We are called to study the Word of God and stand as a bold declaration of righteousness!<\/p>\nGET UP AND GO HOME<\/span>\n

After a season of being in the enemy's camp, eventually things take a turn. \"The princes of the Philistines said, 'What are these Hebrews doing here?' And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, 'Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me'<\/em>\" (1 Samuel 29:3). This is a prince of darkness talking about the man who was the Christ-type in the Old Testament! He was essentially saying, \"We have not opposed him; we have offered him protection and peace. And all he had to do was defect from the side of God and join us.\"<\/p>\n

Then Achish called David and said to him, \"Surely, as the Lord lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you. Therefore return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines<\/em>\" (1 Samuel 29:6–7). The very same thing is happening in our generation and will continue to increase in the days ahead: God is causing this world to reject you as a believer in Jesus Christ—which is the best thing that could ever happen to the Church! Remember, you do not belong to the world. If you cannot figure it out for yourself, the Lord will use the people who live in darkness to tell you, \"We do not want you here anymore. Go back home.\" In other words, \"If you believe in traditional marriage, if you believe in the sanctity of human life, there is no place for you with us anymore. If you hold to a biblical worldview, you are no longer welcome here!\"<\/p>\n

As we saw in our opening scripture, David and his men came home to Ziklag to find that it had been burned with fire and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive (see 1 Samuel 30:1–2). Do you wonder why our children are gender-confused in their schools? Why we are now having the discussion of murdering children even after they are born? Why prayer is not allowed in our high schools? Why Marxists are radicalizing young people in our colleges throughout this country? It is because the men of God have not stood up and been what men of God are supposed to be. It is not time to let our sons and daughters be taken captive by a godless agenda that will eventually cause the destruction of our whole society. No, it is time for men to stand up and declare what the Word of God says—unabashedly and unashamedly!<\/p>\n

The scripture continues, \"Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, 'Please bring the ephod here to me'<\/em>\" (1 Samuel 30:6–7). The ephod was the garment of prayer that priests wore. In other words, \"I am going back to prayer, and I am going to find the will of God.\"<\/p>\n

\"David inquired of the Lord and said, 'Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?' And He answered him, 'Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all'<\/em>\" (1 Samuel 30:8). So David set off with the six hundred men who were with him. Eventually, two hundred of them were so tired that they could not go on, so he continued the pursuit with the remaining warriors. God began to divinely lead them, and they came upon those who had captured their sons, their daughters and their wives.<\/p>\n

\"There they were, spread out all over the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of the great spoil which they had taken from the land to the Philistines and from the land of Judah. Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all<\/em>\" (1 Samuel 30:16–19).<\/p>\n

One more time, God came in supernatural power. Although David and his men were vastly outnumbered, they were not concerned, because they had received a word from God. They had been in prayer and the Spirit of God had come upon them, enabling them to courageously fight for their families. And they recovered all!<\/p>\nCALLING ALL MEN<\/span>\n

The prayer of my heart today is, \"Lord, give us a spiritual awakening in this nation. Raise up warriors once again—men who are not afraid; men who will escape the captivity of trying to preserve themselves. Raise up men who will run for public office or stand in pulpits and speak; men who will open the Bible in the morning and speak to their families. Let the voice of righteous men be heard once again in the workplace and in our communities.\"<\/p>\n

Our only hope for this nation is a spiritual awakening, but it will not happen without men being men. To the men who are reading this newsletter: You cannot wait for the women to lead it. Yes, they will be an essential part; yes, they will be in the battle with you. But you cannot wait for them to take leadership of this. It is time to be a man. Take a stand for what is right. Be bold and believe God for your family, your home, your community. That is the call of God on your life in this generation.<\/p>\n

As you start to pray, God will begin to lead you. And as God leads, suddenly you will realize that it is not all about preserving yourself, your image, your job. As Malachi said, you will begin to see children all around you who are looking for fathers. The promise of God in the last days is that if you will stand, the hearts of the children will turn to you as your hearts turn to them (see Malachi 4:6). You will have an influence in so many lives that it will stun you. God will bring the children your way.<\/p>\n

Remember, all God has ever looked for is a voice. Even in Ezekiel's day, He said that the land had become so corrupt that \"I sought for a man among them who would ... stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one<\/em>\" (Ezekiel 22:30). Just one man who would stand—that was all He was looking for. Sadly, He could not find even one. But by God's grace, I hope today that He has found you willing to stand— willing to pray and believe that we have the power to take back our children, our families, our nation!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"WHEN FATHERS COME HOME,\" a sermon given on June 16, 2019 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version(R). Copyright (C) 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.<\/p>"},"36":{"sm_title":"Pray While You Still Can","sm_id":"335","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"49010_jb_20190602.jpg","sm_date":"2019-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/06\/02s1\/20190602s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/06\/02s1\/20190602s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"grwm-HOeDf0","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49557_sermon-newsletter-201908-pray-while-you-still-can.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

If I walked by your house in the middle of the night and saw it on fire, yet I did nothing to warn you or try to save you, I would not really be a good neighbor. In the same way, if I did not care about you, I would not write this message. But because I do care, and I want to see the face of every one of you at the throne of God one day, I will, as the Apostle Paul said, \"not refrain from preaching to you the whole counsel of God\"(see Acts 20:27).<\/p>\n

Sometimes it is hard to hear truth because, apart from the Spirit of God, we are in some measure or another at war with God. We want God to accept our behaviors, our lifestyles, our ways of viewing eternity. I believe we will soon see this on an incredible scale in society. Mind-boggling lawlessness is breaking out in the world today and it is only going to get worse. Therefore, it is imperative, as followers of Christ, that we walk in truth, agreeing with the Word of God.<\/p>\n

King David said in Psalm 32: \"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit<\/em>\" (Psalm 32:1–2). Some of you might be wondering why you have been feeling so heavy lately. It could be because the hand of God is on you, and He is trying to speak something to your heart that you have been resistant to receive.<\/p>\n

We see in these verses that we are blessed when we do not try to hide our failed condition from God, when we are willing to say as King David did, \"Search my heart and know me. Try me, and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the path of life everlasting<\/em>\" (see Psalm 139:23–24). If we search ourselves, we will always come out smelling like a rose. We will always justify that which God does not justify; we will call something that is deficient \"whole\" and eventually, something that is evil \"good.\"<\/p>\nWho Will Not Inherit the Kingdom Of God<\/span>\n

Paul warned, \"Do not be deceived. Do you not understand that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?<\/em>\"(see 1 Corinthians 6:9–10). He was addressing believers in Christ who were having a hard time letting go of former practices and truly entering into this new life that had been offered them through Christ. When Paul said, \"Do not be deceived,\" he meant, \"Do not let anybody teach you otherwise; do not let your own heart convince you that there is no longer any penalty for sin.\"<\/p>\n

Let's look at some examples Paul gave of \"the unrighteous\" who will not inherit the kingdom of God. When he said, \"neither fornicators,<\/em>\"he meant people who engage in sexual intercourse outside the bonds of marriage between one man and one woman. You can try to push it away and say, \"Well, God knows that I'm not married and He understands I have physical needs.\"But Paul says, \"Don't be deceived. Fornicators do not inherit the kingdom of God.\"<\/p>\n

He continued, \"nor idolaters<\/em>\"—people who have other gods, or worship something other than Jesus Christ; \"nor adulterers<\/em>\"—people who have affairs outside of marriage. It starts with a little flirtation in the office, and the next thing they know, they are in a motel somewhere. \"Nor homosexuals, nor sodomites<\/em>\"—both lesbians and gays. Of course, we are talking about people who willfully continue in these practices, not those who may be predisposed to having a certain attraction to somebody of the same sex. However, even if that is the case, God will give them the power over that sin.<\/p>\n

It does not have the right to dominate their life anymore. The list continues: \"nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers<\/em>\"—people who live throughout the day just cursing everybody unlike themselves; \"nor extortioners<\/em>\"—people who use others for their own advantage. According to the Word of God, none of these people will inherit the kingdom of God.<\/p>\n

In the Book of Galatians, Paul said, \"Do not be deceived. Whatever you sow, you are going to reap. If you sow to the flesh, you will reap destruction. If you sow to the Spirit, you will reap life<\/em>\"(see Galatians 6:7–8). If you try to bring that which God says is not acceptable into His kingdom, you will reap corruption. Call it what you will, it makes no difference. If God says it is wrong, you cannot make it right.<\/p>\nWashed By The Word<\/span>\n

However, there is hope! Paul continued, \"And such were some of you. But you were washed<\/em>\"(1 Corinthians 6:11). In other words, \"It is not the water of this world that has formed your thinking; it is the water of God—His holy Word.\"Yes, you may be struggling, but at least your thinking is right, and you know what direction you are supposed to be going. You have come to this pure water, saying, \"God, this is right, and everything inside of me that is unlike it is wrong.\" And so you are washed and sanctified—set apart by God—and justified by the Spirit of God. In other words, you are given the power to go on a new pathway.<\/p>\n

As Paul once said, \"I am not there yet. I am not perfected yet, but I am leaving behind what needs to be left behind and moving toward my high calling of God in Christ Jesus<\/em>\"(see Philippians 3:12). In other words, \"I am not going to make excuses for this any longer. I am not going to just call it another 'oops' and say, 'Well, Lord, thank You for forgiving me.'\"<\/p>\n

Remember, you cannot play games with a holy God. Every time you do, another layer of hardness comes into your heart, and eventually you no longer can be brought under conviction. The Bible says there comes a point when you are given over to a darkened mind. You can go to church and sing praises to God, believing somehow that this is acceptable, until you get to His throne one day and realize that is not the case. You allowed your own heart to deceive you.<\/p>\n

I am not suggesting that you have to be perfect, but you must be moving in the direction of truth. It does not mean you will never struggle with sin, but it is losing its hold and its right to dictate your direction and dominate your thinking.<\/p>\nThe Goodness Of God Leads To Repentance<\/span>\n

Returning to Psalm 32: \"When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long, for day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer<\/em>\" (32:3–4). The scripture tells us that the goodness of God leads us to repentance. God is saying, \"Lest you become content in a wrong way of thinking, I am going to put My hand on you and take away your strength. Day and night, I will not let you go.\" Perhaps that is why some of you cannot sleep. You see, in His mercy, God petitions a heart that is not set apart for Him. He woos it; He draws it. As you are going down the street, He whispers about certain attitudes and thoughts and behaviors. God will not let you go until you are finally in agreement with Him. That is the goodness of God!<\/p>\n

And if you think you cannot be forgiven, the Word of God proves you wrong. David, the great psalmist of Israel, had committed adultery with a man's wife and subsequently arranged for the man's murder. On top of that, he was a liar, and then he tried to bring this whole thing into the kingdom of God. Yet God put His heavy hand upon David until he repented. Because of his repentance and return to the Lord, David was able to write in Psalm 32: \"I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and You forgave the iniquity of my sin<\/em>\" (verse 5).<\/p>\n

He continued, \"For this cause, everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found<\/em>\" (Psalm 32:6). There may come a time when you will no longer be able to pray. It is really hard to pray in the time of panic. We saw that on 9\/11 here in New York City. There is a season when God can be found. There is a season where victory can be won—a season where newness of life can become your portion.<\/p>\nSongs Of Deliverance<\/span>\n

Those who repent while they still can will be able to declare as David did: \"You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance<\/em>\" (Psalm 32:7). In other words, \"You will give me light in the midst of darkness, clarity in the midst of this baptism of confusion. You will keep me from trouble.\"<\/p>\n

The psalm then continues with God speaking in first person. \"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!<\/em>\" (Psalm 32:8–11). The end result of walking with a clean heart is an inner joy that this world knows nothing about. God will put within you a song that cannot be written by a human hand. You will have a shout in your heart that cannot be taken away by affliction or by threat or by any darkness in society!<\/p>\n

However, that means you and I must make the choice to walk in truth now; we must be quick to put away anything that offends God. We cannot simply say, \"Tomorrow I will deal with this.\"We do not know if we have a tomorrow. We do not know what the future holds. All I can tell you is that if you can hear His voice today, do not harden your heart. Get right with God. You know what that means; you know what you need to do. Start at the beginning.<\/p>\n

As you deal with whatever God has His finger on and begin to move in the direction He wants you to go, He promises to surround you, protect you, and guide you. By His grace, you will always be changing from image to image, glory to glory, day by day. Your life will be a witness for God, and you will bring Him glory everywhere you go!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"PRAY WHILE YOU STILL CAN,\" a sermon given on June 2, 2019 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting ou website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright law apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"37":{"sm_title":"He Will Show You Things To Come","sm_id":"333","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"48942_jb_20190407.jpg","sm_date":"2019-07","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/04\/07s1\/20190407s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/04\/07s1\/20190407s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"LTQlHs3uui4","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49049_sermon-newsletter-201907-he-will-show-you-things-to-come.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you<\/em>\" (John 16:12–15).<\/p>\n

Here we see Jesus telling His disciples, \"I am going to win a victory for you. The Father will give me a tremendous inheritance when He raises Me from the dead. I will return to sit at His right hand, and everything that He gives me will belong to My people. The Spirit of God that I am sending to you will show you some of these things to come.\"<\/p>\n

Of course, you and I cannot see all these things right now, for there is no way we could fully understand them. According to the Bible, the moment we leave this earth and appear in the presence of God, we will know as we are known. Mysteries will be resolved and questions will be answered. We will finally realize how small our thinking has been in comparison to what God is going to reveal to us, in us, and through us. What a day that is going to be!<\/p>\n

But in the meantime, God has left us His Holy Spirit. As Jesus said, He guides us into all truth. When the Spirit of God comes into a person's life, He starts to tell us that old things will pass away, and all things will become new. He begins to unlock the Scriptures to us. He shows us a plan and a purpose that God has for our life and the abundant supply God has already given us in Christ Jesus to fully achieve everything He has called us to do.<\/p>\nBEYOND THIS WORLD<\/span>\n

As we saw in our opening scripture, the Spirit of God will also tell us about things to come that are beyond this present world. Paul said in Second Corinthians 4:18, \"We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.<\/em>\"<\/p>\n

Consider Abraham, the father of faith, who was given an incredible promise of God. \"I am going to bless you; I am going to multiply you; I am going to do something so profound in your life that you will be a blessing to the whole world\" (see Genesis 12:1–3). God then took him outside one night and said, \"Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them...So shall your descendants be<\/em>\" (Genesis 15:5). The Holy Spirit was showing him things to come, not of this world but beyond. And now you and I know that because of Christ, through his lineage, we are the fulfillment of that promise.<\/p>\n

So Abraham left home to journey to this place of promise, accompanied by his nephew, Lot. As part of the family, Lot would have been told of the profound blessing that was promised to come upon them— one that would touch the whole known world. They eventually came to a point where they had so many flocks and herds that they could not dwell in one place, for there was an insufficient supply of grass. And so Abraham said to Lot, \"Look and choose where you want to go\" (see Genesis 13:9).<\/p>\n

Lot lifted up his eyes, but only so far. He had this doctrinal perspective that all the blessing of his life would be found in this world, and so he chose his city. He went to a place called Sodom and Gomorrah and raised his family there. However, one day an enemy came in, captured that place, and took him and his family away (see Genesis 14:8–12).<\/p>\nIN A MOMENT OF TIME<\/span>\n

If we lift our eyes only so high— if this world becomes our source of supply and provision—we may be shocked to find that one day, it can all be taken away. If your happiness is because you have a car or a house, or money in the bank and a retirement plan, be warned that a day might come when it is all gone. What do you think mattered to the people on the upper floors of the towers in the World Trade Center on 9\/11 who had about an hour left to live? How high they had gotten on the financial chain? How many colleges their kids were accepted in? How many cars they had? How many countries they could visit?<\/p>\n

The Bible declares that a day is coming when everything that can be shaken will be shaken, and only that which cannot be shaken might remain (see Hebrews 12:27). It also warns, \"Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven\" (Proverbs 23:5). In another place we read, \"The fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 3:13).<\/p>\n

I remember being in full-time ministry and coming home from preaching in Eastern Canada, only to find that our house had burned down to the ground. We had renovated this old farmhouse, added on to it, and modified it. It took twelve years to finally finish it and yet everything we had worked for was gone in one moment of time.<\/p>

I have seen the Lord take away, and I have seen Him give back. In our case, we later lost our second house to toxic mold. Then we moved across the river to Hoboken, New Jersey, and were finally settled, but Hurricane Sandy came and wiped out the whole first floor. Now we live on a lake, and the bottom of our house is about five feet above the water level. I said to Pastor Teresa one day, \"What possibly could go wrong now?\"<\/p>\n

Through these experiences, I have seen something beyond what this world has to offer. We still have a nice house, but I know it can be gone in an instant. In this lifetime, relationships end, loved ones die, jobs are lost. If our security is in any of these things, even though many of them do come from God, our confidence can be shaken. We must lift our eyes higher and see something beyond this life.<\/p>\nWHAT PAUL SAW<\/span>\n

The Apostle Paul had such vision. He saw something coming in the future and that is why he could say, \"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us<\/em>\" (Romans 8:18).<\/p>\n

Paul knew that this earthly body would eventually give way to a heavenly body. He testified that he was lifted to the third heaven where he saw things that were not lawful to speak about (see 2 Corinthians 12:2). There are no words in the human vocabulary to describe them. God in His mercy gave Paul an eternal vision so that he could endure the sufferings he was appointed to endure in this life.<\/p>\n

Paul was stoned, beaten, and shipwrecked, and he finished the end of his life imprisoned with only a pen and parchment. Yet while in captivity, he wrote words to encourage others. For example, he wrote these words to the Thessalonian church, who he knew was entering into persecution: \"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words<\/em>\" (1 Thessalonians 4:16–18). Paul knew they were going to suffer, but he was reminding them that suffering is only temporary. A day is coming when God is going to look down and say, \"That's enough! Son, go get Your Bride!\"<\/p>\nWHAT JOHN SAW<\/span>\n

Consider also the apostle John— the one who leaned on Jesus' chest at the Last Supper. He described himself as the apostle whom Jesus loved. He served God all his life, and when he was about eighty years old, he was exiled to a prison on an isle called Patmos. From what I read about that prison, it was vile, cold, damp, dark, and despairing. John easily could have said, \"God, is this how You treat those who love You? I serve You all my life, and this is where I end up?\"<\/p>\n

But the scripture says that on the Lord's Day, John was in the Spirit. Remember that when the Holy Spirit comes, He will show you things to come. Therefore John, though he was in prison, could write these words in Revelation 21: \"I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea<\/em>\" (verse 1). In other words, \"There is nothing more that separates us from God and from the freedom that He has for us for eternity.\"<\/p>\n

\"I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 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'<\/em>\" (Revelation 21:2–4). That is what is in store for us—no more death, sorrow, crying or pain!<\/p>\nTHE GLORY TO COME<\/span>\n

Perhaps you find yourself in a long season of suffering. Perhaps you live with varying degrees of pain— whether internal or physical—but, remember, it is all temporary. Come what may in this life—famine or disease, darkness or war, social disorder—none of it is worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. Heaven is our home and an eternity with God is our future. We are going to praise Him day and night with the angels, and we will rule and reign with Christ forever!<\/p>

If you need hope today, I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to show you things to come. Ask Him for a vision beyond your present circumstances. He will help you to see that your life is but a little vapor on the scale of eternity. He will speak comfort to your heart, and you will be able to go to bed at night saying, \"Oh, what a future awaits me! Lord, what an eternity You have prepared for me!\" You will truly understand that though weeping may endure for a night, there is a guarantee that joy will come in the morning!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"He Will Show You Things to Come,\" a sermon given on April 7, 2019 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"38":{"sm_title":"Lustful Pray-ers","sm_id":"331","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"48889_jb_20190224.jpg","sm_date":"2019-06","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/02\/24s1\/20190224s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/02\/24s1\/20190224s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"HOWd58sXzzU","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/49016_sermon-newsletter-201906-lustful-pray-ers.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures<\/em>\" (James 4:1–3). The original King James Version says, \"That ye may consume it upon your lusts.<\/em>\"<\/p>\n

\"Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God<\/em>\" (James 4:4).<\/p>\n

How would you like to get a letter like that? Well, as a matter of fact, you did. It came from the hand of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, given to the apostle James. Although he wrote it to the early Church, it has just as much validity for us today as it did for them.<\/p>\n

James was considered the head of the Church in Jerusalem, therefore, his letters carried much weight and authority. He wrote this particular epistle to many who had been dispersed because of persecution that arose against the Church. He was trying to convey something about what God wanted to do through their lives, yet they were having difficulty breaking away from their old way of thinking and living.<\/p>\n

This is the battle we all go through. It is very difficult to let go of old ways of thinking, old habits, old practices, old pursuits of what we assume will make us happy. We often fail to understand that we fully belong to Jesus Christ when we come to Him, and He has the right to decree what our life is going to look like. Many want this new life of Christ while retaining their love for the things of this world. Sadly, there is a theology in our generation that proclaims this to be the gospel. Yet James calls this friendship with the world adultery against God.<\/p>\nSEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM<\/span>\n

In the book of Matthew, Jesus addressed His disciples on a similar theme: \"Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?'or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things<\/em>\"(Matthew 6:31–32). In other words, self-focus was evident in the way you used to live—in all of your pursuits. Do not let these things govern your future any longer, but \"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you<\/em>\"(Matthew 6:33).<\/p>\n

I can bear witness to this promise. Many years ago—after having given up my career, dedicating my family, and founding a church—I came home from preaching in eastern Canada to find my house burned to the ground. We lost everything; we did not even have clothes for our children, and ended up having to stay at the home of another pastor.<\/p>\n

One January morning, I went outside and said to God, \"Well, Lord, I've done my part. I am seeking Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and You said all these things shall be added to me. So I'm not going to worry about what I'm going to eat, or what I'm going to drink, or what I'm going to wear. I'm putting it all in Your hands, and I'm going for a run.\" And that is exactly what I did. I can testify today that God was beyond faithful to our family.<\/p>\n

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Seek His value system, His heart. Do not simply try to fit Jesus into your plan or your old pursuits. Seek His will for your life. There is something God has given you to do that will give glory to His name, but you will not know it until you put away these other things that want to occupy so much of our thinking and time.<\/p>\nTHE LESSON OF THE FIG TREE<\/span>\n

Looking again at our opening scripture, James said: \"You ask and you do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures<\/em>\" (James 4:3). There is no power in prayer when it is exercised toward ourselves. On the other hand, when prayer is used for the sake of other people, there is an incredible promise that Jesus Himself gave in Mark 11. Let's first take a look at what was happening before He gave the promise.<\/p>\n

Jesus was heading to Jerusalem from a town called Bethany, and He came across a fig tree. \"[Jesus] was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, 'Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.' And His disciples heard it<\/em>\" (Mark 11:12–14).<\/p>\n

Remember, the whole purpose of Jesus' coming to earth was to die for the sins of humanity. He came to break the bondage of sin, hell and darkness, and to give us a new life. He was to leave us on the earth empowered by His Holy Spirit as a witness of who He is before bringing us home again to Him for all of eternity.<\/p>\n

Now, if His focus had been on Himself when He walked up to that fig tree and was hungry, He would have just said to the tree, \"By this time tomorrow when I pass by again, you will have fruit!\"That is what some of us would do. In fact, He could have just commanded, \"Bear fruit right now,\"and the tree would have done so. But you see, it was not about Him.<\/p>\n

The fig tree, in my understanding, represents the effort of the whole of humankind to cover itself with fig leaves, just as Adam and Eve once did in the Garden of Eden. It is humanity's effort to be righteous or clean in the sight of God by human effort, human will, human ingenuity—believing the lie that in ourselves, we can be as God is and judge what is good and what is evil.<\/p>\n

So as Jesus walked up to that tree, I am convinced that He was looking at Adam and Eve back in the Garden, covered with fig leaves instead of the glory of God. And He says, \"Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.<\/em>\" In other words, \"I am destroying your power to deceive. I am destroying your power over humankind that causes men, women and children to believe that in themselves, they can be godly. I am going to the cross, and I am going to destroy this power of arrogance that entered the human heart. I am going to make a way into eternal life for everyone who comes to Me, believing.\" You see, when He cursed that tree, it was not about Him, it was about us!<\/p>\n

Now from there He went into the temple—the place where God's presence was supposed to be on the earth. It was a place where God had set apart a people for Himself, just as you and I are meant to be in our generation.<\/p>\n

\"Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, 'Is it not written, \"My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations\"? But you have made it a den of thieves'<\/em>\" (Mark 11:15–17). When Jesus walked into the temple, all he saw were tables and money changers with goats and doves. You see, when the focus is on self, it is only natural that the house of God turns into a place of merchandise and convenience. Now this is the only time in the Bible you see the tangible anger of God. Fury rose up in the heart of the Son of God because of what self-focus had done to the house of God—a casual treating of what we are called to be on the earth.<\/p>\n

The next morning, Jesus and His disciples returned and saw the fig tree, dried up from the roots. Peter said, \"Oh, look, Master. The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.<\/em>\" (Mark 11:21).<\/p>\n

This is where Jesus makes an incredible promise: \"Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatsoever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them<\/em>\"(Mark 11:22–24). If the focus of our prayers is that people be released from the grip of delusion, then we have the power to speak to these mountains in our society today—mountains of incivility, gender confusion, immorality, violence. Jesus promises that they will be cast into the sea!<\/p>\nTHE POWER OF PRAYER REDISCOVERED<\/span>\n

I believe that in the last days, the Church is going to rediscover this incredible power we have in prayer. In fact, I believe the Church is going to finish as she began—that we are going to gather together in one accord and one spirit, just as they did on the day of Pentecost. Even if we have to first ask God to raise us out of weakness and mediocrity, to give us power over self-focus—and then to send us out into the marketplace with something supernatural. After all, James said, \"God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble<\/em>\"(James 4:6). There is an incredible grace of God available when we are ready to admit that we cannot break free from self-focus without His help.<\/p>\n

James continued, \"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up<\/em>\"(James 4:7–10). In other words, if your joy is coming from other than what God has destined your life to be, then let that be taken away.<\/p>\n

Humble yourself before the Lord and ask Him to replace that old value system with something new. \"God Almighty, do not let me claim to be married to You yet have a heart that is distant from Yours. Do not let the indictment of James chapter four be mine. Help me escape self-focus, and bring me into what my life is supposed to be!\"<\/p>\n

When you are found in that place of humility and surrender before God, mountains can move. It is in that place that prayers are answered and the supernatural begins to take over the natural. Hell gives way to heaven, captivity gives way to freedom, blindness gives way to sight, and pain gives way to healing! Hallelujah!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"LustfuL Pray-ers,\" a sermon given on february 24, 2019 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"39":{"sm_title":"It's Time To Go Through Your Open Door","sm_id":"329","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"48895_jb_20190303.jpg","sm_date":"2019-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/03\/03s1\/20190303s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/03\/03s1\/20190303s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"bwR2K6oMfFE","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48966_sermon-newsletter-201905-its-time-to-go-through-your-open-door.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"So Cornelius said, 'Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.' So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God<\/em>\" (Acts 10:30–33).<\/p>\n

This was the beginning of a phenomenal moment in history. The Scripture says that Cornelius was a man with a deep reverence for God (see Acts 10:1–2). He was a generous man, a seeker of God, yet the fullness of salvation was not yet revealed to him. Nevertheless, he had an inner hunger for God and he had even gathered his family and close friends into his house. You see, when you are hungry for God, people will gather around you. They will listen to what you have to say, for they, too, are looking for hope. They are looking for a way forward in their season of struggle and amidst their own fears.<\/p>\n

\"Then Peter opened his mouth and said: 'In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins'<\/em>\" (Acts 10:34–43).<\/p>\n

Peter began to speak about how God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power. Now we do not know exactly what was going on in Cornelius' heart. We can only surmise that he was wondering something along the lines of, \"Is it possible that that could be mine? Could God also anoint me with the Holy Spirit and with power? As Christ once did, can I go about doing good and healing all who are oppressed by the devil?\"<\/p>\n

\"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 'Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?' And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord<\/em>\" (Acts 10:44–48).<\/p>\n

God is a gentleman and He does not force Himself on anybody. There must have been such a yearning in the hearts of these people that when Peter started speaking, they knew his words were divinely inspired. While Peter was still speaking, suddenly the Holy Spirit descended, and the people became God-gripped and began to speak with other tongues! In other words, the very thing that happened at Pentecost to the Jewish believers was now happening to the Gentile believers. They were speaking about the wonderful works of God with an ability that only God could give!<\/p>\nTHROUGH ONE MAN<\/span>\n

Isn't it incredible that this one man, Cornelius, became the open door to the Gentile world? Up until this point, the gospel was only for the Jew. Yet, suddenly, the door opened through one hungry heart. Cornelius could not take the gospel to the Gentile world—it would have been foolish for him to try—but God could do it through him.<\/p>\n

In the same way, when you are willing to open your heart to God's will, beginning with your own household, and then to your friends, neighbors, and even people in places you have never been, you will discover that there is no limit to what God can do through a hungry heart.<\/p>\n

When I was young I was very fearful, especially afraid of people in crowded rooms. I felt I had little to offer the kingdom of God, but I did have a hungry heart. I was walking the beat one day as a young cop, and I just started praying, \"Lord, I want to win 100,000 people to You before I die.\" Then I began to be very specific in my prayer. \"I don't want them to just be people who raise their hand in a service somewhere. I want them to be people who actually live for You and end up at Your throne. You will be able to look them in the eye and say, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'\"<\/p>\n

Now at this point, I had never preached a sermon. I had no ability to speak in public whatsoever. But I had a hungry heart, and I was willing to embrace the impossible. I said, \"God, I am asking You to do something so far beyond me.\"<\/p>\n

Fast-forward many years later to when I was standing in the fields of Nigeria, in the midst of a civil war. By local estimates, there were somewhere between 400,000 to 700,000 people gathered. You could not see an end to the crowd in any direction. I remember that first night preaching to nominal Christians, Christians, and Muslims, and talking about the worthlessness of all religion that has no compassion for its neighbor. I asked people if they were willing to open their hearts to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and about 100,000 people raised their hands to receive Christ!<\/p>\n

I went back to my hotel room, and it suddenly dawned on me that in one hour, God had answered a prayer I had prayed years ago when all I had was a hungry heart. I got down on my knees beside my bed to give God thanks, and the first thing He spoke to my heart was, \"Carter, don't limit Me. Don't put boundaries around Me. There is no limit to what can be accomplished through a hungry heart!\"<\/p>\nTHOUGH YOU HAVE LITTLE STRENGTH<\/span>\n

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus spoke to a particular church in Philadelphia, saying, \"I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name<\/em>\" (Revelation 3:8). In other words, \"I know your heart hungers for Me; I know you want My presence in your life. I also know you do not have a lot of confidence in yourself or in your own abilities, but I have set before you an open door that no one can shut.\"<\/p>\n

I feel God is speaking the same thing to somebody reading this today. \"You only have a little strength, but you have kept My Word the best you knew how. You have tried to walk with Me, and you have not denied My name by allowing unbelief to grip your heart. You still believe that I can do what I say I will do. You still believe that all things are possible with Me. And so I have set before you an open door, and as you go through it, I will do something so powerful in and through you that people will have to acknowledge that I have loved you.\"<\/p>\n

Pastor Teresa and I have known this in our lives. We have not brought to you a theory about God but an experience with Him. We have walked with God and seen what He can do. He set before us an open door, and we walked through it with little strength and no idea where it was going to lead. There was a time when Pastor Teresa and I, along with a local bus driver, started meeting every Tuesday night to pray. We were simply asking God to do what only He could do in an area of Canada that had received no lasting testimony of Christ for more than 100 years. This fortysquare mile region was known as a pastoral burnout area; in fact, I was told that nothing anybody had ever tried survived there. Yet God took three people with no strength, no training, and no ability. What we did have was a hunger to see God move.<\/p>\n

I would pray, \"Lord, there are people who say it cannot be done, but I don't believe that. I don't believe there is anything You cannot do! I don't believe there is any situation You cannot change. I simply refuse to believe that there is an area of the country where You cannot break through. God, for the sake of the people and for the glory of Your name, do something in this area!\"<\/p>\n

One night we broke through with a surge of joy! We knew we had passed through a veil of some sort, and the joy of the Lord that hit us was unspeakable! We were all in different areas of the living room, praying, when suddenly I started laughing. I was in the corner, thinking, \"Boy, this is so irreverent. I shouldn't be laughing.\" I tried to suppress it, but my shoulders were shaking as joy bubbled up within me. Then I turned around and saw Pastor Teresa's shoulders shaking. Then I looked at the bus driver and he was laughing, too. The joy of the Lord hit all of us!<\/p>\n

Suddenly, just a little door had opened. God began to call us to go through that door, and the rest is history. Churches were established, and many people came to Christ. In fact, people are still being fed there today. Going through that door led us into many different places and, ultimately, to New York City.<\/p>\n

And so I encourage you to yield to God's plan for your life. You have no idea what He is willing to do through you. He has something in mind that is so much bigger than anything you ever thought your life could amount to. But it starts with a hungry heart and then one little step of faith, and then another step. Just keep going through every door He opens, and He will give you His Word, His plan, and His Spirit. He will fill you with courage, and you will be amazed at the difference your life will make in this generation!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"IT'S TIME TO GO THROUGH YOUR OPEN DOOR,\" a sermon given on March 3, 2019 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"40":{"sm_title":"Pushing Back This Present Darkness","sm_id":"327","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"48860_jb_20190127.jpg","sm_date":"2019-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/01\/27s1\/20190127s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2019\/01\/27s1\/20190127s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"R2-obSeHjTg","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48937_sermon-newsletter-201904-pushing-back-this-present-darkness.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In Acts chapter two, we read of an incredibly dark time. Jesus Christ had just been put to death, and a blood lust remained among the people, who were in no mood to endure Christ's followers. History seems to be repeating itself in our day as we, too, find ourselves living in a society that is growing ever darker. Yet we see in Acts that God found one hundred and twenty people—ordinary people like you and me—who simply said, \"Lord, I want to make a difference in this dark hour.\"They believed that despite their insufficiency, God promised them power to be a testimony on the earth. And so they gathered together and began to pray. The Bible says, \"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place<\/em>\" (Acts 2:1).<\/p>\n

Once again, God is looking for those who believe their lives can make a difference in pushing back this present darkness. And just as the disciples in the book of Acts, we must be found \"with one accord\"—walking in unity with God and with His people.<\/p>\nFrom Unity To Disunity<\/span>\n

Now the history of man's relationship with God began with perfect unity. When God created Adam and Eve, He would come down to the Garden of Eden and walk with them in the cool of the day. God set the boundaries, Adam and Eve walked inside those boundaries, and there was fellowship between God and man.<\/p>\n

However, God had a sworn enemy—Satan—who hated the fact that he was exalted less than God. Described as a cunning serpent (see Genesis 3:1), Satan not only hates God but mankind, who was created in His image. Jesus said that he comes to \"steal, and to kill, and to destroy<\/em>\" (John 10:10). That was his mission in the Garden of Eden, and that is what he continues to do to this day.<\/p>\n

In order to accomplish his purpose, Satan knew that he had to begin by breaking that bond of unity between God and man. Therefore, he convinced Adam and Eve that they could ignore the boundaries God had set and, instead, determine by themselves what standards of right and wrong were acceptable. Let's take a moment to look at some of the consequences—many of which still impact us today.<\/p>\nConsequences of Disunity with God<\/span>\n

When humankind sinned and broke unity with God, the first thing they realized was that they were naked (see Genesis 3:7). Thus, the preoccupation with nakedness was introduced and, by extension, the origin of sexual sin—which has plagued every generation up until this present day. This preoccupation with nakedness has spawned the multibillion-dollar pornography industry and it is all rooted in separation from God.<\/p>\n

In the very next chapter of Genesis, we see the introduction of envy, hatred and murder. Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel, who brought sacrifices to the Lord, but only Abel's sacrifice was accepted by God. Seething envy and hatred took hold of Cain's heart and subsequently led him to murder his brother. When the Lord came to him and asked, \"Where is your brother?\" he nonchalantly replied, \"How should I know? Am I my brother's keeper?\" (see Genesis 4:9).<\/p>\n

And so we see yet another consequence of separation from God—it leads humankind to commit murder without conscience. When the religious crowd around Jesus claimed to be the children of Abraham, he said to them, \"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning<\/em>\" (John 8:44). In other words, \"You want your own rules; you want no boundaries; you want your own way—and you will kill to get it.\" That is exactly what happened; eventually they killed the Son of God in the name of religion. It was the beginning of mankind wanting his own way, even to the point of taking the life of anyone who got in the way of those objectives.<\/p>\n

Is there a more glaring example today than the recent law on abortion that was passed in New York State? Not only was the law passed but state legislators were literally patting each other on the back and smiling as they signed into effect a law permitting the slaughter of the innocent. In many cases, it is a license to murder for the sake of convenience. We read God's warning in the Old Testament about the abomination of the nations: Molech—a pagan god to whom the people would sacrifice their children (Leviticus 18:21). What makes us any different now in this generation?<\/p>\n

Not too far down the road, as the earth was repopulated after the Great Flood, we see humanity still on this quest to be as God. The people said, \"Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves<\/em>\"(Genesis 11:4). They began to build a tower to prove to the whole world that they could reach the heavens by their own strength. However, the Lord came down, confused their speech, and scattered them abroad. Here we see the introduction of yet another consequence of disunity with God: a level of division among people so severe that they could no longer communicate with one another.<\/p>\n

Look at our society today. Envy, hatred, murder, evil speech, and lying have become the order of the day. There is division in our society on almost every level. I do not think anybody can suggest that there is any ability to communicate anymore.<\/p>\nTHE TREE OF LIFE REGAINED<\/span>\n

And so the question arises: What can you and I do to push back the darkness of this hour? First of all, now that we recognize disunity with God is the root of the problem, we must recognize that the cross is God's invitation for us to return to Him. When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, humankind lost access to the favor, promise, hope, and life of God. However, it was not a coincidence that Jesus was crucified on a tree. The cross is the tree of life regained—the way back to unity with God. Now everyone who wants to come to Him can. The Lord is willing to forgive and cleanse us from all sin—the preoccupation with nakedness, the envy, the murder, the lies, the duplicity, the stepping on other people for personal advantage—whatever may have settled in our hearts.<\/p>\n

There is a covering for sin and shame for all who are willing to live God's way. He offers us mercy, hope for the future, and life with purpose. This means you and I can go to the cross and say, \"God, I do not have the love I need for this generation.\" On the cross, captivity was taken captive, and gifts were given to men (see Ephesians 4:8). God says, \"Walk in unity with Me and partake of Me, for I have all the love you will ever need to reach the unlovable and make a difference in your time.\"<\/p>\nBe Filled With The Spirit<\/span>\n

Secondly, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit. When the people built the tower, they lost the ability to communicate and relate with one another. But we see what happened in Acts chapter two:<\/p>\n

\"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.<\/em>\"<\/p>\n

\"And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, 'Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?'...So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, 'Whatever could this mean?'<\/em>\"(Acts 2:1–8, 12).<\/p>\n

When the disciples finally realized that it was not by might nor power but by the Holy Spirit, suddenly God came and filled the whole house. What was the immediate fruit? What had been lost at the tower of Babel was regained! The disciples stepped out into the marketplace, now with the ability to communicate once again with people of other cultures and tongues.<\/p>\n

Peter stood up and boldly proclaimed the gospel to the crowd, and \"they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.' And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, 'Be saved from this perverse generation.' Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them<\/em>\" (Acts 2:37–41).<\/p>\n

At least three thousand people were added to the kingdom! You see, the one hundred and twenty disciples were brought out of the natural into the supernatural. They were back in unity with God, living within the boundaries He had set. As a result, their hearts were enlarged, their mouths were opened, and they started to speak in a way that they had never spoken before. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. When unity with God returns, suddenly you find yourself with the divine ability to speak to people you were never able to speak to before. You find yourself in foreign fields, in places and neighborhoods that you are not familiar with, communicating by the power of God. Suddenly people around you are standing in wonder, asking, \"Where did you get the power to do this?\"<\/p>\nYou Can Make A Difference<\/span>\n

It is amazing to think that not only were three thousand added to the kingdom that day, even mighty Rome bent her knee to Christ. It was all because the hand of God was upon one hundred and twenty ordinary people who decided to come back to a place of unity with Him and one another. That is why I believe the godless ideologies of this moment can also be brought to a place of surrender to Christ. However, it depends on you and me and what we choose to do. We all have a vital part in this.<\/p>\n

Do not be sold short of what God has for you. He has promised you eternal and abundant life. It is time to pray, \"Lord, let my life make a difference. Don't let me just be a mediocre player in this incredible, divine moment in history. I want to walk in unity with You and with people. I want to walk within Your boundaries; I do not want to set my thoughts above Your thoughts. Let my life be so full of Your love, mercy and miracle-working power that it will push back this present darkness!\"<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"PUSHING BACK THIS PRESENT DARKNESS,\" a sermon given on January 27, 2019 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"41":{"sm_title":"Why Am I So Down?","sm_id":"325","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"48780_jb_20181125.jpg","sm_date":"2019-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/11\/25s1\/20181125s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/11\/25s1\/20181125s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"RHGyj6Shojs","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48893_sermon-newsletter-201903-why-am-i-so-down.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, 'Where is your God?'<\/em>\"(Psalm 42:1–3).<\/p>\n

Just like the psalmist, I believe many people have this question today: Why am I so down? What happened to my former joy?<\/p>\n

He continued, \"When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me<\/em>\" (Psalm 42:4). In other words, \"God, what happened to me? I remember the days when I would go to church whenever the doors were open. I was so thankful. I felt Your presence all around me and could not wait to come back to the house of God. I was excited to get up every morning and open my Bible. How did I lose this? Why am I so down?\"<\/p>\nAn Evil Report<\/span>\n

I will address three possible reasons why many Christians suffer from discouragement today. Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list, and I will not be including physiological reasons.<\/p>\n

The first reason is because they are receiving an evil report about themselves. In the days when God was bringing His people out of captivity and into a place of promise, He sent twelve spies into that land. When they returned, ten of them said, \"It is everything God says it is. There is so much fruit in that land that when we cut just one bough of grapes, we had to put it on a beam between two of us to carry it back here. It is a land with supernatural provision. But it is not for us. There are giants in the land, and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight\" (see Numbers 13:23–30).<\/p>

On the other hand, two of the twelve spies agreed with God and said, \"Yes, we can go in. Everything the Lord has promised us is ours! It is not by might nor by power, but by His Spirit. We will not win this victory by any of our own strategies. We will win it because God told us it is ours!\"(see Numbers 13:30). However, the people believed the evil report of the ten spies, and as a result, \"the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night<\/em>\" (Numbers 14:1).<\/p>\n

It is so important that you and I put away all these other voices. The voice of our own heart will often condemn us, saying, \"Who do you think you are to believe for these things? You know your many failings.\" And add to that the demonic voices coming from seemingly every side, saying, \"Yes, the promises of God are true, but not for you because you are too weak. They are not for you because of what you did in the past.\" However, you must remember that the devil is the father of all lies. He would not tell you these things if they were actually true.<\/p>\n

We must learn to open the Bible and declare, \"By the power of Your Spirit, I will become everything that You have promised I will be. I believe that when You died and were raised again, You took captivity captive and gave gifts unto men, including me. You gave me the ability to do things that I could never hope to do in my own strength. You gave me power to go where I could never hope to go by my own ingenuity. You gave me a calling by which You choose to glorify Your own Name. Therefore, I choose today to believe the report of the Lord!\"<\/p>\nDrifting<\/span>\n

A second cause of spiritual despair in a follower of Christ is drifting. Many people come in and begin their walk with Christ with youthful exuberance. The psalmist said, \"When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast<\/em>\" (Psalm 42:4). How many people in the Body of Christ today have this testimony? \"I used to go. I used to be. I used to have. I used to love.\"Everything becomes \"I used to\"—just like Solomon, the former king of Israel. He was given a great task on the earth: maintaining the manifested glory of God and a place of prayer and worship. In order to fulfill his assignment, he was given giftings of God, just like you and I have received. According to the Word, Solomon was given wisdom unparalleled by any man before or since.<\/p>\n

He started his ministry in simplicity —in personal prayer at night. In that time of personal prayer, God appeared to him and said, \"Ask of Me what you would have, and I will give it to you\" (see 1 Kings 3:5). Solomon asked for wisdom, and it so pleased the Lord that He gave him not only wisdom but riches in abundance. He gave him more than he could even hope for!<\/p>\n

Kings bearing gifts came from all over the earth to visit Solomon. The presence of God was emanating through his life; it just could not get any better. When the temple was dedicated, Solomon knelt on the scaffold, raised his hands to heaven, and prayed that God would be glorified in the earth by answering the prayers of even foreigners who would come into His presence. God was so pleased with Solomon that His glory came down into that temple so powerfully that even the priesthood could not stand and minister (see 2 Chronicles 5:14).<\/p>\n

Yet, sadly, Solomon eventually grew bored—bored with familiarity, which tends to be the struggle of all of humanity. People become bored in their marriages and in their jobs because they always seem to want something new.<\/p>\n

It is almost unthinkable that Solomon, with such a great calling and all the giftings of God, began to drift. However, it is very easy to drift. In fact, it can happen so gradually that you are unaware it is happening, until one day God just seems to be far away. You go to church, and the worship is familiar but you cannot seem to touch it. You are left wondering, \"Why, God?\"<\/p>\n

You see, God has created in you a thirst to draw you back to Himself. Remember, in Psalm 42:1–2, the psalmist says, \"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?<\/em>\" If we heed that thirst and return to the Lord, we will not end up like Solomon, who at the end of his life concluded, \"All is vanity and vexation of spirit<\/em>\"(Ecclesiastes 1:14).<\/p>\nToo Great A Call<\/span>\n

The third reason why many Christians may be feeling down is because the Lord is calling them to something they have been unwilling to consider. More than once in my life it seemed as if the hand of God just lifted, and suddenly He was out of reach. I believe He does this because we fail to consider Him otherwise. He tries to speak something to us, but we are not listening. Therefore, He creates this moment where out of exasperation, we cry, \"God, where are You? What are You doing? What is happening to me? Where did my joy go?\"<\/p>\n

At that point, the Lord says, \"Okay, I am glad we are finally here together. Now we can talk about something. You see, I want to give you a joy deeper than you have ever known. I want you to experience the joy of the father when he covered his prodigal son and empowered him; he put shoes on his feet, struck up the band, killed the fatted calf, and began to dance before his whole household. I want you to know a joy that is deeper than just coming to church and asking, 'What is new for me today?' So I am going to set before you an open door, and I want you to go through it. Do not worry about how you are going to win the battle. Do not worry about the resources. Everything you need will be provided for you on this journey.\"<\/p>\n

As the psalmist said, \"Deep calls unto deep<\/em>\" (Psalm 42:7). In other words, the deep need of God is calling out to the deep resource He has planted within you. So if you have been feeling down lately, perhaps God is calling you to arise and glorify Him in a way that you have not yet considered. For many of us, our zeal was once youthful, but now God is calling us to a place of maturity where we follow Him not because we get a tingly feeling in His presence but because we know it is the right thing to do.<\/p>\n

There comes a point where childhood must be put away— that transition in the Christian life when we stop living for ourselves and start living for the benefit of others. Rather than continually seeking to have our own needs fulfilled, our joy now comes from entering into the work of Christ —the saving of the lost. That is where the lasting presence of God is found. We no longer live with only that first felt joy of salvation; we now rejoice with the angels over every soul that repents and comes to the saving knowledge of Christ.<\/p>\nA Return To Praise<\/span>\n

Although the psalmist was feeling down, notice how he ends the psalm: \"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God<\/em>\" (Psalm 42:11). No matter what he had been feeling, he had a determination in his heart to say, \"God, I will praise You again. I am done with this dryness. My testimony will no longer be 'I used to go with the multitude.' Today I am going back to the house of God and getting involved in the work of God!\"<\/p>\n

I hope that is the cry in your heart today. It is the cry of the heart that will get the victory. It is those who simply lay hold of God by faith, saying, \"I may not fully understand it all, but I will not let You go. I will not lose my joy. I am going to get involved in Your work on the earth. I am going to pray, and I am going to believe, speak, teach, and defend the gospel of Jesus Christ! And then I am going to find a joy deeper than I have ever known!\"<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"WHY AM I SO DOWN?,\" a sermon given on November 25, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"42":{"sm_title":"From A Mess To An Enduring Message","sm_id":"323","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"48771_jb_20181118.jpg","sm_date":"2019-02","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/11\/18s1\/20181118s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/11\/18s1\/20181118s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"q2ijQVEib3Y","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48871_sermon-newsletter-201902-from-a-mess-to-an-enduring-message.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem<\/em>\" (Nehemiah 1:1–2).<\/p>\n

Nehemiah, now living in Persia, was asking the messengers who had come, \"What is the condition of the testimony of God among his people in Jerusalem?\" And the messengers answered him, \"The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down and its gates are burned with fire<\/em>\" (Nehemiah 1:3).<\/p>\n

The wall in Jerusalem was broken down. In other words, that which marked the separation of the people of God was down. It would be the same as somebody in our generation crying, \"Oh, God, what has happened to Your church? She used to be separate and holy; she used to pray and believe for miracles. But now why is there no line of demarcation? Why is the divorce rate as rampant in the church today as it is in the rest of the world? What happened to the fear of God in the nation?\"<\/p>\n

\"So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven<\/em>\" (Nehemiah 1:4). Here we have a picture of when the call of God begins in somebody's life. It is when people like you and me finally say, \"God, I cannot sit back any longer doing nothing. It is not right that Your name is held in reproach. It is not right that I should be living for myself while our children are being thrown into the river of confusion.\"<\/p>\n

Now keep in mind that Nehemiah had a good job. As cupbearer to the king, he was living in a foreign palace with access to the court. He had it made! But one day this report came and suddenly the Spirit of God began to move on an ordinary man to do something extraordinary for the kingdom of heaven.<\/p>\nACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY<\/span>\n

\"And I said, 'I pray, Lord God of heaven...You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes be open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandment, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant, Moses. Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name<\/em>\" (Nehemiah 1:5–9).<\/p>\n

Nehemiah not only heard God calling him to make a difference, he also accepted responsibility for the situation. He did not blame somebody else, unlike today when everyone is blaming somebody. Nehemiah said, \"My father's house and I have sinned against You because our lives are not making the difference they should. Inasmuch as I am not part of the solution, I am part of the problem.\"<\/p>\n

Similarly, if our nation is perishing, it is time for you and me to accept responsibility for it. It is time we say, \"God, this is because of Your house, which I am a part of. We have not stood the way we ought to.\"After all, in the Book of Acts, one hundred twenty disciples stepped out of the Upper Room, and Rome eventually bent its knee to Christ. Yet we can have twenty churches on every block today and still not affect our community. We must take responsibility for what we have become as the people of God. If the city perishes, it is because we have not been the fullness of the testimony of God that we are called to be.<\/p>\nTWO REQUESTS<\/span>\n

What did Nehemiah do next? He began to pray that God would give him favor in the sight of this foreign king.<\/p>\n

\"Then the king said to me, 'What do you request?' So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, 'If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it.' Then the king said to me (the queen also sitting beside him), 'How long will your journey be? And when will you return?' So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. Furthermore I said to the king, 'If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.' And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me<\/em>\" (Nehemiah 2:4–8).<\/p>\n

Nehemiah prayed for two things: protection on the journey and provision for what God called him to do. When I was a young believer and felt the calling of God, I would constantly pray, \"I recognize that I will be going into a spiritual conflict. Lord, protect me from everything that would come to discourage me. Protect me from every weapon of hell that will be formed against me and my family. And give me the provision I need, for I do not have what it takes to do this.\" It is still my prayer to this day. And I have found that God truly delights in giving us what we need.<\/p>\nWHEN THE MOCKERS COME<\/span>\n

As Nehemiah headed out on his journey, he encountered mockers who said, \"Well, even if he starts to build something, if a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall\" (see Nehemiah 4:3).<\/p>\n

Once again, Nehemiah turned to prayer. \"Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as a plunder to a land of captivity! Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders<\/em>\"(Nehemiah 4:4–5).<\/p>\n

When you set out to serve God and make a difference, do not be surprised when the mockers come. They may come in different forms. Some will directly accuse you of pride; others will be demonic. A voice may come to you to say, \"Who do you think you are to believe that God will use you? What kind of testimony do you think you are going to build?\" And some of the mockery will come from your heart. \"Am I really on a journey? Has God really spoken to me? Is my life actually going to make a difference?\"Yet Nehemiah did not succumb to the mocking voices. He prayed, \"God, turn their reproach on their own heads<\/em>\" (Nehemiah 4:4). In other words, \"Do something through my life that will cause these evil voices to gnash their teeth and mourn before You when they see what You have done through me!\"<\/p>\nA LASTING TESTIMONY<\/span>\n

Fifty-two days later, after battling through waning strength, accusations of false motives, and even threats of physical harm, the wall was complete. It was a miracle! \"It happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God<\/em>\"(Nehemiah 6:16). Even the enemies of God had to admit that His hand was upon Nehemiah and those who helped rebuild the testimony of God in the earth. In other words, God sent an awakening! I pray He will do the same in our generation.<\/p>\n

Later, in chapter nine, a new kind of prayer arises. The whole chapter consists of a chorus of praise for the victory. You, too, will have a \"chapter nine\" in your life if you get up today and say, \"I am going with God. I want my life to count for His name's sake—first for my family, then for the community, for the nation, and maybe even for this world.\"<\/p>\n

And then at the end of his life, we find Nehemiah praying another prayer: \"Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of God, and for its services<\/em>\"(Nehemiah 13:14). In other words, \"Don't let me be forgotten. Don't let the things that You have used me to accomplish disappear when I do. Don't let the wall be broken down again. Let it stand.\" Of course, we know God answered his prayer, for we are still talking about him thousands of years later.<\/p>\n

\"Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy<\/em>\" (Nehemiah 13:22). He was essentially saying, \"Don't let me fail at the end. You have used my life to do great good for your kingdom's sake. Let it be an enduring message of the grace of God.\"<\/p>\n

He then prays one last prayer. \"God, remember me, and let others be provoked to do good\"(see Nehemiah 13:31). It is as if God said, \"Done! Everything you have asked me for, I have given you. You were just an ordinary guy doing an ordinary job in an ordinary place, yet suddenly you heard Me calling you to do something extraordinary. You got up, and I gave you favor with the king. I protected you and I gave you provision. I kept you from fear. I did a work that could only have been done by My hand. I took you to a mess, through a mess, and at the end I gave you an enduring message.\"<\/p>\n

Can you hear this same call of God today? It starts with a stirring in your heart that leads you to pray for something impossible that only God can do. Keep in mind that Nehemiah was a cupbearer, not an architect. Yet he ended up building a wall and leading people.<\/p>\n

Remember, when the call first came to him, Nehemiah got on his donkey and headed to the mess and just surveyed it. Some of you are surrounded by a mess—in your community, your family, maybe your own life. Nehemiah spent a day just riding around on his donkey, looking at the mess. And then God gave him a plan. Likewise, God will give you a plan. He will begin to speak to your heart about what He wants to do. For some of you, it will involve an environment bigger than your own home—perhaps you will reach your community or even your nation.<\/p>\n

You are God's answer for this generation, and there is no limit to what God can do through a willing heart!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"FROM A MESS TO AN ENDURING MESSAGE,\" a sermon given on November 18, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"43":{"sm_title":"Go And Gather The Empty","sm_id":"321","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"48727_jb_20181021.jpg","sm_date":"2019-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/10\/21s1\/20181021s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/10\/21s1\/20181021s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"JNospxav2ps","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48837_sermon-newsletter-201901-go-and-gather-the-empty.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried unto Elisha, saying, 'Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves'<\/em>\"(2 Kings 4:1—2).<\/p>\n

This woman had once been surrounded by the Word of God—where there was power and provision, a hope and a future. Yet, for some reason, the Word of the Lord had been taken from her household. She eventually found herself alone, and one day, an evil man—for only an evil man would do what he was about to do—arrived at the door and said, \"Your children belong to me from this day forward. You do not have the resources or the power to stop me from taking them.\"<\/p>\n

We have a similar situation in our generation. The Bible tells us that \"the wicked prowl on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men<\/em>\" (Psalm 12:8). Who can rationally deny that vileness has raised itself up to be the standard of behavior in our modern-day society—by killing children in the womb; causing gender confusion in our young children in grade school; lying about the existence of God; forbidding our sons and daughters to pray in high school; radicalizing our young people against both God and their country in our colleges? Vileness is being exalted as righteousness, and what is good, holy and true is being cast down as evil and bigoted. And so we ask ourselves today: How do we meet this challenge?<\/p>\n

Let's start by taking a look at what happened to the widow in our opening passage. When the creditor was coming, she did what I suppose any mother would do: she shared her distress with the prophet Elisha—the only person of God left in the nation, to her knowledge.<\/p>\n

\"So Elisha said to her, 'What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house'<\/em>\"(2 Kings 4:2). Now Elisha had the power to do a lot of things, including the power of God to raise the dead. Yet he responded by turning to her and asking what she had in her house.<\/p>\n

\"And she said, 'Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil'<\/em>\" (2 Kings 4:2). The widow answered him by saying, \"All I have is a jar of oil.\" In other words, she was unaware of the power available to her if she would be willing to use what she had. Instead, she was totally focused on her distress, as is the case with many people today. \"Lord, the wicked have come and are demanding our children.\"<\/p>\n

We may become so focused on the distress of this dark hour that we are in danger of forgetting what God has already put into our hands. Just as this widow said, \"I have only a jar of oil,\" we might say, \"Oh, God, I have only my own salvation. I have only a little bit of strength left, yet this powerful force is coming to take away our hope and our future. It is taking the presence and sense of God out of the nation, and I do not know what to do. I feel like a widow. It has been so long, as a nation, since we have heard the piercing word of God. Where has the conscience of America gone? What hope do we have left? How do we stop this creditor from taking our sons and daughters and making them slaves to unrighteousness?\"<\/p>\n

Just as the widow had barely any oil left, we might have only a little bit of power left in our lives as a church age. Nevertheless, we must not forget that we are the Bride of Christ. We have access to the One who has all power and all knowledge and all authority!<\/p>\nThe Plan of God<\/span>\n

Elisha then said to the widow, \"'Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.'So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her, and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, 'Bring me another vessel.'...Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, 'Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest'<\/em>\"(2 Kings 4:3—7).<\/p>\n

The oil just kept coming! She thought she had just a small amount, but she did not realize she was connected to a supply that never runs dry! That is what a spiritual awakening looks like! When we simply believe God, even when we have only little bit of oil, we can start pouring into others around us. In fact, I believe the plan of God for our day is to gather every empty person you know and begin to pour into them. Gather your empty friends; gather your empty neighbors; and even send your children out to gather them in.<\/p>\n

Perhaps you are a single mother with two children who have you worried. Tell them to get all those friends they are hanging out with and bring them to your home. Then tell your children to say to their friends, \"I'm going to lay hands on you, and we are going to pray. We are going to believe that God will fill you with the Holy Spirit!\"<\/p>\n

The promise and the hope for our generation is God saying, \"As you take the little bit that you have and pour it into the empty places, you will discover that I am a river of life flowing from inside of you.\" After all, Jesus Himself promised, \"Come to Me, and out of your belly, out of your inward parts, will flow this river of living water\"(see John 7:37—38).<\/p>\n

When Pastor Teresa and I first got saved, we did not know any better so we started laying hands on people, and many were filled with the Holy Spirit. One time Pastor Teresa had a Tupperware party in our home and a lady brought her husband, who was hostile to the gospel. Neither he nor I wanted to be around the party, so we went upstairs. As we conversed, I simply started talking to him about what God had done for me, and suddenly he said, \"I want that in my life!\"So I laid my hands on him and started to pray. The next thing I knew, he was lying on the floor speaking in tongues! All I did was reach out with the little life that I had, and that man is still walking with the Lord today.<\/p>\n

Thank God for the simplicity of faith. No wonder Jesus told the Church of Ephesus, \"You have your theology down and are testing and proving those who say they are apostles. You have discernment and are doing a lot of good works—even more than at the beginning—but I have something against you: You have lost your first love. You have lost the simplicity of walking with God, the joy of just being a vessel through whom God can pour His life into others. If you do not get back to that, you will lose your 'candlestick'\" (see Revelation 2:1—5). In other words, if you do not use the oil you have, you will lose it. You will lose the light. Yes, you will still have your salvation and end up at the throne of God one day, but what the Lord could have done through your life to impact those around you will not happen.<\/p>\nGod's Vessels<\/span>\n

In the Book of Acts, we read of a hundred and twenty people gathered in an upper room—people who were emptied of self, essentially possessing only the oil of their own salvation. You might say they were empty vessels—empty of all sense of strength, empty of all the promises they had made to God—yet aware that their generation was about to be taken captive by the godlessness of that moment. After all, it does not get any more godless than killing the Son of God. Nevertheless, knowing their own limitations and fears, they began to pray in this upper room.<\/p>\n

I can picture God the Father talking to His Son regarding those who were seeking more of Him. God said to Jesus, \"May I borrow these empty vessels that have gathered in Your Name? May I borrow them and do something astounding through them?\" And the Son answered, \"Father, You are more than welcome to them.\" And right away, oil was pouring down into these hundred and twenty who had no strength in themselves. They left the Upper Room, walked out into the marketplace, and began pouring that oil out—and soon there were about five thousand new believers in Christ (see Acts 4:4).<\/p>\n

Think about it—the hundred and twenty did not have the New Testament; they were the New Testament! God's Spirit was in them, and they were simply being used as vessels to pour into empty people. They learned that it was not in their strength but in their weakness that God's power would be made known.<\/p>\n

And so now you can either sit at home and stare at your little jar of oil and try to survive, hoping nobody will captivate your children, or you can do what God says—go and gather your neighbors. Find them on the street corners. Start pouring into the empty places. Pour unreservedly, for you have more resources than you know. You do not have to wait for some divine moment. You do not have to wait until you feel like you are on top of the world or you have a million dollars in the bank. You can start on the street today; you can pray for somebody, somewhere, right now.<\/p>\n

This is the hope now for our nation. You will be shocked at how hungry people are today. Remember, you do not have to sit there and debate theology with them. You can simply say, \"Let me pray for you, and let God pour His Holy Spirit into your life.\" Begin to gather and pour, believe and pray, and watch what God will do in this generation!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"Go and Gather the empty,\" a sermon given on october 21, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"44":{"sm_title":"Is This Your First or Last Year?","sm_id":"319","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"48689_jb_20180923.jpg","sm_date":"2018-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/09\/23s1\/20180923s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/09\/23s1\/20180923s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"v-b-UGznexk","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48788_sermon-newsletter-201812-is-this-your-first-or-your-last-year.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish'<\/em>\" (Luke 13:1–5).<\/p>\n

In this passage, Jesus was speaking a word of warning to His disciples as well as to those who were gathered around to hear Him. He first spoke of the Galileans, whose blood was mingled with their sacrifices. These people were in a place where they were offering some kind of religious observance, yet a sudden violence came upon them. Jesus then referred to others who were killed when a tower in Siloam fell. In a besieged city of that time, people would go up into the tower and close the doors, hoping that what they had built as a place of personal safety would protect them.<\/p>\n

In other words, sudden judgment had come upon all the people Jesus mentioned, and what they believed to be a place of safety was proven to be insufficient. However, Jesus went on to say that these people were not more evil than the rest of their society. He warned His listeners to repent, essentially saying, \"If your place of worship is not true-if it is merely a place of comfort that you have built for yourself in your own heart-it will not protect you in the coming days.\"<\/p>\n

On the same theme, Jesus continued with this parable: \"A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down'<\/em>\" (Luke 13:6–9). In other words, the owner of the vineyard said, \"For three years, I have come searching for fruit-that which can only be borne through a genuine conversion by the Spirit of God-yet I have found none. Instead, you have crafted a tower of protection in your own mind. You are still doing what you used to do and covering it up with religion!\"<\/p>\nLearning to Hate Sin<\/span>\n

We, too, would be wise to heed the lesson of this parable. Our lives must bear fruit that can come only from the indwelling presence of God. It cannot come through human sacrifice or feigned religious observance, nor does it come by crafting a place of safety in own minds. Rather, it requires a deliberate turning away from what the Word of God says is wrong to what He says is right- and trusting God for the strength to perform it. That means we must begin to see sin in our lives the way God sees it; we must hate what God hates.<\/p>\n

According to the Word of God, \"These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren<\/em>\"(Proverbs 6:16–19). We must learn to hate the sowing of dissension and discord among brothers and sisters in Christ. And we must learn to hate the racism of our day. Remember, the Bible says elsewhere, \"Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him<\/em>\" (1 John 3:15). You can try to justify it any way you want, but if you become part of this present divided society that is full of hatred and finger—pointing, the Bible clearly says you have no eternal life living within you.<\/p>\n

Now once we learn to hate sin, we must also come to the point where we are convinced that we cannot save or change ourselves. You and I cannot do good for any length of time because we are so bent on corruption inside these earthen vessels. We must recognize, as Paul did, that \"in me dwells no good thing\" (see Romans 7:18). He also understood, \"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer who I live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me<\/em>\" (Galatians 2:20). Though we deserved to die, Jesus took our place and bore our sins on that cross!<\/p>\nSons and Daughters of God<\/span>\n

Paul said it this way in the book of Romans: \"But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtor-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God<\/em>\" (Romans 8:9–14)<\/p>\n

In the context of how it was spoken, becoming a son or daughter of God means that by the Spirit, we are led to put to death the deeds of the body. That is how you know you are truly a child of God. The Holy Spirit is moving you from the old way of living into the way that God has ordained for your life.<\/p>\n

Paul continued, \"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God<\/em>\" (Romans 8:15–16). In other words, there is an inner knowledge that we belong to God; an inner desire to move away from what hinders toward what will glorify Christ. Sure, we make mistakes, but there is a covering for those moments of frailty. Ultimately, there is that cry that comes back into the heart-\"Father, Father.\" We want to keep moving closer and closer toward God. We are not interested in building a false altar or tower of our own protection. We desire the life, fruit, and protection of God.<\/p>\nIf It Bears Fruit<\/span>\n

Returning to the parable Jesus told, notice that the keeper of the vineyard said, \"Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it<\/em>\" (Luke 13:8). In other words, \"Please, have mercy. I will do my best to dig around that tree and get down to the roots from where it draws its life source. I will not only expose its roots, but I will put something there to encourage it to grow and bear fruit.\"<\/p>\n

Like the keeper of the vineyard, I often find myself pleading for mercy for many in the Body of Christ in our generation. I am concerned about those who come to the house of God and merely want to hear all the promises of God, bypassing \"holy\" to get to \"happy.\" Their lives are not bearing fruit. They have settled for a sacrifice that will not protect-a tower that will not keep them in the days ahead.<\/p>\n

Of course, my intention is not simply to expose sin and cause people to admit, \"God, You got me. I'm a total fraud. I am charting my own course and creating my own system of truth. I have been building a tower that I believed would protect me, yet suddenly it has all come crashing down.\" If all I did was expose why it is such a fruitless tree, there would remain only a sense of hopelessness. You see, not only do the roots need to be exposed, they need to be \"fertilized\"with the ability that God gives to grow. Therefore, my desire is to offer the full counsel of God. I want to put everything around the roots necessary for each life to grow and begin to produce fruit that can come only with the help of God.<\/p>\nOne Year From Today<\/span>\n

Remember that the owner of the vineyard said, \"And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down'<\/em>\" (Luke 13:9).<\/p>\n

Here is my question to you today: One year from now, are you willing to have somebody else sitting in your seat in church? Understand, there comes a point when it is no longer your choice-a point when God says, \"I am sorry. This person cannot be reached anymore,\" and you come out from under conviction. The joy of the Lord escapes you, and thoughts come into your mind to simply dive wholeheartedly into your own pursuit, whatever that may be. Eventually you vacate your seat in church, and somebody else fills it.<\/p>\n

What a sobering thought! Is this your first or last year? This could either be your last year of sitting in the house of God-where over the next twelve months you get spiritually dull and bored-or it could be the first year of coming under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and entering into the fullness of what God has for your life. You might be so transformed a year from now that you will be telling everybody in your neighborhood what God has done. Your family, coworkers, and everyone else around you will see the change in your life.<\/p>\n

Of course, there must be a determination in your heart that says, \"Nobody is taking my place. I am not going to build a false tower and yield what God intended to do through my life.\" I encourage you to let this be your first year. Let this be the beginning of a new journey- of letting God go after everything in your life that is hindering His presence. Then allow Him to put in all the promises and provision necessary to cause your life to bear fruit for His glory!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"IS THIS YOUR FIRST OR YOUR LAST YEAR?,\" a sermon given on September 23, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"45":{"sm_title":"The Wisest Man Who Ever Lived","sm_id":"317","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"48671_jb_20180909.jpg","sm_date":"2018-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/09\/09s1\/20180909s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/09\/09s1\/20180909s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"X498xnIJD-U","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48743_sermon-newsletter-201811-the-wisest-man-who-ever-lived.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"My son, pay attention to my wisdom; lend your ear to my understanding, that you may preserve discretion, and your lips may keep knowledge<\/em>\" (Proverbs 5:1). These words were written by Solomon, King David's son. Solomon—uniquely gifted, touched, and empowered by God—was unlike any other man on the face of the earth.<\/p>\n

The book of 1 Kings tells us that the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, \"'Ask! What shall I give you?' And Solomon said... 'Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?'<\/em><\/p>\n

\"The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Then God said to him: 'Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days<\/em>\" (1 Kings 3:5–13).<\/p>\n

What an incredible answer to Solomon's request! There was never a wiser man before or after him. And when God said \"lengthen your days,\" He not only intended for Solomon to live long on the earth, but even after he was gone, his descendants would be like a savor that followed because of the presence of God that emanated through his life.<\/p>\n

Now rabbinic tradition holds that Solomon wrote Proverbs 5 when he was middle-aged. At this point, his wealth was the envy of the kings of his day, as he experienced unparalleled success. By this point, he had become familiar with the presence of God and seen prayer answered. There was never a lack of resources, as they came pouring in from all over. The Scriptures tell us, \"All King Solomon's drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. For the king had merchant ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom<\/em>\"(1 Kings 10:21–23).<\/p>\n

God had touched this man's life and everything he put his hand to, and now he was writing the inspired text of the Word of God. Actually, I personally do not believe that Solomon was writing to his son, Rehoboam, in Proverbs 5. Rather, I believe God was speaking to Solomon and he was writing it down, for it starts, \"My son, pay attention to my wisdom.\" In other words, \"I am speaking to you because I want to teach you some things. Do not just write these words down and assume it is something I am giving you for other people. Pay attention to it so that at the end of your days, you will not be lamenting the loss of what could have been.\"<\/p>\n

Remember, God knew Solomon's future, just as God knows our future. When you and I open the Word of God, He will speak to us about certain things in our lives. If we are pursuing something that is going to cost us, something that will weaken our family or destroy the testimony of God, He will be faithful to bring it back to our attention time and again.<\/p>\n

\"For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps lay hold of hell. Lest you ponder her path of life—her ways are unstable; you do not know them<\/em>\" (Proverbs 5:3–6). I believe that God was trying to warn Solomon, \"You are falling into a trap, and you think you are smart enough to get out of it. But you do not understand what you are dealing with. You are falling into a seduction, and you assume there will be no consequence to it.\"<\/p>\nSOLOMON'S END<\/span>\n

Sadly, despite the warnings, Solomon died a disillusioned old fool. The book of 1 Kings describes his downfall: \"But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites—from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, 'You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods. Solomon clung to these in love<\/em>\"(1 Kings 11:1–2). As a king, Solomon knew what was forbidden in the Scriptures, yet he somehow believed that the rules and warnings did not apply to him. And so he had 700 wives and 300 concubines.<\/p>\n

\"For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods<\/em>\" (1 Kings 11:4–8).<\/p>\n

If only he had heeded the words of warning he had penned in Proverbs 5: \"Therefore hear me now, my children, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. Remove your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one; lest aliens be filled with your wealth<\/em>\" (Proverbs 5:7–10). That is exactly what happened—armies that subsequently came into Israel after Solomon's reign plundered the temple and took away the shields, the gold, and eventually everything—even the vessels.<\/p>\n

\"And you mourn at last, when your flesh and your body are consumed, and say: 'How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised correction! I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me! I was on the verge of total ruin, in the midst of the assembly and congregation'<\/em>\" (Proverbs 5:11–14). We see in the book of Ecclesiastes that this is exactly where Solomon finished—on the verge of total ruin. At the end of his life, all he could do was conclude, \"Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun<\/em>\"(Ecclesiastes 2:11).<\/p>\n

Having built the house of God, he finished his days building heathen temples that were an abomination to the Lord. Instead of leaving the glory of God and a strong and mighty people in Israel, he left behind a very weak son and a soon-to-be divided nation.<\/p>\n

And so was the end of the wisest man who ever lived—one who had been given the promise of life and wealth and wisdom, one who knew the divine operation of God. If that does not put the fear of God in your heart, nothing will!<\/p>\nA BETTER REQUEST<\/span>\n

As Solomon's life exemplified, spiritual success today does not guarantee success tomorrow. God must be able to speak to us even when we are living in a time of victory. If only Solomon had not assumed that wisdom was enough to keep him. A lot of people today spend their time studying the Word of God and even acquire multiple degrees. This is commendable, but if you are going to do that, you would be wise to pray for a heart to obey what you are studying! I have known people with far greater knowledge of the Scriptures than I possess finish their lives in an absolute train wreck. Just like Solomon, something in their heart caused them to assume they could embrace certain things and not suffer because of it.<\/p>\n

If only Solomon had stretched his request just a little bit and said, \"God, don't just give me wisdom, but give me a heart to obey what You teach me. Give me intelligence in the study of the Scriptures, but give me the heart of my father, David, as well. He was not perfect, but he could be reasoned with and he turned from evil back to good. Oh, God, give me a heart to follow You!\"<\/p>\nASK WHATEVER YOU WILL<\/span>\n

In the book of John, Jesus spoke words which I am now taking to heart in a new way. \"Most assuredly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you<\/em>\"(John 16:23). I consider that word from Jesus to us today to be exactly the same as when God appeared to Solomon and said, \"Ask Me for what you want and I will give it to you.\"<\/p>\n

Jesus continued, \"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full<\/em>\" (John 16:24). To me, \"full joy\" means that I make it to a victorious end. Oh, how beautiful to finish life and be able to say, \"God, I trusted You; thank You for not letting me go. Thank You for helping me to turn in the direction You were calling even when it was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Thank You for leading me to forgive when everything in me wanted to hate. Thank You for giving me the courage to walk humbly when others spoke a word of correction into my life. Thank You for giving me a heart to follow You!\"<\/p>\n

A prayer that I now pray every day is: \"Oh, Jesus, let me finish well. Help me to learn from the example of those who have gone before me. Let me not simply assume that everything is right in my life. Keep me diligent, keep me in love with Your Word!\" I encourage you to accept the Lord's invitation to ask this of Him, as well, that we all may finish our lives in the fullness of the joy that He promises!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"THE WISEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED,\" a sermon given on september 9, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"46":{"sm_title":"The Promise Of Power","sm_id":"315","sm_desc":"God is determined to have a people empowered by a spirit of prayer and praise to bring Him glory in these last days. The Holy Spirit will show us the victory we have in Christ and enable us to live a victorious life. Let God's plan take root in your life and let His Word create a path for you journey and His purposes. We need power for the sake of others who are trying to find God. We need God's Spirit every day and all day. As you go through your day stop a moment and ask God to fill you with His power. ","sm_jpg":"48583_jb_20180708.jpg","sm_date":"2018-10","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/07\/08s1\/20180708s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/07\/08s1\/20180708s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"r0mmWLorO44","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48703_sermon-newsletter-201810-the-promise-of-power.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"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. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.<\/em><\/p>\n

Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, 'Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born'<\/em>\" (Acts 2:1–8)<\/p>\n

\"We hear them speaking in our tongues the wonderful works of God.\" So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, \"Whatever could this mean?\" Others mocking said, \"They are full of new wine.\"<\/em><\/p>\n

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, \"Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel, 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out my Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved'<\/em>\" (Acts 2:11–21).<\/p>\n

The \"last days\" that the prophet Joel spoke of is a period of time that began on the Day of Pentecost—with the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit—and will culminate with cosmic signs at the return of Jesus Christ. Between those two points will be a season of redeemed, Spiritempowered people—including you and me! We were left here on Earth to be a testimony of God's love, mercy, power, and redemption. Remember, Satan hates humankind who was created in the image of God, and he will do everything he can to confound, confuse, darken, and destroy us. We as the Church are called to push back this darkness and show people that there is a way to forgiveness and everlasting life through Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

Now this God-initiated, Spiritempowered force on Earth will be comprised of all people, for the Lord said, \"It shall come to pass in the last days...I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh<\/em>\" (Acts 2:17). So what will that look like? Let's take a brief look at the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the early disciples to get an idea.<\/p>\nEMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRT<\/span>\n

Shortly after the crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples were gathered in an upper room, and they were afraid. \"The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.' When He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'<\/em>\" (John 20:19–22).<\/p>\n

Shortly after the crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples were gathered in an upper room, and they were afraid. \"The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.' When He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'\" (John 20:19–22).<\/p>\n

Not too many days down the road, the disciples were again assembled at an upper room. However, this time God was not just going to do something inside of them to prove that He was their Father. He was going to give them power that had been prophesied in the Old Testament, which Peter referenced on the Day of Pentecost. This power would come upon men and women from all walks of life—young, old, rich, poor, rulers, servants. They would all be given an identical measure of God's Holy Spirit that would raise them out of weakness and into the supernatural strength of God.<\/p>\n

This is what happened in our opening Scripture. Suddenly, the disciples who were once weak failures burst out of the Upper Room into the marketplace, filled with the Spirit of Almighty God and given divine abilities. I love the scene! Thousands of people had just come from the temple where they were going through all the rituals, trying to make peace with God. It is like the person in church today who goes to every service, listens to all kinds of messages, attends prayer meetings, and yet still goes home with a deep sense of powerlessness.<\/p>\n

Suddenly this crowd coming back from the temple encounters 120 people who have come out of a place of prayer, declaring who God is and what He has done. They are divinely enabled to speak to people of other nations and cultures, telling them in their own language about the marvelous works of God. And the crowd is stopped in their tracks, asking, \"What must we do? What could this mean?\" (see Acts 2:4–37).<\/p>\n

This ought to be the testimony of your life and mine. When you go into your workplace, you should be so God-gripped that everybody in that office looks at you and wonders, \"How did this happen? How did he change so radically? Where did this song come from? Where did he get this ability to speak positively when such negativity is in the air? What does this mean?\"<\/p>\nTHE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT<\/span>\n

Earlier in the book of John, we find more details about the work of the Holy Spirit: \"When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth<\/em>\" (John 16:13). Now if you belong to Christ, you already have the Holy Spirit inside of you, and He promises to guide you into all truth. In other words, as you begin to read the Bible, He guides you beyond mere head knowledge and into experiencing it as a reality in your life.<\/p>\n

It is critical that we allow the Holy Spirit to do this, for we do not want to end up like those whom the apostle Paul warned us about when he said, \"In the last days, there will be a people who are always learning but never coming into the practical experience and power of what they are learning\" (see 2 Timothy 3:7). You see, we can study the Bible, we can learn the Greek and Hebrew meanings of all kinds of words, we can talk about church history, we can study past revivals—but if we never enter into this divine enablement where the Spirit of God takes us out of weakness and into strength, out of the natural and into the supernatural life of Christ, aren't we just a people to be pitied?<\/p>\n

John continued: \"He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come<\/em>\" (John 16:13). It is just like on the Day of Pentecost when the disciples were speaking the \"megalios\" of God. In the Greek, this means \"the anticipated outworking of the inward presence and power of God.\" They were talking about things to come! They were declaring who God is and what He was about to do.<\/p>\n

Do you realize that the ideas we have for our lives are so far short of what God has in mind for us? I encourage you to let God's plan take root in your life. As you read the Word, allow the Holy Spirit to lead you into it and tell you of things to come. Let Him unfold a path before you—one you could not even hope to walk in your own strength!<\/p>\nASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT<\/span>\n

The Upper Room was not the last infilling of this incredible power of God. In the book of Acts we read about Peter and John going up into the temple, and healing was flowing through their lives (see Acts 3:1–10). In response, the order of the day brought them in and threatened them with imprisonment. However, Peter and John gathered with brothers and sisters in Christ and prayed, \"Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus<\/em>\" (Acts 4:29–30). They were asking for more of what got them into trouble in the first place! \"And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness<\/em>\" (Acts 4:31).<\/p>\n

If the disciples needed the Holy Spirit then, how much more do we need Him today? This is a very, very dark day. We are not going to win this moment with an argument; we will win it with an experience with God. We will win it by going into the prayer closet and asking God once again for His power. We will win it with the presence of God being evident in each of our lives.<\/p>\n

Remember, the Bible warns us that in the last days, men's hearts will begin to fail them for fear (see Luke 21:26). And the writer of Hebrews says, \"Everything that can be shaken is about to be shaken. Only that which cannot be shaken might remain\" (see Hebrews 12:26-27). The only things that cannot be shaken are God Himself and His people who empowered by His Spirit.<\/p>\n

And so I challenge you to ask God daily for His Holy Spirit. This hour calls for more than just casual Christianity—it calls for an anointing of God's Spirit. We must have the Word in our hearts, songs on our lips, and power in our hands that only God can give. So be determined; be radical. Cry out to God in the morning. Cry out to Him in the evening. Pray when you are at work or at school. Start to pray for people around you. God will surely fulfill His promise to pour out His Spirit on all flesh, and He will have a people who will be a testimony of His power!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"THE PROMISE OF POWER,\" a sermon given on July 8, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"47":{"sm_title":"Leaving My Regrets and My Successes","sm_id":"313","sm_desc":"We are called to be a visible expression of who God is to our generation by letting God show His wisdom, power and grace through us. If we are going to honor Christ we must be fully yielded to His will to let Him guide us so that the \"desires of Christ\" in us might be fulfilled. As we simply behold the victory of Christ we will be enabled to let go of our regrets as well as our successes and we will be empowered to lay hold of God's divine plan for our life. ","sm_jpg":"48507_jb_20180513.jpg","sm_date":"2018-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/05\/13s1\/20180513s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/05\/13s1\/20180513s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"APeEltQgwpA","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48661_sermon-newsletter-201809-leaving-my-regrets-and-my-successes.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead<\/em>” (Philippians 3:7–11).<\/p>\n

It is evident from the writings of the Apostle Paul that he had a preeminent desire in his life: to know Jesus and be found in Him. In other words, he wanted to be fully yielded to the living Christ whom he was now aware had taken up residence inside his earthly body. He wrote in the book of Acts, “In Him we live and move and have our being<\/em>” (Acts 17:28). Paul was aware of something that we need to rediscover today: We are not called of God to simply bring the knowledge of God to our generation, we are called to be a visible expression of who God is by allowing Him to demonstrate His power, wisdom, grace and love through us.<\/p>\nLEAVING OUR REGRETS BEHIND<\/span>\n

Paul then goes on to make a statement which should encourage us whenever we feel mediocre compared to those we read about in the Bible: “Not that I have already attained or am already perfected<\/em>” (Philippians 3:12). He was essentially saying, \"I am not everything that I should be.\" Paul was not, and neither are we! He continued, “But I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus<\/em>” (Philippians 3:12–14). In other words, \"God has a plan for my life, and I am moving forward to fulfill that which Christ has determined to do through me. Therefore, I must forget those things that are behind and reach forward to those that are ahead.\"<\/p>\n

One of the hardest things for us to leave behind is our regret. We tend to carry it with us through life—those constant thoughts of, \"If only I had done this; if only I had not done that; if only I had been this; if only I had known; if only I had been there; if only I had not been so selfish.\"<\/p>\n

However, if anyone had a lot of reasons to live in regret, it was Paul. He says in the book of First Corinthians, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God<\/em>” (1 Corinthians 15:9). In the book of Acts, he said this, “This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities<\/em>” (Acts 26:10–11).<\/p>\n

Imagine Paul visiting different churches, looking upon the faces of men, women, and children who would be just like the ones he had formerly hauled out of their homes. Would he be reminded of the mothers and fathers pleading for mercy, the children crying? At that time, Paul was merciless, torturing Christians until they reached the point of blaspheming the name of God. When the beloved disciple Stephen—a young man who was full of faith and was serving tables—enraged the religious crowd, Paul was the man who held the coats of those who stoned him. Surely Paul easily could have been plagued by the memories of what he had done. Yet he made the deliberate choice to forget those things that were behind.<\/p>\n

There was a time in my life when I would go to my knees and weep almost every day. I would weep for the things I had done, the things I had not done, the deficiencies in my life. I would think about what I wished I had known as a young Christian, the places I should have gone but did not. I wrote it all down, and I would go in to my office and cry every day until one day, the Lord spoke to me and said, \"Carter, if you succeed in what I have called you to do, you are not to touch the glory. You are to give it all to Me. But that is not the only thing you are to give to Me. I want you to give Me your sorrow, your failures, your struggles. You are not to touch the glory, and neither are you to carry the shame. Both of those things belong to Me. I took it all on the cross, and you are not to carry the sorrow of it in your heart any longer.\" It was true. Once I allowed Him to do so, God took the sorrow away. Yes, I still have the memory of what I have done, but I do not carry the sorrow of it anymore.<\/p>\n

The Lord once spoke to the Apostle Peter words that you and I must remember today: “What God has cleansed you must not call common<\/em>” (Acts 10:15). If God has cleansed you, you have no right any longer to hang your head. You are a new creation in Christ Jesus. Your sins, your mistakes, and your failures are all cast as far away from you as the east is from the west (see Psalm 103:12). As a matter of fact, God says, \"Your sins and iniquities I will remember no more\" (see Hebrews 10:17). That means that one day when you get to the throne of God and want to give Him a list of all your failures in life, the Lord will look at you and say, \"Well, I will have to take your word for it because I do not seem to remember any of it! When My blood touched your life, it blotted out all your transgressions.\"<\/p>\n

And so it is time to lay down that sorrow. If you are going to find the fullness of what God has destined for your life, you have to walk away from your regrets. Many women who have had abortions carry a deep inner sorrow when they become believers in Christ. They wonder what that life would have been like; what it would have been like to have that child with them at church. Men also need to learn to walk away from what happened because of what they did or did not do. Remember, Jesus died to take all of it from us. He died to give us a new mind and a new heart; He died to take away our sorrow.<\/p>\n

Now I am not saying that we should just pretend none of it ever happened or that we should never talk about it. What I am saying is that it loses its power to destroy us. It loses its power to imprison us behind walls of regret. Instead, it gives us an understanding of what really happened on the cross.<\/p>\n

Jesus took our captivity captive and brought us into a place where we can testify about the goodness of God, leading others out of their personal struggles and into the light of Christ.<\/p>\nLEAVING OUR SUCCESSES<\/span>\n

The second thing that we must learn to leave behind is our success. Paul said, “Concerning the righteousness which was in the law, blameless<\/em>” (Philippians 3:6). There were very few, if any, people in his generation who could make that claim. He was a man driven by success; he sat at the feet of some of the best scholars of his time. He was a leader among the Pharisees; he had accolades, he had diplomas, he had degrees, he had position, he had power. Nevertheless, he concluded, \"I count all of it as rubbish. Thank God for the past, but the past is not going to become my identity. My identity is in Christ. I do not want to know anything but Him; I do not want any power but His\" (see Philippians 3:7–9).<\/p>\n

Many believers today find their whole identity in their success outside of Christ—in their diplomas, their occupation, what they used to be. When they meet with people, all they talk about is themselves and what they have accomplished. It is because their identity is not yet fully in Christ. Sometimes it takes as much grace to walk away from success as it does from sorrow.<\/p>\n

Of course, this does not mean we must now go and burn all our diplomas, it just means that they are not our identity anymore. Thank God for them, but our identity is Christ and Him alone. The strength, grace, direction, compassion, and power we have is all Christ in us, the hope of glory.<\/p>\nPRESS ON<\/span>\n

Once we learn to leave behind our regrets and successes, we can “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus<\/em>” (Philippians 3:14). The call of God is higher than anything offered in this world. Paul described it this way: \"That I may know Him, that I may know the power of His resurrection, that I may know the fellowship of His sufferings, that I may be made conformable even to death if necessary. That I might win Him and be won of Him for the purpose for which He laid hold of me!\" (see Philippians 3:10–11).<\/p>\n

In other words, \"I want to be able to yield up my will, my comforts, and even my life so that I can know the power of God. I want to experience the full measure of His resurrection life in my own life. If it leads me to suffering, let it lead me there, so long as I am conformed to the One who went to a cross for me. I do not want to be cut short on this journey, for I recognize that Jesus died for me and left me here to live for others. The very life of Christ lived inside of me—accompanied by His power, vision, and giftings—is to flow through my life for the sake of others!\"<\/p>\n

I hope that this walk Paul described is your desire today. Yes, it might be a difficult path, often accompanied with a measure of sorrow, but there is truly no better way to live. By the grace and power of God within us, let us leave behind our regrets and successes and reach forward to this incredible calling that is ours in Christ. Let us allow the Lord to lead us the full distance for the sake of others who still need to know Him!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"Leaving My Regrets and My Successes,\" a sermon given on July 30, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by\nvisiting our website at tsc.nyc<\/strong>. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright\nlaws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"48":{"sm_title":"Royal Horses","sm_id":"311","sm_desc":"There is something about a moment in history when the King begins to speak again. As the bride of Christ, we are being trained to exercise spiritual authority for a strategic moment in history. We are to move from trembling in the outer courts and boldly come to the throne of our King. Do we believe we can stand for our families and reach the people in our communities? As Believers' we are called to be warriors, yielded for the sake of others so we send out a message that says when God decides to move no one can stand against His power and plan.","sm_jpg":"48485_jb_20180429.jpg","sm_date":"2018-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/04\/29s1\/20180429s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/04\/29s1\/20180429s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"6TYxCj7wc8E","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48624_sermon-newsletter-201808-royal-horses.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"On that day, King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews...Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king, and said, 'If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king's provinces. For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?' Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, 'Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews. You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's signet ring; for whatever is written in the king's name and sealed with the king's signet ring no one can revoke'<\/em>\" (Esther 8:1, 3–8).<\/p>\n

To briefly summarize, Esther was a young girl appointed to be the bride of the king for a specific time in history. However, at the time she was called to intercede for her countrymen, she felt unloved and unwanted. It had been about thirty days since the king had even wanted to see her. Similarly, we as the Church find ourselves being called of God to pray for a perishing nation, yet we may feel inadequate and unworthy. The first thing Esther had to rediscover, as we do in our generation, is that no matter how she felt, she was still the bride of the king with access to his throne.<\/p>\n

Once Esther overcame her initial sense of unworthiness and realized that God had put her where she was at that time for a divine purpose, she found the scepter of favor stretched out toward her. The king's wrath rose against the enemy of the Jewish people, Haman—a man who plotted to create laws to take away their future. Yet, because Esther went to the throne of the king, Haman ended up hanged on his own gallows.<\/p>\nSEND OUT THE HORSES!<\/span>\n

What happens next is incredible. \"So the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, the princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to every province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language. And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the king's signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses bred from swift steeds. By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives—to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions<\/em>\" (Esther 8:9–11). Basically, the letters gave the Jewish people the power to defend themselves and their families against anybody who would try to assault or kill them.<\/p>\n

This was a moment in history when great victory was going to be won. God had already made a way for the people to receive the decree that they did not have to lie down in powerlessness and let their enemies plunder them, their homes, their families, and their futures any longer. A word had come from the king—delivered by people who had a close association with the king, who understood his heart and his power.<\/p>\n

Can you picture the riders? There were a hundred and twenty-seven distinctive borders of various provinces, from India to Ethiopia. I do not know how many horses were sent out—five hundred, a thousand? Yet I can just see the scribes with this newfound authority from the king, jumping on the backs of these royal horses which were specifically bred for this moment. With a kick of their heels, they are off and running to the four corners of the known world at that time, stopping from town to town, pulling out the scroll, and saying, \"Thus, it is written in the name of King Ahasuerus that you can stand up and fight back with the king's power. The king's authority is now behind you. You can fight for your homes, your families, your children, and your communities. You can fight for your future. The king is with you!\"<\/p>\n

I believe these royal horses are a picture of how we as the Church are to bring others into the power and victory that we have come to know. You see, there is a power that fills your heart when you begin to pray. You begin to see something in the Word of God that prayerless people cannot see. You start to understand something about the heart of the King. You leave the realm of the natural and move into the supernatural, operating in a new wisdom that God promises to those who seek Him.<\/p>\nTHE SEAL OF THE KING<\/span>\n

As we saw in our opening scripture, when King Ahasuerus declared that he had given Esther the house of Haman, he gave these incredible instructions to Esther and Mordecai: \"You yourselves write a law. You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in my name, and seal it with my signet ring. No one can revoke whatever is written in the king's name and sealed with this king's signet ring\" (see Esther 8:8). He was essentially saying to them, \"Write and send out a message just as you have come to believe it. You are finally starting to know my heart; you recognize that I have all authority in this kingdom. You understand that whatever is sealed in my name, no one can stand against!\"<\/p>\n

This means that Esther and Mordecai had to believe that because of their own victories, the king's seal was sufficient to empower defenseless people to stand up and overthrow their enemies. Similarly, there is a point when you and I win our personal victories—those secret battles that nobody else but God knows about —and then we learn to bring others into the same power and victory we have come to know. We cannot just take our victory and go home; we are called to be warriors—soldiers in the army of God who are yielded for the sake of others. I often pray, \"God, what You have done for me, I am asking You now to do for others. Give them the victory, too!\"<\/p>\n

You know the rest of the story—the Jewish people did stand up in the strength of a word from the king, and nobody could stand against them. \"The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king's command...The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor. And in every province and city, wherever the king's command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them<\/em>\" (Esther 8:14, 16–17). The people were so afraid of this supposed minority, so afraid of the decree that came, that many of them became Jews! It was like a revival! Many who had previously stood against Christ and His Church suddenly recognized there was a King whose word was behind these people. Not only that, the scripture says that many of the governors, rulers and mayors of towns got on board as well. You see, there is something about a moment in history when the King speaks again and royal horses begin to ride!<\/p>\nWHAT IS YOUR PETITION?<\/span>\n

It is interesting that this whole victory began with a trembling bride appealing to the king, but it ends with her husband, the king, now appealing to the bride! There is no longer a scepter; Esther is now in his court, ruling and reigning with him. She is no longer making a request of him, yet the king says to Esther, \"The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? Now what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. Or what is your further request? It shall be done<\/em>\" (Esther 9:12).<\/p>\n

Remember, this whole book is about Christ and His Church. Yes, it is a historical account, but everything points to Christ—to Him and His Bride. History tells us that Esther became a co-regent with her husband. She was writing laws and making decrees; she had an authority that was unheard of up until that time in history. And what does the Bible say about the Bride of Christ? What is God looking for? What will we be doing for all eternity? Ruling and reigning with Him! It is time for us to have a taste of what that is going to be like. God is saying to His Church, \"What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? It shall be done.\" And so the question is: What are you willing to believe God for? Didn't Jesus say that whatever you ask and believe for, you shall receive (see Mark 11:24)?<\/p>\n

This means it is imperative for us to win our personal victories now. We must come to understand the heart of God, as well as lead others into the victories we have experienced. It is time for us as the people of God to lift our voices once again. This is not a time to draw back in cowardice but rather to put our hand to that pen when the King says, \"Write it as you see it, and I will back it.\"<\/p>\n

It is time for us to be specific, saying, \"I want my son to come home, and I want that son to be an evangelist. I want my daughter to have an influence in our generation.\" The King is saying to you today, \"If it is in My Word, I will put My seal on it, and nobody can stand against it. No power of hell, no principality, no trial, no difficulty can stand against what I will do!\" Hallelujah!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"ROYAL HORSES,\" a sermon given on April 29, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at\ntsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This\nsermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"49":{"sm_title":"Inviting The Devil To Dinner","sm_id":"309","sm_desc":"You may be in a season where the enemy has come to try to confuse you about your identity in Christ, leaving you to feel undesirable and unloved. It's not about how you feel about yourself. It's about how the King feels about you, and He is waiting to hear your voice. It's the mercy of God that has tied the move of His hand with hearing your voice. Esther is a type of a praying people who have turned away from their frailty and failure and made the choice to seek God with fasting and prayer. When we begin to fast and pray we tap into the supernatural. It's time to invite the devil to dinner and watch what God will do. ","sm_jpg":"48476_jb_20180422.jpg","sm_date":"2018-07","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/04\/22s1\/20180422s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/04\/22s1\/20180422s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"ai_nkf_Vut4","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48581_sermon-newsletter-201807-inviting-the-devil-to-dinner.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Jesus once said, \"The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly<\/em>\" (John 10:10). There is a conflict going on, a war in the heavenlies, and people who live in godlessness unwittingly become pawns of it. Their hearts are opened to darkness, and they begin to move their hand against what they know is dearest to the heart of God. For example, in the book of Esther, we read of a man called Haman who worked his way up in government to virtually second in authority. He wanted everybody to bow before him—to bow to his view of what society should look like. However, a certain people group refused to bend to ungodliness. This group was represented by one man at the gate named Mordecai —a devout follower of God. Haman became inflamed against Mordecai and all the Jews he represented, and he persuaded the king to pass laws with the ultimate goal of eradicating the society of these people.<\/p>\n

In other words, he did what leaders, right back to the devil himself, have always tried to do —pass laws to threaten, harm, and marginalize the people of God in their day; to say, \"We as a society with our new order are better off without these people.\"<\/p>\n

So what is God's response to this?<\/p>\nTHE WORST POSSIBLE TIME<\/span>\n

The Apostle Paul said in the book of Corinthians that God takes the weak, and the foolish, and the things that are not to bring to nothing the things that stand in their own wisdom and strength (see 1 Corinthians 1:26–28). In this case, God had providentially placed a young Jewish girl named Esther in the king's palace. When God called her to go in and make intercession for her people, it happened to be at the worst possible time in her life. The passion of that first romance with the king had somewhat faded, and she had not even been called into his presence for thirty days. Perhaps she felt unlovely or feared that she had somehow failed to be faithful to the king, and now he was displeased with her.<\/p>\n

Don't you love God's timing? As we look at the church in America today, who among us can say that we are all we should be? Our churches are virtually prayerless. Our gospel is light and somewhat treacherous, or if not, it is heavy-fisted, condemning the righteous. Just like Esther, we might conclude, \"Oh, God, this is the worst possible time to experience this onslaught of evil that we are facing today! We are not strong. We feel like we have not been in the presence of the King. We are completely aware of our failings and our inability to do what You are calling us to do.\"<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, God has tied the moving of His hand in with our voices. You see, the incredible mercy and kindness of God is displayed in that He waits to hear us in our frailty. That means there is one thing that we must rediscover—the thing that Esther had to know despite how she felt about herself: that she was still the bride of the king! No matter how you feel about yourself, even if you have been away from God for years, it does not matter. He has engraved you on the palm of His hands.<\/p>\nRETURN TO PRAYER<\/span>\n

Esther is a type of a praying people—the ones to whom God looks in order to display His power once again. In her own frailty, Esther turned to a complete dependence upon God, calling together her friends to pray and fast for three days. She knew that this would not be accomplished through petition or activism. What needed to be done in the nation was only going to happen by the hand of God, and so she essentially concluded, \"Not only will we fast, but I am going to throw myself in with my prayer. I am going to go into the king, and whatever it costs me, that is what it costs me\"(see Esther 4:16). Similarly, it is not a casual prayer that the Lord is looking for in our generation but rather people who are willing to say, \"God, I accept whatever You have for my future. Whatever You ask me to do, I will do, and if I perish, I perish.\"<\/p>\n

The Scriptures tell us that on the third day of the fast, \"Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, across from the king's house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter<\/em>\" (Esther 5:1–2). Remember, it is not about how you feel about yourself but rather how the king feels about you that matters! You can walk into that court of prayer and feel like a failure, only to discover that the King has been waiting for you! He has been longing to hear your voice. He is not ashamed of you; He bought you with His own blood.<\/p>\n

When Esther touched the top of the king's scepter, she was recognizing his power, his mercy, as well as her position in that court. Likewise, you and I must again recognize the power of our Savior and know that in Him we are more than conquerors.<\/p>\nOUR FIRST MINISTRY<\/span>\n

\"And the king said to her, 'What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!'<\/em>\" (Esther 5:3).<\/p>\n

Esther gave an unusual answer. If it were me, I probably would have just gone for the throat of the matter and explained that Haman was trying to kill my people. But Esther spoke with wisdom. \"If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him<\/em>\"(Esther 5:4). I find it interesting that Esther is inviting two people but she is intimating the banquet is only for \"him.\" Assuming it is the king she is referring to, this is a picture of how our first ministry is to Him—the King. Our first ministry is not merely to be coming to Him with our list of needs. We must not forget to take time to just thank Him and love Him.<\/p>\n

Now a time of a second request comes—a second banquet. At the banquet, the king said to Esther, \"'What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!' Then Esther answered and said, 'My petition and request is this: If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them'<\/em>\" (Esther 5:6–8).<\/p>\n

Remember, the first banquet was for him, and now the second banquet is for the two of them. This is just like the scripture that says, \"He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love\"(Song of Solomon 2:4). Finally Esther fully knew that the king's heart was engaged with her voice. She understood that their relationship was not going back to where it used to be, but it was going deeper than it ever had been.<\/p>\n

In the beginning of her relationship with the king, it was a love relationship. I have no doubt that he was enamored with her and vice versa, just as is often the case in our first love relationship with Christ. Yet over time, a distance came. The king was looking for something more: somebody who would rule and reign with him. He wanted somebody with whom he could trust certain things of the kingdom, for we know at the end of the story, Esther was given the power to rewrite the law of death into a law of life. She literally became a co-regent, writing laws with her husband.<\/p>\n

\"On the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, 'What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done'<\/em>\" (Esther 7:2). You can see a deep longing in the king's heart. In the same way, can you understand how much Jesus is waiting and longing for us? He is waiting for us as His people to come back into His presence to love Him and recognize our calling on earth.<\/p>\nWHO WOULD DARE?<\/span>\n

\"Then Queen Esther answered and said, 'If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king's loss.' So King Ahasuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, 'Who is he, and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?'<\/em>\" (Esther 7:3–5).<\/p>\n

\"Who would dare?\" A fire comes into the king's eyes because his bride has come back! His bride is ministering to him at the banqueting table—the one David said God prepares for us even in the midst of our enemies (see Psalm 23:5). Can you imagine what will happen when we come back to the throne of God in America? \"Who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing? Who would dare to think that he can curse and eradicate the people I have proclaimed to be blessed in the earth and be a blessing everywhere they go? Who would dare to raise his hand against My Bride—the testimony of who I am in the earth?\"<\/p>\n

\"Esther said, 'The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!' So Haman was terrified before the king and queen. Then the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stood before Queen Esther, pleading for his life, for he saw that evil was determined against him by the king. When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, 'Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?' <\/em><\/p>\n

\"As the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, 'Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king's behalf, is standing at the house of Haman.' Then the king said, 'Hang him on it!' So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's wrath subsided<\/em>\" (Esther 7:6–10). Whatever the enemy means for harm to the people of God, God will turn around!<\/p>\n

Just as Esther discovered, you have more power than you realize. You are not just a sideline player in a society that is plunging into darkness. You are the Bride of the King—the ultimate authority! Rulers are in His hand; laws are in His power and can be rewritten. We are living in a day when there are textbooks that need to be rewritten in our schools, laws that need to be rewritten in our towns. There are things happening in the spiritual realm that God will give you the power to rewrite. If we all start rewriting together, can you imagine what will happen in all facets of society? We can live to see a spiritual awakening in our day! And so it is time for you to pray for your home. It is time for us to lift up our nation before God. It is time to invite the devil to dinner!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"INVITING THE DEVIL TO DINNER,\" a sermon given on April 22, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"50":{"sm_title":"When Ice Forms On Your Wings","sm_id":"307","sm_desc":"The Bible admonishes us to \"trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding.\" It's is so important that the Word of God becomes entwined with our character so we will be able to respond in a correct manner in our trials. Everyone will face seasons when coldness threatens our calling and the weight of the moment causes us to fear that we are in a spiritual stall. In these seasons it's imperative not to pull back but push forward and believe that we will renewed in God's power. Trust God and He will strengthen you to fulfill the calling He has placed on your life.","sm_jpg":"48414_jb_20180311.jpg","sm_date":"2018-06","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/03\/11s1\/20180311s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/03\/11s1\/20180311s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"3f6zHUm89VY","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48543_sermon-newsletter-201806-when-ice-forms-on-your-wings.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

According to an ABC News article, federal investigators deemed pilot error to be one of the chief causes of an airplane crash in February 2009 which killed all 49 on board and one person on the ground. The plane lost speed as it was approaching the airport near Buffalo, New York, due to ice on the wings.<\/p>\n

Most people think that a plane flies because wind gets underneath its wings and lifts it, but it is actually the motion of air flowing over the top of the surface of the wings that lifts the plane. So when ice gets on the wings, it interrupts the flow of air over the top and the aircraft loses lift—meaning it can plunge like a stone straight down out of the sky to the earth.<\/p>\n

When cockpit warnings indicate that a plane is about to stall, pilots are trained to push what is called the stick shaker forward so that the nose of the plane will drop, causing the plane to increase in speed and return to a position of lift. At that point, the pilot can raise the nose and literally take off again. Yet in this case, instead of pushing the stick shaker forward, the captain pulled it backwards—not just once, but several times.<\/p>\n

The airline involved issued a statement: \"By all accounts, the captain and first officer were fine people. They knew what to do in the situation they faced that night a year ago, and they had repeatedly demonstrated that they knew what to do, and yet they did not do it. We cannot speculate on why they did not use their training with the situation that they faced.\"<\/p>\n

In other words, this pilot, as part of training, had most likely been in a simulator where he would have learned how to respond in that particular situation. Yet when it occurred in real life, rather than trusting the training he had received, the captain leaned on his own instincts.<\/p>\n

How different are we in the house of God? Are we in a \"simulator\" of sorts whenever we read stories in the Bible of others and how they reacted in certain situations? We are being trained the right way to speak, think, and act so that when we end up in a crisis, we do not come crashing down—destroying not only ourselves but often taking along others who had been trusting our authority. That is why it is so important that the words of God not just be on the page but they become part of our character so that we will instinctively respond according to what we have learned.<\/p>\nLOSING LIFT<\/span>\n

It says in the book of Isaiah, \"He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall<\/em>\" (Isaiah 40:29). In other words, there comes a season in each of our lives when we feel we cannot go on. We feel as if we are going to crash and burn, spiritually speaking. Similarly, we all face seasons when coldness gets into our heart—sometimes simply because of the repetition and monotony of daily life. Marriages often get into trouble because there is no effort on the part of the husband or wife to rekindle the flame of love that was once the bedrock of the relationship. Coldness can also seep into our relationship with God—particularly when we become so accustomed to the pattern of our Christian walk that we begin to do things on autopilot. Soon the weight of repetition, personal trials, and struggles in our own mind start to crash in upon us, and before we know it, we feel like we are losing lift.<\/p>\n

It is imperative in these moments that we go back to our training and recognize that God has already told us what to do when this happens. Of course, our instinct might be to pull back, just like the pilot did, even though God says to push forward. We pull back from the Word of God, the house of God, the service of God. Yet all along God is saying, \"No, now is not the time to pull back. Now is the time to push forward and believe!\"<\/p>\n

You see, the Bible tells us to \"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge Him<\/em>\"(Proverbs 3:5–6). In other words, when you do not understand—when it looks like heeding God's instructions is the worst course of action in the natural—trust what He says rather than relying on your own instincts.<\/p>\n

The Apostle Paul said it this way: \"For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen<\/em>\"(2 Corinthians 1:20). He said elsewhere, \"Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry<\/em>\"(1 Corinthians 10:9–14). When the Apostle Paul said to flee from idolatry, I believe he was referring to the idolatry of the human heart taking the place of God. In other words, \"Flee from becoming the god of your own life. Flee from following human instinct that always wants to rise up and take the place of the Word of God.\"<\/p>\nOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING<\/span>\n

So what are some other examples of how we can avoid leaning on our own understanding and instead acknowledge God in all our ways? Let's look at a few more Scriptures.<\/p>\n

Paul says in the book of Ephesians, \"Therefore, putting away lying, 'Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,' for we are members of one another. 'Be angry and do not sin:' do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer<\/em>\" (Ephesians 4:25–27). This is a particularly pertinent verse during tax time. Stealing from the government is still theft, even if you conclude, \"God knows I need the money more than the government does. They are only going to waste it anyway.\" That is leaning on your own understanding.<\/p>\n

The passage continues: \"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers<\/em>\" (Ephesians 4:29). We can acknowledge God in all our ways by keeping our speech clean—by ministering grace to the people who are listening to us. \"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you<\/em>\"(Ephesians 4:30–32). Whenever we decide that someone does not deserve to be forgiven—that we have a right to hold on to the bitterness in our heart—we are leaning on our own understanding.<\/p>\n

In the next chapter of Ephesians, Paul says, \"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her<\/em>\" (Ephesians 5:22–25). If your marriage is in trouble, do not pull away from the pages of God's Word—from the specific instructions He has given to you as a husband or a wife. Do not draw that throttle back. Push forward and get your heart and mind back into obedience to the Word of God.<\/p>\nHE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATHS<\/span>\n

Remember, you do not find out whether or not you passed the test when you are in a simulator. It is when you are in the crises of life—when you have to trust God for your finances, when you have to believe for your family and for your children and for your marriage. That is when you must push that stick forward. You must get back in the Word of God and say, \"Lord, would You help me not to lean on my own understanding? Would You help me not to try to figure a way out of my dilemma in my own strength? Would You help me to trust in You with all of my heart?\" As you pray this way and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you, suddenly you will find yourself gaining lift again.<\/p>\n

I love what King David said in Psalm 44: \"Our fathers have told us, the deeds You did in their days, in days of old: You drove out the nations with Your hand, but them You planted. You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out. For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them. You are my King, O God. Command victories for Jacob. Through You we will push down our enemies; through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies, and have put to shame those who hated us. In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever<\/em>\" (verses 1–8).<\/p>\n

David was saying, \"Lord, You have told us what You have done in the past. You brought Your people out of captivity and into the place of promise—not by human intellect, reasoning, or strength, but by Your Spirit. Knowing the history, I am not going to trust in my bow or my sword; in my own strength or reasoning. You will be my boast all the days of my life!\"<\/p>\n

When I get to the finish line, I, too, want to have this testimony: \"Only God could have done this.\"I want to look at the generation coming after me and, like the Apostle Paul, be able to say, \"Follow me as I have followed Christ. Yes, I was crushed; I was distressed and had the sentence of death in myself at one time. Nevertheless, I did not trust in human strength. I trusted in the One who raises men from the dead!\" (see 1 Corinthians 11:1, 2 Corinthians 4:8–10).<\/p>\n

In Proverbs, the Scripture continues with a promise: \"In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths<\/em>\" (Proverbs 3:6). We know the pathways of God. He has told us in Jeremiah 29:11: \"I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope<\/em>\"—to bring you to that place of freedom that you long for; to bring you to that place of strength that you need; to bring you to a renewed vision of what your life is all about in the first place; to bring your marriage beyond what it has ever been. Those are the pathways of God! So let's trust the Lord and acknowledge Him in all our ways, and then watch where He will lead us!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"WHEN ICE FORMS ON YOUR WINGS,\" a sermon given on March 11, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"51":{"sm_title":"It's Time, Again, To Pray!","sm_id":"305","sm_desc":"In the Garden of Eden, Satan sowed his own theology in human nature that would bring humanity into its own destruction. God Himself prophesied to the devil that He will have an active force of opposition to oppose and defeat him. As the Church of Jesus Christ, we are empowered to come to God with petitions and prayer to pull down the thoughts of the devil and push back the forces of hell. When the Church begins to pray, when we rediscover again who we are and we begin to realize that we are not relegated to the sidelines of history while this march of hell goes through our streets, threatening to devour everything that is good and Godly, then the powers of hell will be destroyed. The power of the Church is found in the prayer meeting.","sm_jpg":"48387_jb_20180218.jpg","sm_date":"2018-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/02\/18s1\/20180218s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/02\/18s1\/20180218s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"ne_Do83IxzA","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48493_sermon-newsletter-201805-its-time-again-to-pray.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

When Satan came down into the Garden of Eden, he came with a livid hatred for God that manifested every time he tried to bring to ruin that which was closest to the heart of the Lord: mankind. The devil ended up sowing a thought into the human race that would bring man to his own destruction–the idea that we can become as God in ourselves.<\/p>\n

Yet after Satan tempted Adam and Eve, God said to him, \"Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel<\/em>\" (Genesis 3:14–15).<\/p>\n

This is the first time in the Bible that we see the redemptive plan of God. Obviously, God was not caught by surprise in the Garden of Eden. He knew that humankind would be created in His image, would subsequently fail, and then would have to be redeemed. And so God was essentially telling Satan, \"Lest you should exalt yourself, I have a plan. You are going to live to conquer and devour those created in My image all the days of your life. I will put an act of opposition between you and the woman–between your seed and her seed. And from the seed of a woman I am going to raise up the One who will actively oppose you and defeat you.\"<\/p>\n

We know today that the One from the seed of the woman was Christ. In the original Hebrew, it says, \"You shall strike his heel.\" In other words, \"He will be on a journey, but as a serpent, you will strike His heel and stop His journey. You will cause Him pain and even death but He in turn will bruise your head.\" As we know the story today, Jesus would be raised from the dead and would tread upon the devil's imagination that humankind is fully within his grasp–that he has the right to captivate those who have been created in the image of God, not just for time but for all eternity.<\/p>\n

Not only would He bruise the devil's head, we know through the testimony of Scripture that Christ would have a seed–a people born into the kingdom of God who would have access to the throne of God by prayer. They would have the power to push back the devil's thought that he could possess the earth, its direction, its future.<\/p>\n

We are that people! Do you realize the power God has put into our hands as believers in Christ? We are not merely bystanders, watching the devil destroy a whole generation. God has a plan, and part of that plan is our approaching His throne and petitioning Him to move on behalf of those who have nobody to call out for them.<\/p>\nA SPIRITUAL AWAKENING<\/span>\n

The Scriptures give us many examples of the incredible things that happen when God's people pray. For instance, in the book of Second Kings, the king of Syria surrounded the city where the people of God were. There was such a vast army that Elisha's servant looked over the wall of the city and asked, \"What are we going to do? They are more and mightier than us!\" (see 2 Kings 6:14–15).<\/p>\n

\"Elisha prayed, and said, 'Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see'<\/em>\"(2 Kings 6:17). In other words, \"Oh, God, would You give vision back to Your people to understand once again that it is not by might nor by power but by Your Spirit? Would You help us once again to see You in absolute victory–with all power, all dominion, all authority?\"<\/p>\n

\"Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, 'Strike this people, I pray, with blindness'<\/em>\" (2 Kings 6:17–18). In other words, \"Confuse the enemy! Take away their vision, their unity, their strength. Do not let them accomplish their purpose.\"<\/p>\n

We, too, can pray that in our generation. \"Lord, do not let the enemies of righteousness advance any farther. Let their agenda drift away from them!\"<\/p>\n

\"And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha<\/em>\"(2 Kings 6:18). It did not mean they could not naturally see; it just meant they were not seeing what they had seen before. \"Now Elisha said to them, 'This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.' But he led them to Samaria. So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, 'Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.' And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria<\/em>\"(2 Kings 6:19–20).<\/p>\n

Not only were God's people affected by prayer, the enemy was brought to an awareness of God's power– a moment of conscience. This is what we need to pray for in our generation–a spiritual awakening. A spiritual awakening is a sudden awareness of sin that can come into the heart of any society, any place, any person. \"Why am I suddenly thinking about God? Why is it suddenly occurring to me that what I am doing is wrong?\"<\/p>\n

We are not praying for harm to come to any person. Rather, we are saying, \"God, blind the godless to their objective and open their eyes to the fact that they have been taken captive by powers of darkness. Cause them to understand who they truly are and what they are doing.\"<\/p>\n

When is the last time you prayed that way–instead of praying for the destruction of the enemies of God, you asked the Lord to have mercy on them and open their eyes? That is exactly what Elisha did. He fed them and sent them home, and the Bible tells us that they came no more into that part of Israel (see 2 Kings 6:23). They did not come back because they had a moment of conscience!<\/p>\nPOWERLESS RELIGION<\/span>\n

When we pray, we also have power to free those who have been captivated by deceptive and powerless religion. One of the things that the devil will do to captivate a generation is offer an alternative to Christ: religion. The Bible tells us that after Satan had sown his nature into humankind in the Garden of Eden, God came down and found Adam and Eve covered in fig leaves (see Genesis 3:7). This is what happens when darkness comes upon a society–people attempt in their own strength to cover their sin and shame.<\/p>\n

Of course, we know that only God can forgive sin. Only God can produce fruit from a life that is yielded to Him. Jesus once walked up to Jerusalem and saw a fig tree, but when He came up to it, He found nothing but leaves. And so He cursed the fig tree, saying, \"Let no one eat fruit from you ever again<\/em>\" (Mark 11:14).<\/p>\n

As Jesus and His disciples entered Jerusalem the next day, Peter said, \"'Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.'So Jesus answered and said to them, 'Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, \"Be removed and be cast into the sea,\" and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says'<\/em>\"(Mark 11:21–23). Now the only mountain in the whole vicinity was Jerusalem. Jerusalem had crafted this \"fig tree religion\"–self-made, man-made coverings of human effort; a false relationship with God that offered no life, bore no fruit, and had no power. While we tend to take these verses today and use them for all kinds of things, Jesus was actually talking about casting away this false covering that the devil offers humanity–assuring them that they are back in right relationship with God when they are not.<\/p>\n

However, through prayer, you and I have the power to set free those who have settled for powerless religion. We can ask God to remove the deceptive covering and fill every church with life and truth.<\/p>\nFREEDOM FROM CAPTIVITY<\/span>\n

Another thing that happens when we pray is that God's people are brought out of captivity. Many people desire to serve Him with all their heart, but they have been taken captive by some of the forces of this world.<\/p>\n

In Acts chapter 12, the apostle Peter was put in prison and delivered over to four squads of soldiers to guard him. King Herod intended to bring him out before the people after the Passover, which means that the authorities of that time were essentially boasting, \"We have the power to corral the church. We will bring the Christians out before the people, and the people will judge those who claim that our religion is faulty and our society is off track.\"<\/p>\n

However, the Bible tells us that \"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church<\/em>\" (Acts 12:5). As the believers were in constant prayer, miracles began to happen! \"Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, 'Arise quickly!' And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, 'Gird yourself and tie on your sandals'; and so he did. And he said to him, 'Put on your garment and follow me.' So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him<\/em>\" (Acts 12:7–10).<\/p>\n

Captivity was taken captive! When Peter and the angel came to the city, the gate opened on its own accord–a picture of how nothing in our society can stop the hand of God!<\/p>\n

When Peter knocked on the door where many were praying, the people were astonished. \"But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, 'Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren'<\/em>\" (Acts 12:17). Peter instructed them to tell the other brethren the news–that captivity had been taken captive by the power of God through a praying church. Had they not gathered to pray, I believe history would have been very different. Likewise, if you and I choose not to pray in our generation, the future will be different.<\/p>\nA WINDOW OF MERCY<\/span>\n

We have a very short window of mercy before us. God is calling the whole Church across the country to pray now. If we do not take advantage of this moment, a fearful darkness awaits us on the other side of this open window.<\/p>\n

Remember, although the enemy may try to bruise our heel, we are of that seed of Christ, and we can step on the devil's head. We can cast down his imaginations, whereby he thinks he can control, deceive and destroy a whole generation. I fully believe that God intends to send an awakening to this nation. And so we must remember that the true source of our power is in prayer. It always has been, and it always will be. It's time, again, to pray.<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"IT'S TIME, AGAIN, TO PRAY,\" a sermon given on February 18, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"52":{"sm_title":"The Lord Your God Is With You","sm_id":"303","sm_desc":"If we are going to amount to anything we must learn how to pray and be set apart for God. When you choose to live for God, the evidence of His Spirit will be upon you and will work through your life. The plan of God is sure, the promise of God is true. In order to oppose the plan that God has for your life your enemies have to be able to oppose God Himself. Remember, the Lord did with you and He will never leave you or forsake you. ","sm_jpg":"48370_jb_20180204.jpg","sm_date":"2018-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/02\/04s1\/20180204s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2018\/02\/04s1\/20180204s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"8oMERnev2hg","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48461_sermon-newsletter-201804-the-lord-your-god-is-with-you.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

I would like to share a story, and although it is very personal to me, it also applies to you. You see, certain patterns of God's dealing with humanity do not change nor are they exclusive to just one or two people. Rather, they are for the whole Body of Christ–through whom the divine purpose of God is accomplished in the earth.<\/p>\n

It was early 1994 and I was a pastor in Canada. I had just entered my office when suddenly I felt an incredible presence of God's Holy Spirit come upon me. In that moment, it was as if everything was heightened. I started noticing things around me that I had not noticed before. I knew it was the Holy Spirit, and I knew God wanted to speak to me. I told my assistant, \"Please, no phone calls, no interruptions. I am going to lock myself in my office. I feel the presence of the Lord has come on me for a reason, but I don't know why.\"<\/p>\n

Sitting down at my desk, I felt the Lord say, \"Go to where you are presently in the Old Testament and begin to read.\" At that time, I was in 1 Chronicles, chapter 28. I began to read, and at about verse 10, it was as if the words of God began to just jump off the page.<\/p>\n

\"'Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it.' Then David gave his son Solomon... the plans for all that he had by the Spirit...'All this,' said David, 'the Lord made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans.' And David said to his son Solomon, 'Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God–my God–will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord'<\/em>\" (1 Chronicles 28:10-12, 19-20).<\/p>\n

Afterwards, the Lord told me, \"Now go to the book of Joshua and read chapter one, verses one to nine.\" \"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying: 'Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them–the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses...No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you... Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go'<\/em>\" (Joshua 1:1-3, 5, 9).<\/p>\n

The Lord then spoke to my heart again, \"I am sending you somewhere to help further a work that another man has begun–to help him bring it to completion.\" I did not know exactly where I was going, but I was confident God had spoken to me. I was so convinced it was God's Holy Spirit speaking that I told my associate pastor, \"Start preparing your heart to take over this church. I will be leaving soon.\"<\/p>\n

On May 19, 1994, Pastor David Wilkerson called me at home in Canada, and asked if I would be willing to come to New York City the following Tuesday to speak in a service. Shortly after I arrived in New York, I remember sitting in an apartment that belonged to World Challenge at the time. I looked out the window, and again the Lord said, \"Do not be afraid that what I am setting before you is something that cannot be accomplished. And do not look within yourself and conclude that there is not enough resource to do what I am asking of you. I have sent you, and that is all you need to know.\"<\/p>\n

After He spoke to my heart, there was a knock at the door. It was Pastor David, and he and I went for a walk together. \"The Lord has used me to start this work,\" he said, \"but it has grown very, very quickly and I need help. That is all I can tell you. Would you be willing to pray about coming to help me?\" I suddenly remembered the words God had spoken to me just months before in my office–that He was going to send me somewhere to help a man bring to completion a work that he had started.<\/p>\n

I looked at Pastor David and asked, \"Don't you think you should hear me preach first?\"<\/p>\n

\"Oh, yeah. Of course.\" But he already knew. The Holy Spirit had spoken to his heart, and he knew that God had spoken to mine.<\/p>\n

Over the course of the next seven years, just as the Lord said, Pastor David poured into my life the pattern for God's church as had been revealed to him–helping me understand all that the Lord had been doing and was willing to do in His house. I remember on one of the last occasions I saw him we were just sitting and talking about the future. He said words to the effect of, \"I have brought the people this far. Now you will take them into the place of promise.\" It was exactly what the Lord had spoken to me in Joshua chapter one.<\/p>\nGOD'S CHOICE<\/span>\n

The words of God applied directly to my life, and now I want to share how they apply to yours. In Joshua chapter one, we read: \"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant<\/em>\" (Joshua 1:1). Interestingly, the meaning of the name of this man, Nun, is fish–making Joshua \"the son of fish.\" This signifies to me that God's selection of whom He uses to impact another generation is not based on education or lineage. Just as the Bible says, God does not choose the wise or the noble or the naturally strong (see 1 Corinthians 1:26-27). Rather, it is the hungry heart that gets the victory. It is the person who says, \"Yes, Lord, I want You. I do not want to be sold short of Your calling on my life.\"<\/p>\n

Now remember that at the time Joshua was born, the people of God were slaves in Egypt. Although Joshua was the son of a slave, something in his heart said, \"God, I feel called to be more than I am at present. I believe You can do something significant in my life.\" Joshua understood that it was only through consecration and prayer that these things could happen. The Bible tells us that he would go with Moses into the place of prayer, yet when Moses returned to the camp, Joshua stayed and prayed (see Exodus 24:13, 33:11). This serves as a reminder for us that if we live a casual Christianity, we are going to be of casual effect in our generation. To be used of God requires dedication, separation, sanctification.<\/p>\n

When I first came to New York, Pastor David instructed me, \"I want you to shut away two days every week and pray.\" It was hard; it took discipline and dedication, and Pastor David knew that. If you are going to amount to anything, you must learn how to pray–to press in and seek God.<\/p>\nCROSSING THE JORDAN<\/span>\n

\"After the death of Moses...it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun<\/em>\" (Joshua 1:1). You and I are here today because other generations passed the torch to us. Some had to go to jail, some were burned at the stake, and still others paid with blood. Yet they got the torch to us, and it is in our hands. You and I are now the ones to whom God is speaking.<\/p>\n

\"Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them–the children of Israel<\/em>\" (Joshua 1:2). The Jordan River represents the boundary between the old way of living and the new life promised in Christ. It is where we die to ourselves and rise in newness of life–choosing to live according to the will of God and believing that He will supply the power to fulfill it. The children of Israel had to pass through the Jordan before they could see Jericho come down and the land conquered. While the Promised Land was a physical place for the children of Israel, for us today, the Promised Land is Christ. It is a spiritual place of redemption and regeneration–a place where the kingdom of God begins to advance through our lives!<\/p>\nA PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE<\/span>\n

\"Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses...No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you<\/em>\" (Joshua 1:3, 5). Rest assured, the plan of God for your life is certain. People may criticize and threaten you, but no one can stop the plan of God if you have a pure heart and want to see Christ honored in your generation. The beauty of it all is that in order to stop God's plan for your life, those who oppose you must be able to stop God Himself, for it is not you but Christ in you! The only thing that can hinder the Lord's work is unbelief or the refusal to make the choice to live for God.<\/p>\n

\"Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them<\/em>\" (Joshua 1:6). When you are set apart for God, it will affect those around you as well. You will have an inheritance to give. You might be the only one in your family who is a believer in Christ today, but continue to live for Him with all your heart, and watch what God will do in your home! You will bring people into victory who were not even searching for God. \"Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success<\/em>\" (Joshua 1:7-8). We are to know the Bible. We are to prayerfully read it and ask God to speak to us through it. You may not have a lot of time in the morning, but you can still pray, \"Lord, establish my thinking for the day. What is a good verse for me today?\" Perhaps you can read that verse five times and meditate on it all day. It is life; it is light and direction. It is God speaking to you.<\/p>\n

Lastly, the Lord tells Joshua, \"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go<\/em>\" (Joshua 1:9). If you are going to live for Christ, you will be opposed from without and within. Fear comes when we see the magnitude of the opposition we are facing; dismay comes when we look inside ourselves and do not see adequate strength to be able to stand. However, the error of it all is forgetting that the battle is not ours–it is the Lord's. In fact, I believe the basis of having faith to finish the journey is the simple truth at the end of verse nine: \"For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.<\/em>\" Never forget that it is God who has commissioned you, and He is going to be with you until the end–until the fullness of His plan in and through your life is accomplished! Hallelujah!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU,\" a sermon given on February 4, 2018 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"53":{"sm_title":"A Rejoicing That Is Deeper Than Knowledge","sm_id":"301","sm_desc":"Are you experiencing a season of despair where you find yourself confused about the direction your life is taking? The devil's plan us to convince you that God doesn't hear your cry. On the contrary, it is in our valley experience that we learn more about the depth of God and we realize that what we are experiencing is so much bigger than we can understand. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him and it is at your lowest point in your life that He will whisper a profound secret in your heart.","sm_jpg":"48277_jb_20171126.jpg","sm_date":"2018-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/11\/26s1\/20171126s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/11\/26s1\/20171126s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"EztMWZul_OM","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48409_sermon-newsletter-201803-a-rejoicing-that-is-deeper-than-knowledge.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Although nobody knows for sure when David the king wrote Psalm 22, we do know it was during a very difficult time in his life. Some speculate that it was during the time King Saul was trying to take his life. Now remember, David was the young shepherd whom the Spirit of God came upon when the prophet Samuel anointed him with a flask of oil. He was the one who had once fought a lion, a bear and a giant, and he had led the armies of Saul into incredible victories. During those days, it probably seemed as if things could not get any better.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, however, everything seemed to turn. The king who once honored him because of his great victory against Goliath was now mustering all the armies of Israel to pursue and kill him. And so David writes in the midst of all this, \"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent<\/em>\" (Psalm 22:1–2). In other words, \"This is not the way I thought things were going to go. I am still praying and doing my part, but where are You? Don't you see the pain and anguish I am in? Why are You not answering me?\"<\/p>\n

Just as David, we all go through seasons of despair. Sometimes we know the reasons for it but other times we cannot point to anything tangible that is causing our foreboding sense of hopelessness. Worst of all is the feeling that God is not listening, perhaps because He is angry with us. Although there is no scriptural evidence for it, often we have the tendency to succumb to that argument. \"I know in the Bible that God promises never to leave me nor forsake me. But if that is true, why does He seem so far away? Why is He not answering my prayers speedily?\"<\/p>\nYOU HAVE ANSWERED ME<\/span>\n

David goes on to say, \"Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Basham have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion<\/em>\" (Psalm 22:12–13). He was essentially saying, \"I can feel hell laughing at me, 'You made your boast of God so why is He not answering your prayers when you need Him the most?'\" Do not forget that the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour— seeking how he can get us to believe his accusations against the faithfulness of God (see 1 Peter 5:8).<\/p>\n

David continued, \"I am poured out like water, all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death<\/em>\"(Psalm 22:14–15). He was saying, \"It cannot get any worse. I feel like a man who is already dead. There is no hope for me in this situation.\"<\/p>\n

\"For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me...They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots<\/em>\"(Psalm 22:16, 18). In other words, \"God, I was given an inheritance of You, yet all of a sudden, I can hear rumors of everybody dividing up everything that was once mine. Even my comforts are being taken away.\"<\/p>\n

\"But you, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. Save Me from the lion's mouth and from the horns of the wild oxen!<\/em>\" (Psalm 22:19–21). When I read these words, I cannot help but wonder if it is even possible to go down any lower than this man was. However, it was in the worst of the worst valleys of the shadow of death—in a time of incredible trial and difficulty and hardship—that a sudden revelation came into David's heart. Right out of nowhere, he continued in that same verse, \"You have answered me!\" It is amazing! As he is writing, he builds no bridge to it; the verses do not go from sorrow to gradual victory. It was just a sudden revelation that hit his heart!<\/p>\nAT OUR LOWEST POINT<\/span>\n

It gets even better after this. \"I will declare Your name to My brethren<\/em>\" (Psalm 22:22). In other words, \"I am going to tell everybody that You have been faithful to me. Although I am still surrounded by enemies, somehow I know that You have answered me. I know that in all of this there is a purpose that is deeper than I can fully understand.\"\"In the midst of the assembly I will praise You<\/em>\" (Psalm 22:22). He was saying, \"In fact, I am not just going to talk to individual people about what You have done, I am going to church, and my voice is going to be the loudest one there!\"<\/p>\n

\"You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!<\/em>\" (Psalm 22:23). \"Not only will I testify to my brethren and sing in church, I will start encouraging all the people around me!\"<\/p>\n

And then David saw something even bigger: \"My praise shall be of You in the great assembly<\/em>\"(Psalm 22:25). He saw in his spirit a great assembly of people worshiping God. He could not fully understand it; it was only a whisper of God into a despairing man's heart. \"All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord's and He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; all those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive<\/em>\" (Psalm 22:27–29). He saw something in the Spirit—something coming that would be so big that it would touch the entire world!<\/p>\n

Remember that up until this point, salvation was only for the Jew. Yet, suddenly, in the midst of his hardship and despair, the whisper of God came to David's heart, telling him that what he was experiencing was so much bigger than he could understand. Of course, we know today that in this psalm, David was writing the very words that described the scene of the greatest victory ever known to humanity—the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ! When Jesus was on the cross, He quoted the first verse of Psalm 22: \"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?\"He was actually quoting the entire psalm by just opening with that first verse. And so when David penned that psalm, it was as if he was being ushered a thousand years into the future to the cross! Not only that, the physical man Christ was going to come through his lineage.<\/p>\n

The psalm ends, \"A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation. They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has done this<\/em>\" (Psalm 22:30–31). In other words, not only will his generation be talking about this, but multiple generations will be sharing it for years to come. The interesting thing is that David did not know exactly what this was. He did not know that somebody called Jesus Christ would be Lord. He just knew it would be really big and that it would go worldwide. And this all came to him in the whisper of God at arguably the lowest point in his life!<\/p>\nTHE SECRET OF THE LORD<\/span>\n

And so you can be encouraged today! Just because you are down does not mean that God will not speak something to you—something more profound than anything you have ever heard in your entire life. Do not buy into the lie that God is not speaking to you. In those low moments, the devil's plan is to convince you that God does not love you, that He is fed up with you, that your praying is pointless. But it is often in those very moments that the secret of the Lord is revealed to those who fear Him, just as it was in David's life (see Psalm 25:14).<\/p>\n

No matter how dark your days might be, the Holy Spirit will whisper something into your heart. You may not fully understand what He is telling you now, but He will bring you to a place of rejoicing that is deeper than knowledge. You may not know exactly where you are going, but you will have the assurance that it is going to be a great journey. The Lord may not necessarily bring you out of your difficult situation right away, but if you will allow Him to speak to you in your despair, He can put gladness in your heart that can be born only of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

We must allow the Lord do this in our hearts as a church in a generation where, like David, we seem to be surrounded by bulls and dogs—growling, snarling voices. Hatred, lies, deception, and disgust seem to be everywhere around us. We all need that secret of the Lord—His inner joy. And so we must go to Him and ask, \"Lord, would You whisper Your secret into my heart today? Would You give me just a glimpse of what You have for me?\"<\/p>\n

I remember when, as a young police officer, I had just started conducting a Bible study out in the country. The Lord began speaking to my heart about something He was going to do, although I did not know what it was. But a secret inner joy began to fill my heart with the assurance that God was going to accomplish something incredible through my life.<\/p>\n

Around that time, I went to a little church service attended by only a few people. They were singing \"Blessed Assurance\" and the Spirit of God amplified their voices so that it sounded as if two thousand people were singing! It was truly amazing—I heard a crowd in that moment and I knew in my heart, \"Lord, this is You. You are whispering something to me about the future.\"<\/p>\n

More recently, I remember sitting in the sanctuary at Times Square Church joining in as we all sang, \"Blessed Assurance.\" I suddenly realized, \"Lord, You whispered something into my heart back in that little church and ushered me fifteen or so years into the future to this very moment!\" It is truly amazing when we allow God to whisper to us.<\/p>\n

I encourage you today to rejoice. Do not sit in despair when the Lord wants to speak to you. Sometimes when the Lord speaks, your mind will not be able to comprehend what you are hearing. But in your heart, like David, you will say, \"I do not know exactly what this is all about, but I know it is a lot bigger than where I am today! And so I am going to rejoice in God's faithfulness, and I am going to encourage others to do so as well!\"<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"A REJOICING THAT IS DEEPER THAN KNOWLEDGE,\" a sermon given on November 26, 2017 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"54":{"sm_title":"Where Is The Lord Calling You?","sm_id":"299","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2018-02","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/11\/28t1\/20171128t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48368_sermon-newsletter-201802-where-is-the-lord-calling-you.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Where is the Lord calling you? God has something specific for you to do so He is definitely calling you somewhere. It may not be for the rest of your life–it might be for just a short season.<\/p>\n

As we look in the book of Acts, we see the Apostle Paul with some ideas in his heart as to where he should go. \"Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them<\/em>\" (Acts 16:6–7).<\/p>\n

It is important to note that good ideas are not always \"God ideas.\"Paul was a sincere disciple of Christ who truly wanted to do the work of God–but just as it happened to him, it happens to all of us. There are certain places we want to go and certain things we want to do, and we automatically expect God to go with us. However, sometimes the pathways we choose for our lives during a particular season may not actually be the pathway of God for us.<\/p>\n

The passage continues, \"So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us'<\/em>\" (Acts 16:8–9). Macedonia was in the western part of society at that time and the people had not yet heard the Gospel. Nevertheless, suddenly a messenger of some sort was pleading with Paul to come help them.<\/p>\n

\"Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them<\/em>\" (Acts 16:10). So, as Paul and his company headed off to Macedonia, they stopped outside the city by the riverside. They encountered a group of women meeting for prayer and one lady in particular, Lydia, engaged them in conversation. She was a successful merchant and a worshiper of God, yet she did not understand the way of salvation through Christ. However, the Scripture tells us, \"The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul... She and her household were baptized<\/em>\" (Acts 16:14–15). Lydia subsequently invited Paul and his company to come stay with her, and her house became the first house church in Macedonia!<\/p>\nTHE ROAD IS NOT ALWAYS EASY<\/span>\n

The church had been established. People were hearing the Word of God and being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. God was clearly on the move! The passage continues, \"Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out saying, 'These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation'<\/em>\"(Acts 16:16–17). When the devil knows he is going down, he will try to imitate a Christian. He will pretend and try to get close to you by saying, \"Hey, I am with you in this. You are doing a good work here,\"Nevertheless, you will sense that something is amiss.<\/p>\n

The slave girl followed them for many days. \"But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.' And he came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, 'These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.' Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely<\/em>\" (Acts 16:18–23).<\/p>\n

This account serves as a reminder that when we obey the will of God we will not necessarily have an easy time. There is no guarantee that we will get a pass through trials and tribulation and trouble. In fact, sometimes obeying the will of God will actually get us into trouble.<\/p>\n

\"Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks<\/em>\"(Acts 16:24). At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. \"Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed<\/em>\" (Acts 16:26). The Bible tells us that the jailer ended up completely transformed. He took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Then he and his family were all baptized that night, and he even brought the men into his house and set food before them.<\/p>\n

Remember, all of this started with a man appearing to Paul when he was praying at night, saying, \"Come and help us.\"Imagine what would have happened if Paul had not heeded that voice! What if Paul had gone to Asia, instead, as he had wanted to? What if he had pushed against the Spirit of God, concluding, \"Well, Bithynia is a good idea. I am just going to go there\"? There would have been no house church in Lydia's home. There would have been no deliverance for the girl who was a captive of darkness being used for somebody else's gain. And at midnight, no songs would have been sung, and nobody's chains would have fallen off. This incredible victory would not have been won!<\/p>\nTHROUGH ONE PERSON'S OBEDIENCE<\/span>\n

I thank God that history is full of examples of men and women who heard the voice of God and moved in the direction He was leading– even if it meant going to a place of incredible hardship. Many years ago, I was preaching up in the Canadian Arctic to the Inuit people, where I met a lady named Kay Gordon. Kay was twenty-one years old, living in Vancouver, Canada, when she heard about a whole people group up in the Arctic who had never heard the Gospel. Nobody had ever gone there because it was so cold, and very few could survive.<\/p>\n

Kay felt the Lord urging her to go to the Arctic with no preparation, no language training–nothing. She just packed up everything and went. That first winter, she lived in extreme hardship. It was incredibly difficult for her physically because she was not accustomed to the cold and did not quite know how to properly heat the small abode where she was living. She almost froze to death that first winter.<\/p>\n

Now the Inuit people had never seen a foreigner amongst them. Kay preached about this strange God called Jesus Christ, and they were not interested because they had their own styles of worship. Yet when they saw her go through such hardship for them, their hearts began to open to the Gospel. They asked, \"Why have you endured this for us?\"Suddenly they began to listen, and conversions to Christ started to take place.<\/p>\n

Kay ended up staying for more than fifty years, and the Inuit people loved and highly respected her. By the time I was invited to speak at a Bible school that had been established there, pastors and leaders were being flown in from all over the Arctic by this lady who was now in her seventies. The Gospel had spread like wildfire through the region–all because of the obedience of one 21-year-old girl!<\/p>\n

I wonder how many people the Lord tried to speak to before Kay answered. Those who refused to go were perhaps more skilled, more equipped with survival training, or had a deeper knowledge of the Bible–yet they simply were not willing to obey the voice of God and make the sacrifice to go to a place of hardship.<\/p>\nWHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO?<\/span>\n

Imagine what would happen if you and I, along with every believer in Christ, simply said this one little prayer: \"Lord, what would You have me do? Where do You want me to go?\"<\/p>\n

Now, in Paul's case, going to Macedonia was only for one short chapter in his lifetime of following Christ. We do not know exactly how long he was there, but during that season of being in a place that had never heard the Gospel, as well as going through the hardship that he had to endure, great good was done. After Paul and Silas were released from prison, \"they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed<\/em>\"(Acts 16:40).<\/p>\n

It is just as the Bible says of those who are walking with God: \"As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring<\/em>\" (Psalm 84:6). They pass through the valley of weeping, and they make it a place of blessing. What happens is truly amazing when you and I simply have the courage to obey the voice of God.<\/p>\n

And so the question remains: Who is calling out for you? Who is asking you to come? Is it the person down the street from you who is filled with despair but whose lifestyle is out of your comfort zone? Sure, you may find it difficult to approach them, but as you sincerely pray, you will begin to feel the cry in that person's heart.<\/p>\n

The Bible does not tell us who exactly in Macedonia was the one crying out to Paul. Was it Lydia, who was a successful businesswoman but still did not understand the way to salvation? Was it the captive slave girl? Perhaps it was somebody in the prison who had been crying out to God, saying, \"It is so hopeless here. I don't know what I am going to do with my life and my future. Am I destined to live in this godforsaken place for the rest of my days, or is there a way out?\" Was it the jailer, who was sick and tired of the anger, the darkness, the way he had to treat the prisoners? Was he fearing for his family? Was he lacking the emotional resources to simply be kind to his wife and children by the time he went home every day?<\/p>\n

We do not know who it was, but somebody was desperately crying out for help. Thankfully, God found one man who would be open when the Spirit of God was resisting his own direction and would go to where God was sending him. That is where the power of God is always found. God does not go with us and validate our plans. The way it works is, \"Not my will, but Thine be done.\"<\/p>\n

I implore you to have the courage today to say, \"Lord, what would You have me do? Where do You want me to go? I do not want to simply live for my will. Let Your will be done in my life!\" You will be amazed at the hearts that will be set free, the people who will come to the house of God, the great good that will be done! It is time that each of us become an evangelist–led by the Spirit of God, trusting His power, laying hands on the sick, casting out devils, believing that the Kingdom of God has come–and then watching God do the miraculous!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"WHERE IS THE LORD CALLING YOU?,\" a sermon given on November 28, 2017 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"55":{"sm_title":"How Many Christians Weep On Sunday Night?","sm_id":"297","sm_desc":"The Word of God will bring God Himself to glory in the people and God will do for us what only God can do. We must never be under the ministry of people that get there by natural means. The Word should challenge our unbelief and cause us to believe in the supernatural. We must believe that God is for us and is willing to do in us and through us and for us what only God can do. When you go home today don't weep, instead determine in your heart to believe God for the impossible.","sm_jpg":"48225_jb_20171015.jpg","sm_date":"2018-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/10\/15s1\/20171015s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/10\/15s1\/20171015s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"JTdz997G3Js","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48329_sermon-newsletter-201801-how-many-christians-weep-on-sunday-night.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In the book of Numbers, the Lord instructed Moses, \"'Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel.'...Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel<\/em>\" (Numbers 13:2–3).<\/p>\n

The passage goes on to say, \"Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. Then they told him, and said: 'We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there...We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.' And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land<\/em>\" (Numbers 13:26–28, 31–32). The original King James Version calls it \"an evil report of the land.\"<\/p>\n

The spies continued their report: \"There we saw the giants<\/em> (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight. So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night<\/em>\" (Numbers 13:33–14:1).<\/p>\n

I cannot help but wonder how many Christians today weep on Sunday night. After being in church on Sunday morning, how many go home hopeless—without faith for the future or a belief that God is able to save their families? They are left with no ability to believe that God is able to take them out of their despair and give them joy, a new voice, a new purpose, and a new vision. And so they go home and cry on their beds on Sunday night because they know that Monday morning is coming, and all things will remain just as they always have been.<\/p>\n

Note that these spies were leaders who had risen to reputation among their peers; they were not selected randomly. A multitude of people were traveling through the wilderness, and these men were among those who had risen to the top. They were perhaps recognized for their ability to lead people, for skills and giftings they had, for their natural strength.<\/p>\nFAITHLESS LEADERS <\/span>\n

Surely these spies, whom I will call the faithless ten (for two of the twelve spies, Joshua and Caleb, were convinced that they could take the land) did not consider their report evil. The word \"evil\" in the original text means it was slander and defamation against the character of God Himself. However, I am sure they considered their report analytical, measured, and reasonable. Yet here was the problem with these ten: They could claim to have knowledge of what was in this place of promise; they could claim to have seen it for forty days; they could lay out all the fruit—but they could not cause the people to believe that in spite of their littleness, God was still willing and able to give them all that He promised.<\/p>\n

Remember, leaders cannot lead people any farther than they have gone themselves. They simply cannot reproduce what is not there. Think about the history of these faithless ten. The supernatural power of God was all around them; they saw the plagues come down upon the nation of Egypt, and the Red Sea part right before their eyes. They knew what God was able to do, but they never really became partakers of it. They witnessed it but they themselves were not walking in the supernatural.<\/p>\n

It is so critical today that you listen to the right voices, for we are living in a day of sorrows. As this world continues to spiral downward into deeper confusion, distress, division, hatred, and war, you and I are called to be a supernatural testimony of who God is on the earth. We are called to stand with the strength that only He can give, to have wisdom that could come only from Him.<\/p>\n

Now is not the time to be under the ministry of somebody who is not truly walking in the supernatural and instead has risen to their position merely by natural means—perhaps their gifted speaking ability or their great intellect. If you are listening to teaching that is not stirring your heart to believe God, you need to get out of that place. As brilliant as the report might be, the Bible calls it evil if it is not leading you into faith. If it is merely an exercise in intellect—a discovering and rediscovering of the fruit—but nothing in it leads you to believe that it can actually be yours, it is an evil report.<\/p>\n

In fact, the apostle Paul gave us a warning regarding such leaders, saying, \"[Pray] that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith<\/em>\" (2 Thessalonians 3:2). In other words, not everyone who preaches the Word of God believes that He is still able to do the miraculous today. Therefore, you must pray to be delivered from unreasonable people whose theological focus is all in the natural.<\/p>\nANOTHER KIND OF LEADER <\/span>\n

In contrast to the ten spies, the apostle Paul said, \"My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 2:4–5). Now Paul was anything but a weak man in the natural. He was a leader among leaders. He even once declared that concerning the works of the law, he was blameless (see Philippians 3:6).<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, when Paul came to Christ, he said, \"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ<\/em>\" (Philippians 3:7–8). In other words, \"I do not want any more of Paul; I want everything of Christ. I do not want anything left of natural wisdom. I would rather stand in weakness and trembling so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. I desire that the people I speak to would not be looking to a man but rather to Christ inside of me—as not only my hope, but as their hope as well.\"<\/p>\n

I know that I would not want to listen to a preacher who has no personal testimony of the miraculous power of God at work in his or her life. I would much rather listen to somebody like Paul who stands in weakness and trembling—the kind of person you could look at and say, \"There is a power touching my heart that I know cannot come from this physical vessel. It must be from the Spirit at work inside of this one who is speaking to me. Lord, let that be my portion in the days ahead!\"<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, listening to the voices of the ten spies ultimately caused the people to end up in a wilderness where they died. Likewise, if the voices you are listening to today are not provoking you to faith, you will die in a spiritual wilderness. You will simply live through an endless succession of funerals, which was exactly what the Israelites experienced for forty years until eventually they all died and another generation arose.<\/p>\nHOW THE WALLS FALL<\/span>\n

Finally, a new generation was about to go in and possess this Promised Land which the others had forfeited through their unbelief. This time, however, they were to go with the instruction that God gave to Joshua: \"'See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.'...Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, 'You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, \"Shout!\" Then you shall shout'<\/em>\" (Joshua 6:2, 10). In other words, \"We are going to go in and take the land, but this time we are going to be quiet. We do not need to listen to any voices telling us how many giants are in the land!\"<\/p>\n

Note that when they walked in and surrounded Jericho for seven days, they had no weaponry. In the natural, they were insufficient for the battle before them. Nevertheless, they chose to simply obey God and be quiet. It was just as the Lord said in Isaiah 30:15, \"In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.<\/em>\" One more time, walking around the city, they were quiet and confident—thinking about the promises of God, remembering the history of who God was—until that moment when an inner shout came into their hearts. I believe that by the time Joshua told them to shout, the people simply could not contain it any longer, for God had already convinced their hearts that they had the victory!<\/p>\n

And so I challenge you today: As you go around about your city, as you are tempted to think of all the things that you are fighting to get through, begin to think, instead, about all the things that God has done. Meditate on His Word. If there is anything pure, anything lovely, anything of virtue, anything of a good report, think on these things, and the God of peace will be with you (see Philippians 4:8–9).<\/p>\n

Suddenly, confidence will fill your heart. \"God, I am going to trust You. I am going to believe You for my family. I am going to believe that You will heal the wounds of my past. I am going to trust You for my future. I am not listening to any voices anymore that say I am not smart enough or strong enough. Let the evil reporters die in the wilderness; I am going with You! I do not care what giants I have to face, for You are going to take my life in its total nothingness and raise it up to be something that brings glory to Your name!\"<\/p>\n

Then one day, when you cannot contain it any longer, you are going to shout so loud that your whole neighborhood will hear! The Scripture tells us that when the Israelites shouted, the walls of Jericho fell, and every person went into that city and took the victory. Today, as we trust God in our own cities, I believe we are going to take with us into God's Kingdom a multitude of people too numerous to count, and we are going to do it by the power of God!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of a sermon given on October 15, 2017 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City, \"HOW MANY CHRISTIANS WEEP ON SUNDAY NIGHT?\" Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"56":{"sm_title":"The Theological Error of \"WhatHowWhen\"","sm_id":"295","sm_desc":"Discouragement comes when we begin to lose courage on our forward journey. Sometimes the journey we have crafted for our future is partly true and partly fiction. We fall into the theological error of \"WhatHowWhen\" when we know what God has promised us but we want to tell him \"how\" and \"when\" to do it. In the midst of all our discouragement Jesus still comes and reminds us that He will never leave us of forsake us. Be encouraged, the plan that God decreed for your life is still unfolding and it will happen in God's time and in His way. ","sm_jpg":"48209_jb_20171001.jpg","sm_date":"2017-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/10\/01s1\/20171001s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/10\/01s1\/20171001s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"1uRNX6P3NtA","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48283_sermon-newsletter-201712-the-theological-error-of-whathowwhen.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

The Bible tells us that in the last days, iniquities shall abound, and the love of many will grow cold. Who can deny that iniquity is abounding today? As society continues to spiral down into deeper darkness almost every day, it can become easy to grow cold to every form of love–particularly the love of the lost. Eventually, many Christians will end up in discouragement. In fact, some are already discouraged. And even for those who are not, I hope this message will help protect your heart from the discouragement that might await you in the future.<\/p>\n

The book of Luke tells us of a time when two disciples \"were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him<\/em>\" (Luke 24:13-16). These two were so engrossed in their own reasoning–their own assessment of what had just taken place with the crucifixion of Jesus–that they could not see when the Lord Himself began to walk with them.<\/p>\n

\"And He said to them, 'What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?'... So they said to Him, '...the chief priests and our rulers delivered [Jesus] to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping'<\/em>\" (Luke 24:17, 19-21). Things were spiraling down in a way never thought possible. What was actually a great victory was nothing but defeat in their eyes. This, of course, is the same dilemma that you and I fall into. We think we know what God is about to do, and we formulate in our minds the complete picture of how everything ought to unfold. Yet when it does not develop, we find ourselves battling discouragement.<\/p>\n

Discouragement, by definition, means to lose courage on your forward journey. It is like crossing a deep ravine on a narrow wooden footbridge that suddenly begins to fall apart right before your eyes. You thought you fully understood the path before you, but now it is disappearing. Quite often it happens because the pathway we have crafted for ourselves is partly truth and partly fiction.<\/p>\nWE WERE HOPING<\/span>\n

There are plenty of examples of this in the Scriptures. For example, in the gospel of Matthew, the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with a request. \"He said to her, 'What do you wish?' She said to Him, 'Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom'<\/em>\" (Matthew 20:21). She, like most people, had an impression that the Kingdom of God was going to come immediately– along with an idea of what it was going to look like.<\/p>\n

\"Jesus answered and said, 'You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?' They said to Him, 'We are able'<\/em>\" (Matthew 20:22). What do you think they were picturing? Perhaps they saw themselves sitting at the right and left hand of Jesus as kings, ruling and reigning with Him, while servants came up to them with a nice cup of red wine. They had no idea that He was talking about suffering and rejection.<\/p>\n

Later, we see Peter put his sword in his belt at the Last Supper. After all, Jesus told them, \"He who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one<\/em>\" (Luke 22:36). So Peter took his sword, and in the Garden of Gethsemane when Judas and the betrayers came, he was ready to fight. He ended up cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant. I am sure he had the ticker tape victory parade down the Broadway of Jerusalem already playing in his mind. \"Yes, Jesus and I won the victory. Rome's dominion over our society has been destroyed!\"<\/p>\n

And then in John, when officers from the chief priests and Pharisees came to Gethsemane to arrest Christ, He asked them, \"'Whom are you seeking?' They answered Him, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' Jesus said to them, 'I am He.'...Now when He said to them, 'I am He,' they drew back and fell to the ground<\/em>\" (John 18:4-6). There must have been people there who were thinking, \"Aha! The Kingdom of God has finally come!\" And James and John probably thought, \"Wow, now we are really close to sitting at the right and left hand of Christ!\" Yet in each of these incidents, it was not long before they all saw Jesus led away captive, and they were left to flee, discouraged.<\/p>\nTHE ERROR<\/span>\n

Here was their error: They took three separate moments and combined them into one word: \"whathowwhen\"–what, how, when. First of all, they knew what Christ came to do. He had once declared Himself to be the One sent of God to fulfill the promise He made to His people: \"He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed<\/em>\" (Luke 4:18). I guess you cannot blame them, for when you look at this verse in its full context, it appears to offer immediate victory.<\/p>\n

And so knowing what Jesus came to do, they made another mistake that we, too, often make: They formulated in their own minds how and when He needed to do it. For example, there are people who are lonely, yet they know that Christ came to meet the needs of their heart. They can look at the Garden to Eden and say, \"Lord, You saw that Adam was lonely, and so You made a wife for him. I see in the Scriptures what You came to do!\" But the problem with all of humanity is that since we know what God came to do, we start to tell Him how and when He is going to do it.<\/p>\n

A young man sitting in church felt that way when he looked across the sanctuary and saw the woman he just knew must be his wife. \"Oh, God, thank You for meeting the need of my heart!\" After the service when he went to speak to her, he discovered she did not speak a word of English! She was not even from America but was only visiting.<\/p>\n

Just like the men on the road to Emmaus, when things do not happen our way, we walk away discouraged. That is the theological error of whathowwhen. Of course, the promises of God are \"yea and amen.\" Everything He said He is going to do for us, He will do–but not always the way we think it should be done!<\/p>\nWHEN WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND<\/span>\n

The good news is that even when we are confused and discouraged, Jesus still comes and walks alongside us. Think about it: Jesus had a lot of people left in that upper room. He had many seekers in Jerusalem. But He left all of that to go after people who were walking away in discouragement from the place of promise.<\/p>\n

Later in the Scriptures, it says, \"And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther<\/em>\" (Luke 24:27). In other words, the Lord says, \"I am not going to force you to understand when everything seems to be going wrong. I will not push Myself on you, but if you desire, I will open to you the Scriptures and show you things you may not have considered yet.\"<\/p>\n

Now most of these disciples had walked with Him for three years, and nothing was hidden from them. Jesus told them plainly that He was going to be betrayed, crucified, and raised from the dead on the third day. Yet almost nobody was able to hear it because they were locked into the theological error of knowing how and when the kingdom of God was supposed to work.<\/p>\n

Even today, what if God is preparing us for a very hard time to come? Are we willing to let the Lord begin to unlock the Scriptures and show us that His ways are not our ways, and His plans are not our plans?<\/p>\nTHEIR EYES WERE OPENED<\/span>\n

\"They drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, 'Abide with us'<\/em>\" (Luke 24:28-29). There was something in them that desired Him, even though His message was hard to hear. After all, none of us really want to suffer. Nevertheless, something in their hearts was saying, \"This is right. God is not called to be my servant. I am called to be a servant of the Most High God.\"<\/p>\n

The Bible says they constrained Him, saying, \"Abide with us because it is getting dark, and the day is coming to an end\" (see Luke 24:29). That must be the cry of our hearts now in this generation. \"God, maybe I got it all wrong, but something is burning inside of me. Please give me strength because it is getting dark. Help me to be willing to follow Your plan rather than mine.\"<\/p>\n

\"Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight<\/em>\" (Luke 24:30-31). Their eyes were opened as He broke bread! Jesus was broken so that they might be made whole; He was given for them. Now He was giving them for the sake of others. Suddenly, they began to see that the Kingdom of God was about more than living to see their own views fulfilled, and they now had power to rise up and go back.<\/p>\n

No, they were not going back to what looked like a place of victory in the natural. They were going back into a society that had just crucified Christ and was in no mood to endure His followers. But they were heading back with the understanding that there was a deeper purpose. It is as if they could somehow sense Jesus' explanation: \"Yes, James and John, you will rule and reign one day. Yes, Peter, you did win the victory. I do have all power and all authority, and I could have claimed the Kingdom. But if I had done so at that time, myriads of people, including those in the year 2017, would have had no hope. So for their sakes, I am leaving you in these places of confusion and difficulty. I am leaving you as a testimony of who I am and what I am willing to do.\"<\/p>\n

And so the two disciples rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the other disciples and said, \"'The Lord is risen indeed'...And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and said to them, 'Peace to you'<\/em>\" (Luke 24:34-36).<\/p>\n

What a beautiful picture! People who formerly were discouraged now understood that Jesus was given for them, and He was now calling them to be given for others. And notice that it was when they had begun to share about their experience with Him that Jesus appeared in their midst. Likewise, as we allow ourselves to be yielded for His purpose and tell others about the depth of His love, He appears and says, \"Peace.\" He appears in our testimony, and He starts speaking peace to troubled hearts all around us!<\/p>\n

And so we see how imperative it is that we escape our own theological error. We must remember that God's ways are higher than ours and trust that what may look like defeat is actually victory. Like the disciples, let's ask Jesus to abide with us and show us where true strength is found. And then as we begin to reach out to others, He will appear through our testimony and touch this generation.<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"The Theological Error of \"WhatHowWhen\",\" a sermon given on October 1, 2017 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"57":{"sm_title":"When Christians Make Mistakes","sm_id":"293","sm_desc":"Have you ever been disappointed in God? Are you among those sitting in the house of God feeling a little outside of it all, wondering if your relationship with God could ever be the way it once was? In these seasons we are prone to make the mistakes. Discouragement and bitterness against God come into the heart when the plan doesn't move forward like we thought it should move forward. Your plans may have amounted to nothing but God's plan is still ongoing and God's plan is the best plan of all. God hasn't written you off, He has not forgotten you and the best for your life is yet to come. Today, if you are hungry and thirsty come home to God.","sm_jpg":"48150_jb_20170820.jpg","sm_date":"2017-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/08\/20s1\/20170820s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/08\/20s1\/20170820s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"qyWJ-u7vyLc","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48249_sermon-newsletter-201711-when-christians-make-mistakes.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"So Peter went out and wept bitterly<\/em>\" (Luke 22:62). In this scene just before Jesus' crucifixion, we see Peter weeping inconsolably, stunned by his own sense of failure. After all, he was the one who seemingly had the most passion of those who were following Christ. He was the disciple who said to Jesus, \"Others may run from You, but I will not.\" At another time, he declared, \"I am willing not just to live with You but to die for You and with You in Jerusalem!\" (see Matthew 26:35). However, only a very short time later Peter denied he even knew Christ, swearing with an oath to this effect.<\/p>\n

I feel in my spirit that a lot of bitter weeping is going on in the Body of Jesus Christ today–that many disappointed, disillusioned people feel they have somehow failed God. They remember the days when they loved to pray– when they could not wait to tell people about Jesus. But something happened along the way. They feel as if they have made a mistake of some sort, and now they don't know if their relationship with God can ever be as it once was.<\/p>\n

If you are among those who have been feeling this way, I hope you will be encouraged to remember that Christians do make mistakes. In fact, let's take a look at a few of the common mistakes I believe every Christian is prone to making.<\/p>\nRELYING ON HUMAN REASONING<\/span>\n

The first mistake that Christians often make is substituting human reasoning for divine counsel. The Scripture tells us in the book of Acts: \"All the early disciples continued with one accord in prayer and supplication\"(see Acts 1:14). Now, when you and I pray, ideas will come into our heart. However, we must remember that they are not always from God, even though we are praying. Our fallen nature desires to be as God is, and every once in a while it will still whisper something. It wants to declare something to be a good idea which, even though it is good, might not be God's idea for the moment.<\/p>\n

The next verse goes on to tell us that Peter stood up and recounted how Judas betrayed the Son of God, bought a field with the reward of his betrayal, and then fell to his own death (1:15-19). Peter then quoted a Scripture, saying, \"'Let his dwelling place be desolate, and let no one live in it' and,'Let another take his office'<\/em>\" (Acts 1:20).<\/p>\n

Peter had an idea in his heart. Even though he had wept bitterly, even though he had made tremendous mistakes, he still had a strong will. \"'Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord, Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.' And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, 'You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen'<\/em>\" (Acts 1:21-24). This is only conjecture, but I believe when God speaks, He does not present us two choices. When we end up with two choices, many times they are good ideas that have come from the heart of man. I have been in enough board meetings to have seen this happen over and over again.<\/p>\n

So how did they figure out who was going to be the twelfth apostle? They cast lots! The lot fell upon Matthias, so he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Yet you never hear of him again!<\/p>\n

You see, somebody did have to take that twelfth place, but they needed to learn to wait on God rather than substituting human reasoning for divine counsel. When human reasoning gets into the Church of Jesus Christ, we are essentially trying to promote a supernatural kingdom in a natural way, and the two simply do not go together. The man God had chosen to be the twelfth apostle was not saved yet–his name was Saul of Tarsus. When you read Paul's letters, they say, \"Paul, chosen by God, called to be an apostle<\/em>\"(see 1 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1). Paul knew that he was called, and he was actually the one chosen by God to become the greatest apostle of all times.<\/p>\nHARBORING BITTERNESS AGAINST GOD<\/span>\n

Allowing discouragement and bitterness against God to enter the heart when a plan does not move forward as expected is a second common mistake of Christians. Consider Peter at the Last Supper. Zealous to serve God with all his heart, he suddenly heard Jesus say, \"Whoever does not have a sword, get one now. For it is written, he was numbered against the transgressors\"(see Luke 22:36-37). So Peter got his sword, stuck it in his belt, and promised to fight to the end for this Man he believed to be the Son of God.<\/p>\n

Later in the Garden of Gethsemane when Judas and the band of zealots came to take Christ captive, Peter drew his sword and took a swipe at the high priest, cutting off his ear (see Matthew 26:51). Now Peter was serving God the way he felt he has been instructed to. But Jesus reached to the ground, picked up the ear, put it back on his head, and then turned to Peter and said, \"Put your sword away\"(see Matthew 26:52). Imagine how Peter must have felt as he stood there. \"I trusted You; I have sincerely followed You. But now You have left me standing here, looking like a fool!\"<\/p>\n

Have you ever felt you had a direct word from the Lord and set out to do it, only to have it all seem to blow up in your face? I am sure we have all had those moments when we end up thinking, as Peter did, \"I don't know You! I don't even know if You know what You are doing. You give all these contrary instructions. If You didn't want me to use the sword, why did You tell me to get the sword in the first place?\"<\/p>\n

Of course, there might be something a little deeper in the instruction of God. We often assume that we know exactly what He means when He sends us out to do something. Then when it does not work out as we thought, we become discouraged and even bitter.<\/p>\n

It is difficult for Christians to admit that they have become bitter against God. A famous evangelist, in his eighties at the time, told me about his grandchild who contracted cancer. He prayed and fasted and believed this little three-year-old girl was going to be healed, but she died. And as a result, he became very bitter toward God. Something in the heart says, \"Lord, I have served You all these years. I have honored Your Son and Your family; I have fed Your sheep. All I am asking You for is this one little life. Will You not spare it?\" After she died, he and I were sitting in a restaurant together, and he said, \"Pastor, the only reason I did not turn from God when my granddaughter died is that I had come too far to turn back.\"Nevertheless, he was angry with God but at least he had the courage to admit it.<\/p>\n

Even David the psalmist once said, \"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me? And from the words of My groaning. O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent<\/em>\" (Psalm 22:1-2). In effect, David was saying, \"I am doing my part. Why are You not doing Yours? I am praying, I am crying out, I am seeking justice and righteousness. God, I know You have the power to make a difference, but why are You silent in the midst of my prayer?\"Although it may feel as if God does not hear our cries, we must not forget that God's ways are not our ways; His thoughts are not our thoughts. He has never left us nor forsaken us. And so we must carefully guard our hearts against bitterness.<\/p>\nGIVING UP ON PEOPLE<\/span>\n

The third common mistake that Christians make is writing off people whom God has not written off. That is part of the reason why so many feel distant from God. For example, the apostle Paul had taken a young man named Mark with him on his journey. Now Mark was not ready for martyrdom the way Paul was. Paul was a zealot before he got saved, and he brought a great measure of that zeal into the kingdom of God. On the other hand, Mark was young. Perhaps he was thinking, \"Look, Paul, I have a life to live. Everywhere you go, you are crawling out from under a pile of rocks. I am just not ready for that.\" So he left, and Paul was so angered by it that he wrote Mark off as useless and no good for the kingdom of God. In fact, Paul was so adamant about this that he even split up a good friendship with Barnabas over it (see Acts 15:38-39).<\/p>\n

Of course, we know that God had not written Mark off. God was not finished with this young man, who eventually ended up writing the gospel of Mark! And so we must remember: We reap what we sow. If we sow judgment toward others who have failed in our sight, we reap judgment without mercy. None of us are walking in absolute perfection anyway. Learn to be kind toward others. Watch what happens when you start extending mercy to other people. Suddenly you will become very aware of the mercy and longsuffering of God toward you!<\/p>\nPRAYING WITHOUT FAITH<\/span>\n

Another common mistake Christians are prone to making is praying without truly believing that God will answer. We come to the prayer meeting because it is the thing to do. We pray for family members, communities, leaders–but deep down in our heart, we do not actually believe that God is going to answer our prayers. As a result, prayer becomes a mere religious exercise. That is why Jesus once asked, \"When the Son of Man returns, will He find the kind of faith that will not give up until it has its answer?\" (see Luke 18:8).<\/p>\n

We see this in the early Church in the book of Acts. At the time, King Herod had been imprisoning Christians and he even killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. Many were pleased that such violent persecution was coming against the people of God. And so Herod seized Peter and put him in prison as well. He surrounded him with four squads of soldiers and put guards before the door of the prison. He intended to bring Peter out for judgment just to please this society's blood lust toward the testimony of Christ.<\/p>\n

What did the Church do? They did what they knew they were supposed to do: They gathered to pray for Peter. I can imagine how the prayer meeting must have sounded. \"O God, have mercy on Peter. O God, have mercy on the Christian Church. O God, set Peter free.\"<\/p>\n

As they were gathered praying, the Bible tells that suddenly, \"As Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate<\/em>\" (Acts 12:13-14). This is exactly what they were praying for! \"But they said to her, 'You are beside yourself'<\/em>\" (verse 15). In other words, \"You are mad.\" She kept insisting, \"Peter's at the door. Peter's at the door.\" So they said, \"It is his angel.\" In other words, \"It is not Peter. It is just a messenger telling us that all is well. It is something spiritual.\"Have you ever noticed how we try to spiritualize unbelief?<\/p>\n

Peter continued knocking, and when they finally opened the door, they were astonished to see him. You see, they were praying for his freedom, but they did not believe God was going to answer their prayer! They did not believe that before the prayer meeting was over, the answer would be at the door!<\/p>\n

May you and I not make this same mistake as we pray for a spiritual awakening in this nation. We must believe that when we pray, mountains can still be moved. Jesus made a promise that whatever you ask, believing, you shall receive (see Matthew 21:22).<\/p>\nGOD'S PLAN IS GOING FORWARD<\/span>\n

Here is the conclusion of what we have been discussing: You may have made mistakes, but God's plan for your life has not been thwarted! Remember, Matthias disappeared, but Paul stood up and the plan of God went forward. And so if you are disillusioned; if you misunderstood the Lord; if you felt like you were left standing like a fool in the presence of God; if what you thought was God did not materialize; or if you have not been believing your prayers will be answered–God has not forgotten you! He has not written you off. You are as precious to Him–as valuable to Him–today as you were before you ever even understood who He was.<\/p>\n

Think about it this way: We all have made mistakes, we all have failed in some way–yet it is almost as if Christ needed a Church who understood what we really are without Him. That way, when He does what only He can do, we will not touch the glory that belongs to God alone. When our prayers are answered, when family members we did not believe God could save start coming home, we will not touch the glory! Furthermore, when we have been in that examining room with the Holy Spirit, we are no longer quick to judge others. We are quicker to embrace people in their weakness, for we recognize that we, too, have been embraced in our failure.<\/p>\n

So take heart whenever you feel the temptation to weep bitterly over your failure. Allow the Lord to comfort you and touch your life with His mercy. Choose to believe that He has not forsaken you–that His plan for your life will be fulfilled. In fact, the best is yet to come!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"WHEN CHRISTIANS MAKE MISTAKES,\" a sermon given on August 20, 2017 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"58":{"sm_title":"Push Back the Darkness","sm_id":"291","sm_desc":"We are living in an age of darkness and without God intervening, this generation will end up hopeless. We are up against a lawlessness that sets itself against all that is from God. We must never lose sight that the battle we fight is for the souls of men. It doesn't matter how difficult life looks when we turn to God in prayer we are empowered to pull down every stronghold. We must take a stand by getting on our knees to push back the darkness and bring about a season of mercy through prayer.","sm_jpg":"48057_jb_20170618.jpg","sm_date":"2017-10","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/06\/18s1\/20170618s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/06\/18s1\/20170618s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"gbcPwT1i1Vk","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48208_sermon-newsletter-201710-push-back-the-darkness.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

A new law was recently passed in Ontario, Canada, stating that if your son, at the age of eight, decides that he is a girl, yet you refuse to let him go to school in a dress, the government has a right to take that child out of your home.<\/p>\n

Clearly, we are living in a perilous time—an age of lawlessness that the Scriptures warned us about. We read in the Bible that there will be unspeakable darkness and a great falling away in the last days before Christ returns, but most of us probably never thought we would live to see a day quite like this. And if you think this is bad, I fear what kind of generation we will leave for our sons and daughters, without God's intervention.<\/p>\n

Now before he became king, David also lived in a season when his own nation was in a fearful spiritual decline. Self-will and spiritualism under King Saul was on full display, leading the nation toward what inevitably would become a certain defeat, without divine intervention. David soon found himself being pursued by an army that hoped to cast off all that represented God. Of course, we know that David ultimately ended up being someone who made a difference.<\/p>\n

In an hour when perversion is paraded and morality is degraded, you and I are the only ones who can bring a spiritual awakening back to the nation, just as David was in his day. We have power with God to bring a moment of mercy—to push back the darkness that wants to swallow our society!<\/p>\nA DIFFERENT SPIRIT<\/span>\n

So the question now is: What exactly are we supposed to do?<\/p>\n

Let's take a look at what David did in Psalm 140. He was in a cave when he penned this psalm, and there was talk of violence everywhere. A madman was pursuing him, and his own people were urging him to kill King Saul. However, David understood that this was not how the kingdom of God was going to advance and so he did what you and I must to do today: pray for deliverance from the spirit of the age. \"Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their hearts<\/em>\" (Psalm 140:1–2).<\/p>\n

David was not referring only to the people outside who were pursuing him but those inside as well—those whose speech was given to other than godliness, who were looking for a solution in human terms. You see, David felt called to something higher than the petty violence and grievance of his generation, though nobody around him seemed to understand. David was the Christ type of his generation—an example of somebody who was governed, guided and empowered by the Spirit of God.<\/p>\n

We, too, must pray for deliverance from the spirit of this age, saying, \"Lord, I do not want to be part of the problem. I want to be part of the solution. Help me to get my mind back on spiritual things. Get me away from the media and anything that might poison my spirit and cause my speech to lose its effectiveness as it becomes exactly the way of the world. God, give me a spirit different from that of this age. Give me Your Holy Spirit! Give me Your thoughts, Your mind, Your compassion for the multitudes. Help me to love even my enemies.\"<\/p>\n

David goes on in that psalm, \"I said to the Lord, 'You are my God. Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle. Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further his wicked scheme, lest they be exalted'<\/em>\" (Psalm 140:6–8). In other words, \"Cover my head in the day of battle, and help me not to listen to the voice of the enemy. Help me not to succumb to the threats of the wicked.\"<\/p>\n

I am sure David remembered when he was young and a voice arose on the opposite side of the valley, challenging the armies of Israel. Day after day, Goliath would come out, essentially saying, \"You do not have the power to overcome what is against you, so yield to it now rather than be humiliated\" (see 1 Samuel 17:8–10). Yet David, refusing the armor Saul offered him, discovered that God was faithful to cover his head in the battle and shield him from the enemy's taunts. Instead of listening to the voice of that generation, David had a word from God. He courageously ran into that valley toward Goliath, saying, \"You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied<\/em>\" (1 Samuel 17:45). This weaponry looked foolish in the natural, but we know that David went on to win a great victory over Goliath! And so if we, too, ask God to cover our heads in the day of battle, I believe He will help us not to succumb to the voices of this generation.<\/p>\nMAKING MEN MIGHTY<\/span>\n

Not only did David ask God to deliver him from the spirit of that age, but he said in Psalm 142, \"The righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me<\/em>\" (verse 7). This brings us to another thing you must do if you want to push back the darkness in this hour: Believe that your life will make a difference! Believe that God's life inside of you will greatly impact the people around you—so much so that they will make a difference in this generation as well!<\/p>\n

Notice that when David said \"the righteous shall surround me,\" it was actually a prayer of faith, for around him at the time were discontented, distressed men who were in debt (see 1 Samuel 22:2). They wanted David to resort to violence and engage in a physical fight, but David understood something that they didn't: The battle they were called to was much deeper. In the same way, we must remember that we do not fight with physical weaponry as the people of this world do. We fight with spiritual weaponry; we fight with prayer; we fight with righteous living.<\/p>\n

And so it was as if David was saying, \"I see a day when the righteous will surround me—those whose hearts are right, those who make right choices. They will understand the true battle we face as well as the power God is willing to give His people.\" As they witnessed David living with a different spirit and saw the hand of God evident in his life, something changed in those men, and they emerged from that cave as mighty. They took on battles that could have been won only by the strength given them by God; they became men who changed their generation!<\/p>\nTHE VICTORY IS OURS<\/span>\n

There is a third thing David did that we must do in this hour: He believed that God would give him the victory—one that would result in abundant thanksgiving. At the end of Psalm 140, David said, \"I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence<\/em>\" (verse 12). Similarly, you and I must believe God will give us the victory we need in this hour and that worship and thanksgiving will become the portion of multitudes in the days just ahead.<\/p>\n

That was David's declaration in the cave, despite what things looked like in the moment. Think about it: There were only 400 with him while thousands were against him. He did not know whom he could trust anymore. Nevertheless, David knew that the only One he could fully trust was still with him. The One who had given him victory over a lion, a bear, and a giant was still his God—no matter how difficult his life looked.<\/p>\n

You and I would be wise to learn this lesson from history. Yes, in the natural, we are on the weaker side. But in the spiritual, we are already more than conquerors. We are seated at the right hand of Almighty God— the One who already destroyed the power of darkness and sits in all power and authority. We have direct access to the throne of God; we have power to push back the darkness and believe that there will be victory and rejoicing in the days ahead!<\/p>\n

The Bible tells us that David lived to see the victory he believed God for. As God's presence was being ushered back into Jerusalem—as the heart and will of God was being fulfilled—David could not contain himself any longer. He began to dance before the Ark with all his might (see 2 Samuel 6:12–14). I believe there were probably many people dancing with him, for they knew that only God could have given them the victory!<\/p>\nLIGHT OVERCOMES DARKNESS<\/span>\n

We are at a crossroads in the Church of Jesus Christ. We must press in and fight to push back the darkness. Think for a moment how darkness can encompass an entire ocean. Storms can come and threaten to swallow sailors and travelers, making their passage impossible. Yet all that is needed to counter the darkness and bring multitudes to safety is a lightbulb. I have been in lighthouses all over the place, and it is amazing when you consider the immensity of the darkness, the ferocity of the wind and the waves—all that seems to be opposing travelers on their journey— and then you realize that a small lightbulb, put in the proper place, can diffuse it all! It can send out a beam for miles, saying, \"This way to safety!\" No matter how hard it tries, darkness cannot hide the light.<\/p>\n

No wonder Jesus said, \"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden<\/em>\" (Matthew 5:14). If you and I are willing to be given for the sake of others, we cannot be hidden. Sadly, for too long in America, Christianity has focused on itself, allowing this society to devolve into the darkness that is now threatening to swallow multitudes. However, we can still be the city set upon the hill if we are willing to make the journey.<\/p>\n

It is important to keep in mind that this is not an hour for self-seeking. This is not an hour for those who pray the foolish prayer of Hezekiah. He was a man who won incredible victories, but at the end of his days, when a prophet told him that his sons were going to be taken captive, Hezekiah praised him, essentially saying, \"As long as it doesn't happen in my day, isn't that a good thing?\"(see 2 Kings 20:19). Likewise, there are people in this generation who are saying, \"Well, as long as I am dead before all this evil comes on society, isn't that a good thing?\" No, it is never a good thing! It is only a good thing for those whose entire Christianity is all about themselves. May God deliver us from this childish foolishness and make us men and women of God! May God cause us to understand that we have power to make a difference in our generation and those to come!<\/p>\n

I recently told my wife, \"Whatever happens to me, I want you to tell our grandchildren that I fought for them. I was not willing to let them be swallowed by a darkened time.\"I pray that would be the story of every man and woman reading this. \"Tell the next generation I fought for them. I did not live my Christian life merely for myself. I stood up and was counted among those who belong to God!\"<\/p>\n

I recently told my wife, \"Whatever happens to me, I want you to tell our grandchildren that I fought for them. I was not willing to let them be swallowed by a darkened time.\"I pray that would be the story of every man and woman reading this. \"Tell the next generation I fought for them. I did not live my Christian life merely for myself. I stood up and was counted among those who belong to God!\"<\/p>\n

Remember, the Bible says that \"when darkness comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against it\" (see Isaiah 59:19). Therefore, I am confident that God will take all of us who have willing hearts and make us more than we are. He will give us faith that is beyond our natural ability, words that are deeper than anything we can think up. He will give us passion and power to fight for everybody, even our enemies. The Lord will cause our lives to impact those around us, and He will give us a great victory which will result in an abundance of thanksgiving to the glory of His name!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"Push Back The Darkness,\" a sermon given on June 18, 2017 in the sanctuary of\nTimes Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome\nto make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or\nelectronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without\npermission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"59":{"sm_title":"A Thief In a Parking Lot","sm_id":"289","sm_desc":"The thief has come to kill your future and family, to steal your joy and hope and to kill your effectiveness on earth. The devil will have us believe we will always be in pursuit of a victory we will never catch. Today we are reminded that we have been given weaponry in Christ to pursue the kingdom of darkness and pulldown strongholds. As the Church of Jesus Christ we should stop sniffling and stand up against Satan because we have a General that is so powerful the mention of His name can fold up the universe. Everyone has a plan until somebody punches them in the mouth\u00e2\u20ac\u201dIt's time to punch the devil in the mouth.","sm_jpg":"48076_jb_20170702.jpg","sm_date":"2017-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/07\/02s1\/20170702s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/07\/02s1\/20170702s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"-xSKdGus5Hs","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48168_sermon-newsletter-201709-a-thief-in-a-parking-lot.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Very early one morning many years ago when I was a young police officer, I received a call that an alarm had gone off at a local dentist's office. I was the only officer to respond to the call, and as I arrived, the thief was just emerging from the office with stolen goods in his backpack. Seeing me, he took off running, and I followed in hot pursuit. After a short chase, we ended up in a vacant parking lot where he stopped suddenly, turned, raised his fists, and exclaimed, \"It's only you and me now.\" About eight seconds later, it was only me.<\/p>\n

Jesus once said, \"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<\/em>\" (John 10:10). You and I also face a thief today –one who has come to steal our future, our families, our joy, our hope, and our effectiveness on the Earth. However, Jesus is reminding us that He has made a way for us to have an abundant life. And so it is important that we understand that we have the power to overtake this thief, just as I did that morning in the parking lot.<\/p>\nTHE THIEF'S FIRST ERROR<\/span>\n

The thief I encountered made four presumptive errors that I believe are reflective of the way the enemy works today. First of all, he presumed that he could outrun me. What he did not know was that I actually liked to run! In fact, back in those days, I worked out two hours a day and ran at least two miles every night.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the devil would like for you to believe that you will never catch him. He will try to convince you that you will constantly be in pursuit of a victory just out of reach. However, I remind you that Satan is a liar. God has called as well as equipped you to overpower him. David the psalmist said it this way: \"For by You I can run against a troop. By my God I can leap over a wall<\/em>\" (Psalm 18:29). He went on to say, \"I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. I have wounded them, so that they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet. For you have armed me with strength for the battle<\/em>\"(verses 37–38).<\/p>\n

A lot of people think the Christian life is about having power to just hold down the fort–to somehow put up a shield so that the devil cannot hurt us anymore. Yes, that is part of it, but we have been given power for so much more. We are called to pursue the kingdom of darkness! We have been given power, just as Jesus was by the Spirit of God, to open prison doors and see wounded hearts healed; to see blind eyes given vision for the future; and to see captives set free. When Jesus said, \"You are My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against you\" (see Matthew 16:18), He did not mean the gates of hell coming our way, He meant us in an offensive against the gates of hell! Remember, the enemy cannot outrun us. The gates of hell cannot hold the Church captive when she finally realizes who she is in Christ and begins to pursue the powers of darkness.<\/p>\nTHE THIEF'S SECOND ERROR<\/span>\n

The second presumptive error made by the thief in the parking lot was that he could keep what he had stolen. He somehow assumed that I would not be able to take it back from him. However, consider the words of Jesus: \"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils<\/em>\"(Luke 11:21–22). The devil cannot keep what he has stolen from you!<\/p>\n

Let me illustrate this with another example from my life. When I was fifteen, I began to suffer from panic attacks due to immense pressure in my life. I felt inadequate to achieve the goals that others placed on me, so anxiety and fear became a deep part of my life. It crippled me to the point that I found it hard to ride on a bus or even leave the house at times. It was a very, very difficult season in my life.<\/p>\n

I thank God that I later came to Christ. Yet, one night after getting saved, I felt another panic attack coming on. Even though I was now a Christian, the devil tried to convince me that he could keep what he had stolen. He had stolen my confidence. He had stolen my voice and, in many ways, he had stolen my future. It was as if Satan was saying, \"Okay, I have lost you to Christ. I will agree with you that you have eternal life. But the abundant life is not going to be yours, so just be content with what you have.\"<\/p>\n

In the past when I had felt a panic attack coming, I immediately had popped Valium pills, often topping them off with an eight-ounce glass of whiskey to get myself through. But that night, I got up, and in my heart I was determined, \"No more pills! I am a believer in Christ now. No more whiskey; that is gone from my life. The Bible says, 'If God be for me, who can stand against me?'\"I did not even remember the whole verse, yet I believed it with all my heart.<\/p>\n

You see, there comes a point when we have to face the thief in the parking lot and take back what he has stolen. There is a point when we must lift our heads and roar right in the face of the devil. That is what I did that night. Right there in the middle of my living room, I declared, \"Satan, you can only kill me if God allows you to. And if He does allow you to, I am going to heaven, so I win either way. You throw at me everything you've got, but I throw at you what I now have: In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, I resist you!\" Suddenly, a heat hit my feet, continued through my legs, the middle of my body, my chest, and out the top of my head. Forty years ago I was set free from nine years of hell!<\/p>\n

Paul instructs us in the book of Ephesians: \"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places...And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God<\/em>\" (Ephesians 6:10–12, 17). In other words, \"Have truth in your inward parts. Walk in a right relationship with God. Take the sword of the Spirit–the Word of God.\" I urge you–know your Bible, for it is your weaponry! I had only half a verse of Scripture that night, but because I used it, I was set free from nine years of hell on this Earth!<\/p>\nTHE THIEF'S THIRD ERROR<\/span>\n

The thief in the parking lot made a third error that night: He presumed that I was alone. As he turned and raised his fists, all he could see was one uniformed police officer and himself. What he failed to realize was that backup was on its way. At least two other officers were coming to help me. If that did not work, there were more than six hundred officers available in the police department, and if things really got out of hand, as many as were needed would be heading my way!<\/p>\n

In the same way, you must understand who is behind you. You are not facing the enemy alone. Ask the Lord to give you a vision of who you truly are in Christ; a vision of why \"even the demons believe–and tremble<\/em>\" (James 2:19). The prophet Elisha once prayed something similar in order to encourage his fearful servant. \"'Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.' And Elisha prayed, and said, 'Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.' Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha<\/em>\"(2 Kings 6:16–17).<\/p>\n

So why should you tremble when you face the enemy? You have the weaponry of Christ. You have sufficient backup. You have brothers and sisters in Christ who will be there to help you in your time of need. You have outside forces that will come down and help you if you need them. You have hundreds in this battle with you! And best of all, at the helm you have a General so awesome that at the mere mention of His name, every knee must bow and every tongue must confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! You are never alone!<\/p>\nTHE THIEF'S FOURTH ERROR<\/span>\n

The fourth presumptive error the thief made that night was his belief that his words were sufficient to resist my advance. This is a tactic often used by the enemy. Think about the time the giant Goliath was hurling accusations, trying to discourage the armies of God. As young David decided to go down into the valley to fight this bigmouth from hell, Goliath taunted him, saying, \"'Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?'And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, 'Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!'<\/em>\"(1 Samuel 17:43–44).<\/p>\n

Yet David was not stopped by Goliath's threats. The Spirit of God came upon him, and he said, \"You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands<\/em>\" (1 Samuel 17:45–47).<\/p>\n

The devil thinks that he can stop you from going forward simply with his words. But remember, you and I have the right to stand in the devil's face and say, \"In the name of Jesus Christ, I resist your weapons; I resist your advance! You are not taking my home. You are not taking my family!\"<\/p>\nTHE THIEF TODAY<\/span>\n

Today, you and I have a thief in our parking lot, and he is challenging the Church. He is trying to convince you that he is faster than you are and that he can keep what he has stolen. He is trying to make you believe that you are all alone and that he can resist you simply by his words.<\/p>\n

However, we are not unaware of his schemes (see 2 Corinthians 2:11). It is time for us to get up and say, \"No, devil. No further! As a matter of fact, you are going to back up. You are going to take a little rest now in the parking lot!\"<\/p>\n

Do not forget that you and I are called to something much deeper than merely living for ourselves. We are called to push back the powers of darkness for the sake of the captives and for the honor of the name of Jesus. By the grace of God, let's go into this battle now. Let's use our weapons of spiritual authority–weapons of understanding our identity in Christ, weapons of boldly praying as if we cannot be denied when we see it written in the Word of God. Let no thief remain in our parking lot! Let us be everything that God has called us to be!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"A Thief In a Parking Lot,\" a sermon given on July 2, 2017 in the sanctuary of\nTimes Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome\nto make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or\nelectronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without\npermission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"60":{"sm_title":"A Last Day Return to Power","sm_id":"287","sm_desc":"The church of Jesus Christ began with the promise of a divine enablement to those who would turn from their sin and recognize Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. In the last days many will settle for an appearance of godliness and abandon God's purpose for them on the earth. We must beware of always learning but never allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us into the purpose and the place where truth will lead us. In the last day's the church we will end up where the church began - in the prayer room so that God's power will be rediscovered. Let us be a people full of the power of God so we can step into public view and point to Jesus Christ the Savior of the world.","sm_jpg":"48018_jb_20170521.jpg","sm_date":"2017-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/05\/21s1\/20170521s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/05\/21s1\/20170521s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"cTKFqDiAd18","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48128_sermon-newsletter-201708-a-last-day-return-to-power.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, and as many as the Lord our God will call'<\/em>\" (Acts 2:38–39).<\/p>\n

This was the Day of Pentecost–a day shortly after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Triune God, came down and indwelt people. This was foreseen by some of the Old Testament prophets, though likely considered by many people in that time as an idea almost too good to be true. I am sure some people heard the words of the prophets and concluded, \"Well, maybe from time to time God found a special vessel like Elijah or King David to fill with His Spirit, but it's not for me. That is for just the important, select few.\"<\/p>\n

Yet on the Day of Pentecost, it is as if the Lord said, \"That may have been what it was like for a season, but now it is for every person, everywhere!\"According to the verse, the promise of God's Holy Spirit and power is also to \"all who are far off,\" meaning not within the physical proximity but also those who would be found in later places and later dates. That means the promise is for you and your children!<\/p>\n

This is how clearly the Lord spoke about it though the prophet Joel: \"And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions<\/em>\" (Joel 2:28). Does that leave anybody out? Is there anyone who is not a son, a daughter, young, or old? We see here that the Lord just leveled the playing field, essentially saying, \"Whoever calls on Me, I will fill with My Holy Spirit!\"<\/p>\n

Now what would be the evidence of this infilling of the Holy Spirit? \"And you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you<\/em>\"(Acts 1:8). Notice that God did not say we would become an argument about Him. No! We are going to be a demonstration of His power! The verse continues, \"And you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.<\/em>\"Everywhere, in all places–that includes your neighborhood, your apartment building, your office, your streets–you are to be a witness of who God is!<\/p>\n

What an incredible promise! The early Church clearly walked in this promise; there was evidence of the divine in them. The Bible says the disciples began speaking in other tongues, and there was a sudden witness of God. Onlookers acknowledged that they were all Jews who could not have learned all these languages (see Acts 2:6–8). This was something that only God could have done!<\/p>\nTHE PERIL OF THE LAST DAYS<\/span>\n

What a glorious beginning for the Church of Jesus Christ! Yet when we go to the book of Second Timothy, Paul describes a type of religion that would develop in the last days–one \"having a form of godliness but denying its power<\/em>\"(2 Timothy 3:5). In other words, many people would settle for an appearance of belonging to Jesus Christ while in reality abandoning God's intended purpose for their lives.<\/p>\n

Sadly, much of the Church in America seems to be a prime example of this. We have settled for just being churched, as if attending church every Sunday is enough. Of course, going to church is a good thing. Yet when you compare it to the second chapter of Acts, it falls far short of God's intended purpose for His Church on the earth! In fact, Paul describes this type of powerless religion as the peril of the last days!<\/p>\n

Yes, the last days will be a perilous time, as nuclear weapons are developed and governments that are against Christ rise up. But the peril Paul is talking about is the existence of a testimony so utterly devoid of the truth of God that ultimately men and women will end up in hell forever. That is the greatest peril that people in our society are facing–a peril deeper than anything else that may arise in the days ahead.<\/p>\nRELIGION WITHOUT POWER<\/span>\n

So what brought about this type of powerless religion? If we look at the verses just prior in that same chapter, we can see what happened. \"Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money<\/em>\" (2 Timothy 3:2). Much of our teaching in the Church in America today is self-focused; and much is about money. \"Give a dollar and you will get a hundred back. Give a hundred and get ten thousand back!\" If you are listening to such teaching, shut it off! You must get back to biblical Christianity.<\/p>\n

The verse continues to include \"boasters<\/em>.\" There are so many who are bragging, \"We stood in the presence of a Holy God! \"However, if that were actually true, they would have been on the floor on their faces! It is just as the prophet Isaiah said: \"Oh, God, I have spoken about You, but now I have seen You. Now I have seen Your holiness; now I recognize that we are all unclean. All our righteousness is like filthy rags before You. Touch my lips with Your mercy, and let my message be about You, Your mercy and Your redemption\" (see Isaiah 6:5, 64:6).<\/p>\n

\"Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God<\/em>\" (2 Timothy 3:4). Lovers of pleasure! The constitution of this country states that everyone has the undeniable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are wonderful words, yet that is in the constitution of a secular nation. Unfortunately, this idea has been adopted by the Church as well. Much of the house of God is now all about my<\/em> life; my<\/em> liberty; my<\/em> pursuit of my<\/em> happiness. \"Let the rest of the world perish–as long as I am happy and have money in the bank!\"<\/p>\nRESISTING THE TRUE WORK OF GOD<\/span>\n

Paul continued: \"And from such people turn away!<\/em>\" (2 Timothy 3:5). Let me put it this way: Turn away from being that kind of a person! Turn away from being somebody who simply seeks a form of godliness with no power in it–no compassion, no willingness to obey God, no desire to live righteously.<\/p>\n

\"Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth<\/em>\" (2 Timothy 3:7). Always learning, yet unwilling to be led by truth. It is those who say, \"Wait, Lord, do not call me just yet. I am still learning.\" It is like when Jesus instructed the people to be good to their neighbors, and a lawyer came up to Him with the ridiculous question, \"And who is my neighbor?\" (see Luke 10:29).<\/p>\n

In other words, \"I am studying it, and when I am finally able to figure out who my neighbor is, count me in!\" Studying can often be a smokescreen for not walking in obedience. You can be always learning, going to the newest seminar, listening to a new message, following a new ministry–but never being led to where truth always leads.<\/p>\nTHEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS<\/span>\n

You see, truth will always lead to a life that is surrendered to the purposes of God, a life filled with the power of God. That is how the early Church started, and regardless of how things may look now, I believe the Church will ultimately end up like that! I am believing for a spiritual awakening among God's people. I believe we will rediscover our identity in the last days, and we will once again live with the conviction that with God, all things are possible. We will understand that we have an incredible inheritance–that with our salvation comes the power of God's Holy Spirit. This promise is going to be rediscovered very soon!<\/p>\n

It began with a hundred and twenty people who simply knew that without God, nothing would happen. They gathered in an upper room and prayed, yielding themselves to God, and He filled them with His Spirit! Then they stepped out into the marketplace–willing to be mocked–for they cared more for the praise of God than the praise of man. They encountered thousands going into the temple to learn things about God. Perhaps they were discussing things such as the deliverance from Egypt or the Feast of Booths. They were learning all kinds of things about God, but suddenly on the way home, they met a hundred and twenty people who had met with God. There is a huge difference between the two!<\/p>\n

Similarly, in our nation, we have been learning about God for years. We have talked about the character of God, the mercy of God, the Father-heart of God. We are constantly learning things about Him, and these things are all true. However, we have done everything but meet with God! When you meet with God, you are transformed by His power.<\/p>\n

Remember, the hundred and twenty disciples were just ordinary people. They did not have diplomas on the wall, yet the Bible tells us that the Pharisees, who perceived they were ignorant and unlearned men, were astounded at the power and wisdom with which they spoke (see Acts 4:13). The only thing they could say about the disciples was that they had been with Jesus! They were not there giving an argument. Rather, there was an irrefutable argument manifesting itself through their lives–the power of God's Holy Spirit! Suddenly, three thousand people who had met about God now encountered a hundred and twenty who had met with God! And when they saw them, they said, \"What must we do to have this kind of life with<\/em> God?\" (see Acts 2:37).<\/p>\n

As we saw in our opening Scripture, Peter responded: \"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ<\/em>\" (Acts 2:38). In other words, \"Put off your old way of living. Put off all your attempts to be holy in your own strength. Put off the facade of being a Christian, and put on Christ. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the promise is for you!\"<\/p>\n

According to the Scriptures, three thousand souls were added to the Church that day–three thousand religious people who had been doing the best they could to be godly in their own strength; three thousand who were perhaps tired of learning about God and His former power; three thousand who noticed that there were people who actually possessed the power of God!<\/p>\nREDISCOVERING THE PROMISE<\/span>\n

So what must you and I do in order to get this power of God today? After all, we will surely need it in order to confront the days ahead of us.<\/p>\n

First of all, we must return to the full purpose that God intended for our lives on this earth: To be living witnesses of who He is. That requires willingness and humility, for we will be mocked and ridiculed. Jesus warned us, \"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master...If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!<\/em>\"(Matthew 10:24–25). There is no escaping it! Do not expect this world to love you because you finally step into the public with the power of God in your life.<\/p>\n

Yet, regardless of what the world may think, there must be a resolve in your heart that says, \"I do not care what it will cost. I want this new life. I want strength to go with God. I will not settle for being lukewarm–for merely coming to church and learning about God. I want to meet with the Living God!\"<\/p>\n

It is a choice you and I must make. Remember, the promise of the Holy Spirit is to you, to your children, to the young, to the old, the educated, the uneducated, the strong, the weak, the servants. But the question is: Do you truly want it? Do you want the lifestyle that accompanies it? Are you willing to walk along the pathway where it will lead you?<\/p>\n

If you are willing, I encourage you to go before the Lord in humility and ask Him to fulfill His great promise to you. He will surely be faithful to His Word. And then as His Church, we will return to the power of God in these last days!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"A LAST DAY RETURN TO POWER,\" a sermon given on May 21, 2017 in the sanctuary\nof Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome\nto make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or\nelectronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without\npermission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"61":{"sm_title":"Old Men Shall Dream Dreams","sm_id":"285","sm_desc":"What are these dreams that old men will dream? The Holy Spirit will give you divine revelation and power to speak to the next generation. If our hearts are turned inward we will lose vision and power, but when our heart turns to the children of this generation God will pour out His Spirit upon us. Pastor Carter gives an illustrated sermon of his life's journey to encourage us to speak into the lives of our family and to influence another generation. ","sm_jpg":"47937_jb_20170319.jpg","sm_date":"2017-07","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/03\/19s1\/20170319s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/03\/19s1\/20170319s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"rsAOZlXVTsU","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48082_sermon-newsletter-201707-old-men-shall-dream-dreams.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams<\/em>\" (Acts 2:17). You and I are living in the last days, which means that these wonderful promises are for us. In fact, the last days actually began on the day of Pentecost. It was on that day that the apostle Peter confirmed the words spoken by the prophet Joel. The time had come when God would interact in a supernatural way through all who turned to Him.<\/p>\n

So what are some of the ways God will do this? Let's start by looking at the first part of the verse: \"And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.<\/em>\" The word \"prophesy\" in the original text means to declare truths through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

I have personally experienced this. For example, I remember as a young man being sent to Police College. The curriculum included a public speaking course and I was the only novice in a classroom full of seasoned public speakers. But each time I had to speak, I prayed, and God's Holy Spirit came on me as I spoke on Bible topics. It was amazing!<\/p>\n

The last assignment was a thirty minute presentation which would determine whether you passed or failed the course. Before it was due, I was called in and told, \"Carter, you are a nice guy; we really like you. But this is not an evangelistic association; it is a Police College. You cannot pass your final exam unless you speak on a police topic.\"<\/p>\n

I was terrified! I knew it was only the anointing of God's Spirit that enabled me to speak thus far. But would God anoint me to talk about the preservation of a crime scene?<\/p>\n

The next day when it was my turn to speak, I got up and said, \"Today I am going to speak about a police topic: the Bible. When we get up to testify in a court of law, we are asked to put our hand on a Book and say, 'I swear, based on what is in this Book, that what I am about to say is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.' Don't you think it is important to know what we are swearing to?\"<\/p>\n

Everybody agreed, \"Yeah, I guess so.\" So I started in Genesis and went through to Revelation. Thirty minutes on the dial, I said, \"He is coming back as King of kings and Lord of lords!\"<\/p>\n

At the end of the meeting, they were supposed to evaluate me based on eye contact, voice intonations, hand gestures—but nobody did any of that. Everybody looked at me and, one after another, said, \"I have never heard anything like that in my whole life!\" One guy commented, \"Boy, have you ever given me something to think about!\" Another said, \"Wow, this is what I am swearing to when I put my hand on the Bible?\"<\/p>\n

I went in there filled with fear, yet by the end, the instructors even asked if I would be interested in coming back to teach the course! That is what God can do! He enables us to declare His truth in a divine way through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\nYOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS<\/span>\n

The verse goes on to say, \"Your young men shall see visions.<\/em>\" The word \"visions\" means inspired appearances. I have seen visions, which tend to come to me like snapshots—often when I least expect them. One occurred during service as I was worshiping. Pastor David Wilkerson was beside me, and suddenly God gave me a picture of him going all over the world, standing before other pastors who had fallen onto the ground in despair. He was holding a censer, which indicates worship and prayer, and as he stood before them, they started to rise up. They began to give God glory again as hope and courage returned to their hearts.<\/p>\n

I leaned over to Pastor David and said, \"The Lord has just shown me that He is going to send you all over the world to speak to pastors.\" Pastor David leaned back and said, \"Well, He hasn't spoken that to me yet.\"And I said, \"Well, I can only tell you what He has shown me.\"<\/p>\n

A year later, Pastor David launched out on what became a fifty-six-nation tour, speaking to tens of thousands of pastors. In one particular meeting, there were from eight to ten thousand people gathered, and everyone in the whole stadium went down onto their faces—even the maintenance people in the back—as the presence of God came so powerfully! When they rose to their feet, they were encouraged. They were worshiping again, exactly as God had shown me.<\/p>\nTHE GRANDFATHER SIDE<\/span>\n

I have given prophecies, I have seen visions, and now the Lord has reserved the best for last: This old man is beginning to dream dreams! That is the third promise. And while I can honestly say that I have had more in my life than my heart could wish for, now that I am \"Papa\" to eight wonderful grandchildren, I get to experience a side of God that I have never known before.<\/p>\n

We see this side of God in the book of Genesis. \"Out of the ground, the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name<\/em>\" (Genesis 2:19). This is the grandfather side of God! God created this man Adam out of the dust and then He created all the animals and brought them to him.<\/p>\n

A father would say, \"Adam, this is a giraffe, now remember that.\"But a grandfather would say, \"Adam, what do you think we should call this?\" And the Scripture says that whatever Adam called every living creature, that is what they are today!<\/p>\n

I have the privilege of experiencing this wonderful side of God. You see, Mom and Dad represent the law. \"Get up in the morning. Brush your teeth. Where are your books? Put on your good shoes. Eat your supper!\"That's Mom and Dad!<\/p>\n

I have been there; I understand the necessity. It is the legal side of God that says, \"Touch not, taste not, handle not\" (see Colossians 2:21). \"Be careful crossing the road. Don't do this; don't say that.\"It is the legal side, and moms and dads have to go through that.<\/p>\n

But Papa and Grammy get to represent grace—the other side of God! I have a closet in a home we go to in the summertime that I have turned into \"Papa's Store.\" It is filled with candy from top to bottom—Oh Henry! bars, gummy worms, Jujubes, Swedish Fish! At the end of each day, if everybody has behaved, they get to go to Papa's Store and have a handful of whatever they want.<\/p>\n

Mom and Dad say, \"Eat your brussel sprouts!\" But Papa and Grammy get to say, \"Ice cream? How much do you want? How about a double scoop cone?\"<\/p>\n

Just the other night, our grandchildren were jumping on the bed. Now we would never let our kids do that. \"You are going to wreck the mattress! You are going to fall and get hurt!\"But now we say, \"See if you can go higher! If something breaks, it's no big deal!\"<\/p>\n

You see, I believe that is the way God intended to reveal His character: through the family. And maybe you do not have family, but remember, you are in another family now—the Body of Christ. You get to be Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa here in the Body of Christ!<\/p>\nDIVINE REVELATIONS<\/span>\n

So, what exactly are these dreams that old men dream? Why are they considered supernatural? The commentator Matthew Henry says these dreams are divine revelations. In other words, as Jesus said of the Holy Spirit: \"He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you<\/em>\" (John 16:13-14)<\/p>\n

Divine revelations are when God speaks to your heart about the future of not only your children, but of your grandchildren. He will tell you things that He is about to do in and through your family—especially regarding the little ones He has put in your care. These are whispers of God! For example, the Lord promised me years ago that my family will be known for missions long after I am gone. I do not know in what capacity, and I thank God I do not have to make it happen. As the Lord reminded me, \"Carter, if you have to make it happen, it is no longer a promise. This is a promise: Your family will be known for missions.\"<\/p>\n

Your old men shall be given these divine revelations! We have more power as grandparents than you and I realize. God gives us the power to speak into the lives of the next generation. He gives us the power to tell them what God is going to do; the plans that He has—especially if we take the time to pray.<\/p>\n

It says it this way in the book of Malachi: \"I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord [which we read about in Acts chapter two], and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse<\/em>\" (Malachi 4:6).<\/p>\n

In other words, your words have the power to break any curse of sin this world would like to use to captivate your family or those over whom you have influence. I believe that is why the devil has tried to sow selfishness into the Body of Christ, knowing that if our hearts are turned only to ourselves, we lose that power and vision God was willing to give us for the future. However, when our hearts are turned to the children—when we do not see them as just something to be babysat but rather regard them as tomorrow's Church and the future of this nation—we have the power to break the curse of sin on the earth.<\/p>\n

What a phenomenal thought! There is incredible power in your speech when you walk with God and your heart is not all about yourself. You are not thinking only about your retirement and your own comfort. Rather, your heart is toward your children and your grandchildren; toward other children whom God has put under your influence. As you are thinking about them, praying for them, living for them, suddenly the divine begins to flow through your life. Those are the dreams the old men begin to dream!<\/p>\n

You do not have to make them up; God will simply begin to speak to and through you. And it does not have to be outlandish. It might simply be, \"You will be very courageous. You will have a heart for people. Just let God do what He wants to do in your life.\"<\/p>\n

I am entering that stage of my life now, and it is the best. I have preached to five hundred thousand people. I have been in the homes of two presidents; I have traveled. It has been amazing, but nothing beats this! This is what makes growing old the most joyful thing. I see things in my grandchildren—good things. God gives me the ability to speak these things into their lives.<\/p>\nTHE POWER OF A WORD<\/span>\n

Growing old in the world is fearful—it is all about aches and pains, and your kids are just trying to decide how to look after you. But in the Body of Christ, power is given to old age! It is a power beyond prophesying and seeing visions, as those things are generally about larger events. But at the end of life, it is about the people whom you love. It is about the ones closest to you—those whom God has put under your care. It is about nephews and nieces, grandchildren, or that mother and her three kids across the hall.<\/p>\n

That is what it is all about! When you get old in the Body of Christ, you do not have to curl up and die. You start living! And so our cry must be, \"Oh, God, turn our hearts to the children of this generation! No matter how far away they might seem, show us their future. Give us the courage to speak into their lives and leave a lasting impact.\"<\/p>\n

It is amazing when you realize that you have the power of speech to make a difference in somebody's life. I remember as a young Christian in my early twenties, I went through a season when I felt like a failure. I had so many struggles in my life, and I ended up under this cloud of despair for a couple of months, feeling that I would never change.<\/p>\n

One day I was out with an older police officer named Doug who happened to be a Christian. \"What's wrong with you?\"he asked.<\/p>\n

\"I'm just so discouraged,\" I explained. \"I feel like a failure. I want to be different, but it's just hopeless.\"<\/p>\n

He looked at me and said, \"That is just the devil trying to condemn you. But there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk after the Spirit, not after the flesh. I know you want God, so let's just put that thing away.\"<\/p>\n

To this day, I still remember those words that he spoke over my life! They were not especially profound; he did not open a text in the Bible. It was simply an older man speaking into a younger man's life, and it enabled me to get up again.<\/p>\n

That is the power God is giving you now! It is the power to speak to your family; to make a difference in a generation of young people. He is giving you the power to live for the benefit of others, beginning in your own home. Whether or not your children are still at home or your grandchildren are close by, you still have that power. You can make a phone call. You can write a card if your children are not speaking to you.<\/p>\n

Perhaps in the past, your words were not what they should have been. But this can be a new day. Despite our flaws and frailties, God remains faithful and will empower us to speak to the next generation.<\/p>\n

Remember, all children in the Body of Christ belong to us, not just our own physical lineage. There are also many out in the streets who belong to God and just do not know it yet. But He will give us the power to get up and go get them. So let's take this promise given to the prophet Joel—this mark of the supernatural that \"your old men shall dream dreams<\/em>\" (Acts 2:17). We simply have to choose to dream these dreams to their fullest; to take the deep deposit the Lord has sown into each of our lives and speak a word in season to a troubled heart.<\/p>\n

Let's display God's power and make Him known to this next generation!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS,\" a sermon given on March 19, 2017 in the sanctuary\nof Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome\nto make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or\nelectronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without\npermission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"62":{"sm_title":"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread","sm_id":"282","sm_desc":"This message comes with a warning. The world as we know it is going to plunge into an unspeakable darkness. Israel will soon be encompassed by enemy armies. Jesus warned us in the last days that many false prophets are going to arise and many people will be deceived because they are not in the Word of God. There is power in the Word of God to bring life, strength and direction. The promises of God are there for you to establish your thoughts so you can get through your day. We can't live on yesterday's bread, that's why Jesus told us to pray, \"Father give us this day our daily bread.\" Let's get into the Word of God and allow the Word of God to get into us.","sm_jpg":"47929_jb_20170312.jpg","sm_date":"2017-06","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/03\/12s1\/20170312s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/03\/12s1\/20170312s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"HPhUH6o7p40","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/48027_sermon-newsletter-201706-give-us-this-day-our-daily-bread.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

This message comes with a warning: We are living in the last days and the world as we know it is going to plunge into unspeakable darkness. Biblical prophecy is unfolding before us daily, and soon we will see Jerusalem encompassed by armies. Jesus warned that in the last days, many false prophets are going to arise and many Christians are going to be deceived (see Matthew 24:11). Let me tell you why they are going to be deceived: Quite simply, because they are not in the Word of God! They are following books, fads, and fancy speakers—but they are not opening the text of the Bible.<\/p>\n

Remember, the Bible is a living Word. \"The entrance of Your words gives light<\/em>\" (Psalm 119:130). \"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth<\/em>\" (John 1:1, 3, 14). \"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God<\/em>\"(John 1:11–12).<\/p>\n

The Word of God is alive with the power to create and recreate the human heart. It has the power to give sight, freedom, hope and strength. And perhaps most importantly of all in this generation, the Word provides direction. There will be a myriad of confusing voices sent by hell itself to divert the people of God and ensnare the lazy, yet God promises that His Word will be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (see Psalm 119:105).<\/p>\nTHE BREAD OF LIFE<\/span>\n

Jesus Himself highlighted the importance of the Word when He gave us a specific manner in which to pray: \"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread<\/em>\"(Matthew 6:9–11). Notice that He described it as \"our daily bread.\"There is a daily provision which Jesus promises to give us.<\/p>\n

Jesus said it this way in the book of John: \"I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world<\/em>\" (John 6:48–51). Jesus was essentially saying, \"I am the bread! I am your strength, your vision, your redemption, your freedom. I am your protector and your guide. Everything that you need for life and godliness can be found in Me.\"<\/p>\n

Therefore, biblically speaking, I suppose one could say that you are what you eat! If you choose to go on a diet from the Bible, you are going to become weak, and eventually you will end up very confused. Incorrect thoughts will begin to guide you. Then, in your desperation, you will start turning on the television and listening to voices that are not speaking truth. They will stand before you and essentially say, \"Look at me! This is what the Christian life looks like. Come, follow me!\" And because you are not reading the Word of God—you are not eating this Living Bread—you will end up being deceived at the end of your days.<\/p>\n

Now everybody who was listening to Jesus should have understood when He referred to their fathers eating manna in the wilderness, for they were aware of their own history. Let's take a moment to go back to the Old Testament so that we, too, can understand Jesus' claim to be the \"Bread of Life\"in the context of their past.<\/p>\nMANNA FROM HEAVEN<\/span>\n

In the book of Exodus, we see specific principles about this \"living bread\" when it came in the form of manna. \"And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, 'What is it?'For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, 'This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat'<\/em>\"(Exodus 16:14–15).<\/p>\n

The people of God knew that miraculous bread had been given to them. It appeared on the ground every morning, and everyone would pick up some and take it home. This bread had a supernatural capability to it: All the nutrients that the human body required were found in this little wafer that, according to the Scriptures, tasted like it was \"made with honey\" (see Exodus 16:31).<\/p>\n

The passage continues: \"This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: 'Let every man gather it according to each one's need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent'<\/em>\" (Exodus 16:16). I believe this serves as an exhortation to us today. Fathers, you must gather some bread from the Bible for your tent, and you must do it every day! You must read the Word when you get up in the morning because it will set a tone in your house. Remember, you are the covering for your wife and your children. Mothers, you must get up and get into the Word of God, too. It is true that \"the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.\" Everyone has a part in this; everyone has to get up in the morning and gather from the Word of God according to his or her household.<\/p>\nNEITHER EXCESS NOR LACK<\/span>\n

I love what the Scriptures say happened next: \"Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one's need<\/em>\" (Exodus 16:17–18).<\/p>\n

What an incredible thought! You see, there are some people, like me, who have time to get up in the morning and spend a few hours reading the Bible. However, I am aware that is not the case for everybody. Some must get up in the morning and make lunch for four kids and then get them to school. Others have to get to work early. If they are fortunate, they might be able to scrape out ten or fifteen minutes in the morning to open their Bible.<\/p>\n

But as we see in this passage, the beauty of the Word of God is that the one who gathered much did not have anything left over, and the one who gathered little had no lack. That means that you may not be able to read a whole basketful of Scripture in the morning, but God knows what circumstances you are going to face that day and He is able to bring you right back to a verse that you read earlier. He is able to take the little bit that you gathered and multiply it to meet your needs throughout the day!<\/p>\n

And so we are reminded of how imperative it is to establish our thoughts in the Word of God every day. Do not let the news media get your thoughts first thing in the morning, for that is what you will end up talking about for the rest of the day. Begin your day in the Bible and say, \"Lord, give me a thought for the day,\" and you will see how miraculous His Word is! You will encounter a situation during the course of the day, and that verse of Scripture you have been thinking about will be your strength. It will be your power to respond; it will be your guard and your guide. And at the end of the day, it will be your rejoicing because God has kept you!<\/p>\nTHE WORD NEGLECTED<\/span>\n

\"And Moses said, 'Let no one leave any of it till morning.'Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank<\/em>\" (Exodus 16:19–20). Here we learn yet another lesson through their experience with the manna: God's promises are there to enable you to face your day, but if you do not consume them, by the end of the day, what you should have had stinks!<\/p>\n

You should have had a word for the situation you found yourself in; you should have had strength to get through. But you said, \"Ah, well, I'll read the Bible when I get home.\" And so you left the promises of God that could have established your day. As a result, you ran into circumstances for which you did not have adequate resources. Instead of responding with God's kindness, you gave back word for word, insult for insult, lie for lie, anger for anger. By the time you get home, you realize that your day stinks.<\/p>\n

The passage continues: \"So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted<\/em>\"(Exodus 16:21). You cannot live on yesterday's bread! You need your daily bread because the sun gets hot. You will face trials—perhaps ridicule, criticism, disappointment. All you have to do is go to work and say, \"I am a conservative\" and watch how hot it gets! And when the sun gets hot, yesterday's bread is not going to keep you! We need a daily thought from God.<\/p>\nTHE LORD'S PRAYER<\/span>\n

After Jesus says, \"Give us this day our daily bread,<\/em>\" in verse 11, He continues the prayer by saying, \"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever<\/em>\" (Matthew 6:12–13). In light of what we have been considering, here is my paraphrase of these verses of Scripture:<\/p>\n

\"And forgive us our debts.<\/em>\" \"Forgive me for being lazy and not spending time reading and studying the Word. As Paul said to Timothy, I want to be a workman who is not ashamed (see 2 Timothy 2:15). In other words, not triumphed over in my day. Forgive me for each time I did not seek my daily bread, and as a result, ended up with insufficient strength to represent You as I ought to. Forgive me for finding myself without the strength to respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit—for the times when You told me to speak and I didn't; when You called me to stand and I wouldn't; when You told me to love and I couldn't.\"<\/p>\n

\"And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.<\/em>\"\"However, do not let me be so discouraged by my failure that I start to agree with the devil's condemnation of me.\"<\/p>\n

\"For Yours is the kingdom.<\/em>\" \"Yours is the only kingdom that will last. One day, all of men's opinions, boastings, and curses will be gone! Your words are the only words that are eternal.\"<\/p>\n

\"And the power.<\/em>\" \"Your Word has the power to cancel the authority of death and give me abundant and everlasting life. Your Word has power to recreate me and to take me where You want me to go.\"<\/p>\n

\"And the glory.<\/em>\" \"The glory of the heart that knows You and knows Your Word; the glory of knowing that the Word abides in us; the glory of having a transformed mind—that glory that belongs to God alone!\"<\/p>\nWHERE TO BEGIN<\/span>\n

Perhaps you find it difficult to get into the Word daily. However, God can give you grace. It all begins with a simple prayer: \"Lord, will You help me to read the Bible? Would you establish my thoughts in Your ways? Would you take me farther than I have ever gone before?\"<\/p>\n

I suggest that you start by reading Matthew to Revelation, the Psalms, and Proverbs. Read them until they become a part of you. And read a translation that you can understand. If you find it difficult to understand the King James Version, then get yourself another Bible. There are some great modern translations out there that are easy to understand. You can even buy Bibles that have four or five translations across the page so you can get the full sense of a verse of Scripture.<\/p>\n

And don't forget, you not only have to read your Bible, but you have to believe what you read! So let it be quality time that you spend with God, even if it is only fifteen minutes you can get in the morning. Go before the Lord with your open Bible and say, \"Father, speak to me today. Speak to my mind; speak to my heart. Guide me and guard me. Let me see throughout the day how your Word will keep me.\" And then watch what God will begin to do! He will open His Word to you. He will begin to lead you to places you never thought you could go, empowering you with a strength that you know is not your own. Suddenly you will find yourself with a greater thirst to get in the Word of God. You will realize that God spoke to you in advance about what you were about to face. And day after day, you will see that His Word is truly alive!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD,\" a sermon given on March 12, 2017 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"63":{"sm_title":"\"Yes Lord\" Is a Prayer","sm_id":"280","sm_desc":"We are living in a moment of history where we must understand the largeness of God's heart. When we pray, what would it be like if we stopped asking God to do something, and simply agreed with Him for what He has already determined to do? As we learn to obey the Lords promptings, we will spend more time in prayer saying \"Yes Lord\" than asking Him to do something. The future of this nation will always be connected with the prayers of God's people. God is initiating a moment in history where He desires to be merciful, when we begin to pray \"Yes Lord\" and become fully engaged with the work of God, those around us will bow their heads and begin to worship Him.","sm_jpg":"47843_jb_20160115.jpg","sm_date":"2017-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/01\/15s1\/20170115s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/01\/15s1\/20170115s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"mG5m93Hzi4k","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47989_sermon-newsletter-201705-yes-lord-is-a-prayer.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

As Christians, we tend to spend a lot of time praying, \"Please, Lord, do this\" or \"Please, Lord, do that.\" We are constantly asking God to initiate something. \"Please bring my son or daughter home. Please give me a better job.\"<\/p>

Now those are good and valid prayers. However, there are times when God chooses to initiate something on His own, and all He is looking for is someone who will agree with Him—someone who will not only pray, \"Please, Lord\" but \"Yes, Lord!\"<\/p>\n

For example, through the prophet Ezekiel, God said, \"I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one<\/em>\" (Ezekiel 22:30). This was a time when God had already initiated mercy, and He was just looking for somebody to agree with Him.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, when society reaches a condition much like ours today, it is a lot easier to come up with reasons as to why judgment should come. However, what if God is willing to be merciful, and He is simply seeking for some among His people who will say, \"Yes, Lord?\"<\/p>\nABRAHAM'S SERVANT<\/span>\n

We see the impact of this \"Yes, Lord\" prayer in the book of Genesis when Abraham sent one of his servants to find a bride for his son Isaac. In fact, this turned out to be an interaction that changed the course of history! Rebekah, the bride he found, eventually bore Isaac two sons: Jacob and Esau. Jacob became the father of the nation of Israel, and through that nation came our Messiah!<\/p>\n

Now before we get to the \"Yes, Lord\" part of the story, there are certain characteristics of this servant of Abraham that are noteworthy. First of all, the Bible tells us that \"the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter<\/em>\" (Genesis 24:9). In other words, he was a man of his word; a person of truth. The truth of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (see Psalm 119:105). If you and I are people of truth, God can begin to lead us on a pathway that will bring great glory to His name.<\/p>\n

The passage continues, \"The servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, for all his master's goods were in his hand<\/em>\" (Genesis 24:10). If you are a person of truth who wants to find a bride for the Master's Son, God will put everything you need into your hand. He will give you wisdom, kindness, joy, peace, faith, and vision. God will always abundantly supply whatever is required for the work He has called you to do.<\/p>\n

\"And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. Then he said, 'O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham'<\/em>\" (Genesis 24:11-12). Notice how he asked that God would show kindness to his master. And so we have a picture of the kind of person God will use: the man or woman who is not looking for his or her own glory. Their prayers are not for their own sake but rather for the glory of God and the sake of others.<\/p>\n

\"Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, 'Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,'and she says, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink'—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac<\/em>\" (Genesis 24:13-14). We see that this servant was given boldness to pray a specific prayer. When you value the commission of God, suddenly you will find yourself praying prayers that go beyond generic. The amazing thing is that in this case, before the servant had finished speaking, the answer came (see Genesis 24:15).<\/p>\nOBEDIENT TO THE PROMPTINGS<\/span>\n

While the servant's prayer on his side was, \"Please, Lord,\" on the other side was a young girl named Rebekah. Perhaps she was sitting at home when suddenly the thought to go to the well dropped into her heart.<\/p>\n

Imagine if Rebekah had said, \"No, let my sister go. I went yesterday. I have a headache and I don't feel like going all the way to the well.\" How different history would have been! Fortunately, she was a young girl who obeyed the promptings of the Lord.<\/p>\n

If only we, too, would learn to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit! There might be somebody across the hall in your apartment building today who is praying, \"Please, God, show me if You are real.\" And all God is looking for from you is, \"Yes, Lord\" as He moves on your heart to go visit them.<\/p>\n

This reminds me of a time years ago when the Lord impressed upon my heart to start a Bible study in a little country church. Now, you had to be lost in order to drive by this church, for there was no way you could be going anywhere to pass by it. This small town called Pendleton was in an area of Canada with no Christian testimony for about forty square miles that we were aware of.<\/p>\n

I went to the board of the church and told them who I was and the reason I wanted to rent their church. They ended up allowing us to use the church free of charge, and they even provided a caretaker to turn on the heat and shovel the snow in the winter.<\/p>\n

I immediately put together flyers advertising the Bible study and sent them out. The very first night, there was a snowstorm and nobody came! I ended up at the church with my six-year old son, Jason, and my brother-in-law, who was the worship leader. My brother-in-law asked, \"Should we just go home?\"<\/p>\n

\"No,\" I replied. \"The Lord has called me to do this, so we are going to have a service tonight!\"And we did. We worshiped God, my son shared his testimony, and we all had a great time!<\/p>\n

I continued to hold the Bible study week after week. Sometimes there were six people, sometimes only four. But eventually, over the course of a couple of years, the Bible study grew into a church. One church grew into two, plus a Christian school and a food bank—a testimony that still exists today!<\/p>\n

What would have happened if I had just gone home on that first night of the Bible study? I could have said, \"This is pointless— conducting a Bible study in the middle of nowhere with so few people is not worth the effort.\"<\/p>\n

How sad it will be for some people when they arrive at the throne of God and realize that the Lord's promptings were there to do something that would have brought honor to His name, yet they did not obey. Perhaps they could not believe God would use them or that it actually was His prompting. And so they stayed on the \"Please, Lord\"side of prayer and never moved on to \"Yes, Lord.\"<\/p>\nBEYOND THE MINIMUM<\/span>\n

Returning to our passage, the Bible tells us that Rebekah was \"very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her, and said, 'Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.'So she said, 'Drink, my lord.' Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink<\/em>\"(Genesis 24:16-18).<\/p>\n

After she had finished giving the servant a drink, Rebekah offered, \"'I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.' Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels<\/em>\" (Genesis 24:19-20).<\/p>\n

Now I did some research and learned that a thirsty camel can drink between twenty-five and forty-five gallons in one sitting. Let's be generous and say it was only a thirty-gallon day for each camel. Remember, Abraham's servant had ten camels, so that would amount to three hundred gallons of water! Note that many of the wells in the ancient Near East were essentially big square holes in the ground with some steps going down to the water. Assuming that Rebekah had a five-gallon pail, which would be about as much as a teenage girl could carry, that meant sixty trips down to the well for her!<\/p>\n

Obviously, this was a young girl who did not want to do just the minimum. Sadly, many people never fully realize the potential that God has for them in His kingdom because they always settle for the minimum—the least amount of time spent in Bible study, church attendance, and prayer—just enough to make it across the finish line. And then they are left wondering why they are always dissatisfied, having an empty sense in their heart that they are destined for more.<\/p>\nKNOWING THE FATHER'S HEART<\/span>

When the camels had finished drinking, Abraham's servant asked, \"Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?<\/em>\"(Genesis 24:23).<\/p>\n

I love Rebekah's response: \"'I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah's son, whom she bore to Nahor.'Moreover she said to him, 'We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge'<\/em>\" (Genesis 24:24-25). Her father had sent her to get five gallons of water, yet she was coming home with ten camels and several servants! You see, Rebekah knew there was room in her father's house and she was confident that he would never disappoint her. She was so generous and went far beyond what was required because she knew the largeness of her father's heart.<\/p>\n

And so I ask you today: Do you know the largeness of your Father's heart? Do you know His willingness to show mercy? Do you fully understand the longing in the heart of God to see this nation turn back to Him?<\/p>\n

The Bible goes on to tell us that Abraham's servant then \"bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord<\/em>\" (Genesis 24:26). Incredible! In the same way, I believe that many people today would bow and worship God if you and I would learn to say, \"Yes Lord!\"—if we were willing to show kindness beyond what is convenient; if we were willing to pray specific prayers; if we were willing to walk in obedience.<\/p>\n

When our society finally sees the Church fully engaged with the true work of God—reaching out to the lost, going the extra mile, showing kindness to those who do not necessarily deserve it—suddenly people will bow their heads and begin to worship.<\/p>\nTHE \"YES, LORD\" SIDE<\/span>\n

I am convinced that God is initiating something truly significant in this hour; He has decreed a moment of mercy for America. No matter how set against Christ people's hearts have been in the past, God is now presenting an open window. And so I do not want to spend all my prayer life on the \"Please, Lord\" side. I want to live on the \"Yes, Lord\" side and find out what my part is! \"Yes, Lord, what do You want me to do? Yes, Lord, how do You want me to do it? Yes, Lord, what do You want me to say? Yes, Lord, where do You want me to go?\" \"Yes, Lord\" must be our prayer today!<\/p>\n

When God spoke to Rebekah, she had to move from where she was and go to where God was calling her in order for the miracle to happen. Similarly, God is speaking to people today, telling them to get up and out of certain things. So rather than constantly saying, \"Please, Lord, give me the grace to get out of this relationship. Give me the grace to cease this practice,\" it is time to start saying, \"Yes, Lord, You have called me to something deeper. You have called me to make a difference in my society. You have called me to be a person who can boast of You to the point where others cannot help but bow their heads and worship. So I am no longer going to say, 'Please, Lord'while merely sitting in unbelief. I am going to agree with You, get out of where I should not be, and go to where You are calling me!\"<\/p>\n

Perhaps you already know what God is asking you to do. If He has already spoken to your heart, begin with those things. If the Lord is asking you to forgive, then forgive. If He is asking you to speak truth, then do so. If He is asking you to go beyond what is convenient in your service to Him, then do not hesitate to go the extra mile. Until you obey what He has already told you to do, the other leadings of the Lord will remain hidden.<\/p>\n

Remember, all that God has ever asked of His people is that we walk with Him in agreement. Of course, we will not always know exactly where our \"yes\" to God will lead us. However, we do know that it will lead to the miraculous. It will usher us into places of impossibilities where God is able to display His power— places where we, as well as those around us, will begin to truly understand the largeness of our Father's heart!<\/p>\n

This newsletter is an edited version of \"\"YES, LORD\" IS A PRAYER,\" a sermon given on January 15, 2017 in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in New York City. Other sermons are available by visiting our website at tsc.nyc. You are welcome to make additional copies of this sermon for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission existing copyright laws apply. This sermon cannot be posted on any website or webpage without permission from Times Square Church. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the New King James Version.<\/p>"},"64":{"sm_title":"The Responsibilty of Little Strength","sm_id":"278","sm_desc":"As believers in Jesus Christ we should be concerned for the spiritual future of this nation and for the souls of those who are lost. We just recognize that the testimony of Jesus Christ has little strength and consider that the beginning of a spiritual awakening is when we in humility admit our condition. In this moment of time we are given a choice, Jesus has set before us an open door. Do we stay in our smallness or do we get up in faith and walk through the open door into the victory of the Cross? As God's people we have a responsibility to get up and believe God for the power to find the full purpose that He has for our life.","sm_jpg":"47756_jb_20161113.jpg","sm_date":"2017-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/11\/13s1\/20161113s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/11\/13s1\/20161113s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"Ykj6R3ozK_4","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47951_sermon-newsletter-201704-the-responsibilty-of-little-strength.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength'<\/em>\" (Revelation 3:7–8).<\/p>\n

I believe that just like this church in Philadelphia, the Church in America today has only \"a little strength.\" We are not nearly as strong or powerful as many of us would like to believe. Our voices have been largely marginalized and we have been cast out as \"salt to be trodden underfoot,\" as godlessness seemingly has the upper hand (see Matthew 5:13). However, I believe that the beginning of a spiritual awakening comes from having the humility to finally admit our true condition rather than boasting of what we are not.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, we can be encouraged because Jesus says in this passage, \"I have set before you an open door that no one can close\" (see Revelation 3:8). In other words, \"I am inviting you into a place where the impossible becomes possible. It is a place where you will win a battle that you could never win in your own strength.\"<\/p>\n

It is critical that we hear this today, for we are in the midst of an intense battle—a battle for the souls of the people of this nation and a battle for the future of a society. Just to clarify, this battle is not between Republican and Democrat or Libertarian. Yes, they have the ability, in measure, to give or take away hope for the future. However, there is a much deeper battle going on, a battle that, according to the Scriptures, is not against flesh and blood but against powers, principalities, and spiritual wickedness in high places (see Ephesians 6:12). We must be aware that there are demonic powers specifically set against this nation to destroy and divide it. As believers in Jesus Christ, this ought to be our concern now, for we have been given a great responsibility in this hour. After all, what is the point of having everything go our way while most of our nation ends up in hell?<\/p>\n

Jesus went on to say to the church in Philadelphia: \"Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown<\/em>\" (Revelation 3:11). I believe the Lord is saying to us today, \"Do not despair because of this moment. Do not despair because of the darkness that has invaded our schools and seems to be in every facet of our society. Do not despair because evil is on parade, calling itself good. Hold fast to the truth that I have planted within your heart.\"<\/p>\n

\"He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more<\/em>\" (Revelation 3:12). Perhaps you are thinking: What if I can barely survive as a Christian now? I cannot even lift my voice in the workplace because I am so afraid of being vilified or mocked. I am a coward, and I know it. Yet now God is asking something else of me? What is it that I have to overcome?<\/p>\nHOW GOD PREPARED MOSES<\/span>\n

First of all, you have to overcome your own sense of inadequacy! You must understand that whenever God intends to move powerfully, He intentionally waits until we have only a little strength left. Let me give you an example from the Old Testament.<\/p>\n

When the Israelites, God's own people, had been taken captive by a foreign power, He called a man named Moses to bring deliverance to them. However, upon witnessing the burden of his people, Moses initially set out to make a difference with his own strategies, only to end up defeated. Rather than bringing three million people into freedom, he managed to bury one Egyptian (see Exodus 2:11–12). That was all he could accomplish in his own strength.<\/p>\n

Moses was then driven into the wilderness for forty years, where he became keenly aware of his inadequacy. Once a powerful orator in Pharaoh's court, he lost his ability to speak well (see Acts 7:22, Exodus 4:10). By the time God called Moses to return to Egypt, he was fearful, stuttering, and no longer had anything but a staff in his hand. In other words, God called him at his lowest moment—when he had only a little strength left. That is when the Lord gave him a great responsibility, essentially saying to him, \"Now you are ready. I have heard the cry of My people, and I am sending you to bring them out of bondage, that My glory might be reestablished in the earth\" (see Exodus 3:9–10).<\/p>\nFULLY SET APART<\/span>\n

Despite his initial reservations, Moses obeyed the Lord. Taking his family with him, he headed back to Egypt in the little strength he had left. However, along the way, \"it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him<\/em>\" (Exodus 4:24). There was something in Moses' life that had the potential to cause failure on this mission—to the degree that, if undealt with, it would have been better that he die rather than progress on this journey!<\/p>\n

What could be so serious? After all, Moses obeyed God in his weakness. He chose to go through the open door that the Lord set before him, so what was it that caused God to consider taking him out along this journey?<\/p>\n

We see what the issue was in the next verse as his wife \"took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses' feet, and said, 'Surely you are a husband of blood to me!' So He let him go. Then she said, 'You are a husband of blood!'—because of the circumcision<\/em>\" (Exodus 4:25–26). Moses' son had not been circumcised! Most commentaries agree that bringing an uncircumcised son on this journey to set a nation free represented the fact that Moses had not yet become fully identified with the people of God, nor was he fully engaged in the calling of God on his life. Although it was within his power to do so, his own son had not been set apart. Moses was bringing something of himself and his lineage into this battle.<\/p>\n

We see this issue arise again when Moses' successor, Joshua, was leading the people of God into the Promised Land to claim their full inheritance and become the testimony that God was calling them to be in the earth (see Joshua 5). A whole generation that was raised up in the wilderness had not been circumcised! In other words, they had not fully identified themselves as the people of God. Before they could enter the Promised Land—before Jericho could fall, before the Amalekites and all the other enemies could be defeated, before the full inheritance that God had for His people could be claimed—there had to be a reckoning with God. All those born in the wilderness had to be circumcised, wholly set apart for the Lord and His purposes.<\/p>\n

And so my question to you today is: Do you fully identify with the people of God? Do you fully identify yourself as part of a Body that Christ has placed on the earth for a divine purpose? Are you part of something bigger than yourself? In the book of First Corinthians, we see that the apostle Paul admonished the church because selfishness had crept into their fellowship. The people were gathering together to worship, but they were actually self-consumed, unconcerned about those around them. They never bothered to consider: Does my neighbor have enough to eat? Are they encouraged? Paul said that \"many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep because you have failed to discern the Lord's body\" (see 1 Corinthians 11:30). They did not understand what it truly means to be part of the Church of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

And my second question to you is: Have you fully embraced God's purpose for your life? Before you are tempted to give an immediate \"yes,\" remember that in order to fully embrace God's purpose for your life, there cannot be any uncircumcised thing that you are trying to bring with you into the work of God. In other words, is there anything in your life that the Lord has His finger on—anything that you know you need to put away?<\/p>\n

For example, are you a purveyor of hate in this society? Are you fostering division? Is your speech clean? Are you a loyal employee? Are you stealing in the workplace? Do you pay your taxes? Are your relationships holy? What do you do on Friday nights? Just as the Lord stopped Moses on his journey, as well as the Israelites, you and I must stop and deal with these things before we can continue on to do the work of God.<\/p>\nA DOOR NO MAN CAN SHUT<\/span>\n

Remember, in our opening Scripture, Jesus said, \"Behold, I set before you an open door.\"That means that once we are set apart and have fully embraced God's purpose for our life, all we have to do is get up and go through the door that He has set before us! The text implies that though our strength is small, we are invited to arise and pass through into a place of victory which has already been prepared for us. We do not have to fight for it, for the fight has already been won. As the Scripture says, \"'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts<\/em>\" (Zechariah 4:6). You see, God is not asking us to craft some brilliant strategy in order to win our cities. He is simply saying, \"I am asking you to get up in the smallness of your strength and go through whatever door I open for you. You will go through solely by faith and it is a door that no man can shut!\"<\/p>\n

We may not know exactly what that door will look like for each one of us, but we do know that those who are willing to go through it have an incredible promise from the Lord: \"I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you<\/em>\" (Revelation 3:9). I believe the Lord is saying to us today: \"If you follow Me, I will do something so powerful in and through your life that false religion will lose its hold on the people.\"<\/p>\n

Jesus continued, \"I will make you a pillar in the temple of My God. And I will write on you the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven. And I will write on him My new name. He who has an ear, let him heart what the Spirit says to the churches\" (see Revelation 3:12–13). In other words, \"I will give you strength, making you unmovable. I will write on you the name of hope and victory in the midst of a crooked and deceived generation. You will have another countenance. You will have a source of inward strength that does not come from anything in this world—it comes only from Me!\"<\/p>\n

I can see it now: Just as the early Church began on the Day of Pentecost, in smallness of strength, you and I will burst out into the marketplace one more time in our generation, and false religion will bend its knee before us. We will travel from place to place in our weakness, and the glory of God will follow us. That which seeks to destroy men and women around us will have to bend its knee, acknowledging that Jesus Christ is with us!<\/p>\n

Of course, this means that you and I are given the choice today: Will we stay in smallness? Will we stay swallowed up in what this world has told us we are? Or will we get up and go through the open door—in our weakness, in our struggles, in our trials—yet with faith to believe God for victory in every area of our lives? Will we believe that God will give us the power to put away whatever needs to be forsaken—every work of darkness, evey wrong attitude of heart, every mistake we made in the past that still heeds the voice of condemnation?<\/p>\n

It is time for us to recognize our responsibility in this hour. It is time to believe God for the power to identify with the Body of Christ and fulfill the purpose that He has ordained for our lives! It is time to get up, though we have only a little strength, and go through that open door into a victory that only God can bring—believing God for our families, our coworkers, our city, our nation! It is time to believe God as Moses did—not because of our own strength or with our own plans, but because of the victory of Christ who has given us authority over all the power of the enemy (see Luke 10:19). Remember, God is the One who makes us more than we are. He is the One who takes us where we could never go, that His name might be glorified once again in the earth!<\/p>"},"65":{"sm_title":"Pray For the Future of Our Nation","sm_id":"275","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2017-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2017\/01\/19h1\/20170119h1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47915_sermon-newsletter-201703-pray-for-the-future-of-our-nation.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"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. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you<\/em>\"(1 Corinthians 1:10-11).<\/p>\n

In this passage, the apostle Paul was writing to the Corinthian church, among whom contentions were rising regarding the church leaders—Paul, Apollos, Cephas and Christ. People had a preference for specific leaders over others, resulting in arguments and division.<\/p>

Likewise, we know that everyone has his own opinion today regarding our leaders—whether religious or otherwise—for God has given us the ability to think and discern. So how would it be even remotely possible for us to begin to \"all speak the same thing\" as Paul instructed?<\/p>\n

There is only one way that can happen: You and I must ask God to give us the mind of Christ. We all need the mind of Christ in order to help us see above the struggles, trials, divisions, and contentions of this world and, instead, to start seeing things from heaven's perspective.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in the Scriptures, Paul had instructions for Timothy which are also critical for us in this hour: \"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth<\/em>\" (1 Timothy 2:1-4). In other words, Paul was saying, \"I want you to pray; I want you to intercede. And I want you to give thanks for all men—for leaders and those who are in authority.\"<\/p>\n

Perhaps you are thinking, \"But what if I don't like the one who is in authority? How can I give thanks for that person?\"<\/p>\n

There is only one way I know: God said in His Word that all who are in authority are planted there by Him. That means that the Lord has given us the leaders He has determined we need for this season in our country—even if the ones He has appointed are for the express purpose of getting us back into the secret place of prayer.<\/p>\n

Notice that when the Bible says \"giving of thanks for all who are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life,<\/em>\" (1 Timothy 2:1) it does not promise that everything is going to go well. Rather, it means that we can live at peace no matter what may be going on in society around us, having come to the point where we can confidently say, \"God, thank You for giving us what we need at this moment in history. Thank You that You are still in control. And no matter what it will take to bring about an awakening in this country, I trust You!\"<\/p>\nTHE EARLY CHURCH<\/span>\n

We see throughout the Bible that the Lord always makes a way for His people to live in peace, despite external circumstances. Consider for a moment the beginnings of the early Church when the situation was anything but peaceful. Jesus had just been crucified, and there was a blood-thirsty crowd in the marketplace, dead set against the followers of Christ.<\/p>\n

The Scriptures tell us that the disciples were assembled in an upper room, \"for fear of the Jews<\/em>\" (John 20:19). In other words, there was great fear in their hearts regarding all that was taking place around them. Yet, suddenly Jesus walked into the room, and the first word out of His mouth was, \"Peace!\"<\/p>\n

This illustrates the point that while the whole world lives in the realm of natural understanding, merely responding according to what they can see with their eyes, God calls His people to live differently. That means that in the midst of the sewer of opinions today, with all the vilifying, yelling, blaming and hating that is going on, you and I are called to live in a higher place—a place where we understand that God is in total control of all things! When Jesus walked into that room, in effect, He was saying to His disciples, \"It looks really bad, doesn't it? But remember, it is not out of God's control. As a matter of fact, everything is unfolding exactly as it is supposed to.\" What appeared to be a disaster was actually the perfect will of God being played out for the salvation of humankind!<\/p>\n

And so we are reminded that, as believers in Christ, we are not to live merely seeing things from a natural perspective. There must come a point when we trust God, believing that all things are working together for good. Remember, the whole purpose of the work of God on the earth is the saving of the lost—bringing people out of sin and darkness and into the kingdom of God—and you and I must be willing to endure whatever it takes for that to happen.<\/p>\nANOTHER VANTAGE POINT<\/span>\n

As we pray for the future of our nation, it is encouraging to look back at what the Lord did in the prophet Elijah's day. I have no doubt that people were praying for their nation. After all, the Bible tells us that there were seven thousand who had not bent their knee to the spirit of that age (see 1 Kings 19:18). I can imagine them crying out, \"God, help us! God, bring Israel back to her purpose again. Be merciful to our children!\"<\/p>\n

How did God answer the cries of His people? He stopped the rain! There must have been many who looked at their circumstances from a natural perspective and said, \"Lord, we are asking You to help us, not starve us to death!\" Nevertheless, God did what was necessary in order to get the people to that mountain so that His power might be displayed again. As it says in Isaiah, \"'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'<\/em>\"(Isaiah 55:8-9).<\/p>\n

We see this truth illustrated again in the fact that when Jesus came to the nation of Israel as a baby, and subsequently as Savior, it was a time when they were being occupied. The nation was in turmoil, and its religion was being vilified. Now, it would have been easy for God to change in an instant all that was oppressing His people, but He chose not to. And it is because of His choice that you and I are here today. The victory of the cross was won, and sin was atoned for. What looked to be a disastrous plan in the natural was actually the plan of God that brought you and me to Christ!<\/p>\n

And so now you and I must have the maturity to operate as citizens of heaven. According to the Scriptures, we are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (see Ephesians 2:6), and that means we ought to have another mind. Despite what may appear to be confusion and disorder in this hour, we must understand that God is in control and everything is working together so that His purposes might be fulfilled. This does not mean that we do not use our minds. It does not mean that we bury our heads in the sand and refuse to be aware of the issues; nor does it mean that we do not have an opinion. It just means that we ultimately have a higher opinion than what all the circumstances around us may warrant. As followers of Christ, we are to look at this world from another vantage point. Our value system is based on the souls of men and the honor of God, and because of that, we are called to pray with fervency for our nation and our leaders.<\/p>\n

I encourage you to think through some of these things before you pray. Paul said that we are to pray with supplications and intercessions, giving thanks for all men—for kings and all who are in authority. Perhaps some of you feel that you have to force yourselves to give thanks for our president and vice president. Yet as hard as you may find it, you must allow the Holy Spirit to lift you higher than just an opinion or an argument—a limited view of what God is doing in this society. The world cannot do this because they do not have the Spirit of God. But we do, and therefore we are able to rise above the passions of our own hearts and say, \"God, thank You that You have given us exactly what we need for Your purposes to come to pass!\"<\/p>\n

Remember, it does not mean that we agree with everything, but we do choose to agree with God. We may not fully understand it all right now, but one day we will know even as we are known (see 1 Corinthians 13:12).<\/p>\nA PEACE THAT PASSES UNDERSTANDING<\/span>\n

Although our nation is deeply divided today, there is still reason to remain hopeful. It is going to take a revival to heal us, and that is what I am believing for. I am believing that God's house will be filled once again—that people of all cultures, backgrounds, races, characters, and even political affiliations will come together and start to pray. I am believing for something deeper than I can see with my natural eyes.<\/p>\n

Whatever it takes to win the lost—whatever it takes for God's name to be honored in this nation—is guiding my value system now. And that is where God gives a peace that passes understanding. It is deeper and higher than what we know or can see; it is something that can come only from Him.<\/p>\n

Yes, everything going on today may lend itself to unrest and anxiety. \"What will we do? Where will we live? What will we eat? Where will we work?\"Nevertheless, the people of God can remain at peace, for we are not relying on any secular leader to do what only God can do!<\/p>\n

And so today I challenge you to find that place of peace in your heart. You are needed as an agent for change in this divided, bitter time. Remember that the Scripture says, \"As much as is possible, live peaceably with all men\"(see Romans 12:18). We can choose to be bitter and divided, or we can choose to live peaceably and trust God. Each of us has that decision to make daily. If you make the right choice, your words will have power. My prayer is that God will help all of us as His Church to be channels of truth and healing in this moment of time. When we open our mouths, may it be a river of life and not death that flows out, for the Bible says, \"Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so<\/em>\"(James 3:10). There is incredible power in our speech—power in the words we choose to say as well as how we choose to say them. I am finding lately that while I may intend to say something one way, the Holy Spirit brings it out in a completely different way. It is as if my words are simply being altered by the Holy Spirit as I speak so as not to wound, hurt or divide. That is what it is like to be governed by the Spirit of God.<\/p>\n

May each of us have a character that is enviable. Sure, people may think we are foolish at first. But when we walk away, let them begin to ask in their hearts, just as the once blood-thirsty crowd did in the Book of Acts: \"Where did they get that peace? What do I have to do to get it?\"(see Acts 2:37).<\/p>\n

May each of us take the time to truly pray with thanksgiving for our nation, believing that somehow healing is going to come—sovereignly, divinely, in a way we may not be able to see with our natural eyes but somehow know in our hearts. May we be confident that God is still on the throne, His purposes are being fulfilled, and He will receive all the glory!<\/p>"},"66":{"sm_title":"When I Don't Understand","sm_id":"273","sm_desc":"God's ways are not always easy to understand and we may never get an explanation for some of the dark valleys we go through, but we can trust that God knows what is best for us. In times of trials and afflictions, God is teaching us to depend on Him. If we are going to represent God we must be prepared to partaker in His suffering. Through the process God is producing something inside of us to help us minister to others. The answer to your suffering is the simple fact that God is faithful and through it all He will give us all we need to get through every trial and storm.","sm_jpg":"47776_jb_20161127.jpg","sm_date":"2017-02","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/11\/27s1\/20161127s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/11\/27s1\/20161127s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"RGHWo82KktU","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47874_sermon-newsletter-201702-when-i-dont-understand.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

There are moments in every Christian's life when it seems the only conclusion we can come to is, \"I don't understand.\" We do not understand the way God is leading us; we do not understand the work He is doing in our lives. Soon one may even begin to wonder, \"Have I missed God? Did I take a wrong turn somewhere along this journey? Why does the Lord seem so distant?\"<\/p>\n

Even King David expressed such sentiments. \"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?<\/em>\"(Psalm 22:1). Of course, this is the psalm that Jesus Christ quoted on the cross when He cried, \"My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?<\/em>\" (Matthew 27:46).<\/p>\n

Obviously the hand of God was on David as he penned those words which described Christ's sufferings. But we can draw the inference that David must have been experiencing those emotions in his own life as well. After having begun his life with such promise—the presence of God upon him in an unprecedented way since the time of his youth—he had now come to a point where he felt forsaken. \"O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent<\/em>\" (Psalm 22:2). In other words, \"I am seeking You night and day. I am crying out to You, but why are You not hearing me?\"<\/p>\n

I know the feeling. There was a season when I became very, very sick. After moving to the United States in 1994, I found myself developing a cough the following year, which continued to grow worse. It turned out that our home in New Jersey contained toxic mold and by the time it was discovered, the entire attic was black, with no visible wood!<\/p>\n

One of the best doctors in the country diagnosed me with bronchial asthma and then told me my bronchial tubes were so damaged that I most likely would never recover. I remember having to breathe into an oxygen mask every morning for about fifteen minutes to try to get rid of the terrible headaches that are characteristic of toxic mold poisoning. Even walking down the street proved to be a challenge, as I would often feel like I was about to pass out. Needless to say, it was a time of despair—a time when many questions came into my heart.<\/p>\nDAVID'S \"WHY?\"<\/span>\n

I imagine that it was incredibly difficult for King David to understand his season of trial, as well, especially when for so long he had lived a life governed and sustained by the promises of God. \"You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God<\/em>\"(Psalm 22:9–10). He was raised in the ways of the Lord and learned to trust Him early. He trusted God for the power to fight a lion and a bear as a young teenager. And after the prophet Samuel poured a flask of oil upon his head, prophesying what God was going to do in and through his life, David went on to defeat a giant called Goliath. David won many other incredible victories as well—ones that he knew could have come only by the help of God.<\/p>\n

Yet now David goes on to say, \"Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; and there is none to help<\/em>\"(Psalm 22:11). There is no historical data that tells us exactly when he wrote this psalm. Perhaps it was when he was being pursued by Saul—a king who lost the Spirit of God and was envious of him. Regardless of the situation, David knew in his heart that his own natural strength would not be sufficient to meet his need. Yet God was seemingly distant.<\/p>\n

David could have easily asked the questions that you and I ask. \"What happened to all the promises You made to me? Will they ever be fulfilled? Why do I have to go through all this?\"<\/p>\n LESSONS IN THE WILDERNESS<\/span>\n

The prophet Elijah was another who had seasons when he did not understand what God was doing. He was a man committed to seeing the Lord glorified, and he had prayed for the spiritual restoration of a nation that he loved. God could have simply come down in the fullness of His glory, and the whole nation would have bent its knee. Yet, how did God respond to Elijah's prayer? He sent a drought (see 1 Kings 17:1)!<\/p>\n

God chose to do it this way in order to cause the people to begin to consider their ways. Meanwhile, the Lord's instructions to Elijah were: \"Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there<\/em>\"(1 Kings 17:3–4). Elijah could have asked, \"What is going on, Lord? I know who You are; I know the power that You have. So why this long delay in answering my prayer? And why do I have to sit beside this brook, waiting for ravens to come drop some meat into my lap every day?\"<\/p>\n

Of course, you and I can understand in hindsight why God did it this way. First of all, if Elijah was going to represent God before the people, he had to be a partaker of their sufferings. Second, the Lord was teaching Elijah that He could provide in the wilderness. You see, God knew that Elijah would soon have to pass through a wasteland of his own feelings of failure and depression.<\/p>\n

Not far down the road, following a great victory, Elijah would end up fleeing from a queen named Jezebel. Running into the wilderness, he would become so overwhelmed by a sense of failure that he would ask God to take His life. And so this was an important time of preparation for Elijah—a time of instilling deep within his heart the assurance that no matter what may come, God would never fail or forsake him. Likewise, God knows what you and I are about to face in the future, and He knows what it will take to get us through. Therefore, as a faithful Father, He starts to prepare us beforehand.<\/p>\n

The lesson did not stop there for Elijah. The brook dried up and God sent Elijah to a poor widow. Why a poor widow? Why not a rich one? By her own testimony, this widow was going out to gather sticks to make a fire so that she could make cakes for herself and her son before they died.<\/p>\n

Yet God sent Elijah to this home and said, \"I have commanded a widow to feed you and look after you\" (see 1 Kings 17:9). I believe Elijah needed to see what God could do with just a little bit of faith and a little bit of resource. God was about to use him to train others to believe for the next generation!<\/p>\n

Similarly, when revival comes and we experience a spiritual awakening in America, people are going to flock to the house of God with seemingly little faith and little resource. That is why, having experienced it ourselves, we must have the eyes to see that God can take nothing and make something out of it. He does not need our talent; He does not need our resources. He simply needs somebody willing to say, \"God, would You take my life and use it for Your glory?\"<\/p>\nIS THIS REALLY NECESSARY?<\/span>\n

Returning to our opening psalm, we see David continue to say, \"You have answered Me. I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You. You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; but when he cried to Him, He heard<\/em>\"(Psalm 22:21–24).<\/p>\n

David realized that no matter what it may have felt like initially, he had not been forsaken by God. You, too, can be assured that when you cried out to God—when you offered your life to be used for His glory—He heard you! However, the reason we get into trouble in our understanding of God is because when we pray, we immediately formulate a picture in our minds as to what the answer is going to look like. And when it does not pan out exactly that way, we end up frustrated and confused.<\/p>\n

Back in those days when I was very sick, I remember praying, \"Lord, I cried out to You and asked You to use my life for Your glory. I came to New York City by Your will, not by my own. I stood by a man of God, and I fought his enemies as if they were my own. It was a difficult time. And now I can barely breathe!\" One particular night, I was walking by a restaurant called Beef Steak Charlie's that used to be on Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. It was one of those times when I was seeing black dots around me because I was on the verge of passing out. I suddenly cried out loud, \"Is this really necessary?\"<\/p>\n

It was not an accusation against God. Nevertheless, I could not help but wonder: \"Hasn't it been hard enough here? Lord, You sent me to help this man of God, and I gave everything I had for this battle to the point of exhaustion. Now I am so sick that I can hardly breathe. Is this really, really necessary?\"<\/p>\n

I was shocked at the Lord's reply: \"Yes, it is very necessary!\"<\/p>\n

Immediately, passages from Psalm 119 came into my mind. \"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word<\/em>\" (v. 67). \"In faithfulness You have afflicted me<\/em>\" (v. 75). God was speaking to my heart, \"It is My faithfulness that has allowed this in your life. You are not being overpowered by the devil; this is not even the devil attacking you. I have allowed this to come into your life for a specific reason. I had to take away your strength in order to teach you how to be dependent on Me. I don't want your opinions; I don't want your ideas. I want you to obey Me. I want you to learn how to follow Me when I speak. I have afflicted you in faithfulness; I am preparing you for what is to come.\"<\/p>\n

How faithful God is! I didn't know at that time that I would soon be called to be senior pastor of Times Square Church! It had not even entered my thinking. But God knew, and He knew what He needed to do in order to prepare me.<\/p>\nHIS WAYS ARE HIGHER<\/span>\n

If you find yourself today in the middle of a trial that has left you confused and in despair, you can take comfort in the fact that there is a purpose behind it. You may not understand it now, but it is just as the Lord said to the prophet Isaiah: \"'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'<\/em>\"(Isaiah 55:8–9). God does things His way. We may question why and sometimes we will get the answer. But there are other times when we will not. It all boils down to trust!<\/p>\n

I have learned that I do not always have to know the reason for what I am going through. All I need to know is that God will be faithful. He will be faithful to me, and He will be faithful to you! He will be faithful to your marriage, faithful to your children, faithful to keep your mind! The devil is not going to gain advantage over you, for Jesus Christ has interwoven the honor of His Name in keeping you.<\/p>\n

Although it will not be easy to walk through these seasons of trial, just remember that God is planting within you what you will need to get through the days ahead. He is depositing His strength in you. So instead of constantly asking why, learn to say, \"God, I choose to trust You today. I do not need any other answer; the answer is that You are faithful. You will never be anything but faithful to me. You will not forsake me!\"<\/p>\n

I love what the passage in Isaiah goes on to say: \"For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands<\/em>\"(Isaiah 55:12). The mountains'breaking forth into singing represents every obstacle being commanded to worship God. \"Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree<\/em>\"(Isaiah 55:13). In other words, instead of all that appears to be barren and hopeless, all that seems to cause pain, there is going to be fruitfulness in your life. \"And it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off<\/em>\" (Isaiah 55:13).<\/p>\n

God was saying through Isaiah, \"Yes, you are going to go through times of pain and barrenness. But I am going to bring you out, and you will know Me in such an intimate way that it will seem as if all of nature is clapping her hands at how faithful I have been! I am going to take you in your nothingness and confusion, and do such a powerful work in you that it will bring glory to My name!\" Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"67":{"sm_title":"Spiritual Depression","sm_id":"271","sm_desc":"Spiritual depression is something that can happen to the godliest among us. It can afflict those whose hearts are tender and passionate for truth, and who long for a return to right living in their society. If left unabated, spiritual depression can lead to isolation from everyone and everything. We are exhorted in the book of Hebrews; Do not neglect the assembling of yourselves. Don't try to go at it alone! As you come through these dark places, there will be a compassion deposited in your heart from the suffering, that was never there before. You will begin to recognize that, without God, I can do nothing. But with God I can do all things!","sm_jpg":"47660_jb_20161002.jpg","sm_date":"2017-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/10\/02s1\/20161002s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/10\/02s1\/20161002s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"9ozaxDRi8W8","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47831_sermon-newsletter-201701-spiritual-depression.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, 'So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.' And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, \"It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!<\/em>\" (1 Kings 19:1–4).<\/p>\n

In this passage of Scripture, we have a picture of what could be considered spiritual depression. Although it can be marked by feelings of despair similar to clinical depression or regret over sin or failure, spiritual depression is distinguished by the fact that it happens solely to those who love God. It afflicts those whose hearts are passionate for truth—who long for a return to right living in their society.<\/p>\n

Is that the longing of your heart today? Do you find yourself vexed when you read the news and see the vilification of truth, the exaltation of ungodliness? Referring to the last days, Jesus warned that \"because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold<\/em>\" (Matthew 24:12). It is evident that lawlessness is abounding in our generation, and as we witness society caving in to ever-increasing evil, it is easy for this love in our hearts to begin to fade—the love of people, the love of our calling in the Body of Christ, and, ultimately, the love of life itself! Eventually, many Christians find themselves praying, \"God, please just take me home! If I should die when I am asleep, I am okay with that. I will be with You forever.\"<\/p>\n

If those sentiments sound familiar, I believe you will be encouraged as we look at Elijah's journey and learn from some of his mistakes. For example, we see in our opening passage that when depression hit Elijah, the first thing he did was abandon the one who had been given to him for comfort and strength. \"He arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there<\/em>\" (1 Kings 19:3).<\/p>\n

This is just like the believer in Christ who, as he begins to suffer from depression, stops attending church— thus abandoning those who were sent to comfort him. You see, Elijah's servant was meant to be a companion who would help meet his needs and encourage him on his journey. And so if you begin to suffer from spiritual depression, beware lest you cast off the very people God put in your life to help and comfort you. Do not isolate yourself and attempt to walk through this valley alone, for that is one of the worst mistakes you can make!<\/p>\nINTO THE WILDERNESS<\/span>\n

The Scriptures go on to tell us that Elijah \"went a day's journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. 'I have had enough, Lord,' he said. 'Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors'<\/em>\"(1 Kings 19:4, NIV).<\/p>\n

In other words, \"I had such high expectations of my life—of how I would impact this society. Yet when I thought I would stand and push back the darkness, I discovered that I didn't have the strength.\"And so Elijah plummeted deeper into hopelessness. He began to lose his sense of identity and purpose until he ultimately lost the will to live.<\/p>\n

If you love God, you will go through this valley. So when it happens, remember that affliction is not unique to you. Many others have had to pass through this valley of the shadow of death—a season when they would rather die than live. The apostle Paul put it this way: \"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 10:13). More than once I, too, have gone through this valley. I have had darkness fall upon my heart for reasons I could not explain. I have even had sudden despair hit me in the midst of a season of great victory. One particular year when we had baptized a thousand people in our church, I found myself falling into a hole. Sometimes the depression would last for days, sometimes longer. Every pastor who walks with God goes through this; nobody is exempt from it!<\/p>\n

The Bible goes on to tell us that Elijah \"lay down under the bush and fell asleep<\/em>\" (1 Kings 19:5). In other words, he turned to sleep for a refuge, neglecting the things that could usher his return to strength. In the same way, Christians suffering from spiritual depression will often stop reading their Bible. They will stop attending church or fellowshipping with other believers and, instead, they will start sleeping all the time. Spiritual depression, if unabated, can lead to isolation from everyone and everything—if not in body, at least in mind and heart.<\/p>\nTHE IMPORTANCE OF FELLOWSHIP<\/span>\n

Although it is reassuring to know that you are not the only one experiencing this, perhaps you are still wondering: How exactly am I going to get through?<\/p>\n

Well, first, it is important to realize that God has given you the Body of Christ. For example, when you go to church, the Lord is using your pastor and others there to remind you that He has not abandoned you. That is why the Bible tells us: \"Do not neglect the assembling of yourselves, especially as the day draws closer\"(see Hebrews 10:25). In other words, do not neglect gathering with other believers, especially in our day as darkness begins to increase. Don't try to get through this alone; don't try to hide your struggles. Tell the truth when somebody asks you, \"How are you doing?\" Don't play a religious game, assuming you have to project the image of a victorious Christian all the time.<\/p>\n

However, the good news is that even if you do try to isolate yourself, the Lord will seek you out. We see in the Bible that Elijah \"went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'<\/em>\" (1 Kings 19:9–10). In that place where Elijah attempted to shut himself away, the Lord did not abandon him. In the same way, Jesus will come to you and ask you why you are in such despair. And the amazing thing is that He is not offended if your answer is confusing!<\/p>\n

You see, one of the things about spiritual depression is that you start thinking wrong. You start having wrong thoughts about God, about yourself, and about other people. Elijah said, \"They have killed Your prophets with the sword; they have torn down Your altars, and I am the only one left!\" (see 1 Kings 19:14). Yet that was not actually true, for there were seven thousand more whom God had reserved in Israel. Elijah also insisted, \"They seek to take my life<\/em>\" (1 Kings 19:14). Actually, \"they\" were not seeking his life, it was only Jezebel, a wicked queen.<\/p>\n

In spiritual depression, you can reach a point where it feels as if everybody is against you; suddenly you do not trust anyone anymore. But just as God was not offended by Elijah's confusion, He will not walk away from you simply because you have come to some wrong conclusions about your situation.<\/p>\nTHE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT<\/span>\n

The Bible also tells us that Elijah \"slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, 'Arise and eat'<\/em>\" (1 Kings 19:5). How interesting that it was a broom tree because, realistically, it was a place where the devil was trying to sweep him out of the kingdom of God! \"And he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, 'Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.' So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God<\/em>\"(1 Kings 19:6–8).<\/p>\n

Here we see another reason why you can be confident that you will get through any season of spiritual depression: The Lord Himself will minister to you, just as He did to Elijah. The Bible says that when we need it, the Holy Spirit will bring to our remembrance the things we have learned (see John 14:26).<\/p>\n

For example, when you feel as if everything is hopeless, suddenly you will wake up in the middle of the night with verses of Scripture rolling through your mind. \"I will never leave you nor forsake you<\/em>\"(Hebrews 13:5). \"No weapon formed against you will prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn<\/em>\"(Isaiah 54:17). No matter how discouraged you are, the Holy Spirit will be standing beside you, reminding you of who you are and giving you new strength!<\/p>\nTHE TENDERNESS OF GOD<\/span>\n

\"'Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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<\/em>\" (1 Kings 19:11–12).<\/p>\n

Although God is all-powerful and could deliver us in any way He desires—He could split the mountains, He could send fire down—He instead chooses to use the greatest weapon of all to draw us out of despair: His tenderness! We see here that He came to Elijah with a still, small voice.<\/p>\n

No wonder David the king said, \"Your gentleness has made me great<\/em>\" (Psalm 18:35). Rather than dealing with us in the way we deserve, the Lord chooses to endure our failings and walk with us in our struggles. He is a gentle Savior, and He will not allow us to be burdened beyond what we can bear!<\/p>\nA LOVE FOR PEOPLE<\/span>\n

There is one other thing that God did to pull Elijah out of his despair. Remember, in Elijah's mind, it had always been about crowds, confrontation, and bringing the nation back to God. He had a grand vision of his life and what God was able to do through him. Yet it was when that vision did not fully manifest that despair hit his heart.<\/p>\n

However, notice that God did not send Elijah back to Mount Carmel saying, \"Go rebuild the altar, and I will send another fire,\" or \"Go back to the city and challenge Jezebel.\" Instead, the Lord essentially said to him: \"I want you to get up, and I want you to walk with Me. You are going to anoint two people who will be secular leaders with profound impact in the nation. You are also going to anoint one man who will take your place as a spiritual voice to the nation\" (see 1 Kings 19:15). Amazing! The rest of Elijah's life would, at least initially, be about three people! God was going to anoint three people through his life, and they would go on to become conquerors, raising their hands against evil.<\/p>\n

I believe God's desire was simply for Elijah to touch the lives of these three with the same tenderness that he received from the Lord. I can picture Elijah at that point emerging from his despair, saying, \"I can do that! I can touch the lives of three people.\"<\/p>\n

When Elijah went to Elisha and put his mantle upon him, saying, \"Come and follow me,\" Elisha said, \"Please, just let me go say goodbye to my household\" (see 1 Kings 19:20). Ordinarily, Elijah would have concluded, \"If you are turning back, you are not fit for the kingdom of God,\" and he would have continued on his way. However, the Scriptures tell us that Elisha had to take his oxen and slaughter them, then call together all his family and friends to say goodbye. I imagine this must have taken a few weeks. All the while, Elijah was waiting for him. It is unlikely that Elijah would have done that before. Yet now he had experienced what it was like to be weak; he had been touched by the tenderness of God. Being in a place of despair worked something into his character that had not been there before. I believe that for the first time in his life, he was actually enjoying people!<\/p>\nPAUL'S JOURNEY TO TENDERNESS<\/span>\n

We see another picture of this in the life of the apostle Paul. When he started out on his journey with God, he was driven to the point of being intolerant, evidenced in his dealings with a young man named Mark. \"Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark<\/em>\" (Acts 15:37–39).<\/p>\n

You see, in his zeal, Paul was just like the Elijah type in the Body of Christ who concludes, \"Anybody turning back is not fit for the kingdom of God.\" Even I used to be like that as a young preacher. I once grabbed a man at the altar who said he could not stop drinking. \"I did, and you can, too!\" I exclaimed to him.<\/p>\n

But what does God do in His mercy? He allows us to reach a place of weakness and despair, and that is when His tenderness comes into our lives. If you sequentially follow Paul's writings, you can see that tenderness emerging over the course of his life. Near the end, he even instructs another disciple, \"Bring Mark, for he is profitable for the ministry\"(see 2 Timothy 4:11). He had become a completely different man!<\/p>\n

How do you think that happened? I believe it was because, as he depicted his time in Asia, \"we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life<\/em>\" (2 Corinthians 1:8). In other words, \"We did not think we were going to make it. Apart from the strength of God, we could not get through.\" I cannot help but wonder if in that moment he remembered Mark. After all, it is often when we find ourselves in our own place of weakness and trials that we look back and remember others to whom we were unkind. We suddenly recognize that we ourselves have failed and struggled. We needed a kind word from somebody; we needed the body of Christ, for none of us can make it on this journey alone!<\/p>\nYOUR COMMISSION<\/span>\n

So if you have been suffering from spiritual depression, my question to you is: Can you believe God for three people? Can you believe that God will use your life to touch them, just as He did with Elijah, and that they will go on to make a difference for the kingdom? Are you willing to acknowledge that your role in the Body of Christ is not lost?<\/p>\n

I encourage you to allow God to recommission you today. He is willing to pull you out of despair and give you a new vision for the future. Remember, it was when Elijah stepped out to do the three things God had put before him that the depression left!<\/p>\n

One other thing I love about Elijah's story is that after Elisha said his goodbyes, \"he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant<\/em>\"(1 Kings 19:21). Remember that the first thing Elijah did when depression hit was abandon his servant—the very one whom God had sent to encourage him. But in the end, when God rekindled and recommissioned Elijah, God gave him a friend! My prayer is that God will give each of us friends in the Body of Christ as well—a beautiful reminder that we are never alone on this journey!<\/p>"},"68":{"sm_title":"The Necessity Of Weakness","sm_id":"269","sm_desc":"When we are facing a flood of godlessness trying to purport itself as good; when we are at a moment in history when we are being marginalized; when we are being vilified; when we are being pushed to the side-lines of society, Jesus Christ, because of His mercy, will make His church aware of our need of Him again.
By mercy and grace, just like he did with Paul, God will allow this buffeting of His body to finally bring us to the place of saying, \"God, we can't do this without you!\" To finally bring us to the place where we, in humility, go back to prayer again.
Humankind typically despises weakness. We have a tendency throughout history to shun the simplicity of faith, and gravitate to something more visual, more hands-on, more self-satisfying. Do we live our whole life trying to get out of the very things that God has sent to make us strong?God says, I have to make you weak first, so you can be strong because your strength is not in yourself! Your strength is in Me; it's in the power of My Spirit within your life. But it only comes when we are out of the way. It's the ultimate irony in a sense, when we become weak, we become strong.","sm_jpg":"47617_jb_20160904.jpg","sm_date":"2016-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/09\/04s1\/20160904s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/09\/04s1\/20160904s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"HcvGOr1erUo","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47770_sermon-newsletter-201612-the-necessity-of-weakness.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God<\/em>\" (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).<\/p>\n

By his own testimony, the Apostle Paul stood among the people in weakness. Yet it is arguable that prior to meeting Christ, in his own natural ability he had stood as the strongest among his peers. He described his former life as very strict–taught by the best minds of his day, bypassing others who were striving to advance themselves religiously in the same way that he was (see Acts 22:3, Galatians 1:14). Paul even said of himself, \"Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless<\/em>\" (Philippians 3:6). What a phenomenal boast on his part! It would be the same as somebody without Christ today claiming, \"To the best of my knowledge, I have thought no evil, spoken no evil, and seen no evil. I have done everything the way I believe God would have me do it.\"<\/p>\n

Before his conversion, Paul obviously was very determined, strong-willed, and successful. And so we ask ourselves the question: Why, then, when adding Christ to all of this, would he now consider himself weak? And why would he prefer weakness to his former state?<\/p>\nBOASTING IN WEAKNESS<\/span>\n

In the book of Second Corinthians, Paul speaks of a time when he was caught up to the third heaven–a place where he heard utterances that he could not even put into words (see 2 Corinthians 12:2-4). \"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure<\/em>\" (2 Corinthians 12:7). In other words, lest it become all about me; lest I become proud in my own strength. After all, that is the human condition. The fallen nature of man wants to boast in itself.<\/p>\n

The Bible tells us that this thorn in his flesh was so grievous to Paul that he pleaded with God to take it away. Yet the Lord replied, \"'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I [Paul] will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong<\/em>\"(2 Corinthians 12:9-10).<\/p>\n

Paul learned to boast in everything that was allowed to come into his life that kept him entirely dependent upon God. At one point, he even testified that \"when we were in Asia we were pressed above strength to the point that we despaired of life<\/em>\"(2 Corinthians 1:8). In other words, we thought we were not going to make it. It was so difficult!<\/p>\n

Perhaps life feels just like that for you these days. It is hard going to the same job and listening to the same gossiping voices all around you. It is hard coming home to the same empty apartment or fighting for the semblance of family that you have left. Everything is just so difficult. But that is why we must learn, as Paul did, that there is a strength available in Christ that human intellect or effort cannot even begin to touch. It is not available to the proud, for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. If you are ever going be used of God, you must first discover this truth.<\/p>\nNO MATCH FOR THE ENEMY<\/span>\n

Unfortunately, humankind typically despises weakness. Throughout history, we see the tendency to shun the simplicity of faith and gravitate toward something more tangible and self-satisfying. For example, we see that in the Old Testament, God Himself was leading the Israelites. Nevertheless, the people got tired of walking in the simplicity of faith and wanted to follow something more visible. They wanted something human that they could take pride in, so they went to Samuel and essentially said, \"We want a king like the other nations around us. We have had the divine, but we want human leadership now. We want to worship something that is visible\" (see 1 Samuel 8:4-5).<\/p>\n

And so God gave them a king named Saul. He was handsome, standing head and shoulders above everyone, and everybody rejoiced. However, what they got was a strategist, not a seeker. Although Saul started out with a marginal acceptance of spiritual things, ultimately he was a thinker–a self-made man who led predominantly by his own reasoning.<\/p>\n

Of course, Saul did manage to win many great victories. He defeated the Amalekites; he had an army that was well-trained. Everything seemed to be going fine until suddenly the Israelites were confronted with Goliath–a power that everyone, including Saul, knew they could not defeat in their own strength.<\/p>\n

I can just picture the Israelites with all their armor, looking to their king standing a foot or so taller than the rest–representing their confidence in human strength and ingenuity to lead them. However, Saul could do nothing but tremble with the rest of them. Eventually, the people began searching for holes in the rocks to hide in. They were a type of Christians in our generation who find themselves unable to go forward. Many are thinking about finding a safe place to hide where they can ride out the coming storm. \"How can I get by without being persecuted in the marketplace? How can I avoid being vilified or fired because I believe in traditional marriage and the sanctity of life?\"<\/p>\n

All the while, this mammoth, big- mouthed giant was coming out every morning and challenging the armies of Israel, saying, \"You are going to serve us. There is no chance that you are going to win this fight!\"(see 1 Samuel 17:8-9). And that was true...in the physical realm. Nobody in his own strength could match the power that was standing on the other side of that valley. Likewise, if you and I try to fight the darkness of this hour with human reasoning and human zeal, we will discover that we are no match for it.<\/p>\nTHE STRENGTH OF GOD REVEALED<\/span>\n

The good news is that whenever things finally come to the point where it looks as if the people of God are up against an enemy they cannot defeat, the strength of God is revealed through weakness. In the case of Saul and his army, the strength of God was revealed through a teenage boy. One day, young David showed up in the Israelite camp, sent by his father with some cakes and cheese to give to his brothers. Now David came as one who had been walking with God–one with incredible passion for the honor of His name. That is what you and I need more than anything else! Remember, it is not about what we can do for God, it is about what God can do for Himself through us to glorify His own name!<\/p>\n

When he came into the camp, David essentially asked, \"Why are you all just standing there? Why won't anybody go and fight this uncircumcised Philistine? How dare he defy the armies of the living God?\" (see 1 Samuel 17:26). That is the kind of passion you and I must have in our hearts. \"Who are these principalities that dare defy the armies of the living God? What makes them think they can triumph over Christ and His Church? Didn't Jesus say, 'On this rock I build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it'? Isn't it written in the Scriptures, 'I give you power over serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you'?\"(see Matthew 16:18, Luke 10:19).<\/p>\n

When David offered to fight the giant, Saul took his armor and put it on David. Imagine how ridiculous that must have looked! And so David essentially said to Saul, \"I am sorry, but I cannot fight with this; I have not proven this! You see, I have lived by faith since I was young, and I have experienced the strength of God. I know what He can do!\"(see 1 Samuel 17:39). Perhaps that is your testimony as well. God has given you victories that you know you could not have secured on your own. You could not have escaped the prison that you were in; your marriage was dead until you began to pray. You could not have endured the trial that came into your life had you not trusted God!<\/p>\n

The Bible tells us that David took his staff in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook. He put the stones in his shepherd's bag, and with a sling in his hand, he drew near to the Philistine. If you look at this picture in the natural, it is preposterous to think that this boy would pick up five little stones to go fight a giant! Yet, suddenly the Spirit of God came upon David, and he began to prophesy, \"You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands<\/em>\"(1 Samuel 17:45-47). David was able to speak in the Spirit because he was fighting in the Spirit. And in his weakness, he was empowered to defeat this great enemy.<\/p>\nPAUL'S JOURNEY TO STRENGTH<\/span>\n

If you and I expect to experience this power of the Holy Spirit, we must learn to rejoice in those things that God allows in our lives to keep us dependent on Him. Yet I cannot help but wonder: Are we there yet? Or are we constantly trying to escape the very things that God has sent to make us strong?<\/p>\n

It is the ultimate of ironies. God must first make us weak so that our strength and our confidence will no longer be in ourselves. We see this hold true throughout Paul's journey. For example, it was in weakness that Paul, in the midst of a storm, was relegated to the belly of the ship among the slaves and prisoners. It was certainly not a place of human strength or influence. Yet it was there that Paul found wisdom and power that was stronger than the storm all around him. Eventually he was called to the deck of the ship, and he became the voice of authority and encouragement to all on board (see Acts 27).<\/p>\n

The Bible also tells us of a time when Paul and Silas were taken, beaten, and thrown into the inner prison (see Acts 16:22-23). Yet at midnight, in that place of weakness, they found the power to sing praises to God. It was the kind of worship that says, \"God, I may not understand everything, but I know that heaven is Your throne, and the earth is Your footstool. I know that You are in charge of all things.\" As they began to praise Him, the prison began to shake! The doors opened, and all the prisoners were set free. Even the jailer bent his knee to God and was baptized with his whole family. They had witnessed a strength in Paul and Silas that was greater than anything this world had to offer.<\/p>\n

On another occasion, the \"Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe<\/em>\" (Acts 14:19-20). It was in weakness that Paul found a divine ability to endure all that hell could throw against him. Although he was stoned and thought to be dead, a place of complete weakness, Paul eventually got up and finished his journey. The Scriptures tell us that he went with Barnabas to Derbe and strengthened the souls of the disciples!<\/p>\nTHE END OF OURSELVES<\/span>\n

In every place of weakness that Paul found himself, I am sure he had to fight the constant lies of the devil. So do not be surprised when the devil tries to convince you that you are finished. He will try to tell you that you are too weak and there is no point in going on. \"Why bother opening your mouth again? Why bother trying to serve God?\" But I am telling you that even when you reach your lowest point, God can cause you to rise up again in the power of the Spirit.<\/p>\n

I often say it this way: The end of ourselves is the beginning of God. So in those moments when you feel weak or defeated, take courage, for you may actually be on the brink of the greatest victory that you have ever known. Remember, God takes the weak to confound those who are strong; He takes the foolish to confound those who are standing in their own wisdom. Therefore, do not worry about the things that come against you in this world. You have a power source within you that is greater than all of the strength of this world put together. And one day, like Paul, you are going to testify, \"I rejoice in the difficulties that I have had to experience. I rejoice in all the things that have come against me. Even though I might stand in weakness and trembling, even though there is sometimes a measure of fear in my heart, I know I will not be defeated. No Goliath, nothing of evil, no weapon of hell has any authority over me. The purpose that God has for my life will be fulfilled!\"<\/p>"},"69":{"sm_title":"A Cry At The King's Gate","sm_id":"263","sm_desc":"It's human nature that when we become familiar with something, we can become bored with it over time. We become bored with prayer, we become bored with going to church, but there's' a cry now in the nation \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it may not be audible \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but God hears it. A cry from a distance because they don't have access to the throne of God the way you and I do as the bride of Christ.
God is calling an Esther generation to rise up and plead for mercy on behalf of others. Esther is the type of a Christian in this generation who says, \"My relationship with the king isn't what it used to be. We've kind of cooled off. As a matter of a fact, He hasn't even been speaking to me recently.\" Esther knew that when we go towards the king it could cost us our lives. Our prayer is, \"Not my will, but thine,\" realizing that if we fully embrace the will of God, it could be an unpleasant experience for us. But in that place of being abandoned to the will of God, for the sake of others, Esther found favor and wisdom from heaven. In that place, she found the power to re-write the law of death into the law of life. That, I believe, is what the king had always been looking for.
You and I are called to more than Sunday religion, we're called to reign with Christ. If you and I are willing to pray, if we're willing to put our lives; our freedom, everything we are behind that prayer, God once again, can put into our hands the power to re-write a season of death into a season of life.","sm_jpg":"47564_jb_20160731.jpg","sm_date":"2016-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/07\/31s1\/20160731s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/07\/31s1\/20160731s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"bZdxTKuTj8E","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47706_sermon-newsletter-201611-a-cry-at-the-kings-gate.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?<\/em>\" (Esther 4:13–14).<\/p>\n

This well-known verse came as a challenge from a man named Mordecai to his cousin Esther, who had recently been made queen. However, have you ever taken the time to think about this regarding your own life? Do you realize that there is no happenstance with God—that He is in control of all things from beginning to end—and He chose to have you and me born into this world, at this time, for a divine purpose?<\/p>\n

As we take a moment to look at the story of Esther, I believe we will gain a greater understanding of our own responsibility in this hour. The Bible tells us that Esther was brought into proximity to the king for a purpose she did not initially understand. Nevertheless, as a new bride, Esther frequently began meeting with the king and learning her new role.<\/p>\n

Similarly, when you and I turned to God, we were born again and brought into proximity to the King of kings. We were forgiven, covered with a beautiful garment of righteousness, and allowed access to God. As new believers in Christ, we, too, learned to meet with God—praying, studying the Bible, going to church, adapting to our new responsibilities. After a while, everything tends to go on fairly routinely—sometimes for a long time.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the tragedy of it all is that the human tendency is to not only become familiar with something but to grow bored with it over time. We become bored with prayer, bored with going to church. It is the reason so many marriages fall apart. The couple starts out passionately in love, only to end up becoming distant. Or when people start a new job, they may begin by boasting about it, yet after five years, they are constantly looking at their watch. It is something in the fallen nature of all of us.<\/p>\nNEWS OF A CRY<\/span>\n

Esther went on, and while I am sure it was a wonderful beginning, something happened over time: She began to grow more and more distant from the king. Meanwhile, news of a cry at the king's gate came to her one day.<\/p>\n

\"When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province where the king's command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes<\/em>\" (Esther 4:1–3).<\/p>\n

This cry was essentially saying, \"Help us, Esther! We are not clothed in the royal robes that have been given to you; we are not allowed access to the king as you are. We can cry, but only from a distance! Esther, don't leave us behind. Though you think you may be able to escape because of where you are, we cannot escape this sentence of death that is permeating our streets and our culture. Remember that you are the one who has access to the king! Don't forsake us!\"<\/p>\n

In our day, this represents the cry that is arising as the law of sin and death seemingly advances unabated throughout society-destroying homes, minds, and even children in their mother's womb. It is the cry of our youth who have no direction; it is the cry of the single parent who does not know where provision will come from; it is the cry of one contemplating suicide because he does not see a future. People in our generation are trying to cry out to God, but they can get only so close. They do not have access to the throne of the King as we do!<\/p>\n

So what was Esther's response to this cry? \"Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them<\/em>\" (Esther 4:4).<\/p>\n

I believe there must have been an inkling in Esther's heart, just as there is in many of ours today, that she was being led toward a purpose far deeper than she could naturally see or understand. If you are walking with God, you likely hear these inner whispers that seem too preposterous to believe. Yet somehow you can sense that God has a purpose and plan that is far beyond what you think you are capable of accomplishing. However, just like Esther tried to put a different set of garments on Mordecai, you and I often try to push these whispers away and give them another appearance so that we can remain in our comfort zone.<\/p>\n

The Bible goes on to tell us that \"Esther called Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was...Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries to destroy the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people. So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai<\/em>\" (Esther 4:5–9).<\/p>\nA BRIDE WHO RULES AND REIGNS<\/span>\n

Esther then sent this word back to Mordecai: \"All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days<\/em>\" (Esther 4:11).<\/p>\n

Perhaps Esther felt unlovely and undesired. She may have wondered in her heart, \"Is there some flaw in me that has caused the king to draw back? Sure, I could have made a difference before, but how can I do anything now? I have not heard him say, 'I love you,' in such a long time. Mordecai could not have come to the gate at a worse time!\"<\/p>\n

Sometimes as believers in Christ, we, too, can feel helpless, unlovely, and unwanted. Esther is a type of Christian in this generation who objects to the call on his or her life. \"But you don't understand! You see, my relationship with the King is not what it used to be. Things have cooled off. He has not even been speaking to me recently. You should have come to me fifteen years ago when my relationship with God was hot. I was at every prayer meeting; I heard His voice every day! It was a powerful love relationship, but now I don't even know how to approach the King!\"<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, despite the initial reservations in her heart, Esther ended up doing what all of us ought to do: She found some friends who would fast and pray with her. Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: \"Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!<\/em>\" (Esther 4:16).<\/p>\n

Esther had finally come to a point where she was no longer seeking her own provision or safety. Rather, she was going to the throne for the sake of people who were under a law of death-fully aware that doing so could cost her her life.<\/p>\n

It was in that very place of being abandoned to the will of God that Esther found favor with the king, and she was granted her request. Ultimately, she was given the power to rewrite the law of death into a law of life, enabling the people of God to stand up and gain the victory that was theirs. Esther essentially became co-ruler with her husband, which had been unheard of in the Medo-Persian Empire!<\/p>\nOUR SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY<\/span>\n

In the same way, you and I are called to more than Sunday religion! We are called to reign with Christ. He is looking to you and me as His Church in this generation, saying, \"I want something deeper from you! I do not want you to simply come in and tell Me that you love Me. I am looking for a partnership. I am looking for a Bride who will rule and reign with Me, not just in eternity, but in this lifetime as well.\"<\/p>\n

Psalm 149 says it this way: \"Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; and He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment–This honor have all His saints<\/em>\" (verses 2–9).<\/p>\n

The psalmist is saying, \"If only those who belong to God would understand the spiritual authority that they have.\" If only we would remember that \"the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled<\/em>\" (2 Corinthians 10:4–6). As the verse says, we have this authority \"when our obedience is fulfilled\"—or, in other words, when we have chosen the ways of God; when we have decided to no longer sit on the sidelines as an observer, watching as a whole generation is swallowed up in death.<\/p>\n

It is important that you and I make this decision now, for we are standing at a critical juncture. We are in danger, as a society, of losing our freedom of religion and speech. There are godless elements in this nation that are emboldened to pursue their full agenda: the destruction of everything that represents God and holiness. It is a sober moment indeed.<\/p>\n

Therefore, I implore you to take seriously the cry at the King's gate now. Let's go in; let's ask God to do something in us that will enable us to rewrite the law of death for somebody else into a law of life. Let's ask God for unselfish hearts that truly care about the souls around us.<\/p>\n

Remember, there cannot be a spiritual awakening without prayer, and prayer will not be effective as long as it is self-focused. The people who will have an impact on this generation are those who will go to the throne of God, taking their authority as the Bride of Christ, unafraid of throwing their life in with their prayers. It will be those who say, \"Lord, You told us that we are going to rule and reign with You for all of eternity. But You have also given us power now to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. You said that nothing would by any means hurt us. You have not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. Therefore, if I perish, I perish! I refuse to sit on the sidelines and give this generation over to darkness! I am going to pray the prayers of someone who rules and reigns with Christ!\"<\/p>\n

Perhaps it has been your desire to walk in this boldness and authority, yet you, like Esther once did, cannot help but feel like an unlovely and unwanted bride today. However, I would like you to consider the possibility that the distance you are feeling is because God is calling you to something deeper. I love how it is written in the Song of Solomon, which I have always believed to be a type of Christ and His Church: The Bridegroom says, \"O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely<\/em>\" (Song of Solomon 2:14). In other words, \"Oh, my beloved bride who is still hidden, who has found refuge in something that falls short of what I have for you, do not be silent anymore! Do not buy the lie of the devil that I do not want to see you at My throne!\"<\/p>\n

Esther ultimately made the choice to approach the throne of the king and petition him for mercy, and she was granted her request. How much more will the King of kings be merciful if we ask? Remember, the Lord has chosen you and me for such a time as this. Therefore, let's take courage and respond to the cry—and we will witness what it truly means to rule and reign with Christ!<\/p>"},"70":{"sm_title":"A Blind Church In A Miraculous Place","sm_id":"262","sm_desc":"March 13, 2016 - Don't sit in blindness on the side of the road, cry out to God for mercy and He will bring you into the fullness of your inheritance. Jesus is passing by and He is able to tear down every wall of impossibility. At the sound of your cry God will release you from captivity and bring you into His supernatural life.","sm_jpg":"46898_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2016-10","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/03\/13s1\/20160313s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/03\/13s1\/20160313s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"paExruBjgNM","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47659_sermon-newsletter-201610-a-blind-church-in-a-miraculous-place.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!' So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' He said, 'Lord, that I may receive my sight.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God<\/em>\" (Luke 18:35-43).<\/p>\n

This incredible scene where Jesus healed a blind man occurred in the vicinity of a place called Jericho-a site of both historic and spiritual significance to the people of God in that generation. It was at Jericho that their ancestors followed through with their decision to be spiritually separated from their former places of captivity (see Joshua 1:16). A generation had failed and died in unbelief in the wilderness, but Joshua was about to bring the next generation through into this incredible place of promise.<\/p>\n

It was also at Jericho that Joshua had an encounter with the preincarnate Christ. \"It came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, 'Are You for us or for our adversaries?' So He said, 'No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.' And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, 'What does my Lord say to His servant?' Then the Commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, 'Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy'<\/em>\" (Joshua 5:13-15).<\/p>\n

In other words, \"I do not want your strength; I do not want your ingenuity or your plans. This is a holy place. You are to listen to Me and do it My way if you want to know the victory I am willing to give you.\"<\/p>\n

Jericho was a place of impossibility! Some historians say that the walls of the city were thirty feet high and twenty feet thick. In fact, the walls were thick enough to drive a chariot or a horse across the top. And so Jericho was considered by the people of that generation to be an invincible place. Nevertheless, the Lord promised Joshua, \"See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. Then it shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat<\/em>\" (Joshua 6:2-5).<\/p>\n

So the people did as they were instructed. When they shouted on the seventh day, the wall fell down flat, and they took the city (see Joshua 6:20).<\/p>\n

What an incredible history this place had! And now, as we fast forward many years to another generation, Jericho was still a place where the miraculous was possible. After all, the Promised Land was always meant to be a place of miracles. The people of God should have felt a sense of awe when they were in that city. Likewise, that is the way it should be for you and me today every time we open the Word of God. There should be a sense of awe, knowing that the promises in this Book are ours!<\/p>\nWHAT THE BLIND MAN SAW<\/span>\n

Let's take a moment to look once again at our opening Scripture: \"Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging<\/em>\" (Luke 18:35). Keep in mind that this was the same Jesus whom Joshua had encountered, now coming near Jericho again. You see, there are moments in history when Jesus passes by again-when He is determined to meet with His people and do the miraculous.<\/p>\n

This time, a blind man was sitting in the very place where the power of God had once before been displayed. However, this blind man had more than a thirty-foot high by twenty-foot thick wall before him-he had a veil of impenetrable darkness. The condition in his body was not going to change apart from a miracle. Yet, ironically, though he was blind, he began to see something that many people could not see at the moment. Isn't it amazing to think that there were so many people who had natural vision but no spiritual vision? They were a type of a blind church in a miraculous place.<\/p>\n

And so the blind man, hearing a multitude passing by, asked what it meant. This is a type of people in our society today who are saying, \"Those Christians are going down the street, meeting together in this place they call church...but what does it all mean? Why do they get together? What happens in that place? I want to know!\" You see, I believe a hunger for God is arising in the hearts of this generation.<\/p>\n

In response to the blind man's question, the people told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by (see Luke 18:37). Yet the irony of it all was that the agenda-driven church had no idea who was passing by; they had no idea that Jesus was willing to do the miraculous. I cannot help but wonder: Did this blind man remember the story of the incredible victory that once took place in Jericho? Did he hear about how there appeared a being from heaven who spoke to Joshua personally? Somehow he saw something, and he began to cry out, \"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me<\/em>\" (Luke 18:38).<\/p>\nRELIGION'S BLINDNESS<\/span>\n

\"Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet<\/em>\" (Luke 18:39). I believe this verse brings up an important question: Are we as the Church truly ready for a spiritual awakening? Remember, when God begins to touch people again, they will come into churches, and they will not know our programs or the songs that we sing. All they will know is that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, and they will be crying out for mercy!<\/p>\n

Yet sadly, in this scene the religious crowd had become so programmed that they could no longer recognize the cry that God wanted to answer. They did not even understand the reason why Jesus was there. He came to give sight to the blind, to open doors for the prisoners, to tell the poor about the treasure of heaven, to heal the brokenhearted, to release the captives. That was the ministry of Jesus Christ! But they had become such agenda-driven people that they could not see this purpose anymore, and so they told the blind man to be quiet.<\/p>\n

\"So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' He just said, 'Lord, that I may receive my sight'<\/em>\" (Luke 18:40-41). In other words, the blind man was saying, \"I want to see a promising future. I want to see Your glory manifested inside of my heart. I want to see a way out of my darkness and realize the divine purpose for my life. But even more than all of this, I just want to see You as the Son of God!\"<\/p>\n

\"Then Jesus said to him, 'Receive your sight; your faith has made you well'<\/em>\" (Luke 18:42). And so we see that one more time, the \"walls\" of Jericho fell, and a blind man took the city! It is just as the prophet Isaiah said, \"The lame [will] take the prey<\/em>\" (Isaiah 33:23). The least expected in society will be the ones who will lay hold of the victory of God.<\/p>\n

The Bible goes on to tell us that \"immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God<\/em>\" (Luke 18:43). This is exactly what happens in a spiritual awakening. It happened in the book of Acts with the early Church. When the disciples came out of the Upper Room, they had fresh vision, and they spoke about the things that God was determined to do through His people. They were saying it with such glory and authority that three thousand people dropped their powerless religion and laid hold of a living relationship with God (see Acts 2).<\/p>\nA HUMBLE CRY<\/span>\n

I happen to believe that Jesus is passing by America one more, and perhaps one last, time. This is something that the Lord has been speaking to me for years now. And just as the blind man cried out, a spiritual awakening must always begin with a cry!<\/p>\n

As we see society deteriorating daily all around us, I can already hear that cry arising now-that cry for freedom. And when that cry comes into the hearts of the people, God answers. Psalm 107 tells us, \"And then they cry, and the Lord hears them and brings them out of their distresses. He brings them to their desired haven-to that which their heart has always longed for\" (see verses 28 and 30).<\/p>\n

Now that cry begins on a personal level, something I experienced in my own life. Many, many years ago in my marriage, I was an extremely selfish man. Selfishness would cause me to stubbornly hold my ground. My wife would try to talk to me about my faults, and I would reciprocate and point out all of hers.<\/p>\n

Yet finally one day, I just got fed up with the whole thing. We were sitting in the kitchen of our farmhouse when suddenly, out of my inmost being arose a deep cry. I was so desperate to be the man that I felt God wanted me to be. I had been reading in the Scriptures about giving myself for my wife as Christ gave Himself for His Church-how I should be leading, not pushing, my family. There was just so much that I had been reading in the Word that I realized I was not living.<\/p>\n

And so, as I sat in my chair, I started to cry out from the very depths of my gut. \"Oh, Jesus, if You will set me free from all of these things that I have become and give me the life that I know You promised me, I will live for You all the days of my life!\" And when that cry arose, suddenly a physical light came into the kitchen, touched me, and scared me to the point that I screamed. I was terrified and tried to pull away, but I could not. The light touched me in my eyes and went right through my body, setting me on my face on the floor, trembling and sweating. It was a Daniel moment in my life. Then I felt the voice of God telling me, \"Stand up. I want to speak to you.\" So I stood to my feet.<\/p>\n

My wife was in the kitchen the whole time, so she saw it all. She later told me that I had started quoting a psalm that she knew I did not know. \"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?<\/em>\" (Psalm 8:3-4). God met me, and I was set free! It was a major turning point in my life. That was when my heart truly began to change, and the Jericho walls in my life came crashing down.<\/p>\n

And so, this is the question each of us must consider today: Am I going to sit blindly by the side of the road, or will I humble myself and move forward, taking my rightful inheritance in Christ?<\/p>\n

Perhaps you have a Jericho stronghold in your life. It may have been there for a long time -something people told you that you are-an experience that you simply cannot escape. Maybe it is a voice constantly telling you that you will not go any further than where you are today.<\/p>\n

However, I remind you that Jesus is passing by once again, so do not be afraid to tell Him exactly what you need! Do not consider what the crowd is going to think or be afraid of the voices that are telling you to be quiet. Have the courage to believe and receive what God wants to give you. Be willing to humble yourself and cry out from an honest heart, \"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!\"<\/p>\n

Call out to God for your freedom, your strength, the hope that you need for the future. God will surely answer your cry and and give you the victory. He will open your blind eyes and give you spiritual vision, and you will be among those who take the city for His glory!<\/p>"},"71":{"sm_title":"And He Prayed Again","sm_id":"259","sm_desc":"We have become an instant society. We want to press a button and we want a picture to pop up. When we pray we want God to answer on our timetable, but God doesn't work like that. God answers in His time and in His way. In Luke Chapter 18, Jesus gave us a parable that men ought to always pray and not lose heart, to get the principle across that we may not see the answer to our prayer immediately, the way we want to see it.Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. The question is: when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? Will He have a people with the kind of faith that believes they have the answer though they don't see it, but choose to persist in prayer?","sm_jpg":"47492_jb_20160619s1.jpg","sm_date":"2016-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/06\/19s1\/20160619s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/06\/19s1\/20160619s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"OyhBAKHZ5nU","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47605_sermon-newsletter-201609-and-he-prayed-again.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Jesus once told a parable to illustrate the point that \"men ought always to pray and not lose heart<\/em>\" (Luke 18:1). In this parable, a widow continually came to an unjust judge or help, essentially saying, \"Someone is opposing me. I need you to avenge me now!\" We can infer from this illustration that this judge had the power to make a difference. Nevertheless, the answer did not seem to be coming. In fact, the more often the widow appeared before him, the worse the situation likely grew.<\/p>\n

Finally things took a turn for this widow. \"And [the judge] would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me'<\/em>\" (Luke 18:4-5).<\/p>\n

Jesus concluded the parable by saying, \"Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?<\/em>\" (Luke 18:6-7). In other words, God will fight for you if you call out to Him. He is not like this unjust judge; He is not going to draw back or refuse to answer you, even though it may seem as if He keeps putting you off.<\/p>\n

I believe many people today are close to losing heart, if they have not done so already. They have prayed for a specific situation, perhaps a family member or even some aspect of their own character to change, but the answer still has not come. However, we must remember that answers do not always come in the way or at the time we think they should. We want God to answer according to our schedule. We want our children saved today; we want this issue in our character done with yesterday; we want that annoying person in our office to be gone by morning!<\/p>\n

However, the Lord gave us this particular parable for a reason- to encourage us to keep praying and not to give up in the process. Jesus even added, \"I tell you that He will avenge them speedily\" (Luke 18:8). In other words, the decision to answer us when we pray will be made quickly.<\/p>\n■<\/span> GOD'S ANSWERTHROUGH MOSES<\/span>
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The Bible gives us many examples of when God answered the prayers of His people, yet they did not see the answer immediately with their natural eyes. Consider, for instance, when the children of Israel were living as slaves for a season in Egypt. \"Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them<\/em>\" (Exodus 2:23-25).<\/p>\n

The people were essentially crying, \"God, help us! Do You not see what is happening? We are Your people, but we are being oppressed, ridiculed, mocked, and controlled. Didn't You say that we would be blessed and become a blessing to all those who are on the earth?\" And so a collective cry arose because of the incredible oppression. The Scripture says, \"God acknowledged them,\" meaning that He accepted them as His own people and answered their cry.<\/p>\n

\"And the Lord said [to Moses]: 'I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt'<\/em>\" (Exodus 3:7-10).<\/p>\n

Right at the moment when the people of Israel cried out, God could have snapped His fingers and opened the country's borders. He could have created an army out of nothing or sent angels to cause all of Egypt to die right on the spot. The Lord could have done it so many ways, but instead He chose a way that was probably not how the people would have wanted: He went out into the desert, found a man who was eighty years old, and called him.<\/p>\n

The point is that God had answered their cry, but the people simply did not see it yet. All the while, the answer was in progress through a man named Moses. However, God first had to deal with Moses and get him through his own unbelief. After that, Moses had to go to his father-in-law and ask for permission to leave, and then he had to convince his brother, Aaron, to go with him. Finally, he had to gather his family and set out on foot to the land of Egypt.<\/p>\n

Eventually Moses showed up in the camp of Israel, and he told the people the story of how God appeared to him in a burning bush. He explained the plan for him and Aaron to stand before Pharaoh, demanding their freedom. \"So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped<\/em>\" (Exodus 4:31). They believed!<\/p>\n

Yet even after they believed, things grew worse. Pharaoh essentially said to Moses and Aaron, \"You only want to go out into the wilderness to worship because you are lazy and do not have enough to do. Therefore, we will not give you straw to make your bricks anymore. You have to go out and gather your own straw, and do not let the tally of bricks diminish\" (see Exodus 5:17-18).<\/p>\n

So the children of Israel said to Moses and Aaron, \"Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us<\/em>\" (Exodus 5:21). Now all this had happened since the day they cried out to God. In reality, God was avenging His people speedily. However, things seemed to be getting worse, with hopelessness setting in more deeply than ever before. And right before the moment of the great deliverance, as the people's faith was beginning to fail, even Moses came back to God and started accusing Him, \"Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all<\/em>\" (Exodus 5:22-23).<\/p>\n

And so we can see why Jesus finished the parable of the widow and unjust judge by saying, \"I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?<\/em>\" (Luke 18:8). Will there be anybody left who still believes that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever?<\/p>\n■<\/span> ELIJAH: A MAN LIKE US<\/span>
\n

Let's look at another example through the prophet Elijah. The Scripture describes Elijah as \"a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months<\/em>\" (James 5:17). He was a man \"with a nature like ours,\" meaning that he was not a superhuman being. Rather, he was an ordinary man who simply believed God and undertook the calling placed on his life with sincerity so that God would be honored and the people's hearts would turn back to Him.<\/p>\n

The book of First Kings shows us that Elijah prayed earnestly for a reason. In essence, he was crying out, \"Lord, whatever it takes, turn the hearts of the people back to You!\" So for three and a half years, all false comfort was taken away. You see, the people were satisfied as long as their cupboards were full; as long as everything looked good. So, what did God do in order to get the people back? In His mercy, He sent a drought and took it all away! He took their bread out of the cupboard; He took their crops out of the field. Suddenly, even the false prophets who had claimed that all these things would always abound were gone! When it seemed as if everything was coming to an end, God finally had the people's attention.<\/p>\n

There is always a moment when people's hearts are open to truth again-just like the hour in which we are living. There is a moment when people are weary of evil being paraded as good and good being cast down as evil; when people are tired of the confusion that is being forced upon their children. There is a moment when people begin to wonder, \"Where has statesmanship gone? Where are the leaders? What have we become?\" It is as if suddenly, as a society, we have become exposed and must consider what we truly are.<\/p>\n

It was in a time such as this that Elijah prayed again. He prayed after the drought-after the people knew that what they had been trusting in was of no lasting value. This time Elijah was praying for the blessing of God to come down upon the people, for he saw that their hearts were beginning to turn toward the Lord again. We see in 1 Kings 18:42-43 that he bowed very low as seven times he prayed and seven times he sent out a servant, saying, \"Go take a look at the horizon and tell me what you see.\" Thank God that Elijah did not give up after the third time or the fourth time, or how different history would be!<\/p>\n

\"Then it came to pass the seventh time, that [the servant] said, 'There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!'<\/em>\" (1 Kings 18:44). Because Elijah chose to press in and persevere, heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.<\/p>\n■<\/span> WILL HE FIND FAITH?<\/span>
\n

Just as Elijah did, you and I must learn to persevere in prayer, particularly in this dark hour. Yet, unfortunately, we have become such an instant society that many of us have lost an understanding of that old-fashioned concept that was part of the church for two thousand years: pressing in until the answer is made manifest.<\/p>\n

And so again we must consider the question that Jesus posed: \"When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?<\/em>\" (Luke 18:8). Will He find the kind of faith that believes Him for situations that seem impossible in the natural? Will He find the kind of faith that believes it has the answer and does not give up until it is fully seen-the kind that says, \"I will not let go of my sons and daughters. I will not let go of my grandchildren. I will not let go of my marriage, even though it looks hopeless!\"<\/p>\n

When the Son of Man comes, will He find somebody who still believes that there can be a revival in the United States? Will He find somebody who believes that the same God who brought a spiritual awakening to New York City in 1857, sweeping thousands into His kingdom, can do something even greater? Will He find those who say, \"Lord, I believe, despite what my eyes see all around me. I believe because we are crying out to You-not just for ourselves, but for the testimony of Your name in this generation. We are crying out for children who are being told that You do not exist; we are crying out because perversion has multiplied itself in our streets and on our airways. But You went to a cross so that all might be forgiven, and You told us that whatever things we pray for, believing, we shall receive. Therefore, I am asking You for an outpouring of forgiveness in this nation - in my city, my home, among my friends, and in my workplace! I know that You have answered me, and I am going to keep coming and pressing in until I see it with my own eyes!\"<\/p>\n

Oh, if ever there was a time to pray, it is now! We must press in and pray, and then we must pray again. And if we do not give up, one day we will see with our own eyes what we have believed in our hearts!<\/p>"},"72":{"sm_title":"A Picture Of Hope","sm_id":"257","sm_desc":"April 10, 2016 - God is calling his people to separate form all that weakens them. Jesus wants to set your heart on Calvary's Hill and light your life with the power of His Holy Spirit. We must choose to let our life be a picture of light for those who are choosing darkness. You are the light of the world and the final hope for this generation.","sm_jpg":"47003_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2016-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/04\/10s1\/20160410s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/04\/10s1\/20160410s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"J8lpHQBGVbw","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47571_sermon-newsletter-201608-a-picture-of-hope.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\nWhen a society becomes so bonded to sin that the people are no long able to hear the warnings of God, the Lord begins to show them two things: First, the reasons why the coming judgment is justified, and second, what the future without merciful intervention will look like.\n<\/p>\n

\nA textbook case of this can be found in the book of Ezekiel when the Babylonian Empire invaded and began the destruction of Jerusalem. At that time, God decided to make the prophet Ezekiel a final illustrated picture to a nation that would soon be taken fully captive. Sadly, His people had become so hardened that they could not hear God's Word anymore. Those who were already taken captive had plenty of false prophets to reinforce their erroneous viewpoint that the captivity was only temporary. As for the people who remained in Jerusalem, they also mistakenly believed that the city of God could not possibly be conquered-despite their lifestyles that clearly exhibited a rejection of God.\n<\/p>\n

\n■<\/span> A FINAL WARNING<\/span>
\n It is important for you and me to be aware of what happened in history so that we can understand our place at this moment in time. We could very well be living in the final stage of America as we have known it. There is a captivity taking place right now in our society-one that is happening very swiftly. Of course, there are still voices saying, \"Well, this is only temporary; it is all going to be behind us soon. The best is just ahead of us!\"\n<\/p>\n

\nThat is exactly what they were saying in Ezekiel's day; therefore, these were the Lord's instructions to him: \"Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house. Therefore, son of man, prepare your belongings for captivity, and go into captivity by day in their sight. You shall go from your place into captivity to another place in their sight. It may be that they will consider, though they are a rebellious house. By day you shall bring out your belongings in their sight, as though going into captivity; and at evening you shall go in their sight, like those who go into captivity. Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your belongings out through it. In their sight you shall bear them on your shoulders and carry them out at twilight; you shall cover your face, so that you cannot see the ground\"<\/em> (Ezekiel 12:2-6). In other words, \"Ezekiel, I want you to gather your belongings and dig a hole in the wall. I want you to show the people that they will enter a time of shame. All their bravado and talk about rebuilding will come to nothing. The people are going to be taken into captivity with their faces bowed toward the ground.\"\n<\/p> \n

\n<\/p>\"Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: \"This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are among them.\"' And say, 'I am a sign to you. As I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall be carried away into captivity.' And the prince who is among them shall bear his belongings on his shoulder at twilight and go out. They shall dig through the wall to carry them out through it. He shall cover his face, so that he cannot see the ground with his eyes...Say to them, 'The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision. For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it,' says the Lord God\"<\/em> (Ezekiel 12:10-12; 23-25).\n<\/p>\n

\nIn other words, the captivity was going to be from the greatest to the least; nobody would be able to escape what God was about to do.\n<\/p>\n

\nYou see, when any nation has determined to pursue sin and cast away the Word of God, the Lord, being righteous in judgment, will set a picture before them so that they may see what they have become. It is as if God is saying, \"Because you will not listen to Me, I cannot warn you or cause you to turn from the course you are on. Therefore, before I judge you, I will show you a picture of what you are.\"\n<\/p>\n

\n■<\/span> ONE HOPEFUL SIGN<\/span>
\nRemember, we know how God deals with nations by studying the way He has dealt with them in the past. Unfortunately, I do not see much difference between our present society and that of Ezekiel's time. We have done violence to the Word and ways of God. As wonderful as our country's history has been, we will not be the exception when it comes to God's judgment.\n<\/p>\n

\nHowever, we can still take heart, for I do believe we have been given a window of opportunity in this hour. According to the Scriptures, there remains one final and hopeful sign as long as there are those who can still hear and consider their ways: \"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven\"<\/em> (Matthew 5:14-16). Notice that the passage begins with the word \"you\"! You are the one final and hopeful sign for this generation. Not some new preacher, not some fancy church-you! You are the one whom God will put on a lampstand in order to give light to all who are in the house. You are the one who will be enabled by God, if you choose, to do things that only He can do. If you will let Him separate you from all that weakens you, you will be as a city set on a hill-that hill being Calvary!\n<\/p>\n

\n■<\/span> THE PICTURE OF PAUL<\/span>
\nConsider the picture in the Book of Acts when the Apostle Paul was taken on a journey at sea. He had tried to warn the people of the danger ahead, saying, \"Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives\"<\/em> (Acts 27:10). However, they refused to listen and relegated Paul to the belly of the ship among the prisoners. It was not long before a storm arose-one so fierce that they put up the sails and had no choice but to cast themselves to the wind.\n<\/p>\n

\nThis sounds a lot like our generation, a type of society that says, \"Listen, we do not want to hear your warnings. We only want to hear of the good that is coming our way!\" We no longer have any direction. We do not know the difference between what is right and what is wrong, what is moral and what is immoral. Casting off all restraint, we are now being driven by the fickle thoughts of men that change from week to week. \n<\/p>\n

\nThe Bible tells us that the storm finally reached a point where everything seemed to be falling apart, and they went many days without light (see Acts 27:20). Down in the bottom of that ship, there must have been a cry in Paul's heart, \"God, I don't know if I can take this anymore. I don't want to hear the news of what is going on above deck-how fierce the storm is or what new strategy they are coming up with to get us through.\" Perhaps recently you have been experiencing a similar fight in your mind. We are living in a very dark hour, and it has caused you to sigh and groan over the state of our society. You are reluctant to even turn on the news anymore.\n<\/p>\n

\nYet Paul, in the midst of it all, began to pray. And when he prayed, God began to speak to his heart and show him a future. Suddenly, somebody on deck must have called for him. I suspect it was the captain of the ship asking, \"Where is that man who warned us not to take this journey? He claimed to have heard from God. I want to hear from him one more time!\"\n<\/p>\n\n

\nYou see, Paul was a man whose heart was set upon a hill. Paul was set on being given for the sake of others, not living for his own comfort or his own survival. And so, in that last moment of time, when the people would not hear the word of God, the Lord was able to place on the deck of that ship a picture-a picture of what we can become when Christ is at the core of who we are and why we exist. It was a picture of hope expressed through a confident, surrendered man.\t\n<\/P>\n

\nPaul essentially told them, \"Be of good cheer, for I have a word from God. If you listen to this word, we are all going to make it. The ship is going to perish, but not one hair of your head will be lost!\" (see Acts 27:22-24). Paul saw something that natural men could not see: He saw a future when everything was falling apart. He saw what God was able to do!\t\n<\/p>\n

\nImagine the scene: The people are hanging on to the railing-all their plans and hopes for the future gone. Yet, standing right in the middle of them is this man with half a loaf of bread in each hand, lifting his eyes to heaven and giving thanks (see Acts 27:35). He is standing there as a picture of what it looks like when one's confidence is in God-how there is always a hope and a future though everything around may appear to be lost.\t\n<\/p>\n

\nI love the fact that simply because Paul's heart was set upon a hill, the light of God was in him, and he became the one giving the orders! The soldiers were going to try to escape in the lifeboats, but Paul instructed them to cut the boats off. The only possible escape route would be through God! And so everybody was now dependent on the word from God that was coming through this one man. They were drawn to that final picture that was set before them-a picture of who God is and what He is able to do. And they all were given a future and a chance at eternal life. I do not know how many of them took it, but at least they were given a chance. I have to believe that there were some in that crowd who concluded, \"Whoever Paul's God is, is God. The kind of vision and strength that he has found is what I want!\"\t\n<\/p>\n

\n■<\/span> YOU ARE A PICTURE<\/span>
\n You and I must learn to stand just as Paul did, for not only is a day of great calamity coming, there are already people full of anxiety and fear all around. There are kids out on the street who have no fathers, no mothers, no direction; they do not know the reason for life. There are people in your apartment building and people across from you at your workplace whose whole lives are falling apart, yet they will not open a Bible. You can put a tract on their desk, but they will not read it. You see, we have come to the point where argument will no longer persuade people. They do not care what you believe. What people in our society are looking for is reality. \"Don't tell me about your Jesus-show me your Jesus!\" And so the only alternative now is that we become a visible demonstration-a picture of who God is and what He can do; a picture of all that He promises; a picture of true worship; a picture of morality; a picture of fearlessness; a picture of what it looks like to have a heart for other people!\n<\/p>\n

\nSometimes that picture will be formed in the midst of your own struggle or trial. Perhaps there will be times when you will have to remind yourself, \"The Lord prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. My cup overflows with confidence in God. Everything may not be the way I would like it, but I know that everything is the way God has destined it to be. He will keep me; He will put light in my eyes and passion in my heart. He will light this lamp of His Holy Spirit inside of me and set me up on a lampstand. He will put courage in my heart and do impossible works through my life, causing people to be convinced that only God could have done this!\"\n<\/p>\n

\nRemember that the Lord said to Ezekiel, \"The people have become hardened to My words, but when they see you, Ezekiel, it is possible that they may consider.\" In the same way, as you allow the Lord to make your life a final picture of hope, I believe many in this generation will be called out of darkness into God's marvelous light!\n<\/p>"},"73":{"sm_title":"A Day When Many Walked Away From Jesus","sm_id":"255","sm_desc":"April 24, 2016 - Jesus is the bread of life, He came down from heaven not to do His own will but to do the will of His Father. Don't walk away from Jesus to go your own way and do your own will. If you want to be truly satisfied in this life, make the choice to pray, \"not my will but thine be done.\" After you make that choice, prepare to be sent and supplied with supernatural power.","sm_jpg":"47025_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2016-07","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/04\/24s1\/20160424s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/04\/24s1\/20160424s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"HFrPxgHl7xQ","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47510_sermon-newsletter-201607-a-day-when-many-walked-away-from-jesus.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\nIn his letters to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul describes the season just prior to the return of Christ as one of great darkness and difficulty-one that will test the fiber of every believer. A world-wide rebellion will be launched against all that is of God. Many false prophets will arise and alternate Christs will be presented to the point where, if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. Paul warns them, \"Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first\"<\/em> (2 Thessalonians 2:3).\n<\/p>\n

\nWhat is this great \"falling away\" that Paul spoke of? First of all, it is important to note that you cannot fall away from something that you were not once close to or at least marginally embracing. This means that Paul was referring to those who were at some point following the Lord-making the warning even more relevant for you and me today. Therefore, we would be wise to take the time to understand what this falling away is and why it happens.\n<\/p>\n

\n■<\/span> A FALLING AWAY<\/span>
\n In the book of John, we find a clear example, summed up in a single verse: \"From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more\"<\/em> (John 6:66). Before we look at what exactly caused many of Jesus' disciples to turn away, it is important to note that earlier in the chapter, it says that \"a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased\" <\/em>(John 6:2). Many people initially began to follow Jesus with great enthusiasm, drawn by the evidence of what He was doing in the lives of other people. In fact, that is why most people are drawn to Christ in the first place-perhaps through a testimony or by witnessing a changed life.\n<\/p>\n

\nSoon after this, the Bible tells us that \"Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they were filled, He said to His disciples, 'Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.' Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, 'This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.' Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him a king, He departed again to the mountain to Himself alone\"<\/em> (John 6:11-15).\n<\/p> \n

\nInterestingly, there was no talk of making Jesus king until the people saw that their bellies could be filled by the power of God! They were not interested in making Him king when He healed a leper or touched a blind man. However, when the crowd saw that Jesus could make bread out of nothing, suddenly it was as if everybody got a vision of how wonderful their brand-new, bread-filled lives could be!\n<\/p>\n

\nPerhaps they began to believe this was a way to escape the curse that Adam brought into the world when he sinned against God. Remember that in the Garden of Eden, the Lord said to Adam, \"Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return\"<\/em> (Genesis 3:17-19). The people knew there was a reason why they had to toil and labor all of their lives. But now there was somebody in their midst who could make bread with no sweat!\n<\/p>\n

\nI can imagine these people suddenly embracing a new vision: \"I don't have to work anymore! I can just make bread by speaking it into existence. I can sell some on the roadside or even send my kids out to do it!\" In light of this, we find the temptation that Jesus had undergone in the wilderness to be very pertinent. Satan came to Jesus and said, \"If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread\"<\/em> (Matthew 4:3). In other words, \"You claim that You have come to redeem humankind and break the curse of sin. If that is true, then command these stones to turn into bread. Break the curse of sin on this world by supernaturally creating bread to fill Your own belly. Use Your authority for Yourself!\"\n<\/p>\n

\nYet Jesus responded, \"It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God\"<\/em> (Matthew 4:4). He was saying, \"My Father has a divine purpose that He has spoken over My life, and that purpose will be fulfilled by yielding to Him, not by living to satisfy My own desires.\" Jesus did not give in to the temptation. Yet, sadly, that was not the case for many of His disciples.\n<\/p>\n

\n■<\/span> GIVE US BREAD!<\/span>
\nAfter Jesus had multiplied the loaves and fish and the people were ready to make Him king, the Scriptures tell us, \"When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus\"<\/em> (John 6:24). They were zealous in seeking Him, just like many Christians are today. If some were to hear that God was doing something supernatural in Baltimore, they would be on the next plane. However, zeal does not always mean truth. Many false prophets are going to arise in our generation who will be full of enthusiasm and passion. But zeal is not a substitute for the calling of God that He is placing on each of our lives.\n<\/p>\n

\n\"And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him,'Rabbi, when did You come here?' Jesus answered them and said, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled'\" <\/em>(John 6:25-26). In other words, \"You are no longer seeking Me for the things that initially drew you. When you first came, you saw Me doing miracles on other people. However, now you are seeking Me only because your belly was filled, and you saw that the power of God could meet your own needs.\"\n<\/p>\n

\nJesus continued, \"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him\"<\/em> (John 6:27). But the people, still after bread, never really get off the topic. They asked Jesus in response, \"What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?\"<\/em> (John 6:28). In other words, what they really were asking was, \"How can we make bread supernaturally?\"\n<\/p>\n

\n\"Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent'\"<\/em> (John 6:29). He was saying, \"The work of God is that you look beyond your own needs and realize that there is a divine purpose for your life. It is a purpose that can be fulfilled only by following Me as I go to a cross-by yielding yourself for the sake of others.\"\n<\/p>\n

\nThey said to Jesus, \"What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat'\"<\/em> (John 6:30-31). Isn't that amazing? They were still after bread! When Jesus seemed to be dodging their request, they went right back to it again, saying, \"Well, give us a sign, just like God did when He gave His people bread in the wilderness. Make some more bread!\"\n<\/p>\n

\n\"Then Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' Then they said to Him, 'Lord, give us this bread always'\"<\/em> (John 6:32-34). \"We want more bread! Fill us, prosper us, make us healthy, and take away all poverty. Give us the power to speak away our troubles so that we can breeze through this life, free from the curse of sin and always satisfied!\"\n<\/p>\n

\n■<\/span> A MESSAGE THEY DID NOT WANT TO HEAR<\/span>
\n Things began to take a turn as Jesus went on to speak something that the people did not want to hear: \"I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst\"<\/em> (John 6:35). Jesus was explaining to them, \"You are looking for physical bread, but it will not satisfy; it will not give you true strength. You need something more. There is a deeper calling, and with that deeper calling comes divine provision beyond just food in your cupboard and a good job. I am that provision; I am the bread that the Father has sent down from heaven. If you are willing to partake of Me, your hunger will truly be satisfied. You will enter the calling of God and be met with His provision to accomplish it.\" \n<\/p>\n

\n\"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me\"<\/em> (John 6:38). And this is that calling of God: \"Just as I came down to this world, not to be served but to serve, I am sending you out. I am not sending you out to garner and satisfy your own desires; I am sending you out as emissaries of the One who went to a cross and gave His life so that all who believe in Him might have everlasting life.\"\n<\/p>\n

\nAt that point, the Bible tells us that \"the Jews then complained about Him, because He said, 'I am the bread which came down from heaven'\"<\/em> (John 6:41). I can just hear the complaining beginning: \"We are here for bread, but He is trying to draw us to Himself. We are ready to make Him our king, but shouldn't a king be solely focused on meeting the needs of subjects as loyal as we are?\" Essentially, this was the deal they wanted to make with Jesus: You give us bread; You give us the power to escape all our trials; You give us authority and provision; You do things our way, and we will make You king. But do not talk to us about needing something more!\"\n<\/p>\n

\nOf course, their reaction did not stop Jesus from continuing in truth, \"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven-not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever\"<\/em> (John 6:53-58).\n<\/p>\n

\nAnd so the people were offended. It was at this point that many turned and walked away, for it was a message that did not appeal to them. It does not mean they abandoned religion; they simply walked with Jesus no more. They went back to trying to find another way to make bread, abandoning the One who was the Living Bread.\n<\/p>\n

\n■<\/span> THE CALLING OF GOD<\/span>
\n On the other hand, to those who could hear, Jesus was explaining, \"Here is My purpose: My life is to be given for all humanity, and you are called to follow Me. Yet, unless you partake of the victory that I am about to win for you, letting My blood cover you; unless you come with a fully yielded heart, desiring to live for Me, you will not be able to fulfill the calling that is before you.\" It is the life yielded to the purposes of God that knows the true satisfaction of God. However, this calling is so deep that we need the Holy Spirit in order to hear and yield to it. Jesus Himself said, \"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him\" <\/em>(John 6:44). We all need the grace of God to respond, for everything in our fallen nature will resist this calling and instead drive us to continue pursuing our own bread and comfort. That is why so many powerless churches have been raised in this nation, with false prophets leading people to an easier path than the one that God has ordained for us. Sadly, they will soon find that what they have been seeking will not be sufficient to get them through the days that we are all going to face, and many will fall away.\n<\/p>\n

\nBut take comfort, for Jesus continued in that same verse, \"and I will raise him up at the last day\"<\/em> (John 6:44). And so as we are living in the last days, this ought to be our heart's cry: \"Oh, God, draw me to Yourself and raise me up! Deliver me from self-focus. Deliver me from simply reading the Bible to see what I can get for my own belly. Help me to look beyond living for myself. Help me to be willing to yield my own plans and dreams to Your call on my life. Put a supernatural love in my heart for the lost, and give me the strength to reach out to those all around me who need help.\"\n<\/p>\n

\nMake no mistake about it-living for the purposes of God and the benefit of others will not be easy, particularly as the days grow darker. However, as we ask Him, God will allow us to partake of this bread of heaven. He will give us vision, life, direction, power and purpose-and we will discover what it means to live a life that is truly satisfying!<\/p>"},"74":{"sm_title":"When The Only Prayers You Have Left Are Tears","sm_id":"254","sm_desc":"February 14, 2016 - This message is for those who go to pray and all you can do is weep because of a deep sense of failure. In the midst of you failure God will come to you and say peace. Jesus is not offended by our weakness, He will give us His peace and strength. When this season is over you will be empowered to strengthen others.","sm_jpg":"46848_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2016-06","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/02\/14s1\/20160214s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/02\/14s1\/20160214s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"CG85HCXhLN8","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47143_sermon-newsletter-201606-when-the-only-prayers-you-have-left-are-tears.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Have you found lately that when you go to pray, all you can do is weep? I am not referring to tears of gratitude or joy but rather the type of tears that stem from a deep, inner sorrow. It could be due to a sense of failure or unworthiness. Perhaps you walked with God at one time but ended up walking away and doing things you should not have done. Or maybe you once believed that you would make a difference in this society, but as you look at your life, you feel as if your walk with God has resulted in very little good being done. And now, every time you get down on your knees to pray, you have nothing left to say. All you can do is weep. <\/p>\n \n

\n If this sounds familiar, I believe you will find comfort in the life of the apostle Peter. The book of Luke recounts a moment when Peter \"went out and wept bitterly\"<\/span> (Luke 22:62). It was during a season he never thought would come to his life: a season of anger and misunderstanding. <\/p>\n \n

\nLet's first take a moment to consider how Peter's walk with Jesus began. The Bible tells us that Jesus was walking down a certain shore when He saw Peter and his brother, Andrew, fishing. At His invitation, Peter and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed Him (see Matthew 4:18-20).<\/p>\n \n

\n If you are a believer in Christ, you, too, have left something in order to follow Him-perhaps an old relationship or a practice you were involved in; a path you thought your life should take, or a career you believed would satisfy you. Yet you walked away from it because you felt that God was calling you to something deeper. You knew it would be something that would make a difference-not just for you but for your family and those around you. <\/p>\n \n

\nThe book of Matthew goes on to tell us that Peter, along with the other disciples, was given power to go out and proclaim the message of freedom and deliverance and to heal those who were sick (see Matthew 10:1). In the same way, you and I have been called to be ambassadors of freedom and healing. We can help people in their time of illness-whether mental or physical. Even just one word has the potential to make a huge difference.<\/p>\n\n

■<\/span> DIVINE REVELATION<\/span>
\nAt one point in his life, Peter got out of a boat and walked on water (see Matthew 14:29). By faith, he stepped out and began to see that the impossibilities of life become possible when you follow God's calling. I am sure you have discovered this as well. For instance, perhaps in the past you did not have the power to speak the truth, but because God's voice was calling you, you were given supernatural strength and ability. <\/p>\n \n

\nIn the next chapter of Matthew, we see that Peter had an incredible thirst for learning (see Matthew 15:15). Jesus was speaking a profound truth, and Peter-whose voice always seemed to be the first in, whether rightly or wrongly-essentially said, \"Explain this to us! I want to understand.\" This is the type of person who comes to church, opens his Bible and says, \"God, I want You to speak to me. I want to know truth and walk in it!\" <\/p>\n \n

\nThe Scriptures go on to tell us, \"When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, 'Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?' So they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God'\"<\/span> (Matthew 16:13-16). In other words, \"You are the promised One! You are the One who has come to set us free. You are the One who is going to establish a kingdom on earth that will never end-a kingdom of truth and righteousness.\" <\/p>\n \n\n

\nJesus said to him, \"You are blessed, Peter, because you did not get this through flesh and blood, but My Father in heaven revealed this to you\" (see Matthew 16:17). In other words, \"You have laid hold of a truth that humanity in itself is incapable of understanding.\" I thank God that there is a point in every believer's life when we truly get the revelation that Jesus is the Christ: He is the One who gives life, the One who redeems, the One who translates us out of darkness and calls us His own. <\/p>\n \n

\n Shortly after that, Jesus looked at Peter, singled him out because of the revelation that was in his heart, and said, \"You are Peter, and upon this rock<\/span> [the revelation that he had], I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it\" <\/span>(Matthew 16:18). People who understand this truth that Peter understood will discover that no matter what hell throws against them, it will not prevail. When they pray, the gates of hell will not be able to withstand their prayers. <\/p>\n\n

■<\/span> PETER'S WEAKNESS<\/span>
\nIn the seventeenth chapter of Matthew, we see that Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain. It was there that the inner glory of God that was in Jesus literally burst forth, and Peter saw Him in all His glory. He also saw Moses and Elijah, who were long dead, now alive and speaking with Jesus about His coming death in Jerusalem (see Matthew 17:1-4). <\/p>\n \n

\nThe whole package was there: The divine nature of Christ, His power to keep even that which had died, and a glorious plan for the future. Peter saw it all! Yet with all the revelation that had been given to him, Peter had a weakness that we, too, must watch for: He became so knowledgeable that he began to tell even Jesus how the future should unfold. <\/p>\n \n

\n Jesus was telling His disciples, \"The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. They are going to put Me to death, and on the third day, I am going to rise again.\" At that point, Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke the Lord! \"No! This is not the way it is going to go\" (see Matthew 16:22). <\/p>\n \n

\nThat is the danger for those of us who have walked with God for a season. Soon we get so smart that we start telling God how the future should progress. \"This is what my future should look like; this is what You are going to do for me.\" We must remember that His ways are higher than our ways; His plans are higher than our plans!<\/p>\n \n

\nFurthermore, Peter also began to boast of his own strength. Jesus was telling them that the Shepherd was going to be smitten and all the sheep scattered. Yet Peter insisted, \"Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never stumble! I am not a novice on this journey. You can trust me, Lord\" (see Matthew 26:33). <\/p>\n \n

\nIt is clear that Peter was not listening to what Jesus was saying to him. He did not want to hear that the pathway might be something other than what he thought it should be. He did not want to hear how weak he really was without the power of God in his life. Nevertheless, Jesus told him, \"I have prayed that your faith will not fail. When you have returned, when you have changed and have been made into another man, strengthen those who are coming after you\" (see Luke 22:32). <\/p>\n\n

■<\/span> A DEEP SENSE OF FAILURE<\/span>
\nShortly after this conversation, everything started to change. Judas came into the Garden of Gethsemane with his band of religious robbers who were armed with torches, lanterns and rage-ready to be rid of this Christ. Peter immediately took out his sword and cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest. Jesus told him to put his sword away, and then He took the servant's ear and put it back on his head so that he was completely healed. <\/p>\n \n

\n Peter was then sent into a tailspin, as his whole world began to fall apart. I am sure he was thinking, \"This is not the way it was supposed to be! This is not the way I understood the kingdom of God. Lord, You have the power to walk on water, yet You are letting Yourself be taken captive! Didn't You tell me that upon my life the Church was going to be built and the gates of hell would not prevail against it? Yet I see the gates of hell coming in! Aren't You supposed to defeat the armies of Rome and establish the kingdom of God for us here and now? What is going on?\" <\/p>\n \n

\nAs Jesus was taken to His trial, Peter was warming himself by the fire. Suddenly someone approached him and said, \"You were with Him, weren't you?\" Peter quickly denied it. Then Peter was approached a second time and identified as one who had been with Jesus, which he denied with an oath. He essentially said, \"I swear to God that I am not part of that party.\" By the third time he was approached, he cursed himself, perhaps saying something along the lines of, \"May God strike me dead if I know that man\" (see Matthew 26:69-74).<\/p>\n \n

\nBy that point, Peter must have been frightened, angry and confused. He had been walking with Jesus for three years, and now things were just not working out the way he thought they would. This same thing happens to many people in the Church of Jesus Christ. \"I walked with You, God. I believed Your promises as I understood them, but my life is not turning out the way I thought it was going to. I was told that becoming a Christian meant my trials were going to be over-I would be happy, healthy, wealthy and wise all my life. Yet here I am- unemployed, lonely, and with failing health. I don't know how much of a Christian I really am.\" <\/p>\n \n

\nAs Peter denied Jesus for the third time, a rooster crowed, and Jesus turned and looked him right in the eye. Suddenly Peter remembered the words that Jesus had once said to him: \"Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times\"<\/span> (Matthew 26:34). At the time, Peter did not understand what was being told him, but now it had become a reality. <\/p>\n \n

\n\"Oh, God, what have I done? Have I failed You beyond hope? You said that You prayed that my faith would not fail, but I cursed myself with an oath saying that I didn't know You!\" And the Scripture says, \"He went out and wept bitterly\"<\/span> (Matthew 26:75).<\/p>\n \n

\n Similarly, some people today cannot pray without weeping. They are overcome by a deep sense of failure. They chose to turn away from things that were wrong and yet, even as a follower of Christ, they ended up doing things they never believed they were capable of. Now they are afraid to even come into His presence.<\/p>\n\n

■<\/span> WHEN JESUS SPEAKS PEACE<\/span>
\nJust a few days later, some of the disciples were gathered in a room behind closed doors because they were afraid of the Jews. Peter was there, likely still wondering in his heart, \"Have I gone too far? Have I sinned away my moment of grace?\"<\/p>\n \n

\nSuddenly Jesus entered the room. I can imagine the moment their eyes met. You see, the last time this had happened, Peter had just uttered, \"May God curse me if I know this Man!\" This time, Jesus looked at Peter and said, \"Peace be with you\"<\/span> (John 20:19). How amazing! In other words, \"Peter, you do not have to fear your curse because I became a curse for you on the cross. I took your curse upon Myself.\" <\/p>\n \n

\n In the same way, if Jesus were to appear to you today, I believe He would look at you and say, \"Peace! I want peace with you, and I want you to be at peace with Me. I died for you because you could not save yourself; you had no strength to live the way the Word of God says you should. I want you to understand that I have come because I desire peace with you.\" <\/p>\n \n

\nThink about it: When Christ was born on this earth, He did not come as a twenty-five foot tall angel! He came encased in the body of a baby-whose diapers had to be changed by somebody. Almighty God was trying to tell us that He is not offended by our weakness. He came to save us-to bring us into peace with Him.<\/p>\n \n

\n So today, if you find yourself needing mercy; if you feel you have failed or as if all you have left are tears-I challenge you: Be at peace with God and let Him be at peace with you. If you are wondering how to do this, simply do as Peter did and let Jesus speak peace to you. Realize that He is not offended by your struggles or failures. Open your heart, and let Him touch your life in a fresh way.<\/p>\n \n

\nThe Bible tells us that after Jesus spoke peace to His disciples, He showed them His hands and His side, and the disciples were glad. He said to them again, \"Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you\"<\/span> (John 20:21). In other words, \"I am sending you now, Peter, as an ambassador of mercy. You now know what forgiveness and grace look like. The Father has sent Me, and I am sending you.\" And so we see that not only is God willing to bring you into peace with Him, He desires to appoint you as His ambassador in this hour. You will be a channel of God's mercy and kindness to a generation that so desperately needs to know what kind of Savior He is!<\/p>"},"75":{"sm_title":"Evil Is At The Gate","sm_id":"244","sm_desc":"March 6, 2016 - America is on the verge of being given to the godless. The value system of the godless is being imposed on this generation and this will result in the darkest time for America. As the true Christians we are the only ones who have the power to push back this darkness. We are called to humble ourselves and pray. It's time to turn away from sin, trust God for the power to live right and allow our hearts to be turned to the needs of others.","sm_jpg":"46880_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2016-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/03\/06s1\/20160306s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/03\/06s1\/20160306s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"ohbgHWgRJq4","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/47050_sermon-newsletter-201605-evil-is-at-the-gate.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. ...They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other\"<\/span> (Daniel 5:1-6).<\/p>\n \n

\nWhile Belshazzar the king stood there in fear, Daniel gave him the word of the Lord: \"O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor...But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses. But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this\"<\/span> (Daniel 5:18-22).<\/p>\n \n

\n We see here that this was not the first time God had dealt with pride in this nation. Before Belshazzar, a king named Nebuchadnezzar ruled in Babylon, and this was the word that was given to him: \"This decision is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men. They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses. And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules\"<\/span> (Daniel 4:17, 25-26). In other words, \"Nebuchadnezzar, you have exalted yourself above the knowledge of God, engaging in practices that God has clearly forbidden. Because of the pride of your heart, your kingdom is going to be cut down. However, there will be a stump left, and it will grow again after you are humbled.\"<\/span><\/p>\n \n

\nAnd now Daniel was standing before the one whom he called Nebuchadnezzar's son, saying, \"Belshazzar, you are well aware of how God deals with pride! You know that you cannot deal treacherously with God and escape the consequences. Yet even knowing this, you have not humbled yourself.\" <\/p>\n\n

■ AMERICA'S OFTEN-FORGOTTEN HISTORY<\/span>
\nIn the formative years of the United States of America, we, too, set our hand to shameful practices which ultimately brought about the judgment of God, just as in Belshazzar's day.<\/p>\n \n

\nIn the years when slavery became an acceptable practice, 12.5 million Africans were stolen from their homeland-mostly the young and the strong. Approximately 10.5 million survived while 2 million died en route to their various destinations due to the cruelty imposed on them. According to the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, 6 percent of those who survived were delivered to North America, making the numbers somewhere in the vicinity of 630,000 slaves that we attained. Most people today have no idea that even Wall Street in Manhattan was once a slave-trading post. <\/p>\n \n

\nTragically, thousands of slaves died because of the conditions they were forced to live in, even after arriving on the shores of America. Amputations were a common punishment for slaves trying to gain their freedom, which was actually the irony of ironies-a nation that was priding itself on freedom from tyranny became in itself tyrannical to a whole race of people that were brought to its shores. Many of the African slaves were buried without any record of who they were. <\/p>\n \n

\nAlthough there were other circumstances, in great measure, slavery was the predominant issue that led to the onset of the Civil War in this country. In the war, 625,000 young people in America died-not only men but women. That was 2 percent of the American population! <\/p>\n \n

\nIn President Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, which took place when both slavery and the Civil War were nearing an end, he suggested that the death and destruction brought on by the war was divine retribution to America for possessing slaves. He even believed that it might be the will of God for the war to continue \"until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword.\" <\/p>\n \n

\nAs the Bible says, \"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, whatever a man sows that will he also reap\"<\/span> (Galatians 6:7). I do not believe it is a coincidence that 630,000 slaves were dropped off in America, and later 625,000 American sons and daughters died in the Civil War. Just as thousands of the slaves died because of their cruel living conditions, 56,000 people died \nfrom starvation and disease in prison camps during the war. Many slaves were buried without dignity or any record of who they were. In the war, 40 percent of the dead were never identified; they had been left to rot in piles on the battlefield. <\/p>\n\n

■ CONTINUING IN PRIDE<\/span>
\nAnd so we must ask ourselves: What are we doing with the history that we know? There is no excuse for the ignorance of what we once did and how God responded in this nation. As we saw in our opening text, Belshazzar, too, was without excuse. \"But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this\"<\/span> (Daniel 5:22). Belshazzar continued in his pride and rebellion, even though he should have known that God will not be mocked. <\/p>\n \n

\nThe indictment continued: \"And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold<\/span> (the gods of prosperity), bronze and iron<\/span> (the gods of human strength and ingenuity), wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified\"<\/span> (Daniel 5:23). Similarly, in America, we have praised the gods of silver and of gold. We allowed preachers to be raised up, unchallenged. Absolute charlatans came in and taught the people that somehow godliness is a means to financial gain. <\/p>\n \n

\n\"Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written. And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.\"<\/span> (Daniel 5:24-30).<\/p>\n \n

\nThe writing was on the wall, yet what did Belshazzar do? He got up from the table and proclaimed Daniel to be the third ruler in his kingdom! He should have turned to prayer. He should have fallen on his knees and cried out for mercy. He should have barricaded the gates. Instead, he simply decorated Daniel! <\/p>\n \n

\n Historians tell us that the Medes and Persians were already at the gate, and they ended up entering the city without any resistance from the people within. That very night, Belshazzar was slain.<\/p>\n \n

\nIn the same way, in this hour, evil is at the gate in America! Can't you see that the handwriting is already on the wall? We are on the verge of being given over to the godless. In fact, the godless with their value system have already largely infiltrated our society. However, we are on the verge of something much deeper and darker than anything we could have imagined.<\/p>\n\n

■ IT'S TIME TO PRAY<\/span>
\nThis leaves us with one question: What will we do as the Church of Jesus Christ? We are the only ones left with the power to push back the darkness. We do not have to open the gate and allow this nation to be flooded with evil. That is, unless we become like Belshazzar and his entourage, who agreed with the word of God yet could do nothing about it. All they could do was decorate the prophet, saying, \"Yes, this is a man of God. Yes, this is a word from God!\" Similarly, you can read this newsletter and call me an anointed man of God; you can agree that this message is from the Lord, yet still do nothing.<\/p>\n \n

\nHowever, I remind you that God said to His own people, \"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 7:14). We must admit that our ways have not been God's ways-that we have pursued pleasure more than God. We must acknowledge that we have failed to be a light to this generation and turn from our wicked ways!<\/p>\n \n

\n According to His Word, we must also humble ourselves and pray. Oh, if ever there was a time to pray, it is now! If your church does not have a prayer meeting, start one in your home! If we do not pray, what kind of country are we going to be leaving for our children and grandchildren? What kind of evil is going to invade the classroom? What kinds of laws are going to be passed obligating the Church of Jesus Christ to become partakers of this nation's sin? <\/p>\n \n

\nI would like you to seriously consider these things, for we are living in a moment when evil is at the gate of our nation. However, the good news is that it can still be averted in measure, for God is good and His mercy endures forever. I believe God can still touch our children; He can still touch our churches and our neighborhoods. I believe that America can still experience a third great awakening before that final day of judgment comes upon this whole world. <\/p>\n \n

\nBut I also know that there has never been a great awakening anywhere at any time in history without somebody, somewhere, praying and laying hold of God. It all begins with prayer. In the book of Ezekiel, the Lord said, \"I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 22:30). I can picture the Spirit of God going through the streets of a nation that was known for its religion. There was a deep pleading in the heart of God, for He did not want to have to judge that nation. Yet the people were probably busy, just as we are today. \"I have children to tend to. I have groceries to buy. I work long hours on my job.\" Everyone had an excuse, and so they remained unaware of the critical moment in history they were living in.<\/p>\n\n

■ ANSWERING THE CALL<\/span>
\nHowever, as the writer of Hebrews said, \"I have a vision of better things in your case\" (see Hebrews 6:9). I believe with all my heart that some of you reading this newsletter will take this call seriously and will not simply put away this plea from the Holy Spirit. You understand that we are living in a crisis moment, and are willing to get up and say, \"I will go to the gate. I will intercede, and I will trust God for the strength to push back the plans of darkness to destroy our society!\" <\/p>\n \n

\nIt is encouraging to remember that even though the Medes and Persians did take over Babylon, Daniel, because he was a righteous man, was technically transported into the next society and given much favor. He became one of the vessels God used to influence the king to sign a decree allowing God's people to return to the Promised Land to rebuild the testimony of the Lord.<\/p>\n \n

\n And so I challenge you now to pray as you have never prayed before. You and I have no excuse for remaining in spiritual poverty. After all, everything was accomplished for us on the cross, and the Lord has left us here on this earth as His co-laborers to win a harvest of souls. He has given us the assurance that whatever we ask, believing, we shall receive. That means we are not powerless; we do not have to merely sit as spectators, watching this godless parade flood our nation. No! We have power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (see Luke 10:19). We have the power to stand at the gates and resist evil. We have the power to believe God for a spiritual awakening. We have the power to call down heaven in order that His Name might be exalted in this generation-and by God's grace, that is what we will do!<\/p>"},"76":{"sm_title":"Be Still, And Know That I Am God","sm_id":"250","sm_desc":"February 7, 2016 - What does it mean to be still? It means to admit defeat and to come to the end of ourselves so that we can cease from the striving and struggling to be Godly in our own strength. Today, God is inviting us to let go of those things that seem to be Godly, but has its fuel source in human effort and to come to Him so He can be God to you. The deepest work of God is the quiet work that's goes on in the inward work of our heart.","sm_jpg":"46834_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2016-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/02\/07s1\/20160207s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2016\/02\/07s1\/20160207s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"EDhKOB3EvSI","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/46999_sermon-newsletter-201604-be-still-and-know-that-i-am-god.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled; though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge\"<\/span> (Psalm 46:1-11).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Be still and know that I am God\" is an incredible verse about which many songs have been written and countless sermons have been preached. But what exactly does it mean to be still? Does it mean that we simply do not do anything? In the original text, \"be still\" means to admit defeat; to let down your hands. It means to give up trying to figure everything out on your own, letting go of all striving and attempts at being godly in your own strength.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Contrary to this instruction, there is a lot of noise today in the house of God. I have found over the years that this is typically an effort to compensate for the lack of God's working in the midst of a people.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

We even see this in the Scriptures with the prophets of Baal in Elijah's day: \"So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, 'O Baal, hear us!' But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made...They cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention\"<\/span> (1 Kings 18:26-29). Yes, these gatherings may be exciting with all the jumping, clapping, dancing and shouting. However, it is because of a need to stir up everything possible in the sensory realm in order to create an illusion that God is actually there doing something.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Consider the words of Psalm 74 in the context of much of the Church's testimony over the past few decades: \"Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations. The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary. Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place; they set up their banners for signs. They seem like men who lift up axes among the thick trees. But now they break down its carved work, all at once, with axes and hammers. They have set fire to Your sanctuary; they have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground\" <\/span>(Psalm 74:3-7). There is a carving going on inside the temple. Everyone is coming in with all their noise-their fleshly ideas and human effort-and they are breaking down what was designed by God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In reality, the deepest work of God is that which takes place in the hidden inner man of the heart. It is not something that makes a lot of noise. The Lord Himself expressed this truth as He called to His own people through the prophet Isaiah: \"For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength'\"<\/span> (Isaiah 30:15). In other words, \"You would have found true strength by letting go of all human effort and putting your confidence in the work that only I can do.\" That is the real essence of Christian growth. Remember, the Christian life is a supernatural life. None of us can make ourselves holy-we can only yield our lives to the One who does this sanctifying work within us.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord went on to say through Isaiah, \"...but you would have none of it. You said, 'No, we will flee on horses.' Therefore you will flee! You said, 'We will ride off on swift horses.' Therefore your pursuers will be swift!\"<\/span> (Isaiah 30:15-16, NIV). In other words, \"You insisted, 'No, we will continue to try to do this in our own strength! We will strategize it; we will develop an agenda that will accomplish all we desire. We will make things happen on our own in this society and even in the house of God!'\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"'A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.' Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion\"<\/span> (Isaiah 30:17-18, NIV).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

And so God says, \"I will let you run your own course if you choose to do so. I will let you run so hard, so fast, and so far, until you have exhausted all your strength-until there is nowhere to go but where I am. And when you finally get there, you will find Me waiting for you. I will be merciful to you in that place.\" Don't you just love the graciousness of our God?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n■ A SILENT WORK<\/span>
\r\n Perhaps you are now wondering: How exactly am I supposed to be still when all around me is noise and flurry-even that which claims to represent God? How do I let down my hands and give up trying to figure everything out when that is all I have ever done?<\/p>\r\n \r\n

First of all, it will be helpful to see a biblical example of what it actually looks like to \"be still.\" Consider the first temple that God designed and built on the earth for Himself. Nobody had to figure anything out-God specified the whole design in detail and gave it to David by the Spirit, which he then passed on to his son, Solomon.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Bible's description of the construction of Solomon's temple gives us a phenomenal illustration: \"And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built\"<\/span> (1 Kings 6:7). All the hammering and chiseling took place in the mountain, and then the stones were brought over so that the temple could be built in peace!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Now Solomon's temple, in all its glory, was a foreshadowing of what would eventually become God's new temple: you and me! We are the temple of the Holy Spirit; we are the dwelling place of God. The moment we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit took up residence inside our physical bodies. As the Apostle Paul said, Christ in us is the hope of glory (see Colossians 1:27).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

And so, when I consider how all the hammering for Solomon's temple took place in the mountain, I cannot help but draw a parallel to Calvary-when the hammer came down on the nails that were driven straight into the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. All the hammering and work was done at Calvary, and from there came wonderful stones that would build the new foundation for our lives. Remember, the Bible says that if you are in Christ, you become a new creation (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). The old foundation slowly and quietly slides out and is replaced by a new foundation that is built on the cornerstone of Christ.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

It is clear that there is no need for noise inside the temple in order for God to work. Old things are carried out, and sometimes we do not even realize what happened until they are already long gone. I have had moments in my life when I looked back and said, \"Wow, what happened to that old habit of mine? That has been part of my life since I was a child!\" Yet suddenly I realized that it had left months ago. It was not something that I had necessarily prayed about. Somehow that old stone just slid out and a brand-new one came in its place. I had been placed on a new foundation!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n■ SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL<\/span>
\r\n \"So he built the temple and finished it, and he paneled the temple with beams and boards of cedar\"<\/span> (1 Kings 6:9). This speaks to me of the cross. In other words, inside this temple, the cross covers all of our flaws and failings. We cannot be condemned, for we have a righteousness given to us from God. As genuine believers in Christ, we are each growing in grace and knowledge.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with ornamental buds and open flowers. All was cedar; there was no stone to be seen\"<\/span> (1 Kings 6:18). Skilled craftsmen came in to work on the inside of the temple, just as God's skilled work is going on inside our temple all the time. He knows how to take the barren places of our lives and create something beautiful-carving flowers of patience, love, truth and humility. We may not necessarily see or hear the work God is doing, but rest assured, it is continual. The Scriptures tell us that as we simply behold the graciousness of our Lord, we are changed from image to image and glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (see 2 Corinthians 3:18). Things supernaturally begin to happen inside of us, and before we know it, a flower garden emerges where there was once barrenness.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The description continues: \"And he prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple, to set the ark of the covenant of the Lord there\"<\/span> (1 Kings 6:19). This means that Christ wants to come and reside in the center of His temple. That is when the Lord truly becomes everything to us, and there is nothing left but His will intermingled with ours!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n■ WELL-INTENTIONED VERSUS SPIRIT-LED<\/span>
\r\n\r\n Later in the book of First Kings, we see that the queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon and see his temple. Now the queen of Sheba had a kingdom as well-she had her own servants, craftsmen, cupbearers and treasury. But when she saw Solomon's temple and heard his wisdom, the Bible says that there was \"no more spirit in her\"<\/span> (1 Kings 10:5). She had seen what God could do in comparison to the best efforts of man.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

You see, there is a marked difference between well-intentioned people and Spirit-led people. You and I are called to be a testimony in our generation of what only God can do. The early Church began that way with one hundred and twenty people bursting out of an Upper Room into the marketplace. A crowd of three thousand people turned to Christ that day, realizing that all their prior religion could not produce what they were witnessing in these disciples. This was something divine-something only God could do!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

That is what our lives ought to be. We are now the only Bible that this generation is going to read. Soon there will no longer be any Bibles in hotel rooms; people will not be allowed to pray at public events. But there is one thing that this society cannot do: they cannot take the testimony of the living God from His temple!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n■ A REASON FOR THE HOPE<\/span>
\r\n\r\n Just as we saw in our opening Psalm, I believe we are entering a season in this world when mountains will shake, seas will roar, societies will be troubled, and difficulty will be on every side (see Psalm 46:3,6). That is why Scripture instructs us to \"sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you\"<\/span> (1 Peter 3:15).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The nations will rage; there will be fear on every side. But for the people of God, there will be a quiet confidence in their hearts. Yes, they will have to go through the same storms as everyone else. Yet, if they have chosen to truly let God be the Lord of their lives, fearful people will soon be coming to them, saying, \"Tell me the reason why you have such hope in your speech; why there is such light in your eyes and such kindness in your voice!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

It is our testimony that will offer hope to the people around us in the days ahead. However, in order to have that testimony, we must learn to be still and know that He is God. It is time now to let down our hands and surrender our attempts to try to change our own lives or chart our own course. Instead, we are to give Him all of our struggles and trials-past, present, and future. The Lord desires to come in and dwell at the center of His temple. And so we must allow Him to bring in His master craftsman, the Holy Spirit, to do a glorious work within us so that His name might be honored.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Remember that when Solomon's temple was complete, the glory of God came so powerfully that nobody could stand in His presence (see 1 Kings 8:10-11). All arguments failed and all human effort died, for a holy God had come into His temple. What a beautiful reminder that we do not have to promise God anything. Rather, we are to live by His promises and become, as the Apostle Peter said, partakers of the divine life of God in Christ! Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"77":{"sm_title":"The Promise of Provision","sm_id":"248","sm_desc":"August 30, 2015 - So many want the power and provision of God but they don't want His pathway. When we make the choice to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness God will give us His power, provision and His heart to do His will. There is a commanded blessing on our life and our family's life when we choose to walk in a truthful unity with God. ","sm_jpg":"26600_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2016-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/08\/30s1\/20150830s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/08\/30s1\/20150830s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"AQMrD9kLveI","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/46866_sermon-newsletter-201603-the-promise-of-provision.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

You and I live in a time of much uncertainty about tomorrow. We do not know what the future holds for America's economy or that of other nations. You may have a job today, but there is no guarantee that you will still have it next year or even next week. Yet, thank God that we as believers in Christ have been given an incredible promise of provision-particularly in a time when provision seems so scarce. Consider the words of King David in Psalm 37: \"I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread\"<\/span> (37:25). I can personally attest to the truth of this verse, having witnessed the tangible provision of God coming into the lives, families and homes of those who made the choice to walk in the righteousness of Christ.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n The psalm continues, \"He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore. For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it\" <\/span>(Psalm 37:26-34).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nDavid penned these words during a time of great wickedness. Those who desired to follow God were becoming anxious and perhaps even angry, much like we see happening in our day. Nevertheless, David knew that wickedness always leads to a destructive end, and he encouraged the people of God not to lose heart in the midst of such a difficult season. \"I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a native green tree. Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; indeed I sought him, but he could not be found\"<\/span> (Psalm 37:35-36). In other words, though the wicked seem to have the upper hand in almost every area, the season of wickedness will soon be over in this world.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nDavid continued, \"Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him\"<\/span> (Psalm 37:37-40). And so we are reminded that no matter what is happening in the world around us, as we live for God and put our trust in Him, we will find Him to be our strength and our deliverer!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n■ AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS<\/span>
\r\nLet's take a moment to look once again at verse 25: \"I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.\"<\/span> What an incredible promise to those of us who have been appointed to live in an anti-Christian time in history! The righteous have never been forsaken, and I assure you that you will not be the exception!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nOf course, it is important to note that the key to this promise hangs on the word \"righteous.\" When you and I came to Christ, we were given what the Bible calls imputed righteousness. The best way I can explain this is through the parable of the prodigal son (see Luke 15). The Bible tells us that this boy took his inheritance and went far away from his father, in the same way many of us strayed from God in our early years. He ended up in a place of famine and heartache, doing things he never believed he would be capable of. And although he knew he had no merit, one day he just got up and started to return home. To his surprise, when he got close to home, his father ran to meet him-embracing him and covering him with the finest robe in the house.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nIn the same way, when you decided to return to God, God met you. He embraced you and covered you with the finest robe-the blood that Jesus Christ shed on a cross two thousand years ago. God cleansed you and gave you a righteousness that you did not earn.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nIn the parable, the covering came with a ring, representing the power that this son would need in order to be the ambassador his father was calling him to be. He was also given a pair of shoes-implying that his righteousness would involve a journey. He was not called to merely stand on the road and look good and clean. No, he was called to go on a journey with his father!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n■ HOLDING THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS<\/span>
\r\nSadly, many people desire the righteousness of Christ and all the promises that come along with it, yet they do not want the pathway it requires. They simply want to be able to feel good and clean. Like the Pharisees, they may have knowledge of the Scriptures and possess all the exterior coverings, but in the end, knowledge of the truth is not good enough.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nConsider how in America we have known the truth. The Word of God has not been hidden; there are Bibles in most homes, even if they are just gathering dust on a shelf. You can turn on the television, and as obscure as it may be, there is still something of the Word of God spoken through the media. Despite some of the glaring wrongs in the history of our nation, from the beginning there has been an abiding reverence for the Word of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n Yet we began to hold the truth of God in unrighteousness. In other words, we had God's Word, but we refused to walk in it. We became enamored with the blessings and forgot the One who is the author and source of everything we have. The Bible clearly warns us of the consequences of holding the truth of God in unrighteousness: A darkened mind is given to that nation; lawlessness and immorality begin to break out; and perversion becomes the order of the day (see Romans 1:28-32). And now we see all of these things happening in our nation at an accelerated rate. Our families are breaking down and our minds are confused. We can no longer distinguish between good and evil.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nThe Scriptures give us another picture of what happens when the truth of God is held in unrighteousness. Consider what happened in the nation of Israel: God Himself in the flesh was in their midst-the God who had fought their enemies, given them life, and done incredible miracles for them. Yet the Bible tells us that \"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him\"<\/span> (John 1:11). I cannot think of a darker moment in history than when Jesus was arrested, and the crowd began to shout, \"Crucify Him! Away with this fellow! We will not have Him to reign over us!\" (see John 19:14-16). They were looking the Son of God in the face and saying, \"Away with You; to death with You! We want our religion. We don't want You challenging our behavior! We have our own righteousness!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nIt was not the righteousness of God anymore. They had been blessed; they had the history and the promises of God. Yet they grew careless and began to hold the truth of God in unrighteousness, which ultimately resulted in a reprobate mind. By the time they were only seventy years away from destruction, they still assumed that everything was going to continue on peacefully forever. Little did they know that an empire called Rome was about to take over, and there would be no withstanding it!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n■ AWAY WITH HIM<\/span>
\r\nNow if you had been in that crowd, would you have been among those yelling, \"Away with Him! Crucify Him?\" Most people would be quick to answer, \"I would never have done that!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nHowever, I ask you to think about it for a moment: If you know the truth about an area of your life but will not obey Him, are you not essentially joining the crowd that says, \"Away with Him\"? I am referring to something that the Lord clearly has His finger on. Perhaps you are in a relationship that you should not be in; you are watching something that you need to turn off; or you are doing something in the workplace that you know is wrong. God has been speaking to you about this issue, but in your heart, you are essentially saying, \"Away with this Man! I will not have Him reign over my life! I don't mind going to church or opening a Bible. I don't mind singing the songs and feeling good about myself. But do not try to govern my life, Jesus!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n You see, the Pharisees made a critical error. They wanted God's covering and all the social perks that came along with it. They wanted power and security; prestige and provision-which is what a lot of the gospel of our time focuses on. Many people come to the house of God and essentially say, \"I don't want to be led by Christ. Let's not even talk about my giving or the mission field. I want to talk about how I can start using the name of Jesus Christ. I want influence; I want security; I want prestige in the church and advancement on my job.\" Yet, like the Pharisees, they are unaware that the pathway they are on is going in the opposite direction of truth.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n■ SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS<\/span>
\r\nJesus made it clear when He said in the book of Matthew, \"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness\" (Matthew 6:33). Seek first the kingdom of God-or in other words, seek to do the actual work of God on the earth. That ought to be the cry of your heart and mine: \"God, what is Your purpose for my life on the earth? How do You want to glorify Yourself through me?\" Sometimes it is as simple as speaking the truth in the marketplace when everybody else is lying; being honest when everyone else is crooked; standing up when everyone else is bowing down. Sometimes it is simply praying for people in your neighborhood rather than ignoring them every time you pass them on the street.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n Notice that the verse tells us we are to seek not only the kingdom of God but His righteousness, as well. This includes not only the ability but the heart and willingness to accomplish His work on the earth. In other words, when we ask God, \"What would You have me to do?\" we must also ask Him for the heart to do it. Oftentimes what the Lord asks us to do is not easy, or it is the least appealing thing on our list. I have found myself praying lately, \"God, You have to give me the passion and the desire. You must take me where You want me to go and give me what I do not naturally possess.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nPerhaps you already know what God is asking you to do; you are aware of the things that you need to turn away from. What you are in need of now is the willingness to do it. Instead of running from your marriage, you need the passion to fight for it-to fight for your future, your children, your home. Instead of running from being righteous in the marketplace, you need the heart and courage to stand up boldly for the gospel.The good news is that God has everything you need! When the Bible says that the righteous are never forsaken, it is referring to an interior provision as well as an exterior. The Lord has all the passion, strength, joy, courage, and provision required for this journey He has called you to. And as you seek His kingdom and His righteousness first, all things will be added to you!<\/p>\r\n

■ UNTO THE NEXT GENERATION<\/span>
\r\nNow let's not forget that there is an incredible second half to the promise: \"I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread\"<\/span> (Psalm 37:25). \"Nor his descendants begging bread\"-which means that walking with Christ does not affect only you, it affects the future of those you love.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nRemember that it is ultimately because of Christ's obedience to the Father-because He yielded His life to fulfill the purposes of God-that you and I, as the descendants of Jesus Christ, can claim the promise in this psalm. And so we see how important it is that we walk in obedience and give our whole hearts to the Lord. As we do so, the promise will extend to all those who come after us-our children, our grandchildren, those over whom God has made our lives an authority. I have already seen this to be true in my own life. As far back as I know of, I am the first believer in Christ in my family. But now I have nephews and nieces and other family members turning to God. And long after I am gone, I believe that the blessing of the Lord will still be touching my home as I make the choice to walk in the righteousness of Christ.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nOn Sunday nights here at Times Square Church, I hear many testimonies of people in our congregation who tried to run from God. They lived lives of sin and rebellion, turning up their music extremely loud in an attempt to drown out the voice of God. But the dilemma they faced was that they had a righteous mother or a righteous father; somebody was praying for them! And now it is obvious that they have not been forsaken; they are not begging for bread, because somebody in their house walked with God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nLet us make the choice daily to walk in God's way, holding the truth of God in righteousness, and trusting Him for the strength that we need to fully follow Him. As we choose to do so, we will see the Scripture fulfilled-the blessing of the righteous will be upon us as well as our descendants. All that we have need of will be supplied, for God is absolutely faithful to fulfill His promise!
<\/p>"},"78":{"sm_title":"For Heaven's Sake, Hurry Up and Die","sm_id":"245","sm_desc":"October 11, 2015 - As sons and daughters of God we must cross a bridge into something bigger and deeper of God. As we pass through the valley of the shadow of death, we will die to our own life and live for the purposes of God. Today, let us ask God to help us to die to ourselves and live for others. Jesus will give you divine strength to live in the midst of a fallen society.","sm_jpg":"26716_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2016-02","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/10\/11s1\/20151011s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/10\/11s1\/20151011s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"zR4SwTF0Bcc","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/46815_sermon-newsletter-201602-for-heavens-sake-hurry-up-and-die.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In all likelihood, many of you are very familiar with Psalm 23, but I would like to consider this portion of Scripture in the context of a life well-lived in God. I believe that the Christian life, at least as has been the case in America, is generally lived in two stages, both of which are ordained of God and supernaturally lived. These two stages are beautifully illustrated in Psalm 23, so let's take a look, starting at the beginning. <\/p>\n \n

David's song opens with the words, \"The Lord is my shepherd\"<\/span> (Psalm 23:1). Can you, too, say today that the Lord is your shepherd? In other words, have you truly transferred the ownership and direction of your life over to God? Consider this: If I were to tell you that I was going to give you my car, the transaction would not be complete until I signed off on the title and you went down to the Department of Motor Vehicles and got it registered in your name. At that point, with the title in hand, you would be able to rightfully say, \"This car belongs to me.\" <\/p>\n \n

\n Now, a lot of people want to call Jesus their shepherd, yet they do not want to release the rights of their lives over to Him. They may come to church and agree with a set of facts, understanding that there is a heaven and a hell and knowing that Jesus died for their sins. However, mental agreement with a set of facts is not salvation. There comes a point when each person has to sign over the rights to his life to the One who bought him with a price. Until that happens, one cannot honestly say, \"The Lord is my shepherd.\" <\/p>\n \n

There are other people who want to retain joint ownership. They come to the altar and sign over the \"title\" of their life, but they also say, \"I will now be a co-owner with Jesus of what He purchased with His blood.\" However, the Lord will never be a passenger in any car! When you sign over the rights to your life, it does not mean co-ownership. He fully owns you! He owns the rights to your future-to wherever He calls you to go and whatever He calls you to be! <\/p>\n \n

And then there is a third type of people who want to be the lien holders. In other words, they essentially say, \"If You do not treat me the way I think You ought to, I am taking back the rights to my life.\" No! When we come to Christ, we cast ourselves on the mercies of God. We make the choice to go with Him all the way-no turning back. <\/p>\n \n

It is truly wonderful when you can rightfully say, \"The Lord is my shepherd.\" Yes, you may have struggles, and you may even argue with God at times. But if He is the Lord of your life, He will lead and guide you, using your life for His glory.<\/p>\n

\n I SHALL NOT WANT<\/span>
\n David then goes on to say, \"I shall not want\"<\/span> (Psalm 23:1). Having once been a shepherd myself, I well understand what this means. When we were younger, my wife and I had a sheep farm with sixty-eight females, two males, and a bunch of lambs, depending on the season. Sometimes when I got home after working all day, I would go sit in the barn among the sheep for an hour or so, just listening to them. <\/p>\n \n

I was able to pick up on many things. You see, because I was their shepherd, their needs were my concerns. I could tell if there was trouble simply by the tension in the air. If they were chewing too fast, quite often it was because there was a sick lamb in their midst. Or perhaps a snake or rat had gotten into the barn. I would then get up and start looking around and I would always discover the problem! <\/p>\n \n

And so when I gave my life to Christ, it became easy for me to understand that His heart is for me. His heart is to feed me when I am hungry, to calm all my fears, to reassure me by His presence that all will be well. Every need I have is of deepest concern for my shepherd, and so I know I shall not want!<\/p>\n

\n HE MAKES ME TO LIE DOWN<\/span>
\n \"He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters\"<\/span> (Psalm 23:2). <\/p>\n \n

I grew up in a house where I was taught to worry. Before my mother became a Christian, she worried so much that if there was nothing to worry about, she would worry about that! It seemed as if most of her sentences had \"and die\" at the end of them. \"Don't eat your food too fast-you will choke and die!\" or \"Be careful crossing the street-you might get hit by a car and die!\" By the time I was fifteen years old, I was afraid to go out of the house. <\/p>\n \n

But when I came to Christ, He \"made me to lie down in green pastures\"-which meant reading the Word of God. I opened the Bible, and He began to reveal to me why I was born. I started to sense that there was a divine purpose for my life and that it would be achieved by His promises. I learned that God had not given me a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. He led me to a place of stillness in my spirit-a place where all of the clanging voices of doom and despair were silenced.<\/p>\n

\n FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE<\/span>
\n \"He restores my soul\"<\/span> (Psalm 23:3). We all have pain and wounds from the past that threaten to dominate our thinking and our lives forever. However, the Lord restores our soul. He brings healing that cannot come any other way. <\/p>\n \n

The verse continues: \"He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake\" <\/span>(Psalm 23:3). Notice that God does this for His name's sake. Did you know that God has interwoven the honor of His name in you? What an amazing thought! God might say to the angels in heaven, \"Do you want to see what I look like? Look at that person! I have interwoven the honor of My name in keeping that child of mine-leading, guiding, and transforming him into what he was destined to be!\" <\/p>\n \n

One day back on the farm, I was about to leave for work when I looked out the kitchen window and saw that about twenty of my sheep had escaped through a hole in the fence. They ended up underneath my neighbor's deck next door. I was already dressed for work and didn't have time to gather a bunch of people to help me get the sheep back. As I was trying to figure out what to do, I suddenly remembered that sheep love oats. I quickly put some in a can and carried it over to my neighbor's porch. I then shook the can, saying, \"Here, you ewes, come follow me!\" Even though there were twenty sheep and only one little can of oats, they all felt certain they were going to get some, so they followed me down the road back home. <\/p>\n \n

If I had left them there, I would have become known as the guy who lets his sheep wander all over the place. Therefore, for my name's sake, I led them back to where they were supposed to be! That is exactly what God does. If you are where you shouldn't be, you will soon find before you somebody with a \"can of oats\"-the promises of God. \"Follow Me; I have something greater for your life! You don't have to do this. You don't have to be in this relationship. You don't have to keep going to this club.\"Remember, wherever God is calling us to go will always be a place of safety and provision. I would never call my sheep home only to leave them high and dry in the barn. I would break open a bag of oats and fill the troughs so that they all had as much as they wanted!<\/p>\n

\n THE BRIDGE<\/span>
\n Did you notice that up until this point, Psalm 23 has been all about me? \"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down; He leads me; He restores me\" (see Psalm 23:1-3). It has been all about my comfort, my promises, my healing and my being led. <\/p>\n \n

Of course, all of these things are important. You don't make demands of a child when he is learning to walk or read. A child needs constant reassurance that everything is going to be okay. And so the first three verses of Psalm 23 speak to me about the beginnings of the Christian walk. God is reassuring us that He will be with us, comfort us, provide for us, and lead us. <\/p>\n \n

But then we come to the bridge. Just as a bridge in a song is a climactic build to something greater, verse four is a bridge that takes us to a deeper place as sons and daughters of God: \"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me\"<\/span> (Psalm 23:4). It is a bridge from that place of youthfulness to something deeper in God. It is where we fulfill our purpose as sons and daughters of God, representing Him in the earth. It is often a place where we must face our deepest inner fears; a place where we may feel incapable of doing what Christ is asking of us.<\/p>\n

\n ELISHA'S JOURNEY<\/span>
\n The Bible gives us another picture of this bridge in the story of Elijah and Elisha. Elisha was a young prophet in training who ended up following Elijah across the Jordan River. This crossing was the bridge-representing death to an old way of living and birth to a new destiny. <\/p>\n \n

Before arriving at the Jordan, they passed by different cities with prophets who saw Elisha's journey only as one of loss. They warned Elisha, \"If you follow this path, you are going to lose your master! It is going to be difficult\" (see 2 Kings 2:5). It is in such a place that many Christians stand idle in indecision, and some end up turning back. But not Elisha.<\/p>\n \n

The Bible tells us that when Elijah crossed over the Jordan with Elisha following close behind, the people who knew truth watched, refusing to embark on the journey themselves. It was the journey to life and power, yet they would not take it because it meant dying to something they did not want to let go of; it meant a lifestyle that they were not prepared to embrace. They did not mind studying the Scriptures and knowing the history. But to be given for a failing, fallen society was not something they found palatable at all. <\/p>\n \n

In America, this, too, has been the source of weakness in our testimony of Christ. Our theological focus has primarily been on ourselves. We have lived in verses one to three of Psalm 23 for the last fifty years and, as a result, society is now turning against the testimony of Christ, with multitudes heading for hell. It is time for us to be willing to take the journey! We must go across the bridge in verse four and move on to something deeper for all of our lives.<\/p>\n \n

Sadly, many will not cross the bridge because it means death to their own desires. It means entering into the work of God as mature sons and daughters, living for the benefit of others. Of course, it is not easy for any of us; we all inherently want to be happy and comfortable. Yet we are being called to this place known as the valley of the shadow of death.<\/p>\n

\n A DEEPER JOY<\/span>
\n David was willing to take the full journey, and we see in Psalm 23 that he eventually came to the place where he could say, \"Your rod and your staff, they comfort me\"<\/span> (Psalm 23:4). He recognized that God was working through him an honorable and eternal purpose. <\/p>\n \n

\"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies\"<\/span> (Psalm 23:5). David was led to a table of divine strength in the midst of a hostile society. Although he was surrounded by enemies, he was able to sit down and eat with a peace deeper than any he had ever known; with confidence that could not be taken away from him. <\/p>\n \n

David went on to say, \"You anoint my head with oil\"<\/span> (Psalm 23:5). In other words, \"Now I understand the purpose of my life. I thought I had won the victory in the days of Goliath, or when I sang my sweet songs and drove the devils away from Saul. But then You led me through the valley of the shadow of death, and now that I have come out the other side, I see that my life is meant to be something greater than I once thought. I understand that this is about Your kingdom and Your people!\" <\/p>\n \n

\"My cup runs over\"<\/span> (Psalm 23:5). Now gladness flowed out of his entire being. There is a joy available in the Christian life that is so deep and so far beyond just singing songs in church or feeling good about ourselves. The Lord and the angels in heaven rejoice every time a sinner returns home, and He is willing to let us share in this joy! <\/p>\n \n

That means your joy will no longer merely be because there are oats in the barn or because you feel comfortable and warm. Your joy will be so far beyond all those former things you learned in verses one to three. Now it will be found in seeing the heart of God satisfied through your life in your generation.<\/p>\n

\n GOODNESS AND MERCY<\/span>
\n Lastly, David said, \"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever\"<\/span> (Psalm 23:6). When I get to the end of my journey, I want to be able to look behind me and see goodness and mercy in people's lives. I want to be able to say, \"Lord, You gave them to me, and I didn't lose them. I did everything I knew to feed them and remind them that You care for them. I did everything I could to get them to follow me across the bridge so that they might be given for the needs of this society. I taught them that there is a table even in the presence of hateful places where, in the natural, we would rather not go.\" <\/p>\n \n

Which brings me back to the title of this newsletter: \"For heaven's sake, hurry up and die!\" Let's hurry up and die to ourselves and to our fears so that we can cross the bridge, making a way for many others to come to Christ. A self-focused Church will never touch this generation. That is why God is calling us to cross that bridge to where it is no longer about us but about His plans and purposes. So let's go and be everything that God has called us to be. Let's believe Him for the supernatural. Let's allow Him to make us ambassadors of the Christ who went to a cross! <\/p>\n \n

If we will allow Him to take us on this journey, God will cause us to make a difference in this world. He will give us grace and strength so that we might pave the way for countless others to find Him as Lord and Savior!<\/p>"},"79":{"sm_title":"Six Words That Will Determine Your Eternity","sm_id":"243","sm_desc":"September 20, 2015 - Everyone one of us have a unique calling. This calling leads us to places of weakness, so God can deposit His life, power, and the exact measure of grace that you need. Remind yourself that your former captivities are captive and you have a new nature and the power of the Holy Spirit to cause your life to glorify God and become a blessing to others. Follow God where His grace leads you and you will one day hear \u201cwell done good and faithful servant\u201d. ","sm_jpg":"26668_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2016-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/09\/20s1\/20150920s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/09\/20s1\/20150920s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"9MLNoXoGaYc","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/46690_sermon-newsletter-201601-six-words-that-will-determine-your-eternity.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Did you know that six words will determine your eternity? These are six words that, as a believer in Christ, you should have as the very foundation of your heart and service to God. We find them in a parable that Jesus tells in the book of Matthew: \"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them\"<\/span> (Matthew 25:14). Here we see that this master delivered his goods to his servants, which is paralleled in the book of Ephesians where it speaks of Christ: \"When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men\"<\/span> (Ephesians 4:8). Jesus took captivity captive, meaning that the former restrictions on your life-the voices that have told you that you are not smart or talented enough, the negative words that have been spoken over you-are all gone! You are now a new creation in Christ, and you have a unique calling ahead of you. <\/p>\n \n

\nOf course, this unique calling on each of our lives will inevitably lead us to places where we do not have the natural strength to go-in order that Christ might be glorified through it all. That is why He \"gave gifts to men.\" In other words, we are each given exactly what we need in order to fulfill His purpose for our lives. This is illustrated as the parable continues: \"And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey\" <\/span>(Matthew 25:15). The talents represent a deposit of Christ's life-His character, His strength, His power, whatever is needed to get us through our journey. <\/p>\n \n

\n Now many mistakenly assume that the five-talent people are all behind pulpits or leading worship. That simply is not true! The person who possesses five talents does not necessarily have a high profile ministry. It could be the single mother who has to work two jobs in order to feed her family. She has to drag her children to church on Sunday when they don't want to get out of bed. Nevertheless, she chooses to keep believing God, and so she needs five talents to do what she does. <\/p>\n \n

\nPerhaps today you need two talents to stand in public, but you need five talents to stay in the home where God has placed you. One day you may need more grace than another day. Whatever the case may be, the Lord promises to give you the exact measure of His life and power to do what He has called you to do. He will never lead you where His grace will not sustain you. <\/p>\n

\n OUR ETERNAL REWARDS<\/span>
\n\nJesus continued His parable, \"Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'\" <\/span>(Matthew 25:16-23). <\/p>\n \n

\nHere we find the six words that will determine our eternity: \"Well done, good and faithful servant!\" Please note that I am not referring to our eternal destination, for we know that we will be with Christ if we have received Him as our Lord and Savior, and committed our lives to Him. What we are considering now are our eternal rewards-rewards that are deeper than you and I can even begin to imagine. <\/p>\n \n

\nI live with the constant awareness that one day I will stand at the throne of God-and I will stand there alone. It does not really matter if a million voices said, \"Did you hear this man on the Internet? What a great anointing! Did you hear his testimony?\" It does not matter if a million people think I am wonderful or if a million enemies think I am not. When I stand at the throne of God, only one voice will matter-the One who determines what my eternity will be! <\/p>\n

\n FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS<\/span>
\n\nNotice that in the parable, the master said, \"Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things.\"<\/span> In other words, \"I did not ask you to do a lot of things. I did not require of you what was out of your reach or beyond the strength I was willing to give you. No, I gave you just a few things to do in your life, and you did them well.\"<\/p>\n \n

\nI had to learn this important lesson when I was a young pastor living in Canada. I was determined to win the whole world to Christ! I set out with a passion to do what I felt in my heart needed to be done for the kingdom of God-traveling the length and breadth of the country. I went to the Arctic; I spent time with the Inuit people; once I even preached until I burst blood vessels in my eyes. I fasted, I ran, I prayed-only to be completely depleted of strength at the age of thirty-seven. <\/p>\n \n

\n I remember going out on a country road and accusing God of being unfaithful to me. I was very angry with Him and I said something like, \"Lord, I have given You everything. I have given You my future, my family, my home. And You reward me by taking away my health?\" <\/p>\n \n

\nI was so angry that I really did not care what God was going to say back to me. And so you can imagine my astonishment when He simply responded, \"I love you.\" My heart melted at those words.<\/p>\n \n

\nThat is when the revelation came to me. God said to me clearly, \"Carter, you have done a lot of things in My name. You have traveled, you have preached at many meetings, and good things have happened. But when you stand before Me one day, there will be no reward for any of it because I did not ask you to do that. You took it upon yourself to do those things, and that is why your strength is gone.\"At that point, the only thing left for me to say was, \"Lord, what do You want me to do?\" <\/p>\n \n

\n He said to me, \"There are one hundred and fifty-eight names on the membership roll of the church I have given you to pastor. That is the only thing I have asked you to do right now. When you stand before Me one day, these names will be presented to you, and you will answer for them-all one hundred and fifty-eight. Did you tell them about Me? Did you warn them about walking in rebellion to a holy God? Did you set before the ones who were struggling the hope that the cross offers?\" <\/p>\n \n

\nI remember standing on that road and saying, \"Lord, for the rest of my life, I will serve You where You plant me. I will not look beyond what You have given me to do.\" After that encounter with the Lord, I found myself fully given to that little church. A new joy came into my heart, and my physical strength began to return. <\/p>\n

\n A BURIED TREASURE<\/span>
\n\nNow let's take a look at what happened to the third servant in this final reckoning: \"Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed'\"<\/span> (Matthew 25:24).<\/p>\n \n

\nThis was basically an accusation against the servant's lord. It would be like a man standing before God today, saying, \"You are a hard master. You have set me in a difficult place and are asking something of me that I cannot give. You expect me to produce a harvest when I cannot see Your hand reaching out to help me in any way. Where are You? Where is Your strength? Where is the fulfillment of Your promises?\" <\/p>\n \n

\nHow preposterous it would be for any of us to accuse Christ of not being faithful when we consider the cross and the miracle of the fullness of our salvation! We could never dare to stand before God and say, \"You put me in a hard place! You put me in a hard job and a hard neighborhood. You gave me a hard life and an impossible family situation, and You asked me to bear fruit there. But I don't see You anywhere!\" <\/p>\n \n

\n The third servant explained, \"I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours\"<\/span> (Matthew 25:25). In other words, \"I gave up on Your kingdom. I placed my hope in the things of this world. I buried this incredible call You gave to me and became so worldly that nobody could see You in my life! But I still believed that one day I could present myself to You, and somehow You would look at me and say, 'Well done, good and faithful servant!'\"<\/p>\n \n

\nWhat a tragedy it is when people bury their testimony of Christ. About a year ago, a man whom I had known from many years before met me backstage at church. He greeted me, and I said to him excitedly, \"You're saved! That's amazing! When did you get saved?\" <\/p>\n \n

\n\"Oh, I have always been a Christian,\" he replied. <\/p>\n \n

\nThe only thing I could think was, \"Well, you sure could have fooled me!\" I suffered persecution for many years because I was standing for Christ, and not once did this man ever come to me and at least say, \"I am standing with you; I am a brother in the Lord. I am believing God for you and with you.\" Instead, his talent was buried deep in the earth.<\/p>\n

\n A FULL SUPPLY<\/span>
\n\nThe Scriptures tell us that the master looked at this third servant and said, \"You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed\"<\/span> (Matthew 25:26). In the original context of this verse, the master was saying to this servant, \"Is that really what you thought I was like?\" It was a question, not a statement. He was not agreeing with this man's assessment of him.<\/p>\n \n

\n\"So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away\"<\/span> (Matthew 25:27-29). In other words, \"If you were not willing to walk in what I was offering you, why didn't you at least pass it on to somebody who would?\" And so the talent was taken away. \"Give the strength that I promised to the one who wants it-to the one who believed I would give a full supply of life to accomplish what I have asked of him!\"<\/p>\n \n

\n You and I would be wise to ask God for the grace to not bury what He has given us. We must not assume that we are dealing with a Savior who puts us in a hard place and gives us nothing that would enable us to win the victory. The Lord is more than willing to supply us with every single thing we need. He will not allow us to be tested above what we are able to bear, but will make a way for us in the midst of every trial so that we are able to walk through it. And don't forget, you do not have to be great in the eyes of men. Just do well where you are; win the victory where you are planted. Stay in the marriage that you are in; raise the children that God gave you. Work diligently in the job you have, or search diligently for the one you don't have yet. Stand strong in your neighborhood; speak the truth when other people lie; speak kindly when vilification is on the lips of almost everyone around you. Walk morally clean; be given for others even when self-focus tends to be the dominating force of our day. <\/p>\n \n

\n Of course, we cannot do any of these things without the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, continue to ask God for the courage to live as a light in a darkened world; for the grace to move into what was formerly impossible for you. The Lord will be faithful to answer your prayers, for with His calling always comes His enablement. Remember, God has strategically placed you exactly where you are. You are in the family you need to be in; you are in your particular neighborhood and job for a reason. There is no happenstance with God! And so I encourage you to trust Him daily for the grace to fulfill all His purpose for your life-up until the very moment you stand before His throne and hear Him say, \"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord!\" <\/span>(Matthew 25:23)\n<\/p>"},"80":{"sm_title":"Bring Back the King","sm_id":"242","sm_desc":"September 13, 2105 - The dissolving of Godly order begins when a spiritual laziness rises up in our life. When we vacate the prayer meetings, we lose focus on God and the Cross. When we stop praying, laziness turns to lust, and we end up in situations that lead us into a spiritual death. It's time to get back in the battle and begin to pray and ask, King Jesus, to come back into every area of your life.","sm_jpg":"26655_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/09\/13s1\/20150913s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/09\/13s1\/20150913s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"Yf_CEBj8wAY","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/42951_sermon-newsletter-201512-bring-back-the-king.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"How they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, 'There is no help for him in God.' But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people\"<\/span> (Psalm 3:1-8).<\/p>\n \n

\nDavid penned this psalm during a season of deep personal sorrow. Many were turning against the testimony of God's power, provision, and order that had previously been established through his life. Now David found himself fleeing from his very own son, Absalom!<\/p>\n \n

\nWhat a contrast from not too long before when David had danced with all his might as the Ark of the Covenant was brought back to Jerusalem (see 2 Samuel 6:12-15). The purposes of God were being fulfilled through his life and people witnessed the power and provision that God was willing to give. However, David was now at a point where many concluded, \"There is no help for him in God.\" Even long-standing friends and warriors began to abandon him. In the natural, it looked like it was all over. David was getting old and was being driven out, but Absalom was young and strong. It appeared as if David was in too weakened a condition to make a difference anymore. Surely his best days were all in the past!<\/p>\n

\n A SENSE OF DEFEAT<\/span>
\nSomething similar is being spoken about America today as rebellion is mounting against the order of God. Voices are rising up, proclaiming that there is now a new order in place-a post-Christian society. All the while, the Church is regarded as too weak to make a difference.<\/p>\n \n

\nNow notice what eventually happened in David's day as a result of Absalom's rebellion: \"And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness\"<\/span> (2 Samuel 15:23). Likewise, there is a sense of defeat among God's people today as the testimony of God is being driven into the wilderness. We have lost our voice and are regarded as mere bigots, intolerant and unnecessary. We are finally beginning to ask, \"Oh, God, what have we done? Why did we forsake the blessing of Your presence that was once upon our nation? You gave us incredible giftings, abilities, and prosperity, yet we let it slip through our fingers!\"<\/p>\n \n

\nAs David and his entourage were being driven into the wilderness, things only seemed to get worse. \"Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: 'Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!'\"<\/span> (2 Samuel 16:5-8). An unrestrained voice of cursing had risen against David in the land. Only a few years prior, it would have been unimaginable that such a thing could rise up against the anointing of God. <\/p>\n \n

\nThen Abishai, one of David's men who had remained faithful to him, said, \"Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!\"<\/span> (2 Samuel 16:9). But David responded to him, \"Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him\"<\/span> (2 Samuel 16:11). In other words, \"Don't touch him; the Lord has appointed him to do this.\" You see, David knew in his heart that he had been the cause of the difficulty and division that was plaguing his society. Even in his failure, David was still a man after God's own heart, and he was therefore not afraid to assume responsibility for what was occurring.<\/p>\n

\n SPIRITUAL LAZINESS<\/span>
\nSo what happened in David's life that led to such a point in the nation? I believe it all began years before when he allowed spiritual laziness to enter his life.<\/p>\n \n

\n\"It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem\"<\/span> (2 Samuel 11:1). Herein began the dissolving of godly order: David started to send others out to battle while he stayed home. It was as if he figured he had fought long enough; he had won enough victories. Perhaps he just wanted to stop and smell the roses for a while. <\/p>\n \n

\nI can certainly identify with what David must have been feeling. I have had moments in my life when I wondered, \"God, how long do I have to carry this weight? I have been fighting for so long. Can't I simply enjoy things for a season?\" <\/p>\n \n

\nThis is a common struggle among God's people, particularly here in America. I cannot help but think about how we have largely vacated the prayer meeting and the personal work of God-personal holiness; personal evangelism. We gave our ten or twenty dollars a month to support the few missionary families that we sent out, and that became our contribution to the work of God. Meanwhile, we stopped going to the prayer meeting. We chose an easier way, saying, \"God, You have blessed us and won marvelous victories for us. Your name is still being honored; some voices are still speaking for You, so I think I am going to stay home. I am just going to rest for a bit because I have worked hard all day. Why do I need to go out and pray?\" We assumed that somebody somewhere else would carry the battle forward. Yet, once we left the prayer meeting, our diminishing began.<\/p>\n \n

\nThe Bible goes on to tell us what happened after David chose to stay home instead of going out to battle. \"Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof <\/span>(or today might I say, \"And from the Internet\") he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold\"<\/span> (2 Samuel 11:2). David eventually ended up succumbing to lust and self-indulgence-another picture of what is happening in our day.<\/p>\n \n

\nI am currently reading a book that contains statistics regarding the moral state of the nation and the ministry. The number of Christians trapped in pornography is absolutely appalling-and it all started with laziness! When you are lazy, you will turn to lust because that is where your natural mind and body want to go. You get bored, so you start looking for things to pacify you, eventually looking in places where you should not be looking.<\/p>\n \n

\nOn top of that, the theology of \"self\" has gotten hold of us, setting the course for the moral decline in our nation. When we left the prayer meeting, we lost our focus on God. And when we lost our focus on God, we lost our focus on the cross and the commission of the Church to win the lost. Instead, we turned inward, and self-indulgence began to grip our hearts. Everything became about God's people coming to His house to find out what is in it for us today. We allowed for the rise of preachers who fed that lust in the people, telling them anything they wanted to hear so long as they continued to build the preachers' ministries and give them the glory they desired.<\/p>\n

\n MERCY IN THE MIDST OF FAILURE<\/span>
\nSelf-indulgence in David's life led to sin-lying and even the murder of someone whose honest testimony exposed the bankruptcy of his own spiritual condition. But perhaps the most devastating effect was the consequences for the next generation. A wrong spirit ended up getting hold of Absalom, who was supposed to be the legitimate heir. Ironically, he started pursuing David in order to drive out of the nation the very anointing that should have been his!<\/p>\n \n

\nIf David had prayed and gone to battle, I am sure Absalom would have been there fighting by his side. After all, God had given David a promise that he would not fail to have a man of his lineage on the throne. Of course, it was ultimately fulfilled in Christ, but he had a physical promise as well. That is why David was so brokenhearted when Absalom was killed. \"O my son Absalom-my son, my son Absalom-if only I had died in your place!\"<\/span> (2 Samuel 18:33). \"You did not have to die; it was my spiritual death that caused this!\" David knew that Absalom should have had a crown on his head; he should have been governing in righteousness.<\/p>\n \n

\nLikewise, we are being pursued by a generation that would have been in the prayer room and \"reigning in life\" (as the Bible describes in Romans 5:17)-if only we had led them there. Yet, if we vacated the prayer meeting, how do we expect them to be there today? Just as David did, we ought to acknowledge our responsibility in the matter.<\/p>\n \n

\nHowever, the good news is that not only did David acknowledge his own failure, he prayed for mercy! As we saw in our opening psalm, David said, \"Many are they who say of me, 'There is no help for him in God.' But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head\"<\/span> (Psalm 3:2-3). We, too, can lift our heads from our shame. We can look at the failure in our lives and not be condemned by it. Like David, we can say, \"Lord, to us belongs shame of face, but to You belongs mercy. We have failed You in what we were called to do; but for Your great and holy name's sake, move one more time in this generation!\"<\/p>\n \n

\n\"I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill\"<\/span> (Psalm 3:4). This tells me that my prayers can still be heard; they can still move the hand of God. It reminds me that no nation is ever too far gone that mercy cannot touch it again. It tells me that the finest day of the Church of Jesus Christ may very well be upon us!<\/p>\n \n

\n\"I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me\"<\/span> (Psalm 3:5). God will sustain us; we will not be overcome or triumphed over. \"I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around\" (Psalm 3:6). In the natural, there is no reason we should have peace in this hour. However, the Lord promises to give us peace every day-a peace that passes understanding. \"Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs to the Lord. And Your blessing is upon Your people\" (Psalm 3:7-8). David was saying, \"Silence the voices that tell me that my life doesn't matter or that no good will ever come from it. Let Your blessing, in spite of my past failures, determine my future and that of those around me!\" <\/p>\n

\n A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING<\/span>
\nWe see in the Scriptures that after Absalom's death, there was a spiritual awakening in Israel. A spiritual awakening happens when society's rebellion against God comes to a dead end, and people suddenly realize that those they are following have been leading them down a darkened path. The people finally recognize that they have lost something precious. However, they also see that there is still a chance to recover what used to be theirs.<\/p>\n \n

\n\"Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, 'The king saved us from the hand of our enemies, he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?' So King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, 'Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, \"Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house?'''\"<\/span> (2 Samuel 19:9-11). King David himself, a Christ-type, was sending a message to those with spiritual influence and authority: \"Why are you the last to bring back the king?\"<\/p>\n \n

\nThat ought to be the cry of our hearts today as well-\"Bring back the King!\" Weeping endures for a night, but you and I have the hope that, as was the case with David, our nation will recognize what has been lost and will once again bring back the King! Bring back the King who heals, who delivers, who gives sight. Bring back the King who opens prison doors and puts a new song in every heart. Bring back the King into our streets, our schools and our colleges!<\/p>\n \n

\nOf course, it begins with you and me. That means it is time to bring the King back into our personal lives. We must get off our rooftops and get our eyes off things they should not be on. Where we have failed, where we have drifted or lost zeal for the kingdom of God-bring back the King! Where our heart for the lost and the poor has grown cold-bring back the King! And I assure you that when the King comes home, there will be joy, dancing, and shouts of victory unlike anything we have ever known! Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"81":{"sm_title":"Still, Small Voices","sm_id":"240","sm_desc":"December 14, 2014 - The power of God is in a still small voice that has at its core, a calm confidence that declares all is well. Be mindful that in the midst of chaotic speech and the clutter and calamity of this society, God wants to use His people to reveal His peace and power. Your voice can make a difference in someone's life.","sm_jpg":"25137_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/12\/14s1\/20141214s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/12\/14s1\/20141214s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"HSCdYxtMkKg","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/26794_sermon-newsletter-201511-still-small-voices.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, 'So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.' And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, 'It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!'\"<\/span> (1 Kings 19:1-4).<\/p>\n \n

\nThis was a season of intense spiritual conflict, very much like the day in which you and I live. Secular powers were bent on eradicating the worship of the true God and as a result, Elijah, the servant of God, became discouraged to the point of depression. <\/p>\n \n

\nNow keep in mind that Elijah had just witnessed the fire of God coming down on the altar that he had built. The sacrifice, and even the stones, wood and water were all consumed by the presence of God. When the people saw it, they cried out, \"The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God!\" (see 1 Kings 18:38-39). A day of intense conflict had seemingly been swallowed up in victory. It was so glorious that even godless King Ahab was astonished by it. He returned to his palace and told his queen, Jezebel, all that had occurred. However, it still was not enough to change the minds of those in power who were determined that godlessness should rule. <\/p>\n \n

\n I can imagine what must have gone through Elijah's mind at that point: \"Where can we possibly go from here? The fire of God has come down; the contest on Mt. Carmel has been won. God, I am fed up with what is going on in our society! I don't think any power can possibly be greater than what we have just witnessed, yet nothing has changed! What more can be done to convince this generation?\" <\/p>\n \n

\nI know many of us can empathize with Elijah regarding the hopelessness that creeps into the heart. We have those moments where we sigh, \"God, I am so sick and tired of the sin in our streets. I am tired of the evil speech that is even on our news programs. I am weary of the vilification of those who walk with God-how we are being cast out as bigoted and out of touch.\" <\/p>\n \n

\nAnd so we begin to think, as Elijah probably did, \"I thought and hoped my life would make a difference. But I do not know what more I can do! It seems as if my strength is depleting every day.\"<\/p>\n

\n THE LORD'S RESPONSE<\/span>
\nHow did the Lord respond? He said to Elijah, \"'Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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\"<\/span> (1 Kings 19:11-12).<\/p>\n \n

\n As I read this passage, I cannot help but wonder if God was showing Elijah something more powerful than all those things he had come to associate with the power of God. <\/p>\n \n

\nThink about it: If somebody called you and said, \"Come to our church! The power of God is falling,\" you would immediately have a natural impression of what that looks like. Perhaps you would expect the glory of the Lord that filled the temple in Solomon's day or another outpouring of fire like on the day of Pentecost, breaking all the hard hearts into pieces before God. But what was God showing Elijah here? <\/p>\n \n

\nThe Lord passed by him, and a strong wind broke the rocks before him. In Elijah's life and ministry, he had come to believe that the power of God's divine breath could break anything in its path. However, the Scripture says that the Lord was not in that display of power. Then came an earthquake and a fire. Elijah had known that the power of God's presence could shake the earth and cause fear to fill the hearts of the people. Yet it says that God was not in the earthquake or the fire either.<\/p>\n \n

\nFinally God came with a power that Elijah did not expect-the power of a still, small voice. In the original text, something calm is depicted; something that is not grand in the sight of man; something not associated with greatness or power to the casual observer. <\/p>\n \n

\nConsider what the prophet Isaiah said to the people in a time of spiritual decline: \"For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.' But you would not\"<\/span> (Isaiah 30:15). In other words, \"I want to give you a peace that passes understanding. I want to bring a quietness into your heart in the midst of the chaos around you-when everybody is searching for an elusive society that cannot be found apart from God; when everything seems to be spiraling out of control.\" <\/p>\n \n

\n\"And you said, 'No, for we will flee on horses'-Therefore you shall flee! And, 'We will ride on swift horses'-Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift! One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, and at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain and as a banner on a hill. Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him\"<\/span> (Isaiah 30:16-18). <\/p>\n \n

\n Here is what the Lord was saying to His people: \"Okay, do it your way! Try to find strength in whatever way you think you can. But when you are tired and have finally discovered that you have no strength in and of yourself-that your own plans or even things that worked in the past will not work in this hour-I will be gracious to you there.\" It will be a place of graciousness! The thought in the original text is of \"a place where the strong and the weak negotiate; the poor and needy are shown kindness.\" <\/p>\n \n

\nWhen we have finally exhausted all of our strategies and resources, God will come and speak to us in a soft, quiet, confident way that will settle our hearts and give us the strength to go forward. <\/p>\n

\n TWO LITTLE OLD LADIES<\/span>
\nI have been in some incredible church services-times when the presence and power of God filled the sanctuary. But I have found that some of the more profound moments in my life were when ordinary people came with a still, small voice. For example, I remember years ago in Canada, we ended up buying our first church for a dollar. God gave me a vision of what He was about to do, so we started renovating the building accordingly. On day one, there were probably fifty people working with me. I looked around and felt almost like Solomon when he was building the temple. \"This is awesome! This place is going to glorify God!\" <\/p>\n \n

\nHowever, after a few hours we realized that there was a ton of work to do. By day two, there were maybe forty-five people. By day three, forty. By the following week, there was me! <\/p>\n \n

\nI stood in that building all by myself, gazing at all that still needed to be done, and my heart just sank. \"Oh, God, can the people not see what You are about to do? How long will it be before the culture of North America escapes this 'what's in it for me?' attitude? How long will it be before the people understand what You have put into our hands in this season-the privilege of being a testimony in an area that has not had a testimony of God for almost a hundred years?\" <\/p>\n \n

\n I remember the discouragement that came into my life that day-the despair of trying to lead people who were seemingly not laying hold of what God had spoken to me. My hands started to drop, and the little thought came, \"Is it really worth all the work to try to get this done?\" <\/p>\n \n

\nThat was one of the lowest points of my early days of ministry. It was nearing the end of the day, and the sun was going down. The ground was covered in sawdust, and the air was thick with dust. But suddenly as I looked up, I saw the silhouette of two little ladies standing in the big arched doorway. And then they started walking toward me. <\/p>\n \n

\nThese two ladies were very old and frail. In fact, they were so old that they had to lean on each other as they shuffled toward me. As I watched them approach, wondering what they wanted, in a quiet, small voice, one of them said to me, \"Pastor, you are doing a good job. The community is not the same since you came here. Don't be discouraged.\" And then the other lady took a fifty-dollar bill, put it in my hand, and said with a very soft voice as well, \"Don't give up.\" <\/p>\n \n

\nOh, what strength came into my heart when they spoke those words! I suddenly had the encouragement that I needed to go forward. It turned out that they were Christians who lived in another area and attended another church, but they had felt led of the Lord to come and visit me.<\/p>\n

\n A CHILD'S VOICE <\/span>
\nIn the book of Luke, we see yet another time that society was in total upheaval. People were clamoring for influence and authority and the place where the testimony of God physically dwelt was being dominated by a foreign power. It was no doubt a time of great discouragement and resentment for many, as they were being moved about the country simply for the purposes of being counted and taxed. <\/p>\n \n

\nI can imagine the cries of the people in the inns as they read the Scriptures. \"God, where are You? Don't You have power to make a difference? Aren't You the God who divided the Red Sea to make a way for Your people to pass through? Aren't You the God who once sent fire to the prophet Elijah and burned the offering, turning the people back to Yourself? Show Your power once again in this generation!\"<\/p>\n \n

\n I am sure there were prayer meetings and people crying out to God, for there were religious and devout people in that generation. However, while everyone had a mental picture of what the power of God should look like, suddenly something came on the scene that was not understood. Nobody expected God to show His power in this manner and give His people strength to go forward. In the midst of all the voices, the clamoring of the hooves of Roman horses, the chanting of religionists, the plotting of those who thought they could overthrow oppression by force, the power of God appeared-and it was a child's voice! It was not the wind, fire, or an earthquake-it was a whisper in a manger. Yet, who was able to hear it? Who was able to understand the power of God? <\/p>\n \n

\nThe religious could not hear it. The movers and shakers could not hear it. The self-focused could not hear it; neither could the Romans who were intent on dominating with power. And so God went to a few shepherds in a field, broke open the veil between time and eternity, and sent angels to burst forth singing, \"Glory to God in the highest! On earth peace, goodwill toward men!\" (see Luke 2:13-14). In other words, everything you have ever longed for has come! <\/p>\n \n

\nThose shepherds rose up and went to the manger, only to find nothing more than a baby's whisper. It would have been such a still, small voice that everybody had to be quiet in order to hear it. Yet in the end, \"the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them\"<\/span> (Luke 2:20). In the natural, this would have been regarded as foolishness! But this still, small voice was the power of God being made known to man once again. <\/p>\n

\n THE POWER OF CONFIDENT SPEECH<\/span>
\nIn the last book of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi spoke about something that had occurred and will happen again among God's people in a season of spiritual decline. \"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another\" <\/span>(Malachi 3:16). What were they speaking? Were they not speaking to each other before this moment in history? What was it about their speech that changed?<\/p>\n \n

\n\nThe Scriptures tell us that \"anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad\"<\/span> (Proverbs 12:25). It also says, \"A word spoken in due season, how good it is\" <\/span>(Proverbs 15:23) and instructs us to let our speech \"always be with grace, seasoned with salt\" <\/span>(Colossians 4:6). <\/p>\n \n

\n\n\nHere is the point: There is incredible power in confident, calm speech. You and I must encourage one another now! We do not need the fire or the earthquake or the wind. Those things are wonderful, and if God should choose to do that, then so be it. But there is something more powerful than all those put together, particularly in this hour. It is that still, small voice of confidence in God. It is the voice that says, \"All is well. God is in control of your situation, my sister, my brother. God is still on the throne. Jesus still is the victor, and we are still more than conquerors.\" <\/p>\n \n

\nYou have no idea how much power God is willing to pour through your life as you walk through your day-in your neighborhood, your workplace, or your home-simply speaking words of confidence in the goodness and faithfulness of God. Therefore, let us not be like the people of Isaiah's day who, when the Lord wanted to give them quietness and confidence, refused. Let us open our hearts to the Lord and begin to speak to one another in those still, small voices. We will discover the incredible privilege of being an ambassador of the power of God to this generation!
\n
\n
\n<\/p>"},"82":{"sm_title":"Finding the Will of God","sm_id":"238","sm_desc":"July 5, 2015 - If you have it in your heart to do the divine will of God you will know truth and God will answer your prayers. There is a unique will of God which is what God has set you apart for, and there is the revealed will of God, which is what we are all called to do. Don't run after the unique will of God, if you have not obeyed the revealed will of God. Determine in your heart to do the will of God and God will empower you with His Spirit.","sm_jpg":"26464_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-10","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/07\/05s1\/20150705s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/07\/05s1\/20150705s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"0ERBiarRypE","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/26693_sermon-newsletter-201510-finding-the-will-of-god.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"How can I find the will of God? How can I be sure that I am walking in His will for my life?\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n Have you ever found yourself asking these questions? Do you find the topic of the will of God confusing, or do you live with the constant fear that you are missing His will for your life? If so, I hope that by the end of this newsletter you will have a better understanding of what the will of God is about.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nTo begin, let's look at a statement that Jesus Himself made concerning the will of God: \"If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority\"<\/span> (John 7:17). In other words, this applies to anybody who wants to do the will of God-people who are not praying or going to church simply to get God to agree with their will, although this is common in much of Christianity today. In fact, it is as if we have inverted the truth into, \"Lord, not Thy will but mine be done!\" There is no shortage of preachers who will tell the people anything they want to hear concerning their own will, their own vision of themselves, or how they see their future playing out.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nHowever, according to Jesus, if you have it in your heart to do the will of God, you will understand and know what truth is. You will know His voice that says, \"This is the way, walk in it.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nSince the time I was a young Christian, I wanted to do the will of God-even though I did not always fully understand what that was going to look like in my life. I remember going to church, sitting in the congregation and listening to the preacher, and thinking, \"How in the world can these people sit under this kind of message? Don't they see how off track this is?\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nMost of the time they sat and listened because they did not really will to do the will of God. People simply wanted to go to church so that they could be blessed. They wanted their finances and their sphere of influence to increase. They lived with the sentiment, \"Lord, if it fits into my parameters of what I think Your will should be, then fine-I'm in! But if it doesn't, I don't want to hear it.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nWhen people do not want to do the will of God, the first thing that comes into their lives is doctrinal confusion, eventually followed by an inability to discern truth. As their prayers go unanswered, they come to the conclusion that God doesn't speak to them. However, the bottom line is that they do not really want to do the will of God. They want their lives to be extraordinary-they want the crowds; they want to raise the dead, lay hands on the sick and have them recover; they want to speak in tongues and all the rest of it, but they do not want to do obey the revealed will of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE REVEALED WILL OF GOD<\/span>
\r\nFirst of all, let us distinguish between the \"revealed will of God\" and whatI call the \"unique will of God\"-or those things that the Lord has set you apart for-what He has called you, exclusively, to do for Him. Oftentimes the unique will of God leads you to an unfamiliar place, and it initially comes as a strong impression on your heart.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nOn the other hand, the revealed will of God is the practical part of His will, to which all of us are collectively called. You do not have to go searching all over the place for it-it is right there in the Bible. If you take a concordance and look under the word \"will,\" you will see that the will of God is clearly revealed throughout the Scriptures, particularly in the New Testament. Let's look at some examples.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nThe apostle Paul says, \"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor\"<\/span> (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4). This is where we need to start, especially in this generation. We must turn away from sexual immorality in all of its forms. We must ask God for the strength to live a holy life, set apart for Him.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nContinuing in First Thessalonians, we find another example of the revealed will of God: \"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you\"<\/span> (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In everything give thanks-which means you ought to give thanks for the home you are in, the marriage you are in, the job you have, the family you are a part of. Learn to be thankful instead of constantly praying, \"Oh, God, get me out of here and I will serve You; get me out of here and I will love You! There will be no greater worshiper than me if You will just get me out of this place!\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n But the Lord says, \"No, that is not My will! My will is that you learn to give thanks where you are. You are going to learn to win the victory where I have placed you.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nOr consider the verse: \"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her\"<\/span> (Ephesians 5:25). I remember the first time I read that, I blurted out, \"Oh, right, that's easy for you to say!\" After all, the apostle Paul was single! However, we cannot ignore any aspect of the revealed will of God. <\/p>\r\n

Do not focus on being a great missionary or preacher if you do not love your wife as Christ loves the Church. If you are not willing to be given for her, then put down the illusion of this unique calling coming out of heaven into your life one day.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n As you continue to read through the Scriptures, you will find that it is also the will of God that we learn to speak the truth. After all, this is a kingdom of truth, and we represent the One who said, \"I am the way, the truth, and the life\"<\/span> (John 14:6). It is the will of God that we be loyal and dependable, and that we do not quit when things do not go right. Be loyal in the workplace as an employee who shows up on time and leaves at the proper time, not before. Be helpful; be concerned about others. Reach outside of your own sphere-beyond your own struggles, trials, concerns, and desires. Don't be a person who does the will of God only when it feels right or if it is convenient. Ask God for a heart to genuinely care about other people.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE UNIQUE WILL OF GOD<\/span>
\r\nOften while we are doing the revealed will of God, the unique will of God just seems to start to find us. That is the key. I have never \"found\" the will of God for my life. As I did the practical things, the unique will of God simply began to unfold before me. I simply walked, the best I knew how, in the way that all who are called by the name of Christ are supposed to walk. Eventually, I began to get strong impressions on my heart that would not go away.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nTo be honest, most of the time the will of God was not something I naturally wanted to do. For example, I had to get up early every morning to feed the animals on our farm, drive thirty-six miles to work, work an eight-hour shift, and then drive thirty-six miles back home. Again I had to feed the animals, tuck my kids into bed, and then head off to conduct a Bible study that was another nine or ten miles away. Sometimes on snowy nights it was incredibly difficult to even see the road. But as I remained faithful to what God called me to do, the unique will of God began to unfold in my life.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nOne day, the group of people in my Bible study said, \"There has been no testimony of God within these forty square miles for a hundred years. We ought to be a church!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nI remember saying, \"Well, if we want to be a church, then I will go find us a pastor so that we have a covering.\" I met with the leader of a denomination in our country at that time and asked if he would be able to get us a pastor. He asked me, \"Are you willing to pastor this church?\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n\"No, sir! No chance!\" I replied. I was doing very well in my career. Besides that, I was once on the board of a large church, and I had seen some of the inner workings that made me disinterested in getting involved at that level again. So he finally told me that they would conduct a search for a pastor.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nIn the meantime, our group had to change our location to a hotel in the middle of town. It was quite the place. We had to turn over the girlie posters and empty the ashtrays, and the children's church was held in the \"men only\" room. Yet, God continued to bring more people until we were packed out! I agreed to pastor the church for about six months until we could find a permanent pastor. But the whole time, the will of God kept coming back to me. One day as I was preaching, I glanced out the window and saw a little brown sparrow sitting in the driveway. It was the middle of winter, so it was just pecking at the snow. I was suddenly reminded of the Scripture that says, \"Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God...Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows\"<\/span> (Luke 12:6-7). The Lord then asked me, \"Can you not trust Me with your future? Can you not trust Me to look after you and your family?\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n I did not want to hear that! However, not too long after, I was in the mall with my partner, working in criminal intelligence in the police department. Suddenly some suspicious-looking characters entered the mall and were nearing the bank. My partner turned to me and said, \"You do have your gun on you today, don't you?\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n\"No, I forgot it in my locker again,\" I replied.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nAnd right there in the mall, my partner, an unsaved man, said, \"You are called to preach the gospel! Carter, you are a nice guy, but your heart is no longer here. Your heart is in another place. I'm telling you, you have got to go do what God is calling you to do!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nI had done the revealed will as well as I knew how, and now here was the unique will of God for my life! I finally went back to the denomination's leader and said, \"God has been speaking to me to pastor this church. If you would like me to, you can cancel the search.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n\"There has been no search,\" he replied. \"I knew you were the pastor all along!\"

\r\n FIRST THINGS FIRST<\/span>
\r\nThe unique will of God has led me into many places throughout my life, and it has been an incredible journey. However, we must learn to do the first things first. Therefore, come back to your first love if you need to; open the Word of God and begin to read it. Don't live in an illusion that one day this mystical will of God will fall into your lap while you are choosing to ignore the revealed will of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nAs the Scripture says, \"This is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men\"<\/span> (1 Peter 2:15). This is the revealed will of God-doing good; speaking the truth; caring in an uncaring time; praying when nobody else prays; studying when everyone else is writing off the Word of God; speaking the name of Jesus when everyone else wants to curse His name. This is where character is formed! You have to win the battles in secret before you can win them in public. Remember, you will not become a super evangelist who loves everybody if you have not learned to love people in private. That is how it works. So do not worry so much about finding the unique will of God for your life; it will come to you. Concern yourself today with the revealed will of God, and the unique will of God will surely follow.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n Paul said in the book of Ephesians that we \"should do the will of God from our hearts\" (see Ephesians 6:6). And so I encourage you today to ask God for the will to do His will. Come to Him and say, \"Lord, open my heart to what You have for my life. Don't let me consider anything as too small or too undignified. Help me to be the one who sees a piece of paper on the floor and picks it up. Help me to be kind, truthful, and faithful; a builder rather than a destroyer. Help me to be one who will promote unity in the midst of a divided society. Yet, let me also be willing to take a stand for truth when everyone else is content to deal with lies. Lord, give me the courage to follow You fully.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nAs you trust God for the will to do His will, I believe Jesus will be revealed to you in a way that you have never known Him. You will be absolutely amazed at where God is going to take you and what He will do through your life!<\/p>"},"83":{"sm_title":"Searching the House for a Bride","sm_id":"237","sm_desc":"May 31, 2015 - God's Holy Spirit is searching for an end time bride so He can draw them out of the natural into the supernatural. Are you willing to allow Jesus to take you from where you are so you can live a morally clean life? We are invited to come to God with a sincere heart and pray specific prayers so God can empower us, to be His last day testimony on the earth. ","sm_jpg":"25729_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/05\/31s1\/20150531s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/05\/31s1\/20150531s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"Ye-nasd04GQ","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/26596_sermon-newsletter-201509-searching-the-house-for-a-bride.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, \"Please, put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac\"<\/span> (Genesis 24:1-4).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Abraham was the man to whom God had made the incredible promise: \"I am going to bless you and multiply you, and through you the whole world is going to be blessed\" (see Genesis 22:17-18). You and I know that the fulfillment of this promise was ultimately made through Jesus Christ and His Church, of which we are a part. As the Scripture says, we are blessed with faithful Abraham.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Although he had been given this promise, by the time Abraham was nearing the end of his life, all he had was one son born of faith-Isaac. He had another son born of human effort, Ishmael, but God said that son would not be an inheritor of the promise. Remember, the promises of God are supernatural and they cannot be achieved by human effort. And so in this passage, we see that Abraham was searching for a wife for Isaac<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In order to accomplish this, Abraham turned to the oldest servant of his house-the one who ruled over all he had. Similarly, God the Father has sent His Holy Spirit to search out and prepare an end-time bride for His Son, Jesus Christ-starting in the house of God. Remember that this bride was to be part of the family of Abraham, for it says, \"You will not take a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac\"<\/span> (Genesis 24:3-4)<\/p>\r\n \r\n

As Abraham was living a super-natural life, so too would this bride be drawn from a place of the natural into the supernatural. That is exactly what God is looking for once again-a people willing to undertake a journey that will bring them out of struggling in the flesh to live a Christian life into the place of the supernatural where God says, \"I will multiply you; I will bless you and make you a blessing. It will not be by might nor by power but by My Spirit. I will do a work within you and cause you to become everything I have destined you to be.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

This supernatural strength found in Christ is available to all who want to partake of it. However, they must be willing to follow the Lord rather than attempting to bring Him back to where they are. After all, the passage goes on to tell us, \"The servant said to [Abraham], 'Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?' But Abraham said to him, 'Beware that you do not take my son back there'\" <\/span>(Genesis 24:5-6). In other words, do not bring Jesus back to a place of the natural and make Him like every other idea in the land. He is a supernatural God. We made a grave error when we brought Jesus into our society and made Him like us-essentially making Him into a natural Savior.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Abraham went on to say, \"The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, 'To your descendants I give this land,' He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there\"<\/span> (Genesis 24:7-8). In other words, \"God will send a messenger before you to prepare the hearts of those whom you will encounter. He will make a way for this bride to come to where my son Isaac is. However, the choice will ultimately be hers.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

So Abraham's servant took ten camels and journeyed to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor. As he stood by a well, he prayed a specific prayer: \"Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, 'Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink'-let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master. And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder\"<\/span> (Genesis 24:13-15).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Before he was even finished speaking, the answer came! There was Rebekah-the very bride who was appointed for Isaac. As we continue on in this passage, we see four characteristics about this bride that made her the perfect choice for Abraham's son- which also apply to the Bride that the Father is now searching out for His own Son.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n ONE WHO IS MORALLY PURE<\/span>
\r\n \"Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her\"<\/span> (Genesis 24:16). In other words, she was morally pure. Sadly, many people in the Body of Christ today are not morally clean. They are looking at pornography; they are involved in premarital sex and all kinds of immorality. They still want the power of God in their life; however, if we are not willing to walk morally clean, we will never know the power of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

As the apostle Paul said, \"Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God has both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power\"<\/span> (1 Corinthians 6:13-14). The good news is that God is willing to give us the power to be clean.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

No matter how we lived in the past, all our sins have been covered by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. If we have received Christ as Lord and Savior, that means when God looks at us, He sees us as clean and pure; lovely and undefiled. However, we must not continue to live an immoral lifestyle when God is giving us the power to walk in purity.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n ONE WHO IS UNSELFISH<\/span>
\r\n \"When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, 'I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.' Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels\"<\/span> (Genesis 24:19-20). The second characteristic of this bride was that when she saw a need, she was willing to give of herself in order to meet it. In other words, she was unselfish. This man had come on a long journey, and he had ten camels with him. Now a thirsty camel can drink thirty gallons of water in thirteen minutes. Since there were ten camels, that was three hundred gallons of water. Assuming Rebekah could carry about a five-gallon pitcher on her shoulder, that means she had to make sixty trips to the well! The wells in those days generally had steps which led down to the pool of water. So Rebekah had to go down the steps, fill up the jug, come back up, pour the water in the trough, and then go back down the steps to fill up again. Repeating that sixty times was certainly no light undertaking! Yet, she did it not because of bribing or plotting but simply out of the kindness of her heart.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In the same way, as the Bride of Christ, we cannot simply walk away from human need-no matter how inconvenient or what the personal cost. Nor can we just go to church or open the Bible and ask, \"What's in it for me today?\" Our hearts must be full of the compassion of God that causes us to say, \"What can I do to help people around me who are in need?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n ONE WHO KNOWS THE HEART OF HER FATHER<\/span>
\r\n \"Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?\" So she said to him, \"I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah's son, whom she bore to Nahor.\" Moreover she said to him, \"We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.\" Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord\"<\/span> (Genesis 24:23-26). Here we see a third characteristic of this bride: She knew the heart of her father. She was unashamed to be declared as his child, and she even boasted of his generosity.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

And so my question for you today is: Do you truly know the heart of your heavenly Father? Do you fully understand how much God wants to give His Holy Spirit to those who ask? Do you know how generous He is? Or when you are out sharing with people, do you feel as if you are constantly trying to eke out whatever little bits of kindness you can from God, thus making Him appear to be a stingy, begrudging old grandfather who does not actually want to give any inheritance to His children?<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Oh, how Rebekah boasted of her father! \"I am his daughter, and we have straw, food and room for all of you!\" Imagine your child coming home with ten camels and probably at least twenty men, saying, \"Hey, Dad, look what I found!\" She really had to know the heart of her father.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

I am reminded of a time years ago when I was driving my middle son back from a hockey game. My son had a couple of very hungry hockey players with him, so we all stopped at McDonald's. Everybody proceeded to take out the little bit of money they had. I was standing in line behind them, and suddenly my son turned to his two friends and said, \"Put your money away, guys. My dad will pay!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Now in those days, I was a pastor in a small country town and hardly made enough to pay the electricity bill of our house. I watched as the boys placed their orders-it was all \"double-double, super-size me!\" Yet I did not care if I had to dig into my gasoline fund for the next week-there was no way in my heart that I would embarrass my son. The Scripture tells us, \"If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him?\" (see Luke 11:13). You and I must be willing to boast of our Father's generosity. But in order to boast of it, we have to know and experience it personally. We must not only open our hearts to Him, but we must also be willing to walk with Him. The Father's generosity is not given to those who choose to sit on the couch watching television all day. Yet, when you get up and walk with Him, the floodgate of heaven opens, and all the resources that Christ won for us suddenly become available.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

This is exactly what happened when the servant saw the quality of Rebekah's character. The Bible tells us that he \"brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother\" <\/span>(Genesis 24:53).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n ONE WHO CHOOSES TO FOLLOW<\/span>
\r\n \"We will call the young woman and ask her personally.\" Then they called Rebekah and said to her, \"Will you go with this man?\"<\/span> (Genesis 24:57-58). Here we see that there was a final test and one more characteristic of this bride that we should take note of: She was willing to make the personal decision to follow where the servant was leading. In other words, she was willing to walk away from the familiar in order to obtain the promise.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

When Rebekah said, \"I will go!\" they blessed her and said, \"Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands.\" This blessing was fulfilled-she was grafted into the lineage of Jesus Christ, and we are descendants of her through Jesus Christ. \"And may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them\" <\/span>(Genesis 24:60). In other words, we will have spiritual authority over all the plans of darkness that will come to try to steal, kill and destroy. God will fight for us; He will be our strength and our defense.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Of course, just as Rebekah did, each of us must make the personal decision to follow Christ fully. It is a personal choice to walk in purity, to be available for the needs of others, to know the Father's generosity, and to be able to tell others about it. And so the messenger who stands before you, the Holy Spirit, is asking you today, \"Will you be a bride that is fit for my Master's Son?\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The good news is that when you choose to go with God, everything that once had the power to hold you back must let you go. \"Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, 'The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either bad or good. Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as the Lord has spoken'\"<\/span> (Genesis 24:50-51). Laban and Bethuel represented the former authorities in Rebekah's life that once held her back. Yet, now all they could say was, \"We cannot say one thing or the other because this comes from the Lord.\" In other words, there is no power of hell, no lack, no past experience, no words that have been spoken over your life that can stop you from being all that God has called you to be in Christ! Every prison door must open; all old bondages have to let you go. All you have to do is get up and listen to the voice of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

I will promise you one thing: You will have an incredible life when you choose to live for God. Yes, when you are determined to follow Him fully, there will still be difficult days. Yet, when you get to the end of your journey, you will realize that you would not trade a day of it, for you will have brought glory to the name of Christ. So do not be sold short of what God has for you. Let's all be part of the end-time Bride who glorifies Christ on the earth!<\/p>"},"84":{"sm_title":"Preparing for a Time of Suffering","sm_id":"235","sm_desc":"June 7, 2015 - How do we prepare for seasons of difficulty and fiery trials? Preparation includes separating yourself from all ungodliness and reminding yourself of how good and faithful God has been to you. God has the power to create a place of safety for you that cannot be seen with the natural eye. Don't throw away your confidence, remember an eternal kingdom of great joy is before you.","sm_jpg":"25801_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/06\/07s1\/20150607s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/06\/07s1\/20150607s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"TV5w1HI65Xk","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/26538_sermon-newsletter-201508-preparing-for-a-time-of-suffering.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Just prior to the striking of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, God began to warn our congregation here in New York City. Around July of that year, our church services were marked by a profound soberness. There were times when we pastors couldn't preach and the choir couldn't sing; we couldn't even pray. We would all just sit in silence. Nobody wanted to get up because the presence of the Lord was so strong. All the while, the continuous thought in all of our hearts was that we were about to face some very, very difficult days in the city. People would be running in the streets, terrified. We did not know exactly why, but we knew that we needed to be prepared to minister to them. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Of course, not everybody was willing to hear this message. There were perhaps a few hundred who concluded, \"We didn't come here for this. We came here to be blessed! We didn't come to hear that a great calamity is coming to the city.\" And so they left. But when the towers were struck, an incredible sense of strength and stability was found among those who stayed. People were ready to minister; they rolled up their sleeves and said, \"Tell us what to do.\" We began to buy truckloads of water and food, and we sent people out onto the streets and down to Ground Zero. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAs I think back on those events, I am reminded that if we are open to listening to the Lord, He never leaves us in a place where we will be caught off guard. However, it takes courage-courage for the preachers to speak whatever message God has given and courage for the people to hear it. David Wilkerson was such a preacher. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn 1987, God put a burden on his heart, and he founded Times Square Church. The Lord told him, \"I am sending you to New York City to gather a remnant. [In other words, those who desire a sincere walk with God through Jesus Christ.] I want you to warn the city that judgment is coming.\" The Lord gave Pastor David a vision of a thousand fires burning in New York City. He said these were race riots that would affect not only New York City but many major cities throughout the country. As we look around at our society, it is easy to conclude that those very days might be starting in our midst. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nBecause we were willing to receive the warning, we have been able to intercede. We have prayed in this church that there would be a thousand fires of revival burning in this city before those other days come-a thousand churches whose doors will not close, so that people can come in and seek God. This has been our prayer because the Bible tells us that mercy triumphs over judgment! It does not mean that judgment is not coming, but mercy takes away its finality when men and women find Christ as Savior. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n A FIERY TRIAL<\/span>
\r\nWe see in the Bible that even in the days of the early Church, the Lord was faithful to warn His people when suffering was on the horizon. For example, in the Book of Acts it says, \"And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar\"<\/span> (Acts 11:27-28). How did the early Church respond? \"Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea\"<\/span> (Acts 11:29). Something in their hearts bore witness to the word of warning, so they moved to make preparations for themselves as well as others who would be in need. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe apostle Peter also gave a word of warning to the people of God: \"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy\"<\/span> (1 Peter 4:12-13). This kind of message can be especially hard to embrace in times of peace-particularly when the Church is accepted in the world and vice versa. God's people can easily grow complacent and forget that they live in the midst of a society that can suddenly, even violently, become opposed to Christ and His followers. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n When Peter wrote this letter around A.D. 62-63, the Church was generally accepted and had been operating in relative peace. Yet, true to God's warning, opposition in Asia Minor continued to grow and was soon officially sanctioned by the government. In fact, they were actually only a year or two away from Rome being burned and the Christians receiving the blame for it and, consequently, their blood filling the streets. The Holy Spirit knew all this was about to occur, and that is why He put it on the heart of Peter to say, \"A trial is coming your way. Do not consider it a strange thing.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn the same way, you and I should not be surprised when we find ourselves facing fierce opposition in the coming days. Hostility is already beginning to mount toward all that represents God and truth. According to the Bible, lawlessness will abound until the day God removes His restraining hand (see 2 Thessalonians 2:7). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nPeter said, \"Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad also with exceeding joy\"<\/span> (1 Peter 4:13). Rejoice in the sufferings of Christ! What a foreign doctrine this is to us today. Yet the Lord is encouraging us to remember that an eternal kingdom full of great joy lies just before us. Christianity is not simply about being happy in the here and now. Your life is merely a vapor (see James 4:14), and your time on this earth is only momentary.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nPeter continued, \"If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified\"<\/span> (1 Peter 4:14). In other words, if the world accepts you, it means that you are one of its own. But when you make the choice to step out of the ways of a fallen world and embrace the value system of God's holy Word, trusting that every promise God made to you will be fulfilled as you walk with Him, you truly become a new creation. Your life changes, your conversation changes, your heart changes, your motives change. So do not consider it strange when this world suddenly rejects you! <\/p>\r\n

\r\n IT IS PREPARATION TIME<\/span>
\r\nJust as the early church heeded God's warning and started making preparations, now you and I must do the same. Let's look at a couple of ways that we can prepare ourselves for a time of suffering.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAfter speaking of the fiery trial, Peter went on to say, \"But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters\"<\/span> (1 Peter 4:15). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nFirst of all, we must not be murderers. Before you automatically consider yourself exempt from this warning, remember that the Bible states plainly, \"Whoever hates his brother is a murderer\" <\/span>(1 John 3:15). That means we must put away all forms of racism and other cultural issues that are bitterly dividing our society today. We must learn to forgive and not allow this spirit of murder and hatred to get hold of us. Jesus Christ died for all people! <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Secondly, according to the verse, we must not be thieves-unlawfully taking or withholding at somebody else's expense. Instead of being takers, we ought to be givers. As the Scripture says, \"Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need\"<\/span> (Ephesians 4:28). Let us not be selfish but instead live in a way that the love of Christ might be known through us.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThirdly, we must separate ourselves from evil. \"Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 6:17). It is time to make the choice-get out of that relationship, leave that club, put that book down, get off that Internet site. It is time to fully separate ourselves from the things that are weakening and blinding us. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAnd fourthly, we must not live as a busybody in other people's matters. That means we must stay away from gossip, being critical of others, and being too quick to speak unadvisedly.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n KEEPING OUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD<\/span>
\r\nThe preparation does not end there. According to the book of Hebrews, each of us ought to \"recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings\"<\/span> (Hebrews 10:32). Remind yourself how faithful God has been-how He brought you through all your former struggles and trials! When you first came to Christ, perhaps your entire family thought you were crazy; your former friends did not want to hang out with you anymore. People would accuse you in the workplace simply because you chose to do what was right. And now, once again, you are facing a brunt of accusation on all sides. That is why it is important to recall how God showed Himself strong and brought you through in the past. He did not fail you, did He? Neither will He fail you in the days ahead. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n The writer of Hebrews says, \"For you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods...\"<\/span> (Hebrews 10:34). Many of these believers had not yet personally suffered, but they were well aware that others who had gone before them had suffered. When it says that they \"accepted the plundering of their goods,\" it means they were laying down their own plans and dreams-all their ideas about how their lives should work out. Instead, they were willing to embrace the plan of God for their lives, knowing it would likely entail a measure of suffering. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe verse goes on to say, \"...knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven\"<\/span> (Hebrews 10:34). This is essentially another way to be prepared for a time of suffering: Be assured, it will be worth it! No matter what we have to go through; no matter what people say or do to us, it will be worth it in the end. Remember, we are fighting for something eternal-not just for ourselves, but for others. We are fighting so that people might come to the saving knowledge of Christ. We are fighting so that we will have something to leave for the generation coming after us. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance\"<\/span> (Hebrews 10:35-36). We must not cast away our confidence when things start to get difficult. All of us need endurance-that inner ability not to quit-not to draw back and try to preserve ourselves. It will no doubt be a fearful time when the Gospel is no longer tolerated and God's people become the target of intense persecution once again. However, we must keep our confidence in God<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"So that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 'For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith'\"<\/span> (Hebrews 10:36-38). Always remember, it will be hard for only a little while, and then one day you and I will be at the throne of grace! We will all say, \"Thank God, we made the right choice! Thank God, we were willing to hear His word of warning. Thank God, we turned to Him with all our hearts.\" It will be amazing-there will be testimonies throughout all eternity of how God kept us, how He walked with us, how He empowered us, how He changed us, and how He gave us that new Spirit He promised us! <\/p>\r\n

\r\n REJOICING IN THE MIDST OF DIFFICULTY<\/span>
\r\n\r\nThe good news is that eternity is not the only thing we have to look forward to. I believe our hearts are going to be filled with deep joy even in the midst of difficult days. There is going to be a fellowship in the Body of Jesus Christ such as you and I have never experienced in our lifetime. There will be rejoicing when we come together-times when we simply do not want to leave the house of God. The Lord is truly going to be our strength and our song. And He will give us the privilege of glorifying Him by allowing others to see His strength in us in a time of suffering. Sinners are going to come to us and say, \"Tell us the reason for the hope that you still have!\" You see, we will have hope because we heard the warning of God and took the time now to prepare. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nNo matter how difficult things may become, I certainly do not see the Church going out in a whimper. I see a victorious Church-a Church that is Christ-honoring, standing boldly in the power of the Holy Spirit, just as she began in the book of Acts. And so in this time of preparation, my prayer has been, \"Lord, take everything out of my life that will bring weakness into my heart. Let Your Spirit within me give me strength and cause my life to bring You honor.\" I encourage you to ask the Lord for those things you have need of, as well. Ask Him for courage, endurance, and confidence. Ask Him for the grace not to give up in your present trial or in the ones to come. I assure you, He will not fail you! And not only in a time of suffering but throughout all eternity, you will never regret having put your confidence in Him!\r\n<\/p>"},"85":{"sm_title":"Right Jesus - Wrong Time","sm_id":"232","sm_desc":"April 19, 2015 - When we come to Jesus Christ it doesn't mean we are exempt from suffering. Jesus shows us many examples where suffering can be part of the gospel. In Christ we are guaranteed the victory because He crossed that line into eternity. As long as we are in the world, we must not forget we still have to fight for the honor and testimony of Jesus Christ.","sm_jpg":"25643_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-07","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/04\/19s1\/20150419s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/04\/19s1\/20150419s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"32Ghkpc-9Q0","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/26454_sermon-newsletter-201507-right-jesus-wrong-time.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Jesus said, \"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world\"<\/span> (John 16:33). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nYou and I would be wise to consider these words that Jesus once spoke to His disciples, bearing in mind that in this life, we will have tribulation, trials, difficulties, opposition, sorrow, and sometimes even depression. We will be falsely accused, even slandered. Yet we can be of good cheer, for we have the promise of God that no matter how dark the days may become, we are all going to make it to the finish line. Remember, Jesus has already won the victory. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n In last month's newsletter, I gave an illustration of a football team coming out of the locker room and having to run through a paper wall in order to enter the game. That paper wall symbolizes everything you and I must break through-all the lies of the devil as to why we cannot go forward in God. The enemy succeeded in hindering the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt and were heading into the Promised Land. They stopped at the border, convinced that they could not go forward and claim what was lawfully theirs (see Numbers 13:32-33). They failed to understand that it was only a paper wall, and as a result, they ended up dying in the wilderness. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nSo now let's assume that we as a team have broken through the paper wall, and now we are all lined up on the field. It's the opening kickoff. Somebody from our team backs into the end zone, catches the ball, and starts running toward the opposing team's goal. However, all of a sudden he stops, spikes the ball on his own ten-yard line, and begins to do a victory dance. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nFor those of you not familiar with football, players do not spike the ball until they cross into the opposing team's end zone. It is meant to be a celebration of having won the victory of that moment. Therefore, imagine how incredible it would be to see a player spike the ball on his own ten-yard line and then start dancing, wondering why his team is staring at him with a puzzled look on their faces! The audience is not cheering, and the opposing team is still coming at him. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"I thought I had won,\" he would say. \"What's the problem? When we were in the locker room before the game, we were told that we are more than conquerors! We were told that someone from our team is already in the end zone, and we have already won the victory! So why does everybody have a problem with me claiming the full victory on our own ten-yard line? I just don't get it.\" And so this confused player turns around and heads back to the locker room, filled with sorrow. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS<\/span>
\r\nThis is essentially what happened with two disciples of Jesus in Luke 24. They, too, had been given incredible promises: \"You are going to become partakers of a marvelous victory! Whatever you pray for, you shall receive. You are going to be kings and priests; you will rule and reign with Jesus at the right hand of God for all of eternity.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nYet the Scriptures tell us that these two disciples were traveling to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles away from Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the place of victory; however, they were now heading away from it-discouraged and disillusioned. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they could not know Him. And He said to them, \"What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?\" Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, \"Are You only a stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?\" And He said to them, \"What things?\" So they said to Him, \"The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel\"<\/span> (Luke 24:14-21). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n These disciples had walked with the right Jesus. They knew Him; they had heard His voice. Jesus had made no secret of the fact that He was headed to a cross and that His Church would be left in the world. Yet His disciples had somehow assumed that the victory He spoke of would be immediate-that they would rule and reign with Jesus, and Rome would be overthrown in a moment of time. It is as if in their hearts they started spiking the ball at their own ten-yard line. Therefore, when Jesus was taken captive, beaten beyond recognition, put on a cross and crucified, they came to the conclusion that this Jesus they were following could not really be the Messiah. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nOf course you and I know they had the right Jesus-just the wrong time. They neglected to see that there were still ninety more yards between where they were and the fulfillment of that victory-the true celebration at the throne of God. In the meantime, the opposing team was still coming at them; they would still have to pray and fight. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThis serves as a reminder for you and me that although victory is assured, it does not exempt us from fighting the battle that is currently before us. We must remember not to make the mistake of declaring the victory too soon. The Apostle Paul had to speak a similar word to the Corinthian church: \"You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us-and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you\" <\/span>(1 Corinthians 4:8). The Corinthians had fallen under the delusion: \"Why suffer? The victory has already been won! We are already full, we are already rich. We will never get sick again. There will be no more trials and no more sorrow. Isn't that what the Bible says?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nYes, it is true. The Scriptures do tell us that one day there will be no more sorrow, no more trials, no more difficulties, no more tears and no more sighing. But it does not say that we won't have to go through those things while we are still here on earth. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Yes, we are guaranteed that at the end of this life, we are going to sit with Jesus, ruling and reigning with Him. We are going to have a mansion in glory and will one day walk on streets of gold. We will stand before the throne of God, and we will hear Him say, \"Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in a few things, so I will make you ruler over many things. Enter now into the joy of the Lord!\" (see Matthew 25:21). All that is going to come...but in the end zone. Between here and there is a ninety-yard journey that you and I have to make; battles that we still have to fight. We are not fighting for our own salvation, for we already have that in Christ. We are fighting now for the testimony and the honor of God in the earth. We are fighting so that Christ may become known to those who are still living outside of His kingdom and His victory.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n A SIGN TO OTHERS<\/span>
\r\nIt is encouraging to remember that one of the reasons we will have tribulation in this world is because it is often the only way people around us will ever know that God is real. You and I will have to walk through the same fire, the same flood, the same difficult days as everybody else. However, the difference is that we have an inner source of strength that will carry us through and give us a song. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThat is why the psalmist David wrote, \"He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth\"<\/span> (Psalm 40:2-3). This did not mean that David would not have other battles to fight. He still had to get in his chariot and contend for the ground that the enemy was trying to take from the people of God. However, David now had a song inside his heart that could not be silenced by his circumstances. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord\"<\/span> (Psalm 40:3). In other words, when people see the strength of God in you as you have to walk through the same difficulties they do, they will stand back in awe, saying, \"Surely there must be a God! We are both walking through the same waters, yet what is drowning me seems to be replenishing him. That person has an inner strength I don't have!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nPaul said it this way: \"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation...\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 1:3-6). Paul was never one to hide the fact that there would be trials in the Christian life. Later in that passage, he even goes on to say, \"We do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 1:8). Paul was explaining, \"Yes, we are going to go through trials, but God is going to comfort us. And with the comfort that we receive, we are going to be able to comfort others who find themselves in sorrow and confusion.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n WALK WITH THEM<\/span>
\r\nIn the coming days, I believe that many Christians will need to experience the comfort of the Lord. Just like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, some followers of Jesus in our generation will find themselves full of dismay. It will be those who have been sitting in places where preachers convinced them that coming to Jesus meant they would be exempt from all suffering and trials. \"Life with Jesus will be amazing! You will have a wonderful job and ministry. Plus, if you give God a hundred dollars, He owes you a hundred thousand back!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n And so they embrace the promises with excitement. However, one day they realize that the money doesn't come back; suddenly jobs are lost. Chaos begins to break out in their city. As trials and difficulties come upon them and sorrow floods their hearts, they will be left wondering, \"Did I get the short end of the stick? What happened to all the promises of who I was going to be and what I was going to have?\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nIt is as if they were all dancing, only to suddenly realize that the opposing team is still running at them! You see, when someone spikes the ball too soon in football, it is considered a fumble, which means it is open game for the enemy. People who do not understand the truth of what the Christian walk is about become open game for the enemy to come after them. The devil will cast doubt upon the faithfulness of God and His promises. He will tell them that the whole thing is a farce or convince them that they really don't belong to the team.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAs a result, great discouragement will overcome these people. Now remember, they are not enemies of the cross; they just sat under a gospel that fast-forwarded everything too quickly. They essentially skipped the whole of the Christian walk and went right to the end. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nWe see in the Scriptures that Jesus did not give up on those disciples who were on the road to Emmaus. He went over to walk with them because He knew they really did love Him. He said, \"'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?' And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself\"<\/span> (Luke 24:25-27). Jesus showed them that suffering is an unavoidable part of the Gospel. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n In the same way, we, too, must remember not to abandon these brothers and sisters in Christ. We must not point the finger at them, saying, \"You believed that stupidity, so now God has abandoned you!\" Rather, we must do as Jesus did-go after them and walk alongside them. When you find somebody who does not have a correct view of what this Christian walk is actually like, you can open the Scriptures and say, \"Look, my friend, you had the right Jesus-just the wrong time. Let me show you that trials and difficulties are not eradicated because of the cross; it is simply that their potential to destroy us is destroyed. Yes, we are guaranteed a victory because Christ crossed that finish line into eternity. Nevertheless, we must not forget that there is still a walk to be walked and a battle to be fought on this earth!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE COMING DAYS<\/span>
\r\nThere is no doubt that the days ahead are going to be increasingly difficult, collectively as well as personally. As we look around at our nation, we already see the family breaking down at an alarming pace-trouble and trial arising on every border. And so it is time to bear in mind Jesus' words from our opening Scripture: \"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world\" <\/span>(John 16:33). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nNever forget, there is already a celebration going on in the end zone! Of course, it may take you and me a little while to get there, but until then, don't be discouraged, and don't let your teammates get discouraged. We are still on the winning team; all of us are still going to cross the finish line. We are going to defeat the powers of hell, and we are going to take a multitude of souls with us in the days ahead! And when we finally get to the end zone, we are all going to join that marvelous celebration. There will be singing and dancing, and we will all be full of unspeakable joy such as we have never known in our lifetime! Hallelujah!<\/p>\r\n "},"86":{"sm_title":"Running Through the Paper Wall","sm_id":"218","sm_desc":"March 29, 2015 - God has called us to run the race of faith. Whatever the devil sets before us is only a paper wall. What has the devil written on your wall? If you don't run through the wall you will remain in the wilderness. The power of God is available for you to run through the wall and fulfill the call on your life.","sm_jpg":"25599_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-06","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/03\/29s1\/20150329s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/03\/29s1\/20150329s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"wUtVwABX6vM","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/25809_sermon-newsletter-201506-running-through-the-paper-wall.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls\"<\/span> (Hebrews 12:1-3, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThis passage of Scripture speaks of a great race that each of us is called to run. When you came to Christ and He became your Lord and Savior, God's Holy Spirit came to dwell inside your physical body. In other words, you became the temple of the living God. You were born again by the Spirit of God, and the old things in your life that once governed and hindered you began to pass away. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nNow you have become a new creation-with new strength, new thoughts, a new heart, and a new mind. A life of supernatural possibility has been opened to you, for God has purposed to glorify His name on the earth through you. That is why you and I are still here; that is the purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. We are to be an irrefutable, living testimony to the reality of God's incredible love that sent His Son to a cross for all humanity. Therefore, in a day when morality is failing, civility is quickly becoming a thing relegated to the past, family breakups are common, and teenagers are living in debauchery, it is imperative that you and I run with endurance this race that is set before us. Yes, we are running it together, but each of us still has our own individual part to play. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe race we are called to run will often involve a pathway that looks impossible. Indeed, it is impossible in the natural. But remember, God is not calling us to do anything in our own strength. Jesus made a way for us to run this race by triumphing over evil; He made impossibility possible through the victory He won at Calvary. And now the Lord is simply calling us to be the vessels through whom He will carry His own name to glory. All He requires of us is a willingness to believe Him.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOf course, knowing these things does not necessarily make it easy to run this race. I often have days that are tough, and it is evident in the Scriptures that those who have gone before us have had to experience very difficult days as well. For example, consider David-a man who was appointed by God to be a king. David was only a boy when the prophet Samuel took a horn of oil and anointed him in front of all his brothers (see 1 Samuel 16:13). David knew that he was being set apart for the purposes of God, appointed to lead the people of Israel. His heart was filled with incredible promise and vision for the future. Yet right away he was sent back out to continue looking after his father's sheep. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOne day, a lion came into the little flock of sheep that he was protecting and grabbed a lamb in its mouth. Suddenly the Holy Spirit came upon David, and he was given the power to grab the lion by its mane and kill it. How stunning that hidden victory must have been! On another occasion, a bear came up against him, and he was empowered to defeat it as well.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nDavid was later sent by his father to check on his brothers during a season when Israel was at war with the Philistines and they were being taunted daily by a giant called Goliath. While the rest of the Israelite army stood paralyzed by fear, the Holy Spirit came upon David once again. He courageously ran into the valley and won a marvelous victory over Goliath! By that point, it must have seemed as if things were only going to get better until the promise and purpose of God for his life were fulfilled. However, things soon took a turn, and David found himself being pursued like \"a partridge in the mountains\" (see 1 Samuel 26:20). That is when he penned Psalm 18. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n RUNNING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION<\/span>
\r\n\"The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me\"<\/span> (Psalm 18:4-5). David was essentially saying, \"In every direction I looked, all I saw was my inability to finish what I felt I was called to do. I could not see a way forward. I had no idea how God's call on my life was ever going to be accomplished.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nHow many of you know that feeling? Perhaps you started out running the race with zeal, experiencing victory after victory. You knew that God was with you, for there was no way you could have won those battles without His strength. Bondages in your life were broken and you entered into new realms of freedom. God gave you the power to be honest when nobody else was telling the truth; He enabled you to respond graciously when people were unkind to you. Soon you began to conclude, \"Wow, God really does have a supernatural call on my life!\" However, suddenly one day you found yourself being pursued by the enemy.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nDavid started off by running a race that he was convinced would bring glory to God. When he ran into the valley to face Goliath with only a sling and five stones, it was as if he was saying in his heart, \"The name of God must be honored!\" And so it is hard to fathom that David eventually began running in the opposite direction. He started in the supernatural, but he came to a point when he turned to his natural reasoning. \"David said in his heart, 'Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines'\" (1 Samuel 27:1). This, of course, was only false reasoning. The promise of God that he was going to be the next ruler of Israel still stood. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSadly, many people in our generation are doing a similar thing. They start out running for God with an inner desire to bring glory to His name-only to eventually find themselves facing opposition that they cannot understand. You see, the grievous error that many Christians tend to make is somehow assuming that they are going to go through this life unopposed. As a result, they end up crafting an alternate plan and running an alternate race, venturing into a place other than where God called them to go. You and I cannot afford to do this in this hour. It is imperative that we recognize the significance of the moment in which we live.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n IT IS ONLY PAPER!<\/span>
\r\nTake a moment to consider the fact that after more than two thousand years of Christian history, it has come down to you and me! We have had all the teaching, all the stories, all the biographies; everything we have been through has been meant to prepare us for this very moment in history. You and I are now called to run behind all those who have gone before us to fulfill this great calling of God on each of our lives. <\/p>\r\n

I feel almost as if we are a football team, and I am your coach for this moment, giving you a pep talk in the locker room: \"We are going to go out onto the field, and we are going to be opposed. Yet, remember that we are a superior team with a superior strategy. We have been well trained, and the weapons of our warfare are not like theirs; our weapons are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. We have been given power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt us. We are going out on the field, and we are going to be victorious! There will surely be a shout of glory at the end of this match!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nCan you picture the typical scene right before the beginning of a football game? The team comes out of the locker room, full of excitement. They walk down a long corridor with cement walls on either side, and at the end of the corridor is a paper wall. Now at the beginning of NFL and college games, the team has to break through the paper wall. They cannot even see the field until they do so. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nHow incredible it would be if an NFL team were to burst out of the locker room, run with confidence down the corridor, and then stop at the paper wall! Imagine if they were to just stand there staring at it, not believing that it could be breached. Instead, they somehow have it in their minds, \"We can't get through this.\" Oh, how foolish that would look! We would be crying from the stands, \"Go forward! Go forward! It is only paper!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn a similar way, our opening Scripture in Hebrews tells us of a great crowd of witnesses who surround us. I can just hear these saints calling out to us-not only the ones from before Christ, but those who have come after. They have all gone through the flood and through the fire; they have known the triumph of God. Now they see the full picture of who God is and what He is able to do. I don't know if they can actually see planet Earth, but if they could, they would be up in the stands, shouting, \"Run! Don't give up. You have a great call of God on your life! Don't give in to the lies of the enemy or the threats of darkness. Don't be silent in a time when God has given you the power of speaking His words. Don't cower under the darkness of this world which is soon to pass away.\" These witnesses know that before we even begin, the victory is ours. Whatever the devil sets before us is only paper, and it cannot stop us! The only thing that can stop us is unbelief. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThink about the children of Israel who came out of bondage in Egypt. They personally witnessed the miracles that God did to release them from the hand of Pharaoh. They experienced the parting of the Red Sea and they were sovereignly led by God's cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. Yet they suddenly stopped at the very border of the Promised Land-hindered by what was only a paper wall! Filled with fear and unbelief, they concluded, \"We are not able to go in! There are giants in the land who are so much stronger than us; we are grasshoppers in our own sight and in theirs, as well!\" (see Numbers 13:33).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIf you and I could shout to them down through history, we would say, \"Go, it's yours for the taking! The defenses have departed from the enemy. Yes, they may oppose you, but they will not overcome you!\" <\/p>\r\n

Yet the children of Israel ultimately succumbed to the lie of the enemy and refused to go in. They forfeited the race and instead lived in the wilderness for the rest of their lives. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhen you do not go into the plan of God for your life, you will live in the wilderness all of your days. Heaven may be your home at the end of your journey, but you will not know the miraculous power of God. You will never know the satisfaction of walking with Him through places that only He could carry you. You will go from church to church; you will blame the preachers and the people. But the reality is that you simply would not go through your own paper wall. You refused to walk in the place of the miraculous that God had set before you.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n WHAT HAS THE DEVIL WRITTEN ON YOUR PAPER WALL?<\/span>
\r\nAnd so the question that God put on my heart for you today is: What has the devil written on your paper wall?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n\"You are not strong enough. You are not smart enough. You are a loser. You have always been a loser, and you will never be anything other than what your father or your mother was.\" On some people's walls, the enemy just draws bricks and makes it look impenetrable. Nevertheless, it is still only paper.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou and I must lay hold of the fact that there is nothing the devil can put before us that can stop us from being what God has called us to be. The only thing he can do is write these things on our wall and try to get us to agree with him. All the while, there is a shout coming from the upper tiers of heaven's stadium-from those who have faced the same taunts of the enemy throughout history but have found them to be false and powerless. They are telling you and me, \"Go through that paper wall. Go through whatever you have to go through. Don't stop at this place of unbelief. No matter what the devil writes on your wall, he is a liar!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nI say that we have been in the locker room long enough. It is time for all of us to put on the armor of God, head down that corridor, and breach that paper wall. The devil may write whatever he wants, but he is not keeping us out of this end-time game. Not only are we going in, but we are going to fight, and we are going in to win! We are going in, believing every word God has spoken to us and empowered to do everything He has trained us to do.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhatever the devil is insisting is stronger than the power of the Holy Spirit within you; whatever he has written on your paper wall that has kept you from wholeheartedly entering this battle for the souls of men-I encourage you to run right through it today! Don't let these things hinder you any longer. Don't let all your training end up being in vain. Make the choice to believe God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nEven if your own heart condemns you, remember the Bible tells us that God is greater than our hearts. He is going to give us the strength we need to be a part of this end-time battle for the souls of men. You and I are going in, knowing even before we start the battle that our victory is certain. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWe are more than conquerors through Christ, and we will see Him glorified once again in our generation!<\/p>"},"87":{"sm_title":"The Year That King Uzziah Died","sm_id":"228","sm_desc":"January 4, 2015 - How does God respond to a nation that thinks they can live ungodly lives without consequences? God responds with a final act of mercy. He will draw those who desire to know Him and give us a revelation of His power, majesty and glory. We will have a soberness in the hour we are living and the hope that is set before us in Christ.","sm_jpg":"25200_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/01\/04s1\/20150104s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/01\/04s1\/20150104s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"jmch8e-pCZo","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/25721_sermon-newsletter-201505-the-year-that-king-uzziah-died.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!' And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:1-4, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhat an incredible encounter Isaiah had with the Lord! And notice that it took place in the year that King Uzziah died. In order to understand the significance of the timing, it is important to know a little bit about Uzziah's life.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe book of Second Chronicles tells us that Uzziah was sixteen years old when he took the throne, and he went on to reign in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. Under his leadership, the nation rose to incredible heights of political, financial and military power, for \"as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 26:5). The people flourished, giftings were bestowed, and their ability to invent and produce new weapons of war made Judah the marvel of the nations.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou and I can lay claim to something similar in America. We are a young nation compared to most on the face of the earth today, yet it is indisputable that people who came to this country from all over the world were made strong by the hand of God. We were marvelously helped, wonderfully gifted, and became the envy of the world in many respects.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nHowever, there is an important lesson that we must learn from Uzziah. His death was an ominous warning to the nation that greatness without godliness opens the gateway to a sorrowful and tragic finish. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION<\/span>
\r\nWhat exactly happened to Uzziah? The Scriptures explain it rather clearly: \"He was marvelously helped till he became strong. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 26:15-16, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAlthough it was an act clearly forbidden in the law, Uzziah decided to go into the temple to offer incense. This act was a type of a society and its leadership becoming its own judge of what is right and what is wrong. He had known success for so long that his heart was lifted up in pride; he had reached a place where he assumed he could do nothing wrong in God's sight. Of course, the Bible warns us that pride always goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (see Proverbs 16:18).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nEighty priests of the Lord went in after Uzziah, warning him, \"It is not for you to burn incense to the Lord!\" (see 2 Chronicles 26:17-19). In other words, \"What you are doing is not right. God has not prescribed it to be done this way. You are taking something that is wrong and calling it right; taking something evil and trying to call it good.\" Yet, as these men who represented the truth of God withstood this king of pride, he became furious with them. What a stark difference from those early years when he had sought the Lord in humility! <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSimilarly, you and I are living in a time when a fury is mounting against those who speak for God. We are somewhere between persecution and prosecution in the house of God in this nation. Those who stand for truth, as Isaiah said, have become a prey of the ungodly-something to be vilified and cast down (see Isaiah 59:15). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWith the censer still in his hand and anger rising in his heart, the Scriptures tell us that Uzziah's forehead broke out in leprosy. It was a visible sign of the spiritually diseased condition of his mind-an outward expression of what had long ago started to ferment inside of him. He found himself shamed for the rest of his days, and he died in a leper colony. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThis goes to show that the disease of the soul first manifests in the minds of the people and then in their subsequent behaviors. For example, where did we ever get the idea in this nation that we were as God-that we could declare what is good and what is evil? Why did we assume we could transgress the Word of God, which was once our own foundation, and not pay a price for it? We suppressed the truth we once knew and, as a result, we have subjected ourselves to living in an illusion and opened ourselves to a diseased mind. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt is just as the Apostle Paul warned in the book of Romans: \"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them...Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened...And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting\"<\/span> (Romans 1:18-21, 28). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOnce the envy of the nations, America is now becoming the mockery of the nations. We are becoming increasingly weak and confused; we are paralyzed socially, politically, and morally. It is obvious that the hand of God is not upon us in the way it once was. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n GOD'S RESPONSE<\/span>
\r\nSo how does God respond when a nation finds itself in such a perilous condition? First of all, remember that it was \"in the year that King Uzziah died\" that Isaiah saw the Lord. In other words, it was the year when all hope seemed to be gone. It was the year when military might was failing, the economy was in tatters, and enemies were laughing. It was the year when greatness and glory seemed to be something relegated to history, leaving people afraid for their future. It was the year that God responded with a final act of mercy to that generation, and He did so by drawing someone into His presence. That is what He always has done, and that is what He always will do. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!' And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:1-4). Isaiah was drawn into God's presence where he was given a revelation of the majesty, power, holiness and glory of the One whose purposes were being fulfilled in the earth. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nUpon having this encounter with God, Isaiah immediately became aware of his own uncleanness as well as that of the people around him. \"So I said: 'Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts'\" <\/span>(Isaiah 6:5). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThink about it-Isaiah was a religious man living in a religious nation; he even had some responsibility in the temple. Yet, until that moment, he had never fully seen the holiness of God. Suddenly, in the presence of the Lord, he understood that all of our human righteousness is as filthy rags. He understood that there is nothing we can do of our own accord-no sacrifice we make, no good thing we produce-that will ever give us the right to stand in the presence of a holy God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nKeep in mind that the nation had been faltering because of pride under Uzziah's leadership. At this point, the only thing that could counterbalance it would be a people who were not filled with pride but rather humility, so the timing of Isaiah's encounter was strategic. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOnce Isaiah was humbled in the presence of the Lord, the Scriptures describe an amazing transaction that took place: \"One of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged'\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:6-7, NKJV). In other words, beyond recognizing his own uncleanness and that of the people, Isaiah now saw the willingness of God to forgive those who would turn back to Him! Isaiah did not have to plead or beg for it. Mercy came and touched him, and he became aware that it was the delight of God to forgive and cleanse. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSimilarly, in our day those who have been humbled because they have been in the presence of the Lord begin to recognize His incredible mercy. They understand that it is in God's heart to forgive every man, woman, and child in America. He doesn't want to judge! It is His desire to gather a people to Himself once again. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n A DIFFICULT MINISTRY<\/span>
\r\n\r\nAfter being touched by mercy, Isaiah began to hear the thoughts of God's own heart as He was conversing with Himself-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. \"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?'\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:8). In other words, who will go and be an ambassador of mercy to this undeserving people?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.' And He said, 'Go, and tell this people: \"Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.\" Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed.' Then I said, 'Lord, how long?' And He answered, 'Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, the land is utterly desolate, the Lord has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. But yet a tenth will be in it, and will return and be for consuming, as a terebinth tree or as an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump'\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:8-13, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIsaiah was eager to be sent as an ambassador of mercy, yet God was warning him that this ministry was not going to be easy. Nevertheless, it would make an eternal difference in one out of ten people that he would speak to. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nBy drawing a parallel to a tree that is cut down but still has life remaining in its stump-eventually causing a new tree to sprout forth-God was essentially telling Isaiah, \"This society has reached a point where the majority are against My ways. Despite the fact that you have stood in My presence, they are so bent on being their own god that most will not repent. Nevertheless, for your effort, one in ten will hear what you have to say. Even though the nation goes into trial and cities are laid waste, there will be one in ten who will have My life planted within them. No matter what happens around them, they will live. They will stand and endure; they will be like a tree planted by the rivers of living water.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOne in ten! Of course, that one in ten will still have to go through the same sorrow and trials as everyone else. However, a seed of God's life will be found within them, enabling them to live when all around them seems lost.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n WHO WILL GO?<\/span>
\r\nAnd so this is my question for you now: Is the one in ten worth it? Is it worth suffering the rejection, the scorn, the vilification, the sneers, the lies of the nine-everything that we will have to endure in this generation if we desire to stand for God? Now bear in mind that if God gives us one in ten, it means that more than 30 million people in the United States will turn back to Him! Some who are already walking with God will be strengthened, others who are backslidden will come home, and many who do not know God will find Him.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOh, can you hear the voice of God calling out once again, \"Who will go? Who will be willing to stand, facing the fear of rejection and the pride of wanting to be loved by everyone? Who will go and tell the people of this generation about My desire to forgive in spite of their folly? Who will tell them that if they will just come and stand in My presence, I will touch them and plant within them new life and new hope?\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nPerhaps you have thought lately, \"I cannot even bring myself to speak the name Jesus in my workplace. I am such a coward!\" Or maybe all you can see are your struggles and failures, and you wonder how you could ever be a mouthpiece for the Lord. Yet the beauty of the story of Isaiah is that at the point when he says, \"Here I am, send me!\" he is still undone. He is weak, and he knows it. He knows that he has no right to boast of himself, for he has seen what he is without God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn the same way, when God is about to use your life in a deeper way, you will become very aware of your own failures and frailties. However, it is in that place of brokenness and humility-that place where you are completely undone and keenly aware that you do not have the right to even speak the name of Jesus-that you truly recognize God's mercy in your life. In His mercy, He has forgiven you, cleansed you, covered you and called you. And if He is willing to do that for you, He is willing to do the same for others around you. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nTherefore, this is not a time to be silent. This godlessness of our generation is not going to go away on its own. Light must counter it and you and I are the light of this world. We are the hope of this generation. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nRemember, it is in God's heart to use those of us who feel like we are undone. People who have been humbled in the sight of God tend to have a natural compassion for people in our society who are indulging in all sorts of behavior. They will not speak with arrogance, simply presenting another argument. No! They will stand humbly before people, speaking with kindness. Just as they have been touched with the tenderness of God, tenderness will emerge from their lips. These are the ones whom God will use as His ambassadors in this hour, for they will be sent with one message to declare: \"God is good, and His mercy endures forever!\"<\/p>"},"88":{"sm_title":"Speak to The Foxes","sm_id":"226","sm_desc":"January 25, 2015 - How much does it matter to you to have a clean testimony? In God's love He wants to deal with the little things in our heart which have the capacity to weaken our testimony. If you will deal with these little things, Jesus will open up a pathway to the supernatural life. ","sm_jpg":"25390_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/01\/25s1\/20150125s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2015\/01\/25s1\/20150125s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"gdrQfUBuqD0","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/25610_sermon-newsletter-201504-speak-to-the-foxes.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Most agree that the Song of Solomon is, in measure, a representation of Christ and His Bride. In this book we find an important verse that I would like us to consider today. It is a request to the Bridegroom coming from those who know Him: \"Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, while our vineyards are in blossom\"<\/span> (Song of Solomon 2:15, NASB). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhen you consider the size of a vineyard, a fox seems fairly insignificant. Nevertheless, a little fox has the potential to eat up the grapes and diminish the beauty of a vineyard that is in bloom. In the same way, you and I may find ourselves in a fruitful season-a time when the things we have prayed and believed for are finally coming to pass. Yet we must take heed, for there are often little things in our lives that, if left untended, can greatly diminish our testimony. We see an example of this in the book of Matthew.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"When <\/span>[Jesus and His disciples] had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, 'Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?' He said, 'Yes'\" <\/span>(Matthew 17:24-25, NKJV). Up until this point, almost everything had gone well in Peter's walk with Jesus. The disciples were being sent out two by two, the power of God was upon them, and miracles were abounding. It was a fruitful season, indeed! However, Jesus knew that there were small things in Peter's life that needed to be dealt with, lest his future fruitfulness be diminished. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nFirst of all, when Peter was approached by the collectors of the temple tax, he lied! Neither he nor Jesus had actually paid the temple tax, which the Scriptures go on to reveal. I am sure Peter thought he had good reason to lie. After all, this was about taxes, and you wouldn't believe the number of taxes that existed in Roman times! In addition to an income tax, there was a marriage tax, a penalty tax, a death tax. People were even taxed if they wanted to use the roads to take their produce to the market. And on top of all this, there was a tax in the temple. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nI can imagine Peter thinking to himself, \"I pay enough taxes! I am not going to pay to go into the house of God. Forget this!\" So when he was approached by those who asked if his Teacher paid the temple tax, Peter quickly responded, \"Yeah, sure He does!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nPeter then proceeded to enter the temple where \"Jesus anticipated him, saying, 'What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?' Peter said to Him, 'From strangers.' Jesus said to him, 'Then the sons are free'\"<\/span> (Matthew 17:25-26, NKJV). Here we see Jesus explaining to Peter that they were actually exempt from paying this tax. \"We are covered. Only strangers pay taxes, and we are not strangers to the house of God-we are sons of the One who owns the temple! Therefore there is no penalty for us.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThis is a type of you and me realizing that our sins are covered. David the psalmist once said, \"If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?\"<\/span> (Psalm 130:3). In other words, if there were a mark against us every time we did something wrong, thought something wrong, or looked at something wrong, none of us would have any hope! Yet, because we came to Christ, we have been forgiven. All our failings and shortcomings were fully covered by the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE LITTLE THINGS MATTER<\/span>
\r\nDespite the fact that they were covered, Peter's lie about paying the tax was like a little fox on a vine. You see, when we as Christians do things that are wrong according to the Word of God-even the most seemingly insignificant things-our testimony becomes tainted in the eyes of those who are watching us. I can imagine the people in the temple saying, \"That guy hangs out with Jesus, and he just lied.\" Therefore, you and I must be mindful of the little things that reside in our hearts. Sure, we can point to all the spiritual exercises that we are involved in and all the warfare conferences we have attended, but if there is a small compromise somewhere along the way, it taints the whole thing.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nA little unrighteous anger, a little cheating, a little theft! \"It's not much-just a few pens and post-it notes and envelopes from the workplace. What's the big deal? They don't pay me enough anyway.\" Just a little gossip! \"I don't tell everything about everyone, I just tell some little things about a few.\" Just a little peek in forbidden places! \"It's only for a moment. I mean, God knows my heart. He knows I am not really like that.\" A little sip of alcohol! \"Just enough to calm my nerves. After all, Jesus changed the water into wine, didn't He?\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nHowever, do not forget that even just a little bit of alcohol can alter your mind and your speech. Having been a police officer for years, I have seen the broken furniture, the beat-up bodies, the abused kids. I have personally witnessed the ill effects of alcohol. Furthermore, be on guard, for whatever you do a little of now, you will do a lot of when depression or discouragement comes. You will instinctively reach for what has been offering you comfort all along. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n LEST WE OFFEND<\/span>
\r\n\"Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and for you\"<\/span> (Matthew 17:27, NKJV). Although Jesus had just explained that they were actually exempt from the temple tax, He tells Peter, \"lest we offend them.\" In other words, lest our testimony be diminished in their eyes; lest they should be able to point to us on the street and say, \"Thieves! They don't pay the temple tax!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe Apostle Paul said it this way: \"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify\"<\/span> (1 Corinthians 10:23, NKJV). Yes, there are things that may be permissible in our Christian walk, but we must still consider the potential impact on those around us. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nLet me give you an example of this. The man who led me to the Lord began by coming to my door week after week, sharing the Gospel and telling me about how he used to be a drunk, a womanizer, and a gambler. Although I outwardly resisted his words, I could not deny that this man stood before me as a life completely transformed by the grace of God. It was something I had to reckon with. I even offered him a beer one time in order to test him. You see, if he had taken it, or if I had gone to his house and seen him with a glass of alcohol at his table, I might not be a Christian today. I would have assumed that he was a man just like me who had simply added religion to his life. Sure, he could have argued, \"But it's just a little thing!\" However, in my opinion, things were black or white. If he were truly a new creation, as he explained Christians were, old things should have passed away. There was no middle ground as far as I was concerned.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAnd so to this day, I recognize the significance of Jesus' words when He said, \"Lest we offend them.\" God forbid that anybody should ever see something in my life that would cause them to conclude that Christ is not real. Even though it may seem to be only a little thing, it matters. Now please don't misunderstand me-I am not suggesting that if you have a glass of alcohol, you are going to go to hell. Remember that Jesus told Peter, \"We are covered.\" For us, it is not about heaven and hell anymore. We are still covered, still loved, still going to stand before God's throne and know how deeply we are loved. The issue now is about being a testimony of Christ and recognizing those things that can cause our testimony to be diminished. Therefore, you and I have to consider: Is it really worth it? How concerned are we that Christ be glorified through our lives? How much do we care that what we speak is truth, what we see is truth, and how we live is truth? How much does it matter that we be a lighthouse to this generation?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n SUPERNATURAL PROVISION<\/span>
\r\nNow that we understand why Jesus wanted to make sure that they paid the temple tax, the next question is, Why didn't Jesus simply reach into His pocket and give Peter the coin? Why did He give him the elaborate instructions of going down to the sea, casting in a hook, and finding money in the mouth of the first fish that he pulled up? After all, if Jesus didn't have the money in His pocket, He surely could have manufactured it there as much as He could in the mouth of a fish! What was the point of all that?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nHere is what Jesus was teaching Peter, which is the same lesson He is trying to teach us today: \"If you will deal with the little things now, I will open to you the way of supernatural faith and provision. I will open to you something that will bring honor to the name of God.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nImagine Peter going down to the seashore and explaining to people that God had instructed him to catch a fish because it had money in its mouth to pay the temple tax. The other fishermen would conclude, \"This guy has lost it! He has been hanging around with this Teacher too much!\" Yet when Peter returned an hour later with the coin in his hand, he would be able to testify, \"It was just as the Lord told me! I caught a fish, opened its mouth, and there was money in it-enough for me and Jesus to pay the tax.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThis is a picture of how when you and I make the choice to do right, we will find the supernatural provision that we need-provision to be honest, provision of joy, provision of comfort that we might have been trying to obtain elsewhere. And it all starts when we simply allow Jesus to go into the corners of the temple (that temple being you and me) and say to us, \"I want to talk to you about something.\" When Jesus was talking to Peter in the temple, Peter easily could have walked away and said, \"Okay, I'm free, so I am not going to pay the temple tax.\" Yet, thank God he didn't, for Jesus was teaching him something about the supernatural. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAnd so I urge you to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart about the little plans, little dreams, little visions-all the little things that have the potential to take away your strength. Remember, the Lord does not do it to condemn you but rather to draw you into the supernatural. As you allow the Lord to deal with these little foxes, suddenly you will be given faith, vision for the future, and an ability to trust God. You will find yourself with spiritual authority over darkness, and power in your voice to cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. And when others look at you and see this supernatural provision in your life, they will be provoked to ask you where it came from.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nFor example, think about when the hundred and twenty disciples burst out of the Upper Room (see Acts 2). They had been willing to do things God's way-living in one accord with a singleness of heart and purpose. As a result, God's supernatural provision-that coin that Peter found in the mouth of the fish-was in them now, and they stood boldly in the marketplace, filled with the Holy Spirit. As a result, three thousand people who had a belly full of religion looked at them and essentially said, \"Our religion doesn't give us that! Where did you get that?\" It had been miraculously given to them of God-a supply only available to those who are willing to allow their lives to be a testimony for Christ.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n IT IS TIME TO SPEAK<\/span>
\r\nThe Lord foresaw that Peter would need great courage not only on that Day of Pentecost but for all of the other subsequent difficulties he would encounter. Historians tell us that Peter was eventually crucified upside down. And so we see why Jesus took the time to deal with the little foxes in Peter's life back when the issue of the temple tax came up. Similarly, you and I are facing an onslaught of evil, and we are going to need God's supply for the days ahead. Therefore, we must be determined to deal with the little things now-polish the windows, check the hinges. God wants to give us power, but these little things can make a huge difference in the long run.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOnce you are determined to set things in order in your life, don't be surprised if the enemy comes and tells you that you are not going to make it. Even Jesus had to face these lies, but He knew it was only a fox trying to destroy the fruit of the vineyard that God had given Him. The Scriptures tell us of a time when the Pharisees came to Jesus and said to Him, \"'Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.' Jesus said 'Go, tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected'\" <\/span>(Luke 13:31-32, NKJV). \"Perfected\" means that He will reach His goal. The devil will no doubt attempt to get you off course, saying, \"This pathway is too hard for you. Take an easier way. You don't have to do things God's way!\" Yet notice Jesus' response, \"No! I cast out demons and healing is flowing. And on the third day, I am going to attain my goal by the power of God!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou, too, have the power to speak to the foxes in your life today. \"I will entertain you in my life no longer! By the grace of God, I will be rid of you. I have been given power to confront evil and healing is flowing through my life. I am not bringing something to my workplace that calls itself Christianity but stinks as I pass by. No, I am bringing that sweet presence of God with me everywhere I go! I am going to finish my journey, and I am going to reach the full potential of what my life is called to be! No little fox is going to drive me from the plan of God for my life!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSpeak to the foxes and then simply trust the Lord for His grace and provision. As you do so, you will find that He will supply you with things you don't naturally possess-courage, power, and everything else you need to take you through the days ahead with victory and an undiminished testimony of Christ!<\/p>"},"89":{"sm_title":"Cry Out For The Children","sm_id":"224","sm_desc":"December 7, 2014 - It's a tragedy in every generation when we take the truth of God and begin to live for ourselves. The end result is that we lose the burden of God for the lost. The Kingdom of God is made up of mercy and miracles. God is calling His church to arise and cry out to Him for the children and the lost who are left wounded and dying in the streets. It's time to pray like never before.","sm_jpg":"25127_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/12\/07s1\/20141207s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20141207s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"0j94ZaDeHOE","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/25524_sermon-newsletter-20150-cry-out-for-the-children.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street\"<\/span> (Lamentations 2:19).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe prophet Jeremiah was no doubt writing these words with a broken heart. He had witnessed with his own eyes all the young people in the streets who had been deprived of true hope for the future. Jeremiah was aware that godlessness had infiltrated the very fabric of his society. The people of God had lost sight of their spiritual inheritance, choosing instead to live for themselves in the moment. They had allowed the glorious future once promised them to slip through their fingers! How heartbreaking it must have been for this prophet, for he understood the desire and the promises of God. Jeremiah knew the Lord's purpose for these people who were supposed to be His testimony in the earth at that time.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nRecently in my office late one evening, I glanced out my window that overlooks Times Square and could not help but wonder how closely our society resembles that which broke Jeremiah's heart. I saw hundreds of young people, the majority of whom have been spiritually starved in our schools. They have been raised to believe that there is no God, surrounded by a society that attempts to eradicate everything that has to do with the testimony of Christ.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSadly, this is all happening because the people of God took His Word and dealt very casually with it. We allowed sin to prosper in our midst, which consequently brought a weakness upon the Church. Ultimately, we turned inward and began living for ourselves. Coming to the house of God became all about how to get a better career; how to develop a nicer personality; how to advance in society-all the while neglecting the fact that another generation was coming after us. In other words, we began to lose the burden of the Lord.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAnd now we find ourselves at risk of becoming like Hezekiah. Hezekiah was a king who had once known the presence and power of God. Yet when he received a word from the Lord that a day was soon coming when all that he had, including his sons, would be taken from him and carried away to Babylon, he responded, \"Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?\" <\/span>(2 Kings 20:19). Hezekiah was essentially saying, \"As long as none of this happens in my time, it is good.\" Oh, God help us that such a sentiment never gets into our heart! How tragic it would be if all we are trying to do is ride out the coming storm, completely unconcerned about those who are going to come after us.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAs I looked out my office window that evening, I could see the hollowness in these young people-a vacancy, a desperate quest for something to satisfy the emptiness inside. They have been left to wander the streets, searching for scraps of reality and meaning to guide them into the future. Many are venting their anger through protests, attempting to grasp an elusive and just society that they will never find apart from Jesus Christ. The irony of it all is that if we had not denied our children the truth, they would be on their knees in the streets. They would know where the true power of God really is.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n WHEN SOMEONE RISES UP<\/span>
\r\n\r\nThe Bible tells us of another time when the people of God were being afflicted and their children were seemingly in the grip of the enemy. \"The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives...and he said, 'When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live'\"<\/span> (Exodus 1:15-16, NKJV). Eventually, Pharaoh went on to charge all his people: \"Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive\"<\/span> (Exodus 1:22). The Israelite children were being cast into the river-a physical picture of what is happening in our generation as young people are being cast into a river of confusion.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAll appeared hopeless, as if the enemy had completely taken hold of the next generation. However, the time finally came when one of God's people rose up. \"And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank\"<\/span> (Exodus 2:1-3, NKJV). This young woman defied everything that was coming against her and her house, and she cast her child upon the mercy of God. You see, once in a while throughout history, someone rises up and declares, \"No, devil, you are not getting my children! Not on my watch, for I know the living God!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAs this woman placed her child in a basket in the river, there was no way she could have known the fullness of the impact that her choice would make upon her nation. She did not understand that this child, Moses, would eventually deliver all his people out of bondage!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt is important for us to remember that when the day came for Moses to stand before Pharaoh's throne, he did not stand there in strength. Rather, he stood there in weakness in his old age. He was not carrying a sword nor was he clad in any armor; yet he had all that he needed-a staff in his hand and confidence in his God. As he faced the mightiest emperor of that time, Moses simply said, \"I make no deals with you. We are all going-our young are going, our old are going, our children are going, our goats are going! Everything that belongs to the children of God is coming with us, and not one will be left behind! Not on my watch!\" (See Exodus 10:9).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n MIRACLES AND MERCY<\/span>
\r\n\r\nLikewise, that same righteous indignation must arise in each of our hearts in this hour. As lawlessness abounds and our nation is being devoured by godlessness at an alarming rate, we simply do not have time for another superstar preacher to rise up. I thank God for those mighty men and women of God who have gone before us, but now it is time for the weak and the foolish, the nobodies and the nothings, to press in to the throne of God!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nMy heart sings with the thought that throughout scriptural history, when God wanted to do something profound, He often looked for the person who was the least able to make it happen. When He wanted to bring a prophet to the nation, He looked for a barren womb in a woman named Hannah. When He wanted to deliver His people from the hand of the Midianites, He appeared to Gideon-the least of his father's house, of the weakest clan in the tribe of Manasseh. When God wanted to give an incredible promise to a man named Abraham, telling him that he would have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and that the whole world would be blessed through him, He waited until Abraham had no possible way of doing it in his own strength.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIf only you and I could fully understand that we serve a God who is not looking for the most qualified or those who have it all together. He is looking for people with hearts of faith-those who still believe that they can come to the throne of God, not with their own strategies but with a heart that simply believes, \"God, I know You are good, and I know that Your mercy endures forever!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nRemember that after Solomon prayed at the completion of the temple, the Lord appeared to Him at night and said, \"I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually\" <\/span>(2 Chronicles 7:12-16, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhen I read this passage of Scripture, I see something of the character of God: His willingness to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. You see, the kingdom of God is defined by miracles and mercy. It is about dead people living; the powerless obtaining the power of God. It is about a new song that God puts in the heart of His people, and many see it and fear and begin to trust in the Lord. The kingdom of God is about men and women becoming all that God destined us to be-laying hold of things that are not within our natural grasp, understanding truths which our natural minds do not know, and living in freedom which any amount of natural effort cannot bring us into. The kingdom of God is about miracles and mercy!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe Lord is waiting for ordinary people like you and me to say, \"God, I have discovered something about Your heart. I know that You are a God who performs miracles, and I also know that You are merciful. Therefore, I am coming on behalf of the children of this generation. I am petitioning for those who have been robbed, those who have been left blind and wounded in our streets, those who are fainting and dying for hunger because we have denied them access to the living God. Yet You are merciful to us in our failure, and You will be merciful to this generation!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n IT'S TIME TO PRAY<\/span>
\r\n\r\nConsider once again the words of our opening Scripture: \"Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street\"<\/span> (Lamentations 2:19, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nJeremiah was appealing to whatever true spirituality remained among the people of God in his day, and the same word applies to you and me in this hour. It is time for us to cry out for our children! There is much more at stake here than you may realize-the future of this next generation depends on it. Remember that Mordecai said to Esther, \"Don't assume that you will be safe just because you stay home and try to protect yourself\" (see Esther 4:13).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWe have a prayer meeting at Times Square Church every Tuesday night, and I believe that it is more important to the future of our city, perhaps even to this country, than I can express to you. The prayer meeting is live-streamed, and people are participating from more than 140 nations. God has been answering prayers in profound ways. Praise reports are flooding in of people being healed, the addicted being set free, families being restored, children who have been alienated from their parents for years returning home. It is evident that the Kingdom of God is still about miracles and mercy-and so it is clearly time for you and me to pray!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou may find it encouraging to know that prayer has not always been the strongest part of my Christian life. Nevertheless, by God's grace I am going to pray, for it simply isn't right that the godless have had reign over our children. It isn't right that our schools, which are supposed to be places of intellectual discussion, have in many cases become places of indoctrination and mockery. I am not willing to sit idly by and let this generation die in its sin when we are still living in a season of mercy and miracles. By God's grace, I will not let them go without a fight, and neither should you! I believe we have the power to push back the darkness that is attempting to plunge our cities into chaos. I believe we have the power to position our children for a season of incredible mercy. In fact, the Lord has given us a magnificent promise in the Scriptures: \"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse\"<\/span> (Malachi 4:5-6, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nI have always been encouraged by these last verses of the Old Testament. Many who study this passage believe that it has a dual application-referring not only to the first coming of Christ but also to the period of time just prior to His Second Coming. During that time, God will raise up a cry. He will raise it up from grandmothers, mothers, fathers, pastors-ordinary people who simply have a heart for God. It is that cry that will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. God will turn back the hearts of those who are spiritual fathers and mothers, but first you and I must be people of prayer.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nRemember, we do not need to have a plan when we pray, for Jesus and the victory He won at Calvary is our plan; the power and mercy of God is our plan! When we pray, we are appealing to the faithfulness of God and the words He spoke through the apostle Paul: \"I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 1:12, NKJV). In other words, we can be assured that the Lord is able to keep everything that we put into His hands. Therefore, we can believe for our children, our siblings, our parents and grandchildren-we can believe that not one will be left behind, just as Moses declared to Pharaoh!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nI believe that we are on the edge of something incredible in this nation. However, it has the potential to be incredible in either one way or another-incredibly dark or incredibly glorious. Thus we find ourselves in a critical moment when we must make the choice to rise up and pray, asking God to forgive us for what we have done-for casually handling the great truth of His Word; for the lack of prayer in His house. It is time to ask Him for the grace to look away from ourselves and to believe for this next generation. May the Lord give us a baptism of faith that is deeper and more profound than we have ever known in our lifetime. As we cry out for the children and pour out our hearts like water before the Lord, may we once again witness God's miracles and mercy in our day!<\/p>"},"90":{"sm_title":"If Only David Had Called For His Chariot","sm_id":"222","sm_desc":"November 23, 2014 - Have you left your first love? The greatest enemy we will face is the enemy within. We cannot indulge in our own lust and experience the blessings of God. The devil will show you the pleasure of sin but he will blind you to the devastating consequences. Return to your first love and you will be brought into the victory of the Cross.","sm_jpg":"25101_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-02","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/11\/23s1\/20141123s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20141123s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"dmv5oAHuyr8","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/25400_sermon-newsletter-201502-if-only-david-had-called-for-his-chariot.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love'\"<\/span> (Revelation 2:1-4, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhile people who have been in the kingdom of God for only a short time have a tendency to draw back into sinful practices, those who have walked with God for a long time often have the potential to draw back into something much more insidious. That is what happened to the church at Ephesus. They were a church with a zeal for truth; they had done good works in the name of Jesus. Yet, despite their history of incredible victory, there was a dissipation happening in the hearts of the people-they were moving out of the place of loving Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. And so this church at Ephesus faced a moment that would potentially determine their future.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nUntil the warning came, they were unaware of their condition. Drifting from God does not start on Monday and culminate on Wednesday. It is often gradual and thus hardly discernible, occurring over a season of months or even years. Now in order for you and me to fully understand what was happening in the church at Ephesus, let's go back and consider the testimony of one of Israel's greatest kings-King David.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE INITIAL VICTORIES<\/span>
\r\n\r\nJust like the church at Ephesus, David loved God with all his heart in those first years. He took care of the little things he was given to do, and he did them unto the Lord with all his heart. When a lion came to take one of his father's sheep out of the flock, David caught it by its beard and delivered the lamb from its mouth (see 1 Samuel 17:34-35). He could have easily concluded, \"Well, it's only a lamb, let the lion take it,\" but that was not what was in his heart. He knew that God had entrusted something to him, and therefore he was willing to risk his life in order that all he was given to do would be fulfilled.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nDavid had a burning inward concern for the testimony and honor of God. When he walked into the Israelite camp and saw a giant called Goliath defying the name of God while His people simply stood there in fear, David said to King Saul, \"'Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.' Moreover David said, 'The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul said to David, 'Go, and the Lord be with you!'\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:36-37, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAll David initially had for weaponry was a donkey, cheese, bread, raisins and greetings for his brothers. But later he went down to a stream and gathered five smooth stones fashioned by the hand of God, and he ultimately won a marvelous victory for Israel. David was willing to press through all the unbelief around him in order to fight for the honor of God's name.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAfter the spectacular victory against Goliath, David had to learn yet another lesson of leadership-pressing through the envy of others. \"So the women sang as they danced, 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.' Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, 'They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?' So Saul eyed David from that day forward\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 18:7-9, NKJV). Envy, lies, rumors-these all come with the cup of leadership, which David discovered. We, too, will have to face things that will challenge the very core of who we are as followers of Jesus Christ. Yet, ultimately, we are called to represent the One who went to a cross and gave Himself for all mankind, saying, \"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they do\"<\/span> (Luke 23:34, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE GREATEST ENEMY<\/span>
\r\n\r\nAfter all these victories, David eventually came to the point where he encountered the greatest enemy he would ever have to fight-himself! More specifically, his own fallen nature. You and I also have this fallen nature within that we must battle. In spite of what the Lord tells us to do, there is something inside of us that attempts to craft another way. And so we take something that is deficient, though it may not necessarily be evil in its inception, and we call it good. Ultimately, we head in a direction that begins to deplete the passion for God from our hearts-our ability to believe God and press through unbelief; our desire to persevere despite the personal cost. That is what happened to David.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold\"<\/span> (2 Samuel 11:1-2, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt was a time for battle, yet David tarried. Historians tell us that he was somewhere between 53 and 59 years of age at this time. Perhaps by this point in his life David was simply tired-tired of praying, tired of seeking God, tired of putting his life on the line. Or maybe he was bored with victory; maybe success had been too much a part of his life. After all, he had reached the pinnacle. The Bible tells us that when David conquered Jerusalem, the fear of him went throughout all the nations of the earth. There wasn't a nation at that time that didn't know about this man that God was with. Up until this point, everything that God had promised was still his.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nNow, in this place of success, we find David lying down in the middle of the day. He gets up in the evening when he should have been going to bed, and he walks over to the edge of the rooftop of his palace. What was he looking at over the edge of his roof? Were there not lambs in the city waiting for deliverance? Were there not soldiers on the front lines who once again needed him to bring greetings and encouragement? Surely there were some in that city who were crying out for help. There must have been children without fathers; weak ones whom the devil was trying to devour.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhat happened to David that he could no longer see God had still entrusted lambs to his care? What happened to that young man who walked into the ranks of the armies of Israel, jealous for the honor of God?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n WHEN THE DEVIL PAINTS A PICTURE<\/span>
\r\n\r\nIt is important to realize that the devil loves to paint a picture for everyone-a beautiful, idyllic picture. \"Oh, if you can just get that villa in Nassau and spend your winters there, how peaceful life will be! You can swing in a hammock under the palm trees, listening to sermons online.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe devil paints these nice pictures in order to take us right out of the battle, and I am certain that he painted an enticing picture for David. \"Oh David, you have worked hard. David, you have fought a long battle. David, just enjoy yourself! Satisfy yourself! How wonderful it will be to spend just an evening or two with this woman that you see from your rooftop!\" With seeds planted, eventually the lust of David's heart begins to take over his thinking. He starts seeking after what will gratify him and therefore ends up taking something deficient and calling it good.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn that critical moment, David looked at the picture before him and made a wrong choice. Now you and I would be wise to learn from his mistake, remembering that the devil never paints the whole picture! In this case, he left out the four dead sons that would result from the wrong decision David made with Bathsheba; the cries of lament that would come: \"O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee\" <\/span>(2 Samuel 18:33). Out of that relationship also came a son called Solomon who took his father's lust and multiplied it by ten. He built heathen temples and died a disillusioned old man. Solomon had a son named Rehoboam who forsook the counsel of those who knew the presence of God and was responsible for splitting the kingdom of Israel into two, paving the way for its captivity.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOh no, the devil doesn't paint the whole picture! He leaves out the dead kids, the broken homes, the divided kingdom. He leaves out the anguish, the sorrow, the heartache-all of these things that came into David's life. Beware when you start to be led by the desires of your own heart and no longer by the Word of God. Beware when the thought comes, \"Take ease. You've worked hard enough. You've fought long enough!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n A PIVOTAL POINT<\/span>
\r\n\r\nThe devil was not the only one who had painted a picture for David. The Lord had once given David an incredible promise. \"And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever\" <\/span>(2 Samuel 7:16). In other words, \"David, walk with Me, and I will bless you and your house; your heritage and your future! There will never fail to be somebody from your house sitting on the throne of Israel.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYes, God promises to bless us, but His blessing is not unconditional. We cannot walk away from Him and still expect to see the blessings He promised us when we were walking with Him. There are always consequences to the choices that we make. And we all come to those pivotal points in life that have the potential to greatly impact the course of our future, just as David did.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nI cannot help but think-if only David had made a different choice at that pivotal moment. Instead of saying, \"Bring me that woman!\" if only he had said, \"Bring me my chariot! There are still lions devouring out there. There are still soldiers who need encouragement!\" Or perhaps even better than that, he should have said, \"Bring me my mule, and load it with cakes and raisins and cheese. I am going to go and see my brothers. I am going to go see Uriah. I am going to find out how they are doing in the battle, and I am going to encourage them. I may be too old to lift up a sword now, but I can still go there in the midst of them and encourage them!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n FINDING OUR WAY BACK<\/span>
\r\n\r\nSadly, David did make a wrong choice when he was up on that rooftop, never believing that he would become a murderer and a liar, leading people into defeat. Yet even then, David discovered that God was still merciful. David returned to His first love because ultimately, as the Scriptures describe, he was a man after God's own heart. Psalm 51 gives us a glimpse of his heart of repentance: \"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest...Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit\" <\/span>(Psalm 51:1-4, 10-12).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhat a reminder for us that even if somewhere along the way we have made a wrong choice, we can still take heart. The Lord continued in His address to the church at Ephesus: \"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works,\" <\/span>(Revelation 2:5). In other words, come back and do the first works-those little things God gave you to do that you considered precious, and therefore you did them with all your heart. You pressed through the scorn of others, the unbelief, the discouragement, and you began to learn that God takes the foolish to confound the wise, the weak to confound the strong.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nJesus went on to say, \"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God\"<\/span> (Revelation 2:7). The tree of life for you and me in the New Testament is the cross of Jesus Christ. The Lord is essentially saying to those who will heed His warning to repent and do the first works, \"I will give to you to partake of the full victory that was won at Calvary-the strength, the vision, the power, the joy-that which the world does not have and can never offer.\" You will not find these things in relationships or by relocating to some other place. You will not find it by joining some other ministry or finding some other new thing. You must learn to get the victory right where you are. That is what first love is all about, and with it are all the blessings that come only from the hand of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nRemember, you have been invited into something so much bigger than yourself. God is calling you to lay hold of this new kingdom that He has invited you into, so whatever He places in your hand to do, I encourage you to do it with all your heart. Press through the unbelief, even if people or your own heart may tell you that nothing is ever going to happen through your life. And then when the day comes that you find yourself on the rooftop, ask God to deliver you from the enemy within-from all of the thoughts that you have fought enough. Ask the Lord for the grace to look out and see all the children who still need deliverance, the people who still need encouragement, the battles that still need to be won for the honor and the glory of Jesus' name-and then call for your chariot!<\/p>"},"91":{"sm_title":"Bend, Bow or Burn","sm_id":"220","sm_desc":"November 2, 2014 - The world and all the powers of darkness continually rage against the testimony of Jesus Christ. If we are praying for an awakening be prepared to face opposition. As Christians, we are to take courage and refuse to bow down to the powers of darkness. Be fearless in the face of opposition, don't stop praying and prepare to take a journey that will bring glory to God.","sm_jpg":"25059_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2015-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/11\/02s1\/20141102s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20141102s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"DJ-yWZ8eFsY","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/25220_sermon-newsletter-201501-bend-bow-or-burn.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 'Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us'\" <\/span>(Psalm 2:1-3, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Why do the nations rage?\" the psalmist asked. There is something in the hearts of fallen men in every generation, an internal rage that declares, \"We will not live under the governorship of God. No, we will cast away these cords that have restrained us and instead do what we want to do. We will be our own god; we will decide what is good and what is evil. And we will even create our own utopia at the end of it all!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Throughout history, fallen humanity has tried to cast out of its consciousness the knowledge, testimony and presence of God, which typically leads them to resort to threats and intimidation. Consider the following account in the book of Acts: \"[The rulers and elders of Israel] conferred among themselves, saying 'What shall we do to [the disciples]? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.' So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, 'Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.' So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done\" <\/span>(Acts 4:15-21, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThese threats that the disciples received were nothing new. I like to call them \"pre-awakening threats of darkness.\" Whenever God is about to do something profound, His people will inevitably face opposition. The apostle Peter said it this way: \"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy\" <\/span>(1 Peter 4:12-13). Peter was saying to the people of that time, \"Do not think it is strange when we have to fight opposition as we purpose to reclaim godliness in our nation.\" In the same way, if you and I are praying for an awakening in our cities and in our country, we must be prepared for the fact that darkness simply will not retreat without a fight. In order to get an idea of the kind of opposition we can expect to encounter, let's take a look at other examples in the Bible, for there has been a noticeable pattern throughout history. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n OPPOSITION IN THE PAST<\/span>
\r\nThe book of Exodus tells us of the time when the Israelites were close to being delivered from the hand of the Egyptians. They were about to experience an awakening of sorts, which was preceded by opposition from the enemy. \"Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, 'Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.' Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities\"<\/span> (Exodus 1:8-11, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn other words, \"We will tell you what you can build, and you must build it according to our specifications. You can go to your house of worship, but you must worship our way. You will bend your knee to our will, and if you refuse, it is going to cost you!\" This is very similar to the opposition that you and I currently face and will see in greater measure in the coming days. The freedoms we have known are now in jeopardy; laws are soon going to change for the worse. It may be only the voice of the minority as of now, yet their threats still have the potential to prevent the Church of Jesus Christ from realizing the power that she actually has. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAnother example of these pre-awakening threats of darkness can be found in the book of Daniel. Most theologians believe that Daniel was strongly influential in the eventual issuing of a decree that allowed the people of God to return home to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. However, before that awakening came, Daniel and his Hebrew friends faced incredible threats during their captivity in Babylon. The Bible tells us that King Nebuchadnezzar had a huge statue of gold set up, and a herald cried out: \"To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace\"<\/span> (Daniel 3:4-6, NKJV). In other words, \"You are going to become one with us. You are going to embrace our new social direction, or you are going to burn. We have an image of humankind that we have set up, and now we are commanding everyone, everywhere to bow before it when they hear the music! If you don't, you are going to burn!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nHowever, Daniel's three friends-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego-refused to bow. Although they knew their fate would be the fiery furnace, they declared to King Nebuchadnezzar: \"We have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up\"<\/span> (Daniel 3:16-18, NKJV). As a result, the three of them were bound and cast into the furnace, yet God delivered them without a single hair on their head being singed. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Of course, darkness did not retreat. Later, under Darius, king of the Medo-Persians who eventually took over Babylon, a new decree was issued. \"All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions\"<\/span> (Daniel 6:7, NKJV). In other words, \"We will tell you when and where you can pray; we will tell you how and to whom you can pray. If you don't listen to us, you are going to be cast into a den of lions!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n REFUSING TO BOW<\/span>
\r\nUnmoved by the new decree, Daniel went home and knelt in prayer before the Lord, as was his habit. Are you and I willing to do the same today? After all, in order for spiritual freedom to remain and for the hearts of rulers to be turned back to truth, it will once again require a people who bend only to the will of God and not to the will of man. No matter what kind of statue the godless of this generation erect and try to get this society to bow down to, God's people must stand for truth!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt is only the arrogance of humanity that says, \"We can take wrong and make it right. We can redefine the family; we can redefine marriage. We can decide when life should be born and when it should die.\" In essence, they put up their golden statue of themselves, strike up the band, and say, \"Now it is commanded to all people of all nations: Bend your knee and worship the way we do!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Nevertheless, there comes a time in history when men and women of God must hold up the Bible again and say, \"No, sir, you cannot take evil and call it good. You cannot change the laws of God. Abortion is wrong. God ordained marriage to be between a man and a woman. It is wrong for politicians to lie. It is wrong to mock the name of Jesus.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThink about it for a moment: If God's people had simply bent under the weight of the threats in the past, how many divine, life-changing moments might have been lost? Peter and John could have gone home, sighing, \"Well, the authorities are threatening us and saying that we cannot preach or teach now in the name of the Jesus, so let's just have home fellowships instead. Let's all just lay low and keep to ourselves.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nNo! Just like Daniel and his friends, the disciples refused to bow or back away. The Scriptures tell us that \"they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: 'Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David has said: \"Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.\" For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus'\"<\/span> (Acts 4:23-30, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe threats of darkness sent the disciples straight to prayer, and they even quoted the words of our opening psalm. Then they began to ask God for more of His presence, boldness, power, and healing-in other words, more of what got them into trouble in the first place! <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Christ will always be glorified by people who choose to pray, no matter what threats of man may surround them. Therefore, despite what the vocal minority may be attempting to dictate to us today, you and I must remember that we still have the right and responsibility to pray, and we can do so anywhere we choose! For those of you who are in school or in the workplace, you can pray walking down the corridor. You can pray on the subway or in your car; you can pray at your desk; you can pray while shopping for groceries. You can talk to God whenever you want and when people ask you what you are doing, you can reply, \"I'm talking to God! Would you like to join me?\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nHistorically it has been through these types of people-those who refuse to be intimidated by evil and instead choose to pray-that freedom from oppression comes, laws change, and even the hearts of kings are softened. Yes, Daniel did end up getting cast into a lions' den for his refusal to bow to the commands of darkness. However, look at what King Darius wrote after God delivered Daniel from the lions, completely unharmed:<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in the earth...I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions\"<\/span> (Daniel 6:25-27, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nHe was now giving glory to God-all because one man refused to bow!\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n ASK FOR COURAGE<\/span>
\r\nAlthough the threats of darkness may intensify in the coming days, we must remember that Psalm 2 continues: \"He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure\"<\/span> (Psalm 2:4-5, NKJV). Though the nations rage and formulate their plans against God and those who are called by His name, they are merely \"plotting a vain thing\" at which the Lord laughs. His Word is the standard of righteousness and truth, and it cannot be transgressed without consequence. Derision and distress is what awaits those who turn from His ways. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nOn the other hand, those who are willing to wholeheartedly embrace God's truth are instructed to \"serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son <\/span>(that means to embrace the Son of God), lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him\"<\/span> (Psalm 2:11-12, NKJV). So how do we serve the Lord with fear rather than bowing in fear before the enemy? <\/p>\r\n

\r\n First of all, it is important to recognize that you and I do not have the courage within ourselves to remain fearless in the face of opposition. I am careful not to make any vain boasts, for Peter once did that, only to find out what was really inside of him. However, you and I can ask God for the courage we need, and, as the psalm says, \"blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAs you ask Him, God will give you the courage to refuse to bow to the commands of darkness-to swim upstream when everybody else is going in the other direction. Such people are the ones who will make a difference in the days ahead. They will not necessarily be the big names and big players in well-known ministries; rather, they will be ordinary people like you and me. Some will make a difference on a national scale, and others will make a difference on a community scale. But in the sight of God, one is the same as the other. We all have an opportunity to make a difference in this generation. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nNever forget that when you make the choice to stand in the midst of the fire; to be firm when everything around you is telling you to bend; to do right when society has embraced the concept of doing wrong-even if it means that you have to stand alone in your family, your community, your workplace-God promises to be with you. He promises to walk with you through the flood and through the fire; to close the mouths of lions. God promises to bring you into His presence in such a way that you will know without a doubt that you are being sustained by the hand of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nSo let's believe God together for a great awakening in this generation. Let's believe that He is going to fill us afresh with His Holy Spirit so that we will not bow to any threats of evil. And as the Lord enables us to stand and speak His Word with boldness, we will find that our testimony will not be of ourselves but of God and His mighty power within us! <\/p>"},"92":{"sm_title":"A New Commandment","sm_id":"217","sm_desc":"October 5, 2014 - Are we willing to love one another as Christ loves us? This kind of love looks away from our own needs and sees the needs of others. When we choose to love this way the Holy Spirit will take us beyond our strength into the strength of Jesus.","sm_jpg":"24984_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/10\/05s1\/20141005s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20141005s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"wKZpWIA5oMc","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/25123_sermon-newsletter-201412-a-new-commandment.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another\"<\/span> (John 13:33-35). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n In this passage of Scripture, Jesus was addressing His disciples not long before He went to the cross. It was an incredible scene: the One who was the embodiment of God's extravagant love for all mankind was commanding His disciples to follow Him into the depth of this love for others-particularly toward those who belong to the household of faith. Of course, this was not a commandment solely for those present with Him at the time; the Lord is issuing this same command to you and me today. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nNote that the kind of love Jesus is referring to does not simply mean having affection or an affinity for one another. No, the Lord is calling His Church to be an expression of a love so deep and so far beyond our natural human ability that it will stand as an undeniable testimony of the reality of God. Here is how the Bible defines love: \"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails\"<\/span> (1 Corinthians 13:4-8, NKJV). It is something that simply cannot be produced in a people apart from the Spirit of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nNevertheless, upon receiving this new commandment, the apostle Peter assumed he had the inherent ability to do what Jesus was calling them to do. He asked Jesus, \"'Lord where are You going?' Jesus answered him, 'Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward'\"<\/span> (John 13:36, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn other words, Jesus was saying, \"Peter, you do not have the strength now to go where I am going. You cannot be loyal; you cannot love the way that I love.\" Keep in mind that when Jesus issued this new commandment, He was at a tableful of people who were going to fail Him. Yet the love in His heart was compelling Him to go to a cross and lay down His life for fallen humanity. He was willing to endure the failings of even those who pledged their love and loyalty to Him. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nStill convinced of his own faithfulness, Peter asked Jesus, \"'Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.' Jesus answered him, 'Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say unto you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times'\"<\/span> (John 13:37-38, NKJV). Jesus was essentially saying to him, \"Oh really? Do you think you are that strong? Will you really lay your life down for Me? I tell you that before morning comes, you will deny three times that you have even known Me. You simply do not have the inward strength to lay down your life for another. But don't worry, you will later.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n We, too, must recognize this weakness in ourselves. I cannot love people the way Jesus commands me to, and neither can you. Only God has this kind of benevolent love that we need. It is only when the Holy Spirit comes upon us-when the victory of Christ becomes our victory and God's heart becomes our heart-that we can fulfill this new commandment.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n A BENEVOLENT LOVE<\/span>
\r\nAfter having denied Jesus three times-just as the Lord had said-Peter must have finally realized the impossibility of obeying this commandment in his own strength. It was not until the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the 120 disciples in the Upper Room that Peter finally stepped into the place where he had been unable to follow. Suddenly he burst forth into the marketplace and began speaking boldly to a blood-thirsty crowd. He was now enabled by the Spirit of God to be given for others-even those who were resisting their own salvation. It was truly an amazing moment.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n The Bible tells us that \"they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need\"<\/span> (Acts 2:41-45).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe believers held all things in common! There was such a fervency, such a baptism of the love of God, that people even began to sell lands and houses and lay the money at the apostles' feet for distribution to those in need among the body of believers. Wherever God pours out His Spirit, a benevolence comes into the hearts of the people. It is a generous and compassionate love that causes them to look away from their own needs and instead see the needs of others-which is what this new commandment entails. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nI remember that when I first left my secular job in order to enter ministry fulltime, I put a certain amount of money into the bank from my retirement plan. I figured that if the whole ministry thing did not work out, at least I had a slush fund to fall back on. One day, a friend of mine who was also in ministry came into my office and said, \"Pastor, I don't know what I'm going to do. The engine in my car just blew up, and I don't have any money. I don't even know how I am going to get to church.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nI knew that his need was legitimate, and I also knew that I had enough money in the bank to buy him a car. Yet suddenly I got very, very spiritual and said, \"Well, let's pray. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, so He is well able to provide. Even David said, 'I have been young and now I'm old, and I have never seen the righteous forsaken or His seed begging bread'\" (see Psalm 37:25).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAs he sat there across the desk, I bowed my head and we began to pray-yet it was as if my mouth was full of peanut butter! I could hardly pray, for all the while this little voice behind me was saying, \"You hypocrite! If a man sees his brother in need and he shuts his bowels of compassion, how can he say the love of God dwells in him?\" I kept trying to push it out of my mind as I was praying, \"Oh, God, be kind! Provide a car! Just, just-\" until finally I ran out of gas and said, \"I have the money in the bank if you need it.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nI ended up buying him a new car. Shortly after that, the engine in my car blew up. At that point I said, \"Well, Lord, I have obeyed You. That's all I can say.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nSometime later, we were renovating a church that we had purchased in the country. I was up on a scaffold, helping to paint the ceiling, when suddenly somebody came in and said, \"You have a phone call. It's an emergency!\" When I got on the phone, the man on the line introduced himself as a salesman at a local car dealership. Then he said, \"A gentleman came in this morning and bought you a brand-new car. All you have to do is come in and sign for it!\" I asked him the identity of the gentleman, but he told me that he had chosen to remain anonymous. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Now please understand that I am not telling you that if you buy a car for a friend, you are going to get a new one in return. My point is simply that as we do things God's way, refusing to hold back when we see a genuine need before us, God will be our supply and meet our needs. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nIt is important that you and I embrace this truth now, for in the not-too-distant future, there will be a great number of people in need around us. As you know, the coming days will be incredibly dark and difficult. In fact, I believe that we are going to go through some of the darkest moments in the history of mankind. Everything as we know it is going to change drastically. Fear will be in our streets. Many people will be violent and cruel for the sake of securing their own provision, just as we have witnessed many times throughout history. Yet despite all that will be happening in the society around us, you and I will be invited by the Spirit of God to live in a manner similar to the early church. There is no chance that we can represent Christ on the Earth if we simply become hoarders like everybody else who lives outside of the kingdom of God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n THIS WILL BE THE EVIDENCE<\/span>
\r\nTherefore, let me ask you a question today on God's behalf: Are you willing to love others the way Jesus commanded us to?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWill you be willing to open your home to others if necessary-to give of what you have to meet the needs of others in the body of Christ? Will you be willing to be a vessel through whom God will give a drink to somebody who is thirsty? Food to somebody who is hungry? Clothing to somebody who is naked? Shelter to somebody without a home? <\/p>\r\n

\r\nNow please don't misunderstand me-I am not suggesting that you go out today and call a real estate agent, sell your house or your apartment, go to the bank to take out your savings and just throw it all to the wind. What I am saying is that God, foreseeing the days ahead of us, knows what we need to hear and consider, for this is what will earmark the true Church of Jesus Christ. Such was the case in the book of Acts: \"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\"<\/span> (Acts 2:46-47, NKJV). When it says, \"having favor with the people,\"<\/span> I believe it was exactly what Jesus told His disciples in our opening Scripture: \"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another\"<\/span> (John 13:35). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Over the past few decades, many have gone to great lengths to try to prove God's presence among them. However, it is obedience to this new commandment that is the evidence! Tongues can be imitated, gifts of the Holy Spirit can be faked, prophecy can be of the flesh. All of these things can be fraudulent, but an ongoing, benevolent, self-sacrificing love for one another cannot be faked-at least not for very long. That is why if people in the world see the body of Christ living in genuine fellowship-a stark contrast to the self-centeredness and the divisions of this generation-they will have no choice but to acknowledge that this could only be done by the Spirit of God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT<\/span>
\r\nKnowing that this will be the evidence of God with us, I am certain that it is the desire of every believer to love the way Christ does-to live what the Scripture says, to go the distance that Jesus was willing to go for lost humanity. And so we set out to obey His commandment to love others as He loves us... until we, like Peter, meet the limitations of our own ability to actually do so. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAfter all, opening your heart to other people always involves a risk. Many have loved deeply, only to be betrayed. They trusted, they gave generously, they opened their heart, and ultimately they got stabbed in the back. Yes, sometimes these things happen. People may run away and deny they ever knew us; others who once leaned close and said they loved us will end up taking off in our moment of need. But will we let it stop us from being given for them?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Jesus once said to His disciples, \"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me\"<\/span> (Matthew 16:24). There is no way you can take up your cross and escape the betrayal. There will come a point when people will spit in your face, but as a follower of Christ, you must continue to love them. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nWhen Jesus said, \"Love one another as I have loved you,\" it was not a suggestion but rather a commandment. However, we must also understand that He was actually adding another commandment to a series of commandments that nobody had been able to keep. The law and the commands of God were meant to highlight the hopelessness and futility of our trying to become godly in our own strength. Therefore, I think you will agree with me that the great need of this hour is another outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We need the love, compassion, and benevolence that marked the early Church, and it must be birthed and sustained in us by God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIt all starts with the willingness to say, \"God, pour out Your Spirit, and help me to love like You do. I thank You for the blessings in my life, yet I am aware that they have been given to me for a reason-so don't let me be blind to that purpose. Don't let me simply take everything and use it for my own benefit. Oh, God, open my eyes and my heart; give me the courage to care. Take me where I cannot go in my own strength. Enable me to follow You to the place where You went-where You were poured out for others!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nPastor David Wilkerson once told me that although the coming days are going to be very dark, there will be a sweetness of fellowship in the house of God such as we have never known. So let's open our hearts and allow the Lord to baptize us in this divine love, breaking all the bonds of selfishness. As we do so, it can become one of the most wondrous things that we will ever experience as believers in Jesus Christ. It will no longer be some program telling us to love people. Rather, it will be the divine love of God shed abroad in our hearts. Suddenly we will look out and realize that we really do care. We will see somebody in need, and we will be unwilling to bypass them without reaching out to meet their need and let them know that God loves them. We will have a love and compassion for one another that will be inexplicable apart from the presence of God amongst us. And as the Lord said, this love for one another will be a declaration to the whole world that Jesus Christ is Lord. Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"93":{"sm_title":"The Call of the Shipmaster","sm_id":"215","sm_desc":"September 14, 2014 -The shipmaster was a man who understood that his calling was to cry out on God's behalf to a people who were facing a coming judgment because of their sins. As Christians we carry in our heart the message of eternity. Don't run from the call of God, get into the prayer closet and pray like never before.","sm_jpg":"24934_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/09\/14s1\/20140914s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20140914s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"0vpjC9cwzIk","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/25081_sermon-newsletter-201411-the-call-of-the-shipmaster.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.' But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, and had lain down, and was fast asleep. So the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, 'What prayest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish'\"<\/span> (Jonah 1:1-6, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn this story we see a pattern that tends to repeat itself time and again among God's people. Jonah was a man who knew that he was called to cry out on God's behalf and warn the people of coming judgment because of their sinful behavior. In the same way, you and I are called to be a testimony of the goodness of God, as well as a voice warning of the day of divine justice soon to come. Imagine the hell that so many people will experience when they finally stand in the presence of such a pure love, only to realize that what they forsook on earth they now have to forsake for all eternity. How tragic that their last memory before being cast into eternal darkness will be the blazing, intense passion that Jesus had for them. You and I must warn people about this day!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nJonah had this incredible calling of God on his life, and he was given all the resources he needed in order to accomplish it. Did you know that you, too, already have the power to do whatever God has called you to do? However, we all eventually come to a place where we must make a decision: Do I agree with what God is saying, or do I push away what He is speaking to my heart and gravitate instead toward what I think my life should be?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nJonah chose the latter. Although he had a firsthand knowledge of how merciful God was, rather than doing what he was called to do, he took a journey far away from the heart of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nLuke 15 tells the story of the prodigal son-a boy who took a journey similar to Jonah's. This son demanded his inheritance from his father and went far from home, choosing to lavish it entirely on himself. It was all about his journey, his blessing, his slice of the pie, his pleasure. The Scripture calls it \"riotous living,\" which essentially means that he was living solely for himself. It is a picture of what we have done in America in the last few decades-where all our theology has largely been focused on self.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nJonah may not have visibly gone astray from God the way the prodigal son did, but he did take a journey where he chose to ignore the cries of perishing people around him. Although he had within himself the power to make a difference, he simply chose not to. That is the sad reality of our time, for many people in the house of God have made a similar choice. We know what our lives are supposed to be here on earth-a testimony of the glory of God, a light set upon a hill that cannot be hidden. We are supposed to endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, understanding that all who live godly lives shall suffer persecution. It will not be an easy journey. However, we must remember that we are not fighting for ourselves, for we are already going to heaven. We are now fighting for others.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhat a tragedy it would be to stand at the throne of God one day and look over on the other side at the faces of people I knew-people whom I could have influenced-looking at me with a longing in their eyes. \"You knew this! Why did you choose not to tell me? Why did you let your light remain hidden under a bushel? Even if I persecuted you, why didn't you at least confront me with this message of eternal life that God gives through Jesus Christ?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe Bible tells us that Jonah arose to flee from the presence of the Lord. He found a ship going in the opposite direction, paid the fare, and got on. There is always a price to pay when we take a journey away from God-when we as His people choose to focus on ourselves and move away from His burden for the lost. Look at the price we are paying in America today. Society is now redefining marriage; the family is breaking down; immorality is abounding; and we are standing on the edge of a social and moral abyss. God help us if we do not rise to the occasion now and pray. We know that when we begin to pray, God begins to speak. When God begins to speak, we begin to move. And when we begin to move, the supernatural begins to happen again. It is not by human reasoning or human power but by the Spirit of God that His kingdom comes and advances in the earth. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n WHEN GOD SENDS A STORM<\/span>
\r\n\r\nSo how will the Lord get hold of His people one more time? The Scriptures show us ways that He has done so in the past, and we would do well to learn from them. In the example of the prodigal son, God got this boy's attention by sending a famine into the nation.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would [gladly] have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father...\"<\/span> (Luke 15:14-18). The famine made this son yearn for his father's house once again. It caused him to recognize that the captivity he had embraced and assumed would result in happiness actually was empty. One day he finally got up and headed home, only to find that his father still loved him with a passion.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn Jonah's case, the Lord sent a great storm, which is another common way that He gets hold of His people. The book of Hebrews speaks of one last storm that is going to come to this world, perhaps in the not-too-distant future. \"...Now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain\"<\/span> (Hebrews 12:26-27). In fact, a shaking has already started in this world. Problems are arising that are beyond mankind's capability of solving, and many are beginning to be filled with fear.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n ARISE, SLEEPER!<\/span>
\r\n\r\nAs the storm intensified, fear also came upon everybody on that journey with Jonah, and they \"cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, \r\nto lighten it of them\" <\/span>(Jonah 1:5). Eventually they began throwing out things that they had carried with them, just as we are doing now as a nation. We are throwing overboard the very things that have been with us for hundreds of years-godly principles and values that have been tried and proven-all in the name of a new society.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAll the while, where was Jonah? Down in the lowest part of the ship, fast asleep! This speaks to me of our time. We are in the midst of an incredible storm, but many of God's people are fast asleep, simply riding out the storm. It's me and You, Jesus! It's so good to know You and so good to go to church on Sunday. It's so good to get back to business as usual from Monday to Saturday and all the things that I'm called to do.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSuddenly the shipmaster came to Jonah and said, \"What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not\"<\/span> (Jonah 1:6). Jonah was being rebuked by a man who didn't even know the God that he knew! You and I must realize that we are living at a time when the shipmaster is calling once again. Society is walking past our churches, peering in the doors, wondering, \"Is there hope here? Can I find direction here? Will the fear of my heart be assuaged here? If I prayed in this place, would my children come home?\" A recent magazine article talking about the calamities currently facing the world was published with the headline: \"Who will save us?\" People in our society are beginning to realize that we are in a storm of unprecedented proportions, and a cry for help is rising.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nJonah finally confessed to the men on the ship, \"I know the solution to your problem. I have avoided the call of God, but if you will cast me into the midst of the storm, it will cease\" (see Jonah 1:12). This is a type of New Testament believer who finally says, \"God, if I will give my life for the sake of others who are going through this crisis, if I am willing to be cast into the middle of it, all that I ask is that You cause my life to be used for the betterment of others.\" So the sailors cast Jonah into the sea. Immediately the storm ceased, and everybody began to worship God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n CRY OUT TO GOD<\/span>
\r\n\r\nJonah then began to pray in the midst of his trial, which happened to be from within the belly of a fish. \"I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me\"<\/span> (Jonah 2:2-3). In other words, \"I felt like I had fallen out of favor with God, and a myriad of arguments were coming against my mind.\" Likewise, when you start talking about returning to prayer and the work of God, arguments from the enemy and perhaps even from the frailty of your own heart will come against you to try to discourage you: \"Your time has passed. God did call you once before, but you walked away and chose to lavish this great salvation on yourself. Now it is too late.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYet Jonah continued to cry out to the Lord. \"Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head...Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple\" <\/span>(Jonah 2:4-7). Jonah was saying, \"Despite all that was coming against my mind, You lifted me. You gave me the power to pray and the ability to fulfill Your calling on my life.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord\"<\/span> (Jonah 2:8-9). In other words, \"I once declared that I would serve You, but I strayed far away from You. Now I remember Your salvation and Your mercy. In spite of what I have done, I know that You are still merciful, and I know You will take me-not in my strength, but in my weakness!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhat a reminder that the Lord calls us to the throne of grace, not when we have it all together, but when we find ourselves in a time of need (see Hebrews 4:16). He is not calling us in this hour because we are strong. No, He is calling us because He knows that we need Him, and He desires for us to finish the work He has commissioned us to do in this generation. I thank God that we have reached a point in this nation where we must go to the house of God and begin to cry out to Jesus once again.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe Bible tells us that when Jonah began to pray, the Lord spoke to the fish and it vomited him onto dry land. Jonah found himself back at the place that he thought he had lost forever-the ministry once given to him that he had fled from. It is the same as when the prodigal son got up and went home-at once he was in the embrace of his loving father! Immediately the robe of righteousness was put upon him, along with a ring of authority and shoes for the journey that he was being invited to go on, a journey where he would speak about this incredible mercy of his father's house.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nGod is good and His mercy endures forever! That will be your testimony as well as your message for others. So no matter where you are today, no matter how deep your captivity or how helpless and hopeless you feel, call out to God. When we call out to the Lord, our lives and testimonies are restored, and as a result many others will find the mercy of God in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou and I must not be silent or run from God's calling any longer. We must determine in our hearts that our mouths are going to speak and our hands are going to reach out. We must fight for the souls of men and women in this generation-even those who may hate the truth of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nLet us once again become a people of prayer in the Body of Jesus Christ. Pray for an awakening in your city. Pray that every church will come alive by the Spirit of God. Pray for our nation, pray for our government, pray for our president. Pray as you have never prayed before! And let's believe God together that there will be a mighty harvest in this last hour of time in which we are living!<\/p>"},"94":{"sm_title":"The Future is Already Written","sm_id":"46","sm_desc":"June 15, 2015 - Beware of being in places you should not be in and listening to voices that are contrary to God. A true representative of God will stand and speak the truth irrespective of the cost. A false representative will tell you exactly what your heart wants to hear even if the direction you are going in is leading you to spiritual death. ","sm_jpg":"24617_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-10","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/06\/15s1\/20140615s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20140615s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"6aueyKB1IHg","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/25017_sermon-newsletter-201410-the-future-is-already-written.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

As you look around at all that is occurring in the world today, perhaps you are beginning to wonder: What does the future hold? Where is this world heading? What is my part in it all?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n When we take time to study the Scriptures carefully, it becomes obvious that certain behaviors of humanity never fail to elicit a standard, established response from God. So in that sense, the future is already written. For example, we see in the Bible that many signs precede the judgment of God on a nation-one of which is the rise of smooth-talking prophets. These are prophets who say to the people, \"All is well! Go ahead and pursue the course that you have set before you; God is with you.\" They speak only sweet, positive things while the nation is heading into judgment. The devil puts these prophets there to lull God's people to sleep-to cause them to abandon the prayer meeting; to rob them of the sense of urgency and an eternal perspective. Even the apostle Paul warned us that a time will come when people \"will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 4:3).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe Bible tells us that God specifically instructed the prophet Isaiah to write down the following words so that future generations might be instructed by them. Speaking of Israel, the Lord said: \"This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us\"<\/span> (Isaiah 30:9-11).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nGod's own people had reached a point where they could no longer be spoken to. They were essentially saying, \"Don't stand in our way; don't tell us that the journey we are undertaking is not a good one and that we must turn and go another way. We do not want to hear it. Tell us instead that God is with us and that we are going to prosper!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a [fragment] to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit\" <\/span>(Isaiah 30:12-14). God was saying to Israel, \"The collapse of what you are building and trusting in is going to be so sudden, so complete, that there will be nothing left to offer you any comfort.\"<\/p>\r\n

\"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift\"<\/span> (Isaiah 30:15-16). Nevertheless, Israel persisted in her rebellion. \"We don't need your plan, God. We have our own plan. We don't need Your ways because we have found a way that is better.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHow tragic it is when people who once knew the voice of God begin to fall into a form of spiritual stupor! This is what happened to Israel. They had the word of God; they had the history of His faithfulness; they had the presence of God. Yet I believe they eventually became bored with His presence, leading them to craft another god-a god that allowed them to pursue the directions and impulses of their own hearts. They began transgressing the boundaries that God had clearly established, calling that which was evil, good, and that which was good, evil. All the while, they mistakenly believed they would escape the consequences that had come upon people who had done similar things in times prior.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n FOUR HUNDRED SMOOTH-TALKING PROPHETS<\/span>
\r\nLet's take a moment to look at a story where we see these smooth-talking prophets in action. The kingdom of God at that particular time was divided into the north and the south. Ahab, the king of Israel, had witnessed the presence and power of God in the past; he had even had conversations with the prophet Elijah. But somehow Ahab could never bring himself to yield to the Lord. Instead, he surrounded himself with four hundred prophets whose sole ministry was to tell him that everything was well.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n There was another man named Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. Unlike Ahab, he could still hear the voice of the Lord. However, Jehoshaphat was in a place where he should not have been. The Scriptures tell us that Jehoshaphat \"joined affinity with Ahab...And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 18:1, 3). This serves as a grave reminder to those who can still hear the voice of God today: Beware of being in places where you should not be and listening to voices you should not be listening to. They will only take away your strength.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThese two kings agreed to go to battle together and attack Ramoth-gilead, and four hundred prophets were there to encourage their plans. Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, even made horns of iron and stood before Ahab, saying, \"With these you will push the Syrians back until they are destroyed\" (see 2 Chronicles 18:10). I can picture all of these prophets in a frenzy, all predicting victory. It must have been an exciting place to be.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHowever, in the midst of it all, Jehoshaphat turned to Ahab and asked, \"Is there anybody else left? Is there any other voice in your kingdom?\" Why, after four hundred witnesses all saying the same thing, would he ask for one more? It was because Jehoshaphat was a righteous man, and there was something in his heart that troubled him. This troubling was signaling to him that he was not listening to the voice of God. As a king, he also would have been familiar with people telling him whatever he wanted to hear in order to gain or retain favor. In other words, Jehoshaphat could discern that these prophets were not speaking for anyone's advantage but their own; he knew schmoozers when he heard them! They didn't care if Ahab died in battle as long as they could keep their position and influence.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThat is the difference between a true and a false representative of God. A true representative will stand and speak for God no matter what the cost. On the other hand, false representatives will tell you exactly what your heart wants to hear, affirming your direction even if it is leading to spiritual death. They do not really care about you, as long as your check is going in the bucket. You can be going to bars and clubs on Friday night, and they will persist in telling you on Sunday how wonderful you are and what a prosperous destiny you have before you. Oh, yes, the assemblies of the false can be exciting. The singers can sing, the prophets can prophesy, and you might even end up clapping and shouting with the crowd. But when you walk out into the parking lot, if you are a righteous person, you will be left with a strange, inward feeling that you have not really heard from God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Ahab replied to Jehoshaphat, \"Ah, yes, there is one more in my kingdom, but I hate him! He never speaks good, only evil\" (see 2 Chronicles 18:7). Here we see what the human heart is capable of-it can take the Word of God and begin to call it evil. This prophet Micaiah was the one man who refused to simply stand and agree with all of the rest, validating Ahab's impression of what his life should be. In reality, Ahab was hours away from death, and Micaiah was the one voice that could still save his life!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n ONE MORE VOICE<\/span>
\r\nBy the time Micaiah comes into the court, he is aware that Ahab is so bent on his own will that nothing will stop him. He gives this word to the king: \"Go, prosper, it will all be well\" (see 2 Chronicles 18:14). Micaiah says the same thing as the four hundred others! But Ahab looks at him and says, \"How many times do I have to tell you to speak nothing but truth to me in the name of the Lord?\" (see verse 15). Isn't that amazing? What mixture was in this man!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nMicaiah then proceeded to speak the truth to Ahab: \"I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 18:16). The voice of God was warning Ahab that he was on a path leading to destruction-not only for him but for those under his influence as well.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nNevertheless, Ahab refused to listen to the prophet's words. Instead, what did Micaiah get for standing for truth? \"Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 18:26). This is what often happens when it comes time for people to pay the price for their stubbornness-they lock away the voice of God and feed it the bread and water of affliction.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Sadly, I believe this is soon to come to America. This country will turn against the voices of those who are standing and pleading with this nation not to continue in its immorality-to stop murdering children for convenience and marrying people that God says should not be married. We will soon all be fed the bread of water and affliction, and I don't anticipate it will be too long in the future.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n A PLACE OF MIXTURE<\/span>
\r\n\"And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they surrounded him to fight...\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 18:31). What Jehoshaphat did not realize until the day of battle was that his life of mixture had set him up to be surrounded by his enemies.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nPerhaps you, too, have begun to realize lately, \"Oh, God, I am not anything near what I should be for You! I am supposed to be victorious. I should be leading my family and others around me into victory, yet I find myself surrounded by enemies!\" Maybe you have been trying to get God to agree with your own plans, gravitating toward voices that were giving credibility to what was actually taking away your strength.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n If there is any area of mixture in your life today-things you have embraced, practices or people you are involved with that you know you should not be-I implore you to get up and get out of those places. Get to a place where you can open the Bible and say, \"God, speak to me plainly. Speak to me about the purpose You have for my life, not my idea of what my life should be. Give me power to get out of this place of mixture, out of every place that has weakened me. Give me the power to leave things that need to be left and to lay hold \r\nof things that I need to lay hold of.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nYou and I should not be spending all of our time simply fighting our own inner struggles when we are called to fight something much bigger. We are called to lead people into freedom and victory, to bring them out of prisons and places of despair. We are called to reach the hopeless and the homeless, the addicted and the destitute, bringing them into this glorious kingdom of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n CRY OUT TO THE LORD<\/span>
\r\nAlthough Jehoshaphat suddenly found himself surrounded by enemies, we can still take heart, for the Scriptures tell us, \"...Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 18:31).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThere must have been a cry in Jehoshaphat's heart: \"Oh, God, I have been living in a place of mixture. I have been listening to voices I should not have been listening to, hanging around people who were taking away my spiritual strength. Oh, God, one more time, would You allow me to live? Would You fight against my enemies, get me out of this place of weakness, and take me into a place of victory? Give me a voice again to be able to lead your people in Judah into righteousness!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nGod caused Jehoshaphat's enemies to depart from him. You see, when God speaks, everything in creation must obey-everything that has surrounded us, everything that has been tormenting our minds, every lying voice that has been trying to affirm a wrong direction, everything that has gained access to us because of mixture. God can cause all of these enemies to depart when we cry out to Him!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n I foresee very difficult days ahead of us. But in the midst of that difficulty, I see multitudes-\"Jehoshaphats\" from all over this country who have been sitting in the wrong place-finally getting up and saying, \"I am going back to that place of strength and victory that was won for me on Calvary. I am going to bend my knee to the Lord, even if it means dropping my own plans and ambitions. I am going back to find the will of the One who died for me.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nCome what may, remember that we as the people of God are not destined for defeat. We are not destined to die with Ahab and those who refuse to heed the voice of God. We are not destined to be overthrown like the smooth-talking prophets who do not know the heart of God. We are destined to live in victory. We are destined to be more than conquerors through Christ who loves us. And so it is time to lay down our plans and cry out to God again for our homes, our families, this generation, the future of our cities. It will not be a popular time to stand for God, but there will be a glorious touch of the Holy Spirit on those who have the sense to call out to God now. He will give us supernatural strength. He will cause our enemies to depart from us, and we will see that all things still remain possible to those who believe!<\/p>"},"95":{"sm_title":"The Inner Groanings Of Jesus","sm_id":"211","sm_desc":"June 29, 2014 - Can you believe that Jesus can do something in your life outside of the realm of impossibilities? Don't stand in the doorway of unbelief with the promises of God buried in the grave. There is a groaning in the heart of God for you to simply come into agreement with His plan for your life.","sm_jpg":"24704_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/06\/29s1\/20140629s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20140629s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"I8NVh90MmvA","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24947_sermon-newsletter-201409-the-inner-groanings-of-jesus.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept\" <\/span>(John 11:32-35).<\/p>\n

\n\nThis is one of the few scenes in the Bible where we see the groaning of Jesus. It must have been a very evident groaning-the physical manifestation of an inner troubling in the heart of the Son of God. Lazarus had been dead for four days, and Jesus longed to do something that those about Him could not bring themselves to agree with. Keep in mind that these were people who knew and loved Jesus, among them Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. Jesus had visited their home, sat at their table, and spoken clearly to them about the things of His kingdom. Yet when it came time to believe that He could do something outside the realm of human possibility, they just could not bring themselves to agree with Him.<\/p>\n

\n\nWitnessing their weeping and unbelief, Jesus groaned in the Spirit. And when they brought Him to where Lazarus was, He began to weep. I believe Jesus was weeping not only because of all the unbelief surrounding Him but because He saw every situation where this scene would play itself out in the future-every person, every family, every instance where His people simply would not believe that He is able to bring life out of death.<\/p>\n

\n\nBefore Jesus' encounter with Mary, Martha had gone out to meet Him, saying, \"Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now, whatever You ask of God, He will give it to You\" (see John 11:21-22). What a phenomenal statement of faith! It would be like you and me saying, \"With God all things are possible\" and genuinely attesting to believe the truth of that.<\/p>\n

\n\nJesus responds to Martha's statement, saying, \"Thy brother shall rise again\"<\/span> (John 11:23).<\/p>\n

\n\nHowever, notice what happens: Martha immediately puts it off into the future. \"I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day\" <\/span>(John 11:24). She simply cannot believe for the present. She is a type of a believer who says, \"I believe Jesus is coming again one day. I believe that the trumpet is going to sound, the dead in Christ are going to rise, and we who are alive and remain will be gathered together with them to be with the Lord forever. I believe, as Isaiah said, that all tears are going to be wiped away from every eye. There will be no more sorrow, no more sighing. I believe! But it is not here today; it is coming in the future.\"<\/p>\n

\n\nAfter Martha relegates Jesus' statement to the future, He says to her, \"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die\"<\/span> (11:25-26).<\/p>\n

\n\nJesus was talking about two things: Those who have come to a place of hopelessness will be brought to life again, and those who continue to believe and walk with Christ will not suffer any kind of spiritual death but will live with God for all eternity. In other words, they will partake of a supernatural life that begins now and never ends.<\/p>\n

\n\nJesus ends with the question: \"Do you believe this?\"<\/p>\n

\n\nMartha responds, \"Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world\"<\/span> (11:27). She basically quotes Scripture back at Jesus, although it was not directly related to what He is speaking about. She just cannot bring herself to agree with what He is saying to her.<\/p>\n

\n\nThis is the dilemma of the ages! God speaks, and we agree...but only to a certain point. The moment He starts speaking about things that we have put in the grave- things that we long ago buried and gave up on-we have a tendency to do what Mary and Martha did. We weep at His feet, or we quote Scripture that has nothing to do with what He is trying to tell us. It is as if we are attempting to somehow convince God as well as ourselves that our faith is intact.<\/p>\n

\n THE SHUNAMMITE WOMAN<\/span>
\n\nThe book of Second Kings tells the story of a woman who had a similar response when an incredible promise was spoken to her. This woman lived in Shunem, and she and her husband made a room in their house for the prophet Elisha to stay in whenever he was in the vicinity. One day Elisha said to his servant, \"Go ask the Shunammite woman what we can do for her. Can we speak to the king on her behalf?\"<\/p>\n

\n\nHer response to their offer was, \"...I dwell among mine own people\"<\/span> (2 Kings 4:13). She was basically saying, \"It is what it is. I have made the best of a bad situation; I have found comfort where I could.\" But deep down in her heart she carried the knowledge that she was childless, and she was likely already past the age of childbearing.<\/p>\n

\n\nSo Elisha called her to come to him, and he told her, \"About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son\"<\/span> (2 Kings 4:16).<\/p>\n

\n\nAs the Shunammite woman stood there in the doorway, she could not get herself to say, \"Praise God, this is true. I believe it!\" Although she knew this man was a prophet of God, all she could say was, \"Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid\"<\/span> (2 Kings 4:16). In other words, \"Don't tell me things that cannot be; don't get my hopes up again. I have buried that hope already and have found solace among my people. I have found comfort in my job; comfort in the little family that I have; even comfort in having you in my house. So don't lie to me! Don't start telling me that things which are impossible have now become possible. Don't put a false hope in my heart!\" That was all she could utter.<\/p>\n

\n\nLike Martha and the Shunammite woman, we welcome Jesus into our home and into our heart. We love having Him at our table, opening His Word to us. We don't have a problem with any of that, until He begins to speak to us about those things that we have put away as forever out of our reach. Perhaps even as you read this, certain things are beginning to come to mind- things that you have buried. You have given up on them; they are dead and gone. Like Lazarus, they have been in the grave so long that they stink.<\/p>\n

\n\nAll the while, we have no problem quoting Scriptures at the Son of God. However, we do not truly believe that He can bring back to life what we have considered dead. We do not actually believe that all things are possible to Him-that Christ is a very present help in our time of trouble; that He can bring life into our barrenness. Even though we read in the Scriptures time and again how He chooses the weak, the nobodies and the nothings, we simply cannot bring ourselves to believe it.<\/p>\n

\n HE IS STILL GROANING<\/span>
\n\nThe apostle Paul says, \"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God\"<\/span> (Romans 8:26-27). In other words, there are certain things that we should be praying for, but we dare not. However, the Holy Spirit intercedes within us with groanings that cannot be uttered. It is not that God cannot utter them, we just have a hard time speaking them.<\/p>\n

\n\nWhen Jesus said, \"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live\"<\/span> (John 11:25), He was talking about raising somebody from the dead-in other words, giving life where life cannot be found by any kind of human effort. The Lord is longing to raise us from all the sin and death that once held us captive, for our lives were meant to be a compelling testimony, evidence of the reality of God. But if we cannot bring ourselves to agree with the groanings of the Spirit within us-the groaning of God that we would believe and embrace His plan to give us a supernatural life-then we will do exactly as Martha did. We will fill our lives with the clang and clutter of religious busyness, talking until the temple of our body becomes a noisy commercial place filled with the natural and devoid of the supernatural.<\/p>\n

\n\nI am not saying that serving in the church is wrong, for obviously it is a good thing. However, it cannot take the place of the living Word of God. I can imagine Martha banging around in the kitchen, probably with the text of the Old Testament open before her so that she can memorize Scriptures at the same time, yet she doesn't even believe them! All she can do is come out and accuse Mary of being lazy for sitting at the feet of Jesus (see Luke 10:38-40). What a powerless, passionless, pitiful existence results when all we do is accumulate knowledge with no power!<\/p>\n

\n\nPaul described this as the dilemma of those who profess to know God in the last days-ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; having a form of godliness but denying its power (see 2 Timothy 3:5). They are unable to say, \"Lord, this is impossible. Nevertheless, if You said it, it is going to happen.\"<\/p>\n

\n\nTherefore, you and I would be wise to stop and consider: If God begins to speak, will I believe Him? Do I really think that God can do what He said He can do in my life? Do I believe that God can take my bankruptcy and my barrenness and do something that will bring glory to His Name?<\/p>\n

\n\nWhen I was a young Christian, I remember looking out the window from a hotel lobby one evening and seeing an airplane flying overhead. I didn't like to travel; in fact, I had a fear of flying back in those days. But the Lord spoke to my heart at that moment: \"You are going to spend much of your life flying to various places throughout the world, telling other people what I have done for you.\"<\/p>\n

\n\nAt that point I could have quoted Scripture and said, as I watched the airplane passing by, \"Yeah, I believe that You are the Son of God, and one day You are going to come back and rule and reign forever.\" Or I could have said, as I did that day, \"Lord, I believe You. But You are going to have to make it happen, because I sure know that I can't do this!\"<\/p>\n

\n\nI believe in my heart there are great evangelists among those of you reading this, but you just don't know it yet. The whispers of God are coming into your heart, but you are pushing them away with Scripture and religious busyness because you really don't believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Oh, if only Martha had said, \"I believe You,\" she would have been the one who shouted, \"Roll the stone away! Jesus is about to speak and bring my brother back to life!\"<\/p>\n

\n LET JESUS CLEANSE THE TEMPLE<\/span>
\n\nSo how do we get to the place where we truly believe the things that God is speaking to us? Sometimes it starts by inviting the Lord to come and do what He did when He went into the temple at Jerusalem. \"Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves\"<\/span> (Matthew 21:12).<\/p>\n

\n\nInvite Jesus to cleanse your temple! Say, \"Lord, overturn all the clang and clutter-all the activities that are taking me out of the prayer closet, all the pretenses of holiness that are not grounded in truth, everything that is stealing my faith and blinding me to the reality of who You are. Make a scourge of cords again, and overturn this thing!\"<\/p>\n

\n\n\"And [He] said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them\"<\/span> (Matthew 21:13-14). In other words, we have allowed our own busyness and fears to rob us. When we don't pray, when we don't believe that God is speaking to our heart, we end up robbing ourselves of what God longs to do. In fact, we rob not only ourselves but everyone who would have come to know Him because of us.<\/p>\n

\n\nPerhaps the voice of God has been coming to you with a promise, but you keep pushing it away with church attendance, Bible study, and ministry. However, there is really no power in the Christian life until we come to the point where we say, \"God Almighty, if You speak to me, I will believe You. I am not going to bury Your voice under activity. I am not going to call possibility impossible with You. I am going to trust You to guide my steps day after day to where You want me to go. Thank You for interceding for me, Holy Spirit. Bring me now in line with the will of God. Not my will but Yours be done!\"<\/p>\n

\n\nThe good news is that the Scripture says the moment the temple was cleansed, the blind and the lame came. Vision comes again when the clutter and everything else that you have substituted for the power of God is removed. Suddenly you will be able to see; suddenly where you have been lame, weak, weary, and tempted to give up, you will find renewed strength. You will begin to stand again-not in your power but in the power of God within you. There will be supernatural wonders and works in your life, and you will not go out on the street merely quoting Scriptures at somebody-you will be testifying of the incredible things God has personally done for you!<\/p>"},"96":{"sm_title":"The Secret War Of Every Saint","sm_id":"212","sm_desc":"June 1, 2014 - This message is for those who are in despair because of the battle that's raging in your mind. Take courage because the plan of God will not be short circuited by your past failures or present weaknesses. God's voice will silence every voice that rises against you. Today we are reminded that Jesus is a shield around us and the glory and lifter of our head. ","sm_jpg":"24599_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/06\/01s1\/20140601s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20140601s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"jZP0qcbVLvg","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24811_sermon-newsletter-201408-the-secret-war-of-every-saint.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Years ago, as Pastor David Wilkerson and I were walking down the street, we noticed two people sprawled out along the side of a building. One of them shouted at Brother Dave, \"We're going to get you! We're not finished yet!\" Although the man did not know who Brother Dave was, the demonic spirit in him recognized him as we passed by. I actually felt a little upset that no demonic spirit ever spoke to me like that. However, that changed when I was walking to church one day. A man who was obviously full of the devil started following me down the street, cursing all the way! It gladdened my heart that the devil finally knew who I was! <\/p>\r\n

\r\n If you are going to be a true follower of Christ in this hour, you will need to fight. You will contend with all kinds of voices around you-and you will fight in your mind. This is the secret war that every saint must engage in, with no exceptions to the rule. At times it may not be as intense as others, but it never ends. We see in the Scriptures that even King David experienced this battle of the mind. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah\"<\/span> (Psalm 3:1-8).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nDavid wrote this psalm during a season of struggling with a sense of past failure and present weakness. He had made a terrible mistake in his life-committing adultery with a woman named Bathsheba and then orchestrating her husband's death. Consequently, rebellion had arisen in his home, and he soon found himself fleeing from his own son. As David was leaving for Jerusalem, there was even a man up on the hillside casting stones at him and cursing his name (see 2 Samuel 11; 15:13-14; 16:5-8). How difficult it must have been at that time for David to fully embrace the fact that he was still on the victory side-that God was proud of him and that the lineage of Christ would still flow through him. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nWe all can look back on our lives and see things we wish we had done better. Our failures and weaknesses can often instill in us a sense that we are far from where we should be. I thought my character was going to change more rapidly than it did. I never thought I would respond the way I have been responding to people in my workplace. I started out with such promise, but I have made so many mistakes. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe apostle Paul said it this way as he described a specific season in his journey: \"For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 7:5). In other words, voices of mocking and cursing had been raised against Paul, producing fear within his heart. Suddenly he had to contend with a whole new level of voices-both from within and without-all attempting to take away his faith and courage. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n WHAT HAPPENED TO GOD'S PROMISES?<\/span>
\r\n\r\nWe see elsewhere in the Scriptures that another psalmist encountered a similar battle. Notice how he cried out regarding his own infirmity: \"Will the Lord cast off forever? And will he be favourable no more?\"<\/span> (Psalm 77:7). The psalmist mistakenly assumed that he had been cast off and the favor of God was no longer upon him. Yet, in reality, God's favor was just as strong as it had been when he was living on the mountaintop. This reminds us that we must be careful when we find ourselves in the valley-when we experience moments of such deep despair that our own hearts begin to overtake the voice of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Is his mercy clean gone forever? Doth his promise fail forevermore?\"<\/span> (Psalm 77:8). In other words, can I trust the promises of God? What happened to His promise that He would give me a new heart, a new mind and a new spirit; that the wounding of the past would no longer continue to burden me? What happened to His promise that my household would be saved if I trust and believe in the Lord Jesus? <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?\"<\/span> (Psalm 77:9). Is God busy? Did I do something wrong? Maybe God finally looked down on me and concluded, \"I have wasted so much time with this person. I am not going to waste any more effort trying to infuse life and gifts when they refuse to be used.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThis is the secret war of every saint! It is those moments when we grow weary of the journey-tired of seemingly always walking uphill, worn down by the voices from within and without constantly condemning our progress, feeling somehow forsaken by the Lord. Have you ever wished that you could just stay asleep because at least you have peace there? You dread having to wake up and face everything all over again. After all, it is not easy to live in a household where you are the only believer. It is hard to get up and go to school where your beliefs are mocked as narrow, bigoted, uninformed and uneducated. It is difficult to go to a job day after day where your integrity and work ethic are despised. It is hard to live in a society that calls the good that you embrace, evil, and the evil that you hate, good. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nEventually you begin to share the sentiments that David described in our opening psalm: \"Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God\"<\/span> (Psalm 3:2). In other words, nothing will make a difference at this point. The downward spiral is irreversible, so I might as well give up the fight. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThat is exactly what the devil wants-for you to give up! Stop believing for your home. Forget about that dream that God once planted in your heart. Give up on your marriage and simply walk out. Give up on the rebellious society around you. Simply shut yourself away. Be satisfied with being called a disciple of Jesus Christ; don't believe that your life can actually make a difference. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n A VOICE LIKE NO OTHER<\/span>
\r\nSo how are we supposed to make it through this constant battle of the mind-the barrage of lies that never seems to end? \r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nLet's take a moment to consider the story of Lazarus. After he was raised from the dead, he was sitting at the table with Jesus (see John 12:1-2). Not only did people come to see Jesus, they also came to see Lazarus, the one who had experienced this incredible miracle. The Pharisees even began plotting how to put this man to death, for because of him many believed in Jesus. \r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nI can just picture Lazarus sitting at the table as people came up to him, asking, \"How did it happen? How were you brought out of a hopeless place? How did you get this divine life infused within you?\" \r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHe might reply, \"I was so sick, so down; things were looking so bad. Jesus had visited me before, and I was certain He was going to come help me in my time of need. But as light began to fade in my soul, I started to hear voices talking about the hopelessness of the situation-how moment by moment things were only getting worse. And for some unknown reason, Jesus did not show up.\" \r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Does that sound familiar? Perhaps you started out believing that your children or your coworkers were going to come to God. Yet, even though you continue praying, Jesus does not seem to be doing anything, and the situation only grows worse as time goes by.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nLazarus would say, \"Finally I heard voices telling me that the end had come. I was left with only one last cry within my heart-a cry for mercy before I fell asleep-Jesus, don't forget me!\" That is exactly where many people find themselves right now. Before they fall asleep, their cry comes out almost as a whisper, \"Oh, God, please help me. I don't know how I am going to go on.\" \r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nOf course, the testimony of Lazarus didn't end there. As people gathered around the table, Lazarus would continue, \"When all seemed to be over, suddenly I heard a voice-a voice like no other. It had the ability to call me out of hopelessness, to give life where there was no life. It was a voice so powerful that it drowned out the voices of all the wailers, all the weepers, all the prognosticators, all who gathered around saying, 'Too bad. Not even God can do anything now.' This voice simply called my name; it was the glory and the lifter of my head. It called me to come out from where I was into another place that He had predestined for my life.\"\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nSomething came to life within Lazarus when God called to him. Suddenly Lazarus lifted his head and wanted to get up again. He had slept long enough! \r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nLazarus heard a voice saying, \"I will never leave you; I will never forsake you. A nursing mother may be able to forget her child, but I cannot forget you. I have engraved you on the palms of My hands. No weapon formed against you will prosper and every tongue that rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. I give you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and nothing shall by any means hurt you.\" \r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIt was just as David said: \"I laid me down and slept; I awakened; for the Lord sustained me\"<\/span> (Psalm 3:5). In the original text, it says, \"I abruptly awakened.\" And when it says, \"sustained me,\" it means \"gripped me; laid hold of me.\" In other words, \"God laid hold of me, lifted me up and gave me courage not only to arise but to go farther than I had ever gone before.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n God did it for David, He did it for Lazarus, and He will do it for you in the midst of your battle! He is faithful. That is why David was able to conclude, \"I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly\"<\/span> (Psalm 3:6-7). God called you to be more than a conqueror, to be a song of praise to His name in the earth. He called you to testify of what He alone is able to do through those who are surrendered to Him. God has opened a door before you, and despite the littleness of your strength, ten thousand people cannot close that door!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART<\/span>
\r\n\r\nThe Bible clearly warns us, \"Today, if you can hear His voice, do not harden your heart as they did in the days of provocation\" (see Hebrews 3:7-8). In other words, do not ask as Israel once did in her unbelief, \"Can God furnish a table in this wilderness?\" (see Psalm 78:19). Do not begin to question the Lord's integrity or His commitment to you, even though you find yourself constantly battling in your mind. God told you that He would raise you up to be a testimony. He told you that He has allowed certain things in your life-some things you understand and some things you don't-but that all things work together for good because you love Him and are called according to His purpose. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAnd now the Lord is calling you to get up. He is calling you to lift your head and sing that song He has put within your heart. He is calling you to come back to faith again and believe that you are not going under, you are going over. You are the Bride of Christ, and God stakes His reputation on keeping you and establishing a testimony of victory inside of you. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nTherefore, settle it in your heart today: \"He is my glory and the lifter of my head. Even though I might be depressed when I go to bed at night, He is the One who will lift my head in the morning. He is the One who will give me strength to go through another day. If God has planted a dream inside of my heart, it will become a reality, for He has set before me an open door that no man can close. No matter how many voices rise up against what God has spoken to me, I will not harden my heart in unbelief!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n David did eventually come back to Jerusalem and finish his course. God gave David the pattern of the New Testament temple, which he passed on to his son, Solomon. The Bible tells us that the glory of God filled that temple! This serves as a reminder that despite what you may see or feel right now, it is not over, and not a single voice in this world can rightfully tell you that it is over. Only one voice is truth; only one voice speaks promises that never fail! <\/p>\r\n

\r\nSo do not lose heart in the midst of the secret war you are fighting. Refuse to listen to the lies. Don't give up on your family; don't give up on the people in your workplace. Rather, hear God's voice calling you today. Like Lazarus, all that remains on your part is to simply get up and move toward the hope that God is speaking to you. You will find Him to be faithful to supply all that you need-strength to get through the day, courage to stand in the marketplace, faith to believe for your family. Life and victory will be yours, for the glory of His name!<\/p>"},"97":{"sm_title":"Staying Strong When God Is Silent","sm_id":"209","sm_desc":"April 6, 2014 - There are seasons in our life where it seems like the promises of God dissipate. When God is silent it is important to stay strong by resisting the temptation to try to make happen what God has spoken. There is an appointed time for God's plan and if He spoke it He will surely bring it to fulfillment.","sm_jpg":"24498_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-07","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/04\/06s1\/20140406s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20140406s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"oOwZpKk3Zdo","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24721_sermon-newsletter-201406-staying-strong-when-god-is-silent.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Does it feel like it has been a long time since you heard from the Lord? Does He seem to be silent while the fulfillment of the promises He once spoke to you remain nowhere in sight? Perhaps you started out full of faith; you believed God when He told you, \"I am going to bring your family home to Me. I am going to deliver you. I am going to use your life for My glory.\" When He first spoke those promises, they were the joy of your heart and the strength of your days. But now, in the midst of God's silence, you wonder what happened to His Word to you.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nRest assured that we all have seasons like that in our walk with the Lord. Even one of the psalmists said, \"Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven\"<\/span> (Psalm 89:35-37). He began by recounting words from the very mouth of God-an incredible promise given to King David regarding the establishment of his throne and the enduring reign that would result. However, the psalmist then lamented: \"But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground\" <\/span>(Psalm 89:38-39). In that day, as he looked around at the state of his nation, all he could see was Israel's demise. What happened to the promise God had given to David?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbors\" <\/span>(Psalm 89:40-41). In other words, \"My sense of confidence and protection is gone. My hope for tomorrow is in shambles; I am nothing but a reproach.\" It would be like the one who feels today, \"I am supposed to be a fragrance of Christ, a testimony of victory! Yet I can barely lift up my head in public. I go into the grocery store, and although I should be witnessing to the clerk, I can only bow my head in shame over how little victory I am experiencing in my own life. God, where are the promises that You once spoke to me? Why does it seem as if everything is crumbling beneath my feet? Am I unaware of some sin in my life that has caused You to withdraw Your hand from me?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle. Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame\"<\/span> (Psalm 89:42-45). He is saying, \"The things I previously had the victory over seem to be coming back with a fury against me. I used to laugh at my enemies, yet now my enemies are starting to laugh at me. I once felt strong in battle, but now my sword has gotten dull, and I can no longer wield it with strength.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"How long, Lord? Wilt thou hide thyself forever? Shall thy wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?...Lord, where are thy former loving kindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?\"<\/span> (Psalm 89:46-47, 49). \"God, how long will You hide from me? Time is short. Where is the fulfillment of Your promises to me?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe psalmist was dealing with a very real situation-right before his eyes, the nation that was supposed to be established as a praise of God in the earth was seemingly being overthrown by powers of evil. Of course, the psalmist had no idea that it was through the line of David that Jesus Christ would be born, and through Christ, the Church would be established. God's promises were absolute truth!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe problem is that we humans have a tendency to see with only our natural eyes. Oftentimes, our situations are merely a perceived wrong. It isn't true, but we perceive it to be so. It is in these particular seasons that we must learn to stay strong, even when we feel that God's voice has become silent.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n GOD HAS ALREADY SPOKENR<\/span>
\r\n\r\nThere are many reasons why God is silent, but I am going to touch on only four that He recently put on my heart. First of all, sometimes God may be silent simply because He has already spoken to you! If you think about it, how can you accuse God of being silent when He has left you sixty-six letters, thousands of verses? He has already spoken, and there is no need for Him to repeat Himself. Aren't you glad that the book of Genesis doesn't say, \"God said, 'Let there be light.' (Pause.) I said, 'Let there be light'\"?<\/p>\r\n

\r\nNow if you and I had been there on that first day when God said, \"Let there be light,\" we would have been dancing and rejoicing from 6 o'clock in the morning until 6 o'clock in the evening. But now suddenly, when it starts to get dark, we begin to panic. \"Oh no, I knew it wouldn't last! I knew the light was going to go away. Maybe we have done something wrong. Maybe we weren't reading the Word enough.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe light fades away, and we spend the next twelve hours in sorrow-until the light reappears, and we realize that when God said, \"Let there be light,\" He didn't mean that there wouldn't be night; that there wouldn't be seasons when we cannot see. He didn't mean that we would always be able to understand everything that is going on in the heavenly realm. However, the light always reappears, and we see that what God spoke continues to be fulfilled without His having to speak again.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n AN APPOINTED TIME<\/span>
\r\n\r\nAnother reason God may be silent is because there is an appointed time for His Word to be fulfilled. The Bible tells us that Joseph was given an incredible promise that he was going to reign one day. He was going to be a man through whom great provision would be unlocked. However, there was an appointed time for the fulfillment of the promise.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nNow God did not tell Joseph the whole story in the beginning. He didn't speak to him about the betrayal, the pit, Potiphar and prison that he would encounter along the way. Sometimes I am really thankful that God does not tell us about the whole journey right away, for I don't know if we would be able to handle it.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n When God says, \"I am going to use your life for My glory,\" we often forget that a sword is not formed in a hammock, it is formed on an anvil. There is going to be heat, hammering, bending, reshaping. It is all necessary, and it is going to take time. Yet in the process, we cry out, \"Lord, I thought You said You were going to use my life, but all I do is find myself going through the fire. Oh, Jesus, help me! The enemy is destroying me!\" And the Lord says, \"I told you I was going to use your life for My glory! But I am not going to use you until the appointed time-until you are ready.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe prophet Habakkuk said, \"For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry\"<\/span> (Habakkuk 2:3). The things God has spoken to you will come to pass. If God said that He is going to bring your family home, then He is going to bring your family home, and that is the end of it! If God said He is going to use your life, then He is going to use your life-but on His timetable, not yours! Our part is to believe, and the rest is up to Him.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n RESISTANCE ALONG THE WAY<\/span>
\r\n\r\nThere are other times when God may appear to be silent, even though He has actually already sent the answer. However, it meets a form of resistance before it reaches us.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe Bible tell us that as Daniel set himself to seek God, an angel came to him in response and said, \"Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day you set your heart to understand, and to chasten yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come for your words\"<\/span> (Daniel 10:12). A messenger had already been dispatched back on that first day in order to answer the questions that were in Daniel's heart. \"But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me\"<\/span> (Daniel 10:13). Sometimes the voice of God is hindered because there is a battle going on in the heavenlies that we cannot fully understand.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAt other times, however, the hindrance is inside of ourselves because we have listened to other voices that resist the voice of God. In our society today, we have access to so many voices, and that can easily lead our thoughts astray, thereby making it difficult for us to hear God's voice. We must be very careful about who and what we are listening to. As Paul exhorted the Philippians: \"Finally, brethren, 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\"<\/span> (Philippians 4:8).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n TO GET OUR ATTENTION<\/span>
\r\n\r\nThe fourth reason God may be silent is because He is using His silence to get our attention. There was a period in my life when I was going through a bout of sickness that lasted for several years. One day as I was walking down the street, I suddenly became so frustrated that I finally asked, \"What are You trying to tell me, God?\" It was at that point that I began to hear His voice again. The Lord reminded me of His faithfulness, speaking to me about what He was going to do and why He had allowed certain things in my life.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nGod often uses silence to get our attention because we are too busy, thinking too much, going forward a little too fast. Suddenly He draws back-as if He folds His arms and says, \"I'll just wait until you run out of gas and are finally exasperated.\" By that time, instead of going into the prayer closet in order to tell God what He should be doing, we are ready to say, \"Lord, speak to me. What is it that You are trying to tell me? Why have You allowed this in my life? There must be a purpose for it.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n ENCOURAGE YOURSELF IN THE LORD<\/span>
\r\n\r\nAs we saw in our opening Scripture, David had been given a clear promise from the Lord that his life would produce a royalty that would be established forever. As we look at his journey, we see that David certainly started out strong. The Holy Spirit came upon him, causing him to defeat a lion and a bear, and eventually a Philistine giant. It seemed as if there was no end to what God was going to do through his life, until a moment of silence came. Suddenly God was not speaking the way He used to, and David began to lose confidence. He lost confidence in God's former words to him, which led him to start walking in his own reasoning. He attempted to guide his life by his own wisdom and resolve his problems in his own strength (see 1 Samuel 27:1-3).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nWhen David finally came to an end of himself, recognizing that following his own reasoning only brought him as well as others into incredible sorrow, he returned to the source of his strength (see 1 Samuel 30:1-3, 6). The Bible tells us that David encouraged himself in the Lord. He recalled how faithful God had always been to him, and in that moment of remembrance, he turned back to prayer. The voice of God became clear again, and the Lord eventually brought him into the victory that had always been his.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThis serves as a reminder that in the midst of God's silence, you must resist the temptation to try to make happen what God told you He is going to do in your life. Instead, encourage yourself in the Lord as David did. Remember how faithful God has been. Think about the words that He first spoke to you, the victories you experienced that never would have happened apart from the Holy Spirit working inside of you. Sit down and say, \"God, You have not been silent to me! You have already given me Your Word. I understand that there is an appointed time for it to be fulfilled. The answer is coming, and even though it may seem for a season that Your promises have been overpowered by circumstances, You are the God who cannot lie!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Stay strong when God seems to be silent, for the victory is still yours. It has not been taken away from you; you are not cut off from the life of God. Your future is the future He has prescribed for your life. You have not lost it because of a few mistakes along the way, for that is not the way God operates. Simply turn to Him as David did-with all of your heart.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAfter the season of silence-the difficulty, the darkness and confusion-David wrote these words as part of the dedication of the temple: \"Lord, by thy favor thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication\"<\/span> (Psalm 30:7-8). David was saying, \"There was a season in my life where You hid Your face from me. It seemed that You were no longer there. In the natural, all I saw was destruction around me, the foolishness of my own mistakes and the folly of my own efforts. It troubled me, but I cried to You.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever\"<\/span> (Psalm 30:11-12). In other words, \"Even when I am foolish, You remain faithful. You have put a song of praise within me that is independent of my circumstances. I don't care what my eyes see, for You have put faith into my heart that things will be exactly as You said they would be! So I am going to sing praise and give You thanks.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn the same way, God has already put a song within your heart. Even though He is seemingly silent to you, refuse to be silent to Him. Rejoice in Him, knowing that He will surely fulfill every promise He has ever given to you. God has been faithful to you, and He always will be! Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"98":{"sm_title":"Lord, Teach Us To Pray","sm_id":"208","sm_desc":"March 30, 2014 - Is there a cry in your heart to go deeper into prayer? Prayer is much more than we have made it. It is more than bringing Jesus a list that's formed from a self-focus. When we are secure in Jesus, prayer takes a shift and we look away from self and begin to petition God on behalf of another. ","sm_jpg":"24485_jb_20140330s1.jpg","sm_date":"2014-06","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/03\/30s1\/20140330s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20140330s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"xH2CtEziEII","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24720_sermon-newsletter-201406-lord-teach-us-to-pray.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Have you ever felt as if something is missing in your prayers-that somehow they are not as deep or as effective as they ought to be? After all, there is a great difference between prayer that is driven by human effort and prayer that is divine and truly lays hold of God. For example, consider the prayer of the famous Scottish reformer, John Knox, who stood on a mountaintop and cried, \"God, give me Scotland, or I die!\" Before long, people began to come out into the streets under the conviction of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n want to pray that kind of prayer! I want something that goes beyond merely coming into God's presence every day with a list: God, bless my home, bless my finances, bless my mother, bless my father, bless my children. I want to pray prayers that will move men toward God; prayers that will bring the Church of Jesus Christ back to life! I want the kind of prayer that God instructed Ezekiel to pray: \"Call out to the breath of God to breathe upon these dry bones and raise the dead back to life\" (see Ezekiel 37:9). Those are the type of prayers I want to pray!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nWe see in the Scriptures that Jesus' own disciples had a similar yearning. One day as Jesus was praying, their hearts were stirred. \"And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples\"<\/span> (Luke 11:1).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nKeep in mind that the disciples were no strangers to prayer. They had seen Jesus pray and miraculously multiply loaves and fish. Some were even with Jesus as He prayed on a mountaintop and they saw His countenance completely transfigured. Without a doubt, the disciples themselves also prayed as they personally walked with Jesus. However, this time they saw Jesus go into a certain place to pray, and it caused them to conclude that there was still something they had to understand about prayer. I can picture the disciples getting together and nudging each other, \"You ask Him!\" \"No, you ask Him!\" There was something in Jesus' prayer that made it evident that prayer was much deeper than they had experienced up to that point.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Lord, teach us to pray!\" one of His disciples finally implored Him. So Jesus began to teach them, saying, \"When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil\"<\/span> (Luke 11:2-4).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nOver the years, I have read books on prayer, gone to seminars, listened to speakers who claimed to have insight on how to pray-yet I have never personally preached nor heard a message on these verses of Scripture that has truly stirred my heart. I have always been left acknowledging that yes, all these elements are true, for they came from the mouth of Jesus-but I still did not seem to have a satisfying answer to the request, \"Lord, teach us to pray.\" However, as we take another look at the Scriptures today, I believe the Lord will reveal something deeper about prayer and what He intended it to be.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE LORD'S PRAYER<\/span>
\r\n\r\nLet's begin by briefly examining some of the basics that Jesus taught about prayer in Luke 11:2-4:<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Our Father\"<\/span>-We must understand that we are now in a relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ. This grants us the right to stand before His throne and make our petitions known.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Which art in heaven\"<\/span>-His ways are higher than our ways; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. He lives in a place of absolute and total victory. There is no possibility of defeat in God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Hallowed be thy name\"<\/span>-God's name and reputation can be trusted. He is just and will never speak anything to us that is contrary to truth.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, as in heaven, so in Earth\"<\/span>-The way things exist in His heart and His mind are how they should be on earth. As you and I walk with God, we will have a growing inner desire to see His kingdom come in glory and in power; to see His will done on earth as it is in heaven.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Give us day by day our daily bread\"<\/span>-God will give us our daily provision as we ask Him for it and acknowledge that He is our provider.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"And forgive us our sins: for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us\"<\/span>-You and I are ambassadors of the kingdom of forgiveness. It is therefore imperative that we forgive others, lest we be unable to represent the forgiveness of God on the earth.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"And lead us not into temptation: but deliver us from evil\"<\/span>-We must trust God to lead and deliver us, recognizing that we are not smart enough to get through this life on our own. We are deceptive to the core of our beings, and we can create what we think is the leading of God, even though it is actually the leading of our own heart. We simply must not assume that the pathway we are on is right, even if it may appear so in our sight. According to the Scriptures, \"There is a way that looks right unto man, but its end is the way of death\" (see Proverbs 16:25).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE TRUE POWER OF PRAYER<\/span>
\r\n\r\nWe go to our seminars and quote the above verses, which we have come to know as \"The Lord's Prayer.\" And it is generally at this point that we end our teaching on prayer.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHowever, I would like for you to notice something in this particular section of the Lord's teaching: It is largely self-focused. Yes, these verses acknowledge who God is, which is of primary importance when we pray. But it is also all about us: \"Give us, forgive us, indebted to us, lead us, deliver us!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nPlease don't misunderstand what I am saying, for when we come to God, we must know who He is and what He is willing to do for us. We must know that He is our Father, our provider, our deliverer; that we are forgiven so that we can become ambassadors of forgiveness. We must have an assurance in our hearts that God is faithful to protect us from every weapon of evil that is formed against us.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nNevertheless, I see this as merely a precursor to where the real power of prayer is found, which Jesus expounded on as He continued: \"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?\"<\/span> (Luke 11:5-6). Notice the transition that takes place from the preceding verses. We see that once we are completely at rest in who God is, fully trusting in His provision and keeping power, there is a shift that ought to take place in our prayer. It should no longer be all about us but should now be focused on others. This is where the true power of prayer is found!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nI now understand the reason why I was left so dry every time I heard a sermon on prayer. It was because we only touched on \"Part A\" of what Jesus was teaching. We must move on to \"Part B\" where we are standing at the door, asking God not only for ourselves but for somebody else!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nNotice also that verse five tells us that it was midnight. I am sure by now you are aware that we are living in the midnight hour. Everything as we know it is moving into a last and final rebellion against all the ways of a holy God. It was at midnight, as well, that Paul and Silas found themselves in an inner prison, yet they chose to pray and worship (see Acts 16:25). Suddenly, there was a great earthquake that shook the prison's foundations. All the prison doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIf only you and I can learn to pray like that in this dark hour! We can be sure that Paul and Silas were not simply praying, \"Forgive us for our sins and give us our daily bread.\" No! I believe they were crying out, \"God, it's midnight, and there is a need here that is much greater than we can handle. Friends have been set before us, and these friends are in prison-shackled and hopeless. You have entrusted us with this inner prison, so now You must give us the strength to make a difference. Put something within us that will cause heaven to move and hell to shake!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHow did God respond to their prayer? He put a song inside of them! As they began to worship God for answering the cry of their hearts, for the privilege of being thrust into that place of despair along with those who had no helper, suddenly everything began to shake and miracles started to happen! Even the Philippian jailor and his entire household surrendered their lives to Jesus!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE THREE LOAVES<\/span>
\r\n\r\nThe Bible tells us that this person came at midnight, saying, \"Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him\" <\/span>(Luke 11:5-6). Now Jesus never just throws out a random number, so there must be some significance in this. Plus I don't know anybody who can eat three loaves of bread in one sitting. So what exactly is He referring to here?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n This is the way I see it: The first loaf represents the compassion of God the Father. The Scriptures tell us, \"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life\"<\/span> (John 3:16). You and I need the compassion of God, for that is what will draw us out of living merely for ourselves. It is the compassion of God that will cause us to move beyond saying, \"Give us bread, give us deliverance, grant us forgiveness.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nWhen we move beyond ourselves with the compassion of God, we will also move into what I believe is represented by the second loaf: The courage of the Son. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He said: \"If it be possible, Father, take this cup from Me. Nevertheless not what I will, but what You want for My life\" (see Mark 14:36). You and I need that same courage in order to lay down our own will and lay hold of God's-living as His witnesses in this generation. We will need supernatural strength to go out into the marketplace and stand for Christ in the midst of a hostile generation that is resisting its own salvation.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn light of this, I thank God that there is also a third loaf: The power of God's Holy Spirit. This is the Lord's promise to those who belong to Him and are willing to engage in His work on the earth. It is for those who are no longer content to go into the prayer closet simply concerned about their own needs. Rather, they are moved by the needs of this generation. These are the people who will have power in their prayers.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n REFUSE TO BE DENIED<\/span>
\r\n\r\n\"And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. And I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs\"<\/span> (Luke 11:7-8). Importunity means that he simply would not go away. Today it would be the one who prays, \"I know this generation needs bread, but I don't have a sufficient supply. My knowledge is not good enough; my strength will fail me. My compassion is too meager; my courage is conditional. I don't have the measure of the Holy Ghost that I need in order to make a difference in this generation. But I know that You have it, and I am not leaving until I get it!\" That is the kind of prayer God is looking for!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nJesus continued, \"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened\"<\/span> (Luke 11:9-10). How many receive? Everyone! Not just a few superstars, not just the occasional Elijah or Elisha-everyone! That means you!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Keep in mind that the Lord is not referring to a casual asking. When the 120 disciples went into the Upper Room, they were not casually asking God for His Holy Spirit. They were well aware that stepping outside and facing that hostile crowd could result in death. Nevertheless, they also knew that Jesus had given them a promise that they would be His witnesses-and so they began to pray, refusing to be denied.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?\"<\/span> (Luke 11:11-13).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHow much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? God answered the prayer of the 120 disciples by filling all of them with the Holy Spirit, after which they went out into the marketplace with boldness (see Acts 2:2-4).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nWe, too, will need everything that God has for us, and so we must be unashamed to ask Him for it. I know that I need the Holy Spirit more than ever before because itis midnight, and a friend of mine has come in his need. I don't have anything to set before him, but by God's grace I will be given all that I need because I am not going away. I am going to stay at the door of God until it opens!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIf that cry is in your heart as well, trust that God will be faithful to supply you with all you need. He will give you the compassion, courage, and power to stop living for yourself and to start living for the benefit of others. And through it all, I believe you will experience for yourself true joy and power in prayer! Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"99":{"sm_title":"And I Sought For A Man","sm_id":"207","sm_desc":"March 9, 2014 - There are moments in history when somebody somewhere wakes up and suddenly becomes aware of God's incredible desire to be merciful. A spiritual awakening will break forth when God's people begin to pray because they are fully convinced that He is willing to be merciful for His name sake. We are living in a moment of mercy but we must step forward in faith. ","sm_jpg":"24444_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/03\/09s1\/20140309s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20140309s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"WG08yExOZPU","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24552_sermon-newsletter-201405-and-i-sought-for-a-man.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

The Book of Ezekiel speaks of an hour of decline in Israel-a nation that had claimed to know and walk with God. Sadly, the reality was that they had fallen far from the standard God had set for them. It has been the pattern throughout history that when the sin of a people reaches a certain point, God releases His hand of protection, and the nation begins to consume itself by virtue of its own behavior. We see this illustrated in the following passage:<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation. There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 22:23-25).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nTypically when a nation is beginning to stray from righteous living, the voice of a prophet is raised up to warn the people of what is to come-the succession of events that will inevitably unfold if they do not return to God. Yet in this case, the prophets in Israel had become compromised. They were \"taking the precious things,\" or in other words, robbing the people of the treasure of God that should have been available for that generation. \"Making her many widows\" means that families were beginning to break apart; the strength of the nation was being lost.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them...And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken\" <\/span>(Ezekiel 22:26, 28).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThere was no longer a clear distinction between what was of God and what was not. Lusting for power, the prophets began to tell people whatever they wanted to hear, so long as they could retain their prominent positions. They were not concerned about whether what they spoke was truth or not, freely declaring to the people, \"Thus saith the Lord God,\" when the Lord had not spoken.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 22:29). Here we see the breakdown of a nation-its utter social, spiritual, and moral decline-which placed it on the brink of judgment.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSurely by now we must recognize the similar state that our own country is in today. We have cast off restraint; evil is now good, and good is rapidly becoming evil. We, too, have used oppression and exercised robbery. The very basic unit of the family is being destroyed right before our eyes. Anybody who has ever studied anthropology or sociology knows that once the family structure is lost, the society is bound to unravel. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n MERCY STILL TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT<\/span>
\r\n\r\nClearly the Lord is just in judging the people who claim to know Him yet have allowed this kind of debauchery at every level in society to govern them. However, look at His response as we continue in the passage in Ezekiel:<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 22:30-31). \"I sought for a man!\" God had actually scoured the nation, looking for even one person to stand in the gap-to stand between the nation and God's removing His hand, which would ultimately allow society to follow the course of its own destruction. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt is amazing that God could not find anyone, especially when you consider, for example, the temple. The temple would have been filled with all kinds of people attending religious services and studying the Scriptures. There were certainly people in those days who, at least marginally, would have been trying to live upright, moral lives. Therefore I cannot help but wonder: Is it possible that God could not find anyone not because the people didn't study or know the Scriptures, but because nobody believed any longer that He would be merciful? <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou see, it is possible to get into a mind-set, particularly as the people of God, where we become so gripped by the sense of judgment that we forget that mercy triumphs over judgment. We look out in our streets or watch the news and conclude, \"Surely God is going to judge this.\" It becomes easy to agree with judgment when the evidence is mounting before our eyes. And the danger of it all is that if we do not truly know the heart of God, we can arrive at a point where we no longer believe that God desires to show mercy. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING<\/span>
\r\n\r\nThe good news, however, is that throughout history, there have been moments that I like to call \"spiritual awakenings.\" This is when somebody, or perhaps many people, suddenly become aware of God's willingness to restore and to heal. They understand His willingness, in the midst of our poverty, to release His riches once again-His willingness to take us, not in our strength, but in our weakness. After all, the Scriptures do not tell us to come to the throne of God when we are strong. Rather, we are to come when we are weak to find help in our time of need (see Hebrews 4:16).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt is almost like an auctioneer who, at unexpected moments, suddenly pulls back the curtain and makes available an incredible treasure. In our case, we are being offered the extraordinary treasure of God's mercy and power. The moment of awakening occurs when people begin to hear the Lord speaking: \"I know your land is desolate. I know your prophets are not speaking for Me. Instead, they are leading the people into powerlessness, having created a religious system around them to help prop up their error. I know the people have used oppression, exercised robbery, and vexed the poor and the needy. Nevertheless, I am still willing, one more time, to be merciful.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIs it possible that in Ezekiel's day, God simply could not find anybody who believed that He could use them for this purpose, despite all natural odds seemingly being against them? Perhaps there were people who actually did believe God was willing to be merciful, yet as they began to look at their own resources, they concluded, \"Well, I suppose God could be merciful, but never through me.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nImagine if that moment of mercy had come to Gideon and he, too, formed a wrong conclusion. After all, when God appeared to Gideon and called him a \"mighty man of valor,\" the nation was being swallowed by 135,000 Midianites who had come in to take everything that the Israelites were trying to harvest (see Judges 6:12). Initially, Gideon did essentially question the messenger of God, \"Are you speaking to me? My father's tribe is the least of the tribes of Israel. My father is the least of his tribe, and I am the least in my father's house. And in case you didn't notice, my father has an altar to a heathen god in the backyard. Are you sure you have the right address?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYet God had sent His Word to Gideon, which is all we need in order to be a mighty man or woman of God. Eventually, as Gideon followed the Lord in a plan that made no sense to the natural mind, the Bible tells us that God granted him and his army of a mere three hundred men a great victory over the Midianites (see Judges 7:20-22).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhat would have happened if that moment of mercy had somehow passed him by? What if God had sought for a man, but He could not find a Gideon-or a Moses, or an Esther? We don't know what would have happened to God's people who were enslaved in Egypt, or what would have been lost in the day when Esther had an opportunity to go in and petition the king for the future of her people. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAnd so, in our generation, the treasure is being unlocked one more time! It is as if the auctioneer is standing before the people, saying, \"Here stands an invaluable treasure. It is only revealed from season to season. Who will give me a hundred dollars? Who will give me fifty?\" Silence. \"Who will give me twenty-five? Ten? Five? Who will give me a dollar for the treasure?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nLikewise, God is calling out to men and women whom He wants to use for His glory. In fact, when you and I get to the throne of God one day, we will finally understand the number of times throughout history that He was speaking and searching for somebody. Remember, it doesn't take a multitude of people to change a nation. It doesn't take a hundred people to change your neighborhood; it only takes one who believes that God is willing to show mercy. However, if nobody steps forward, once again the treasure is forfeited and hidden until some undisclosed future time. People who could have been spared are lost. It is such a tragedy when God looks for somebody in a season such as the one in which we live, yet He cannot find anyone who believes He could be merciful, or that they might be used for this purpose. Therefore, the hand of God is lifted, and as the Scripture says, the way of the people is recompensed upon their own heads.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n STEP FORWARD IN FAITH<\/span>
\r\n\r\nIt is clear that if we desire to be used of God in this hour, we must be willing to step forward in faith, just as David did when he walked into the Israelite camp and heard the mockery of God (see 1 Samuel 17:23). Astounded that the name of God could be brought into such disrepute among His own people, he asked, \"Why is nobody fighting this? Why is everybody just standing still as if we don't have God on our side?\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAlthough the Israelites became offended at him, David said, \"Don't let any man's heart faint, I'll go fight this giant.\" One more time, somebody believed that God was willing to be merciful. David went forward into that valley with a sling and five stones, believing that God would take the little he had and multiply it for His glory. That is exactly what happened-David defeated Goliath and brought the people of God back to faith again for that season. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThis is the essence of faith, and this is what God is looking for in our generation! As the book of Hebrews describes, faith is \"the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear\"<\/span> (Hebrews 11:1-3). In other words, faith believes that the spoken Word to my heart is all I need. If God created the universe out of nothing, I don't have to have something in order for God to use me. I just have to have a heart that embraces the Word of God! <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nFaith means we look away from the mirror. We turn away from what we believe about ourselves, despising every voice that has ever condemned us or said, \"You can only go this far and no farther.\" The Bible tells us that David refused to listen when Saul warned him, \"Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:33). That is because faith says, \"When God speaks, I will go forward! I believe that He will give me the power to be everything He has called me to be. I will not stand here in unbelief when the God of this universe, the God who created me in His own image, is speaking to my heart. I am going to believe Him for the miraculous to happen through my life!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIf after all of our learning-after two thousand years of books and testimonies-we have merely arrived at a place where we do not fully believe that Jesus is today who He was in the Bible, then we are to be pitied above all people. We will be left possessing knowledge without power. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe writer of Hebrews continues: \"Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him\"<\/span> (Hebrews 11:6). We will not please God by our church attendance, Bible study or even prayer. These things are important, but without faith, it is impossible to please God! At some point, all of these things must produce faith that is willing to adopt the plan of God, even if it does not make sense to the natural mind. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n WHO WILL BID?<\/span>
\r\n\r\n\"I sought for a man,\" the Lord said. \"I sought for somebody who would believe that I wanted to be merciful. I sought for somebody who believed that I could still use them, doing the miraculous through their lives. I sought for somebody!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThat same call of God is resounding once again in this hour. The question is: Will we see the history of Ezekiel's day repeat itself? Will we be a nation that simply goes down into judgment without a season of mercy? Or will somebody, somewhere be willing to stand up and bid for this treasure ofChrist-His life, His mercy, His power? <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nPerhaps you desire it but wonder, How can I buy this treasure when I have hardly anything to give for it? If so, consider God's incredible invitation, spoken through the prophet Isaiah: \"Every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price\"<\/span> (Isaiah 55:1).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThat is the cry of God. If you think you only have a dollar, then bid your dollar. If you only have fifty cents, stand up and bid your fifty cents for the treasure. God is not looking for our resources or our strength. He is looking for the heart that simply says, \"Lord, here am I; take me! Take me with my five cents; take me with my loaf of bread. I have hardly anything to give, but if You are unveiling the treasure, if there is an opportunity for me to know Your power and mercy for the sake of others, then count me in!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWe must not allow the treasure of God to be hidden again; the curtain cannot close on this generation in a season of incredible mercy. How tragic it would be if the Lord were to say of New York City: \"I searched for a man and found no one.\" No! It is time for us to rise up in faith, leaving the familiar to obtain the impossible, trusting God for the ability to accomplish all He has called us to do. As we bring to the Lord what little we have, let's believe that He will take it and change a generation!<\/p>"},"100":{"sm_title":"The Final Reckoning Of A Silent Witness","sm_id":"204","sm_desc":"February 2, 2014 - Do you lack the courage and faith to believe that God has called you to make a difference in the world? You have the victory and power of Jesus Christ deposited in you. Don't let fear silence your voice from telling others about Jesus. Our prayer has to be\u2014Lord stir up the gifts you placed in me so others can be delivered out of darkness.","sm_jpg":"24377_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2014\/02\/02s1\/20140202s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2014\/mp3g\/20140202s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"7LFA_Le541I","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24488_sermon-newsletter-201404-the-final-reckoning-of-a-silent-witness.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

It is a wonderful thing to know that Jesus loves us-to know that He went to a cross, laid down His life, and is willing to give us an awareness of our own acceptance with God. But the Scriptures also tell us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (see Proverbs 1:7). In spite of the fact that God is so loving and merciful, there will be a day of reckoning for everyone who has ever been called by the name of Christ. On that day, each of us will stand before the throne of God and answer for what we have done with the deposit of God in our lives. Jesus illustrated this by telling the following parable:<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n \"For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.<\/p>\r\n

\"His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord\" <\/span>(Matthew 25:14-23).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe Bible speaks here of \"talents,\" but these talents were not special abilities such as playing the guitar or singing a song. A talent was a coin-a form of currency-which signifies the deposit of Christ's life that is given to each of His children. You see, each of us has a calling on our life, and in order to fulfill that calling, the Holy Spirit places us in the Body of Christ as He sees fit (see 1 Corinthians 12:18). The moment you received Christ into your heart, the deposit of God's life was put within you, and He said, \"I have called you to do something that will bring glory to My name. I will walk with you, and I will give you strength. All you have to do is believe that what I have called you to do will be accomplished through My life within you.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAlthough many people assume that the five-talent people are the ones who stand in pulpits, that is not necessarily the case. I may only require two talents from God to do what I do. On the other hand, the single mother who has to drag four reluctant kids to church every Sunday may need five talents to do what she does. Perhaps you need five talents to go into your workplace every day or to be a testimony of Christ to your family. Whatever it is that we are called to do, the commitment of Christ to us is complete! He already paid the full price in His blood, and now we are asked to follow Him by faith and be witnesses of all that He is willing to do for anyone who will turn to Him.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE WICKED SERVANT<\/span>
\r\n\r\n\"Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth\"<\/span> (Matthew 25:24-30).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nI used to think that it was rather harsh to take away the one talent from this third servant-until I understood the actual affront that his testimony was in the face of his master. When he says, \"I knew that you were a hard man,\" the word \"hard\" in the original text means \"a harsh, unfeeling man.\" It implies an accusation that God somehow possesses a harsh and inhuman character.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed\" <\/span>(Matthew 25:24). In other words, \"I knew you were an unfeeling man, sending me out to do a work into which you yourself have invested no effort and have suffered no personal cost.\" This statement is actually a slap in the face of Christ, spitting on the image of God who sent His Son to a cross to die for all of us. It is a display of spiritual ignorance of all that occurred on the day of Pentecost-how God's Holy Spirit came upon a people for the sole purpose of making them witnesses throughout all the earth until the end comes.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth...\"<\/span> (Matthew 25:25). In other words, \"I lacked the conviction and the moral courage to believe that you had sufficiently supplied me with all that I needed in order to accomplish what you called me to do. Instead, I felt that you were calling me to do something that was impossible, and so I was afraid.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe Scripture tells us that he who is not perfected in love is filled with fear (see 1 John 4:18). Yet, once the love of God is in our hearts and we know that we are fully accepted by Him-once we have allowed the Holy Spirit to make us partakers of that which caused God to send His Son to a cross-then we are compelled to speak. When God received me as His own and His Holy Spirit came into my heart, nobody had to tell me to share Christ. In my heart I understood God's incredible love for humanity, and I also saw the great peril of people who did not know God. How could I be silent at such a time? I would be as guilty as a man walking down the street, seeing his neighbor's house on fire, yet continuing to walk by without saying a word. Even if his neighbor's entire family were to perish in the fire, he would justify himself by saying, \"Well, it's not my concern. I don't have any equipment. I can't break down a door. I can't do anything.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThat is what the wicked servant said: \"I was afraid.\" Likewise, there are those today who will have to one day admit, \"I was afraid of the rejection of men. I was afraid I would be mocked; I was afraid of my own frailties-and so I stayed silent.\" In reality, our refusal to speak at such a time as this is an absolute denial of the cross and the power of God. When we see this generation perishing before our very eyes-our families being destroyed; the social, moral, and political confusion all around us; the casting off of everything godly-God forbid that we should hold our peace! God forbid that we should be silent because we are afraid!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE MASTER'S REPLY<\/span>
\r\n\r\n\"Lo, there thou hast that is thine\"<\/span> (Matthew 25:25). In the end, the servant said to his master, \"Here is your life back to you with no profit at all for your kingdom.\" Sadly, the silent witness will utter the same thing when he arrives at the throne of God. Yes, he was in church, sang all the songs, did Bible studies-yet he never shared anything about Christ with anybody. He never spoke, possessed no burden, and in fact showed very little evidence of the true life of Christ within him. And so he stands one day at the throne of God and says, \"Here am I, Lord...Your beloved and Your prize!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhen you study the master's reply to the wicked servant in other texts, the implication is: \"You thought I was this kind of man, did you? You thought I was a man who demands a harvest but puts no effort into it; one who sends people out to do a work but does not give them a deposit of strength to do it? You should have at least given the deposit I put within you to those who were doing something!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn other words, \"You should have at least encouraged those who were actually investing in my kingdom. That way the deposit I gave to you would come back to me with interest. You could have supported somebody-perhaps a missionary or anybody doing something for the kingdom of God!\" He continues, essentially telling the man with one talent, \"You may not have had the courage yourself, but you could have at least done this, and I would have accepted it.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYears ago, before I entered the ministry, I experienced great opposition on the job for speaking the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, I was actually threatened by people that I worked with. Nevertheless, I could not help but share Christ. One day my boss reprimanded me, \"This is not an evangelistic association! You are a police officer, not a preacher. [Apparently he was wrong about that.] If I ever get wind of you doing this again, you are going to be in huge trouble, my friend!\" Needless to say, things were very difficult.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYears later, I met a man who was part of the police department where I worked. When he saw me, he said, \"Praise the Lord!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Oh, wow, when did you get saved?\" I asked. I had known him for a long time.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nHe casually replied, \"Oh, I have always been a Christian. I was raised to believe in salvation by faith through Jesus Christ.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nI was stunned. I thought to myself, \"Then why didn't you at least encourage me? You knew I was facing incredible opposition because I was an open testimony for Christ. If you were going to live in the closet as a Christian, the least you could have done was to invite me into your closet and encourage me!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThat is what the master meant when he said, \"You could have at least put out your money to those who were using it, and it would have come back.\" I realize that not everybody is called to speak to multitudes, but isn't there something you can do? Isn't there some kindness that can come out of your mouth? Couldn't you give a cup of cold water to somebody who is serving God \r\nand standing up for the truth?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n STIR UP THE GIFT<\/span>
\r\n\r\nPaul once said to Timothy, \"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 1:6). In light of this parable, my word to you today is the same: Stir up the gift of God. When God put His hand on you, He put a deposit of His life within you-the ability to do the supernatural!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSo how do you stir up the gift of God? It starts by saying, \"Lord, I want it! I want my life to be what You have called it to be. I do not want to simply blend in with this society and ultimately make no difference. I want the power to stand out as a follower of Jesus Christ.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThat has been my prayer over the course of my entire Christian life: \"Lord, stir me. Take me to another place; don't let me become stagnant. Don't let me live on yesterday's grace and yesterday's victory. Today is a new day; there are new people I am going to encounter. Stir the compassion in my heart. Give me the eyes to see people the way You see them. Don't let me be afraid of people's faces. You are alive inside me, You gave me Your Holy Spirit, and You left me on the earth for a purpose-so help me to lay hold of the reason for which I am alive in this generation!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nPaul continued, \"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 1:7). God has given us the power to accomplish His divine purpose for our life. He has given us a sound mind to know that it is not right that we be silent at such a time as this. He has given us love so that we are not motivated by a program, compulsion, or fear. Rather, we are constrained by His love that He has put within us-literally pushed from the inside out to tell people that God loves them.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 1:8). Just as Paul exhorted Timothy, the Lord is reminding us today: Do not be afraid of the testimony of Christ. Do not be afraid of the suffering that will come-the rejection, the ridicule, the laughter. A society that is dying in its sin will tell you that you have lost your mind, but do not be ashamed. Rather, be a partaker of these afflictions of the gospel. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nRemember, the only thing that stops the true child of God is unbelief. And so we must ask God for the grace to honor Him and make full use of the deposit He has given to us. That is how souls will be touched-as they see the reality of Jesus Christ living within us!<\/p>"},"101":{"sm_title":"Sitting Where True Love Is","sm_id":"202","sm_desc":"October 6, 2013 \u2013 There is a great danger of falling into the trap of justifying wrong behavior to the point that you call wrong \u201cright\u201d and evil \u201cgood.\u201d If you are sitting in the place of love, where the true Word of God is preached there will be something in your heart that is drawn towards the things of God. Make the choice today to put away those sins that Jesus Christ died to give you the victory over.","sm_jpg":"24111_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2013\/10\/06s1\/20131006s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20131006s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"BFBvBu3rMwk","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24442_sermon-newsletter-201403-sitting-where-true-love-is.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 12:14-15).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n These are the words of Paul, a man whose heart and life were an embodiment of Jesus Christ. Paul's life was given for the people of God, as is the case with every true servant of God. He was willing to travel through storm, flood, and fire; to endure personal longing and want; to be pressed above measure to the point where he even despaired of living-all in order that he might come to the people of God with a message of His love. However, Paul found that the more love he would express, the more certain people would begin to pull away. Why would that be the case?<\/p>\r\n

\r\nI believe we find the answer in the next chapter: \"This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 13:1-2).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nRemember, the Corinthian church was coming out of what could be considered an immoral abyss. In the middle of their city stood a major temple with more than a thousand prostitutes-prostitution was actually considered an act of worship in that society. Clearly, wrong had become right, and right had become wrong.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nPaul was an apostle and pastor, so he was aware of the deadliness of sin. He understood the peril of those who fall into the trap of continually justifying wrong. That is the dilemma of the human condition-the longer we do something the Word of God defines as sin, the more our fallen nature rises to the fore and begins to determine what is wrong and what is right. Paul knew that if the people continued to willfully do wrong, making peace with those things from which Christ died to set them free, the victory of the cross could not be rightfully claimed as their own. After all, those who did so would be left with only an illusion; in other words, they would have knowledge with no power behind it. And so, as a true spiritual father to the Corinthian church, Paul was attempting to bring them into a right way of thinking and living. That is why he said, \"I will not spare.\" Sadly, that is the point where many chose to draw back.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n LOVE WILL CHALLENGE YOU<\/span>
\r\nPaul was willing to be rejected in order that the people might ultimately find acceptance with God. In the same way, if I truly love you, I will challenge your lifestyle. I will challenge your conversation, your behavior, your concept of God, the direction you are headed. The pastor who does not love you will not challenge you.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n God once said to the prophet Ezekiel, \"Son of Man, I have set you as a watchman over the house of Israel. If you see a wicked man walking in his wickedness and do not warn him, I will require his blood at your hands. However, if you warn him and he does not turn from his sin, his blood will be on his own head\" (see Ezekiel 3:17-19). Therefore I am aware that I bear a tremendous responsibility as a pastor. One day I will stand at the throne of God, and I do believe I will have to give an account for everyone who considers themselves to be part of Times Square Church.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nWhat would happen if I didn't challenge the way you were living-if I didn't bother to set before you the victory of the cross, didn't talk about the reason God had to crucify His own Son, didn't unlock the full context of the Word of God? Yes, it is important to talk about heaven and about the love of God, but I must not neglect to talk about another place where people who do not move toward truth will end up forever-a place void of all comfort, all hope, all life. The absence of God is so terrifying that our natural minds cannot even begin to comprehend it. In this world, God is omnipresent, meaning that He is everywhere. When you were living like a reprobate, He was following you down the street, whispering to your heart, wooing you into His house. Every sinner knows the presence of God in some measure, but nobody can explain what it would be like, having been created in the image of God and having had some exposure to His presence, to finally and forever be in a place where God is not. It would be an anguish that is deeper than I can even begin to portray to you. And if I truly love you, I will never let you go there without a fight.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Can you imagine people standing at the throne of God one day, only to find out they have been outside of the kingdom the whole time? They will look at their pastors who have to give an account for them and say, \"You told me you loved me! You told me God loved me, yet you knew about this. You knew what happens to liars and to the immoral; you knew that those who refuse to turn from sin do not enter the kingdom of God! For what justifiable reason could you ever have held your peace and not warned me?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nJesus once explained, \"But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep\"<\/span> (John 10:12-13). Many of the hirelings that are pastoring in this generation in America can see what is coming-in other words, they know what the Scriptures say. Nevertheless, they have chosen to flee from it, refusing to preach any message that will expose the dangers of sin for fear that it might cost them their popularity. The bottom line is that the hireling is more concerned about the accolades of the people and the largeness of the crowds than the eternal fate of those people.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n DO NOT BE DECEIVED<\/span>
\r\nBearing all of this in mind, consider the words of Paul to the Corinthian church: \"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived\" <\/span>(1 Corinthians 6:9). In other words, do not fall into the trap of assuming that all is well when, in fact, it isn't. There are many people who gladly come to receive the love of God yet make no effort to turn from their old lifestyle. They want to live in sin and somehow have heaven at the end of it.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nI am aware of a huge problem that exists today, even among believers, in this city. Young people come to New York City in pursuit of a career, attracted by the excitement of city life-and, at the time, are generally uninterested in the commitment of marriage. However, they do not want to live without sex either. And so a huge deception enters their hearts as they conclude, \"Well, God understands my needs. And if the pastor is not willing to tell me God loves me in spite of the fact that I hardly know the person I woke up next to this morning, that's fine. I will go to another church that tells me I am loved of God and continue my practice.\" Do not be deceived!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nPlease understand that I am not talking about people who struggle and genuinely desire to walk away from their sin. Rather, I am referring to those who are comfortable doing what they clearly know to be wrong. They have made peace with their sin, allowing twisted spiritual thinking to convince them that somehow they will be excused and not held accountable.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nPaul plainly stated, \"Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators (people who engage in sexual activity outside the bounds of marriage-period), nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God\"<\/span> (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, NKJV). Do not be deceived! You cannot have the kingdom of God and carry on these practices. It is assumed that when we come to Christ, we come acknowledging that we have sinned and have a genuine desire to turn from it. That is the great danger of having presented to this generation a Jesus who is here simply to meet all of our needs and make us feel wonderful about ourselves. No! Jesus went to a cross to deal with sin because it separates us from God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Paul continued, \"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God\"<\/span> (1 Corinthians 6:11). In other words, some of you were these things described in the previous verses, but then you came to Christ, and you came honestly. You believed the Word of God and allowed Him to wash away your sins. You accepted the fact that in Christ, you are as clean as if you had never sinned. You let the Holy Spirit come upon you, and now you are trusting the Lord for the new life that is promised you. Leaving the old behind, you are moving to the new. You are walking away from the trappings, the lusts, the fallen condition of a fallen world. Yes, we do fall, and we do make mistakes at times. But there is grace to cover our frailties, for God knows those who belong to Him.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n EXAMINE YOURSELVES<\/span>
\r\nPaul would have been aware of the history of Israel under Joshua-when a new generation was about to go in to possess the promises of God after the previous generation was shut out in unbelief (see Joshua 5). However, this new generation could not enter the Promised Land until the reproach of the society that had held them captive was rolled away-until they were clearly separated and identified as the people of God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nSimilarly, the American church has long been captivated by the society around her. The theology of fallen society has become the theology of many of God's people. But now another generation is rising up-people who are tired of the wilderness, tired of the powerlessness, tired of the name of Jesus being trampled underfoot.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe Lord is calling His own and saying, \"If you want to inherit the life that I died to give you, you must choose to turn away from sin. You must refuse to walk in what is common practice in a fallen society around you.\" It is an hour of the miraculous again, and God has invited each of us to be a part of it. We are a type of Joshua's generation, about to go into the Promised Land, but we cannot go in until the reproach of Egypt is rolled away-until we are clearly marked as the people of God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThat is why at the end of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul said, \"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 13:5). Examine yourselves! <\/p>\r\n

\r\nHow do you do that? It is simple: Start by asking yourself some questions. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Am I living in victory? Do I have dominion over sin, or does sin have dominion over me? Do I try to present an argument to justify my sinful practices? Remember, Jesus gives His Holy Spirit to those who believe in Him for the forgiveness of sins, promising that sin will no longer have dominion over them. He declares that old things are literally cut to the root, and although they may appear to have life, in reality they are dead. In their place is new life-new power, new victory, new hope, and a new future. The question is, am I experiencing something of God in my life that is clearly supernatural, breaking me free from past addictions? Or am I merely accumulating knowledge without the power that sets me free? Which is it? It is either going to be one or the other. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nIs my life a testimony of Christ? Are people asking me the reason for the hope that is within me, especially as we appear to be facing a foreboding future? <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAm I drawn forward by an inner knowledge that the Lord's plans for me are for good and not for evil, to bring me to an expected end-a place that my heart has always longed to go? Am I drawn by the love of God, or am I driven by a compulsion to minister? There is a huge difference! <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAnd finally, am I sitting where true love is? If you are indeed sitting where true love is, you will not feel condemned, even if there is something in your heart compelling you to let go of whatever needs to be forsaken and move toward what God has for your life. It will not just be a one-time surrender; it will be for the rest of your life. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nPerhaps today you are aware of certain things that you need to let go of; practices that you need the courage to stop doing; places you need the power to stop going. Remember, you cannot get the victory over these things in your own strength. Yet if you are determined to go God's way, He will give you the grace that you need. You are going to find life, and you are going to find it more abundantly. God is simply looking for those who are willing to say, \"I do not want to be deceived. I do not want to end up fashioning another Jesus that allows me to live in defeat while I somehow assume I am serving God! I want to walk with God in honesty. I want to forsake all of my sin and lay hold of everything that God is offering me in Christ. And I am going to trust God for the power to do it!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThere will be no awakening in our lives, in the Church, or in our cities unless we take these things seriously. The Lord cannot walk with us in the measure He longs to if we are not willing to walk in truth. So let us take the time now to examine ourselves and see if we are in the faith. We must not play a dishonest game with God when He is calling us to live in victory and in the miraculous. He is calling us to go in and possess all of the promises He has, not only for our own lives but for this generation-and by His grace, we will!<\/p>"},"102":{"sm_title":"When The Arrow Is Beyond You","sm_id":"198","sm_desc":"November 24, 2013 - God has a plan for you, but first you must travel through mountains and valleys that your heart does not understand. Faith finds its deepest challenge when the situations around us don't seem to be making any sense. The question is will you continue to believe God in spite of the impossibilities before you, or will you take matters into your own hands to bring about your own plan? Today you can turn from your own ways and return to the secret place of prayer.","sm_jpg":"24268_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-02","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2013\/11\/24s1\/20131124s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20131124s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"2YJduj4cATw","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24372_sermon-newsletter-20140201-when-the-arrow-is-beyond-you.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

It is often during dangerous moments in history-when nothing around us seems to make sense-that our faith meets its deepest challenge. That is when each of us must decide: Will I continue to believe, in spite of the peril before me, or will I take things into my own hands in an attempt to secure my own wellbeing?<\/p>\n

\n The Scriptures remind us of the heartache that often results when we decide to take things into our own hands. Think, for example, of when Abraham attempted to protect his own life by telling a foreign king that his wife, Sarah, was his sister (see Genesis 20:2). As a result, Sarah was taken into the kings' harem, and Abraham was left standing powerlessly outside the gate, wringing his hands in regret over the terrible mistake he had made. Or consider Saul, who was also focused on his own preservation and chose to disobey God's Word for fear of the people (see 1 Samuel 15:24). As a result, the kingdom was taken from him, and at the end of his life, he ended up consulting with a witch.<\/p>\n

\nYou and I must be careful not to fall into human reasoning in order to preserve ourselves, for that is what renders us powerless. Let's look at another example of this in the life of David.<\/p>\n

\n GOD'S WAYS ARE HIGHER<\/span>
\n\"And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 20:35-38).<\/p>\n

\nConsider for a moment David's journey leading up to this difficult point in his life. It must have seemed an ordinary day as he tended his father's sheep out in the field. All of a sudden he was called inside to meet with the prophet Samuel, who took a vial of oil and anointed David to be the next king of Israel. Before taking the throne, David began to win some marvelous victories in secret, followed by an incredible victory in public against a giant called Goliath. David's heart must have burned within him as he walked in an anointing that produced such faith and boldness in his life.<\/p>\n

\nShortly after, Saul took David in as his attendant, and David began to worship the Lord with songs that drove the darkness out of Saul's life. David continued to fight the battles of the Lord, all the while xperiencing the supernatural power of God, as seemingly no enemy could stand against him. Eventually, however, Saul's heart turned against David for no apparent reason other than envy-which brings us to our passage in 1 Samuel. Saul's son, Jonathan, says to David, \"I am going to talk to my father. Hide out in the field, and I will come back and throw an arrow. If I say to the lad with me, 'The arrow is beyond you,' that means you must flee, for harm is determined against you.\"<\/p>\n

\n Here is how I see this situation: God was trying to speak to David, but David was only partially listening. The Lord was telling him: \"I have a plan for your life that will fulfill all the desires I have placed in your heart. A transition is coming from a system that failed under Saul's leadership to something that will usher in a season of renewal in Israel, and you are going to lead it. But until that day comes, I am going to take you through some dark places. You must follow Me through these mountains and valleys-even though you will not be able to understand them fully.\"<\/p>\n

\nThat is what I believe to be the deeper meaning behind \"the arrow is beyond you.\" It is a sign and a reminder from God that His ways are higher than ours, and all He asks is that we follow Him, whether or not we understand what lies ahead. Nevertheless, there is something in all of us that wants to be able to figure everything out. We want a virtual road map that tells us where we will be five years from now. We do not necessarily like God throwing an arrow over our heads into the field and saying, \"It is far beyond you. Just get up and follow where the arrow is leading. Don't question it, just obey what I am telling you.\"<\/p>\n

\nDavid did head out according to the word given him, but somewhere along the way, he succumbed to his own human reasoning. \"David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul <\/span>(God had never told him that; he was now listening to his own reasoning): there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me anymore in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 27:1).<\/p>\n

\nAnd so we see David beginning to go off track when he, just as Abraham and Saul, started to focus on his own preservation. This sent David on an arduous journey to the land of the Philistines. At one time in his life, David was on the other side of the valley facing the Philistines, but now he was standing among the enemies of God! I'm sure at that point he could not escape feelings of regret rising in his heart. \"What am I doing? How did I get here?\"<\/p>\n

\n That is exactly what happens when we as a church begin to focus on ourselves-how to enhance our careers, how to prosper, how to have a better future. Whenever we have an inward focus, it leads us to a place where we are neither furthering the cause of God nor opposing the advance of the enemy. Sadly, this largely describes the church age we are currently living in, particularly in America. Although roughly twenty-two percent of the population in this country consider themselves evangelical, realistically we are not greatly advancing the cause of God, and we certainly are not opposing the advance of the enemy in our generation. We have come to a place of indecision and powerlessness. We are losing our children and our families; losing the concept of what is right and what is wrong-not just in the nation but in the house of God.<\/p>\n

\n A MERCY MOMENT<\/span>
\nHowever, you and I still have reason to take heart, for there is always a mercy moment. Yes, David left off his wholehearted seeking of God. He abandoned a life of winning victories and giving glory to the God of Israel. However, in this place of indecision and powerlessness where he ended up, something significant happened. If you can see this, I believe it will help you understand what we are facing as a church in a backsliding nation.<\/p>\n

\n\"Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?<\/span> (Isn't it tragic when our enemies can speak well of us?) And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? Should it not be with the heads of these men? Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 29:3-5).<\/p>\n

\n This was the mercy moment in David's life, and you and I have reached a similar mercy moment in our generation-a point when God causes the enemies of His ways to reject the people of God. It is potentially the best thing that can happen to the church in this age in which we are living.<\/p>\n

\nYou see, for too long we have ridden with the enemy's armies, embraced the strategies of a fallen society, and allowed corporate secular thinking to dominate the Church of Jesus Christ. We have filled stadiums with people who want to know how much they are loved of God yet who have no desire to live any differently from the people of this world. Just as Achish spoke well of David, for decades society could have rightly testified of Christians, \"I find no fault with these people. They have walked with us; their value system is the same as ours. They do what we do, they go where we go, and they are even standing on the same side of this battle that we are on right now.\"<\/p>\n

\nHowever, we are now living in a moment when the mercy of God is going to cause society to spit the Church of Jesus Christ out of its mouth. I thank God that our society is finally declaring, \"Away with Christ! Away with Christians, away with churches, away with tax-exempt status-away with all of it!\" Finally God's people are being forced out of the enemy's territory, just as David was.<\/p>\n

\nRejected by the Philistines, David and the other Israelites who were with him returned home to Ziklag, only to find that the Amalekites had burned everything to the ground and taken captive their women and children. When David saw how much he had surrendered to the enemy, in his heart he must have initially thought, \"Look what I have done! I am supposed to be leading these men, but I have allowed their families to be brought into captivity.\" Nevertheless, David did not allow himself to be overcome with discouragement and shame. Instead, he did something that ultimately restored his strength: He turned back to prayer and seeking God.<\/p>\n

\n\"And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod<\/span> (the garment of prayer for seeking God). And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 30:7).<\/p>\n

\nDavid must have suddenly remembered the moment when he was singled out among his brothers to become king over Israel. Or perhaps he recalled when the bear and the lion came into the flock, and the Spirit of God came upon him, endowing him with supernatural strength. Or maybe he remembered the indignation rising within his heart as God's name was being defied, and he fearlessly ran into the valley to fight Goliath. So David turned to Abiathar and said, \"Bring me the ephod! Bring me the garment of prayer! Bring me that which used \nto govern my life!\"<\/p>\n

\n YOU SHALL RECOVER ALL<\/span>
\nAs David began to pray again, God began to speak. \"And David inquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 30:8).<\/p>\n

\n At the time, David had six hundred men with him, but two hundred of them were so weak that they could not even cross over the brook to enter the battle. However, it did not matter how great the odds were against them, for David was back in the place of knowing the source of his strength. He finally acknowledged what he should have understood from the beginning: David, the arrow is beyond you. The leading of God was not something he could reason. And even in the face of what looked like personal peril, if David would simply follow the Lord rather than taking things into his own hands, God would continue to guide him one step at a time.<\/p>\n

\nThis is what we, too, must do in our generation. We must get back to the source of our strength-back to the prayer closet where we can hear from God again. The first thing that happens when you and I begin to pray is that a promise will come into our hearts-one that is deeper and farther than anything we could ever hope to procure in our own natural ability. The Lord takes us through places we cannot go through on our own-places where we must let go of what we think is going to preserve us and simply follow where He leads.<\/p>\n

\nAs David and his men approached the Amalekite armies, they found them \"...spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 30:16). Similarly, you and I are living in an hour when the enemies of God are rejoicing-drinking and dancing in their supposed triumph. \"We have come into the sanctuaries; we have taken the houses of God into our possession. Godlessness will be the future for this country. There is very little hope that they will ever rebound and survive!\"<\/p>\n

\nHowever, supernatural strength was granted to David. The Scriptures tell us that he \"smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 30:17).<\/p>\n

\nAmazing, isn't it? Although David and his men were already weary upon entering that battle against perhaps tens of thousands of warriors, God gave them strength to pursue and persevere. It is that incredible ability that God still grants to His people when all hell appears to have the upper hand. The Amalekites thought they had swallowed the testimony of God-which may have been the case if one man had not chosen to go back into the prayer closet!<\/p>\n

\n\"And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 30:19). I believe we will find the same to be true for us today as we go back to prayer: All is not lost! No matter what the devil is telling us, no matter what the news reports are saying, no matter what we see with our natural eyes-all is not lost! That is why it is imperative now for you and me to forsake our own human reasoning and return to the place where God can speak to us.<\/p>\n

\nRemember, although the arrow is beyond you, it is never beyond the ability of an all-powerful Savior. Jonathan said, \"The arrow is beyond you, make haste-go after it!\" In other words, the plan of God is far beyond you, but just get up and follow after it. You do not have to figure it all out. All that God is asking of you is that you follow \nthe leading of the Holy Spirit with all your heart, and watch as He does the miraculous!<\/p>"},"103":{"sm_title":"A Biscuit at a Banquet","sm_id":"197","sm_desc":"September 1, 2013 - Do you feel like a little biscuit at a big banquet? This message reminds us that when we join Jesus with a childlike faith there is more than enough for a banquet. Today you can cast away your self-reliance and come as you are to the banquet of God's supernatural strength.","sm_jpg":"24030_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2014-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2013\/09\/01s1\/20130901s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20130901s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"hFuX4lVpfsE","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24371_sermon-newsletter-20140101-a-biscuit-at-a-banquet.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

The book of Judges describes a time when Israel, God's own people who were called to be a supernatural testimony in the earth, began to deal deceitfully with His presence. They refused to walk honestly with God and grew casual in their worship of Him, if not casting off the worship of God altogether.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nDealing deceitfully with God will always result in powerlessness, which eventually gives way to the enemies of that society. By enemies, I am referring to those who do not know God, who have no desire to know Him, and who do not want anyone else in relationship with Him. You and I are living in a day very similar to that period of time in the Old Testament.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt was during harvest season that Israel's enemies, in this case the Midianites, came to devour everything that was being gathered by the people of God (see Judges 6:2-3). They intended to bring the Israelites to an impoverished place so as to render them unable to fulfill their God-given purpose on the earth. Knowing that they were far outnumbered by the enemy, which the Scriptures actually describe as being so numerous that they covered the earth like sand, the children of Israel began to cry out to the Lord-as is beginning to happen in our day. God hears the cry of the single mother whose children are out on the streets; the cry of the father who doesn't know how he is going to provide for his family. He hears the cries of those who read the news and see the horrific crimes that are becoming a daily occurrence in this generation.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe Bible tells us that in response to the cries of His people, the angel of the Lord appeared one night to a young man named Gideon-the least in his father's house; his father's house the least in Israel. It is therefore no surprise that when God greeted him, addressing him as a \"mighty man of valor,\" he was dumbfounded. Imagine if the Lord were to come to you today and call you a mighty man or woman of God-would you believe it?<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIf Gideon already had a hard time believing that, imagine his shock when God told him that he was being sent to eradicate the enemy-and that he was going to do so with an army of only three hundred! Obviously, an army that size up against a hundred twenty thousand Midianites was not very good odds in the natural. However, there are certain seasons in history when God decides to do the supernatural again, typically through the most seemingly insignificant people. It has happened all throughout history, and His ways do not change. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n A GREAT BANQUET<\/span>
\r\nBefore we continue in the story of Gideon, I would like you to consider a story Jesus told in the book of Luke. \"A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many: and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready\" <\/span>(Luke 14:16-17, ASV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn other words, a man issued an invitation to his great banquet, much the same as the Lord invites you and me to come to His incredible feast of life and strength. Vision, direction, provision, and a future can be found there. Everything is ready.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nHowever, those who were invited to the banquet began to present their excuses as to why they could not come. No doubt, some people simply did not want to go. Yet I cannot help but feel that some among them felt obliged to bring something to the banquet. Perhaps they were embarrassed at their own lack of resources, which ultimately led them to decline the invitation.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThis is the same dilemma that you and I face today. God says, \"I want to do something through your life.\" It is an incredible invitation from the Lord. Yet, for many people, there is an innate sense that they should be providing something. After all, it is common practice even in our society today that the gift one brings to a wedding should be of equal value to the meal that is being set before them.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOf course, knowing that the price of the banquet was the blood of His Son Jesus Christ, it is preposterous to think that you and I could ever bring something comparable to that price, even if we somehow felt obliged. It tends to take us a long time to get to the point of realizing that this is a \"come as you are\" banquet. The prophet Isaiah said, \"Come, those who have no money; come, those who have no skill; come, those who have no ability. Come and buy and be satisfied! Eat that which will truly fill and satisfy you\" (see Isaiah 55:1).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nNevertheless, we often are afraid of our own smallness, aren't we? We are afraid that we are incapable of meeting the great need that is all around us in this hour, and therefore many of us choose to stay home. Sure, we don't mind going to church and singing the songs. We would even gladly support some superstar preacher who would rise up and do the work for us. It is almost like Moses who might have initially said to God, \"What a great idea for You to set three million people free! I just want You to know that I am with whomever You send to do it.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nBut the Lord said to him, \"It is you I am sending!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"But I stutter. I have lost my power of speech,\" Moses objected. \"And in case You haven't noticed, I am eighty years old now. All my natural strength is gone. I no longer carry a sword; I carry a stick. I no longer have access to Pharaoh's court, for I have been in the backside of the desert for forty years.\" Now it is not unbelief to consider our own insufficiency. Jesus said in Luke 14:31, \"What king, going to make war with another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?\" <\/span>(NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt is not wrong to say, \"But I am weak, and I am not a good speaker. I do not have any royalty in my blood, I have no access to power, no resources in the bank.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt is not wrong to be realistic in analyzing these things, but the danger comes when we then draw a wrong conclusion. That is what the children of Israel did when they came out of Egypt. They reached the very border of the Promised Land, and the men who had been sent in to spy out the land came back and reported, \"It is everything that God said it is. But there are giants there, and we seem so small in the sight of what we are going to have to fight against-not only to conquer the land but to maintain and keep it. I don't think we can do it\" (see Numbers 13:27-33). They rightly estimated themselves, but they came to the wrong conclusion.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nJesus continued in Luke 14:33, \"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all he hath, he cannot be my disciple.\" <\/span>That does not mean you have to give away your house, empty your bank account, and quit your job. Jesus was essentially saying that you must give away your own thoughts of ever doing this in your own strength. The forces against the testimony of Christ in this generation are too powerful. The social trends are going in the opposite direction of the Word of God. The battle is too strong, and our natural resources are insufficient to meet the need. That is why we must choose to cast away all self-reliance and show up, just as we are, to an incredible banquet of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou may feel like a biscuit at a banquet, but understand that God is inviting you to come with your struggles, your frailties, your confusion, your pain. There is something He is calling you to do in this hour, far beyond what you could ever imagine possible. You see, the recruitment strategy of God in the Church of Jesus Christ has never changed-He calls the unqualified to do the supernatural. That means that you and I qualify! But that also means that you and I must not refuse the invitation to partake of this incredible banquet of God's strength. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n A BUNCH OF BISCUITS<\/span>
\r\nAs God calls us to walk in the supernatural-in the things that we consider ourselves unqualified for-it is likely that fears may arise in our heart, as was the case with Gideon. And so the Lord instructed him: \"And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host <\/span>[to the camp of the enemy]; for I have delivered it into thine hand. But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host\"<\/span> (Judges 7:9-11).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn other words, if you are afraid, go down to the enemy's tent. You are going to hear what they are saying, and it will give you strength to go into what, in the natural, is a suicide mission.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host\"<\/span> (Judges 7:11-14).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou would expect the Lord to come up with something a bit more extraordinary, perhaps with the Midianite saying, \"I saw chariots of angels coming down, thousands upon thousands! They were angry, and they killed us all. Let's get out of here!\" No, instead, he saw a loaf of bread roll down a hill, and it just flattened their whole camp. And from that the other man immediately concluded, \"Well, this is none other than the sword of God and the sword of Gideon! He has given the whole \r\nhost into the hand of Gideon!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nHow did the enemy know it? They knew what we forget because they had been on the receiving end time and time again. They knew what happened when suddenly even just a few of God's people got up and decided to go forward. They knew what danger was posed to the kingdom of darkness when a barley loaf came rolling down the hill!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nDo you know what a barley loaf is? It is nothing more than a bunch of biscuits that get together and decide to move as one! You and I are living in an hour when we must surrender our pride and our human reasoning; we must surrender wanting to be seen as someone greater. No, we are all biscuits invited to a banquet-every last one of us! I have always been nothing, I am still nothing, and I will always be nothing. All I have is what God chooses to give me. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n THE SWORD OF THE LORD<\/span>
\r\n\"So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.\"<\/span> (Judges 7:19-21).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe whole host of the enemy fled before Gideon and his three hundred! At the sound of the trumpets, the Israelites broke the pitchers in their hands-representing the breaking off of all human reasoning, all human frailty, all sense of self-loathing and unworthiness. They smashed it all and held up the torch that was inside the clay vessel, which was a symbol of the power of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!\" they shouted. That means the power of God through people who believe Him. You see, when you decide to stand in a public place, refusing to let the testimony of God be hidden, God will do for you what He did for Gideon and his army-He will send confusion into the ranks of the enemy! The Bible tells us that the Midianites started turning and fighting with each other. Confusion ensued because a visible testimony of God had arisen in the earth again-through people who simply believed God in spite of their weakness and frailty.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAnd so the same incredible victory is available to you and me today. All that has ever been necessary is for someone-or perhaps ten or twenty or fifty or a hundred-to rise to their feet and declare, \"I believe God! I believe that God can take my life and make a difference. I believe He can put compassion in my heart and make me a voice in this generation. I believe Him even in my insufficiency. I know that I do not have much to bring to this banquet, but I believe God will provide everything that I need at that table!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn the natural, it may look like a suicide mission for God to send you. But when you declare, \"The sword of the Lord and the sword of Gideon!\" on that hill, watch and see what God will do. God's Word through a surrendered and believing heart is all that is needed to make the difference. This has always been God's answer to such moments in history.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAnd so it is time for a bunch of biscuits to get together and roll down the hill one more time! We as the people of God potentially have the power to flatten the camp of the enemy. Even now I imagine that all hell is trembling, for the enemy knows what happens when you and I dare to believe a word like this!<\/p>"},"104":{"sm_title":"Strange Silence in the Presence of God","sm_id":"196","sm_desc":"October 1, 2013 - Did God make you a promise a long time ago? Don't let unbelief keep you silent in the presence of God. Open your mouth and agree with what He has spoken to you. It's never too late for God to fulfil His Promises. What did God promise you? Declare is out loud and expect the miraculous.","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2013-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20131001t1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24370_sermon-newsletter-20131201-strange-silence-in-the-presence-of-god.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

There are times and seasons when God does the impossible, even though His people appear to be in some of the worst positions imaginable. I believe you and I are living in such a moment. However, that means that we must make the choice to believe Him. What comes out of our mouths must be what God has spoken; we cannot be silent. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn Psalm 115, the psalmist paints a grave picture, saying, \"The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence<\/span>\" (Psalms 115:17). In the original Hebrew, \"any that go down into silence\" means those who are dumb; who cannot speak. Earlier the psalmist said of the heathen, \"Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat\"<\/span> (Psalms 115:4-7). In other words, the heathen make idols that have mouths, but they can't speak, and those who trust in them become like them. The idols of those who are outside of the kingdom of God leave them powerless. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n WHEN UNBELIEF CLOSES YOUR MOUTH<\/span>
\r\nAlong with the heathen, people of another kind come into a strange silence, even though they are in the presence of God. It is as if they lose their speech, their song, their testimony, their sense of awe of who God is. A story in the book of Luke gives a clear illustration of this type of strange silence:<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias...and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense\"<\/span> (Luke 1:5-10).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThis appears to be holy, doesn't it? Zacharias was a righteous and obedient man. He was appointed as a priest and given the privilege of going into the temple to burn incense, which is a type of prayer. As those on the outside could see the incense wafting out from under the curtain, they might have concluded, \"This is an incredible man of God. He knows so much more about God than we do. We are only here on the outside praying, but he really has an inside track!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense\"<\/span> (Luke 1:11). Note the significance of \"the right side,\" which symbolizes the side of strength, for it is at the right hand of God that Christ sits. This speaks of God's willingness to give Zacharias what he could not attain through all of his obedience and religious observances. It is as if God was saying, \"I am going to do something in your life that you cannot do for yourself.\" In the same way, you and I can be as righteous as possible-attending every prayer meeting, reading the Bible until our eyes are crossed. But there is still something that only God can do in our lives, something supernatural, far beyond our human limitations.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn Zacharias' case, his wife was barren. He and Elisabeth were both past childbearing age, yet it was at this point of hopelessness that God appeared through a messenger and said, \"Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard\" <\/span>(Luke 1:13). Zacharias must have been taken aback, wondering, \"My prayer is heard? I am 80 years old now! I prayed that prayer back when I was about 35!\" But God is an on-time God! Not our time-His time. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord...filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord\"<\/span> (Luke 1:13-17). What a phenomenal promise! God essentially told Zacharias, \"I am going to do something supernatural through you and Elisabeth. In spite of your lack of ability, I am going to do something sovereign, and it is going to turn many people back to Me.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless\"<\/span> (Luke 1:18-22). Unbelief closed his mouth! <\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn each of our lives, there are moments when God begins to speak something so deep and profound to us that it would be impossible unless God Himself performed it. That is when we come to a road of decision. Am I going to believe God, or am I going to believe the frailties of my own heart?<\/p>\r\n

\r\nSadly, many Christians end up standing at the shores of incredible promise, only to look in and say, \"God, I hope whomever You send has great success.\" They understand what God is saying and even believe His Word to be true...just not for them personally. It is almost as if they conclude that God has finally arrived at the one person in history through whom He cannot do anything! And so what happens is that unbelief closes their mouth, just as in Zacharias' case.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nI have witnessed this time and again in the house of the Lord-people coming in with great fervency and zeal, singing and leaping in the presence of God. Yet as they delve into the Bible and gain more knowledge, reading of all the incredible things God has done in the past, they begin to have a hard time believing it for their own lives. Suddenly their song starts growing fainter and fainter until eventually they are left sitting in silence. Although they deceive themselves into thinking that they have somehow come into a holy place, in reality, unbelief has gripped their hearts. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n EVERYONE ELSE HAS A TESTIMONY<\/span>
\r\nJust as the angel said, Elisabeth does get pregnant, and Zacharias still cannot speak. To add insult to injury in Zacharias' life, one day Elisabeth's cousin, Mary, comes to visit. Mary was a young virgin, pregnant with the Son of God and Elisabeth, who was past childbearing age, was pregnant with a prophet who was going to announce the arrival of the Son of God. Now bear in mind that Zacharias had more biblical knowledge than the two of them put together. He had experience with God and he was closer to the altar than either of them had ever been. Yet I can picture him peering down from his balcony into the courtyard as Mary rushes in with excitement.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"[Mary] entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?\"<\/span> (Luke 1:40-43). What revelation! Not only is Elisabeth pregnant and filled with the Holy Ghost, but the mother of the Messiah has come to visit her, and she \r\nknows it! <\/p>\r\n

\r\nImagine what it must have been like at the dinner table later-Mary sitting on one side, Elisabeth on the other, and Zacharias in the middle. \"Isn't it exciting what the Lord is doing?\" Mary exclaims. \"How amazing when God speaks! When the angel Gabriel came to me, I believed him, and there was a fulfillment of those things which he had promised in my life!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nElisabeth would be able to say the same, \"I believed God for forty-five years, and suddenly there was a stirring in my heart. I knew that God had answered our prayer. Oh, let's magnify the Lord! What do you say, Zacharias?\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nSilence. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nI cannot help but wonder if Zacharias finally got tired of people passing him by! <\/p>\r\n

\r\nTo those who have known the Lord for a season, have you gotten to the point where you are tired of being passed up by the young-those who do not have nearly as much learning as you? You have biblical knowledge, you know the Hebrew meanings of words, and you have a history with God. But next to you is an excited, young Christian who simply believes that all things are possible with God. He has perhaps a quarter of your knowledge yet is pressing into something that has long eluded you-something that God told you but you had a hard time believing. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nDid you know that you can hide unbelief in theology? You can study and dazzle people with your incredible brilliance, yet still not be growing one ounce in the miraculous faith of God. Nothing in your life causes people to say, \"Surely there is a God, how else could this have ever happened?\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAs the Scriptures remind us, \"faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear\"<\/span> (Hebrews 11:1-3). By faith we understand that what God speaks, He can create. It does not matter if you are barren or if this place in your life has been empty from generations past. It does not matter what others have called you or what the unbelieving say. All that matters is what God says. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n HIS TONGUE WAS LOOSED<\/span>
\r\nSoon the baby was born, and it came time for Zacharias and Elisabeth to dedicate him. \"And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father\" (Luke 1:59). This is exactly what the world will do-call you after the name of your father. They will call you a drunk, a loser, someone who is going nowhere. In other words, \"You are just like your father. You are just like your mother. The history that was created in your family is just going to carry on through your life, and you will never be any different.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John\"<\/span> (Luke 1:60). No! This child has a name different from any name that has ever been named in this family! \"And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all\"<\/span> (Luke 1:61-63). Zacharias finally agreed with God! <\/p>\r\n

\r\nHe finally came to the place of saying, \"Whatever God calls it, that's what it is.\" His name is John! In the case of the Christian, His name is Jesus-the author and giver of life. It would be like those today who say, \"You may want to call me what they called my father. You may call me a coward, but God calls me an evangelist. You may call me selfish and unloving, but God calls me husband and father, protector of my house. You may call me a recovering alcoholic, but I am not recovering anymore-I am a new creation in Christ Jesus!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God\"<\/span> (Luke 1:64). Thank God that it is never too late! No matter how long we have been living in unbelief or how long we have made peace with powerlessness, it is never too late to finally get to the point where we agree with what God has spoken to us. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied\"<\/span> (Luke 1:67). When Zacharias finally agreed with God, not only was his tongue loosed, but he was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied! It is just like the 120 disciples in the Book of Acts who agreed with God and had their tongues suddenly loosed. They were failures when they went into the Upper Room, but they were empowered by God when they came out, speaking of the wonders of God! <\/p>\r\n

\r\n REFUSE TO GO DOWN INTO SILENCE<\/span>
\r\nAll throughout the Scriptures, we have been given a marvelous demonstration of God's miraculous power through a people of faith. And now that we have come to the threshold of His return, shall we be found going down into silence? <\/p>\r\n

\r\nI don't know about you, but I choose to live and die on the side of faith. I choose to believe that God can do exceedingly more than we can ask or think when we pray to Him. I choose to believe that if we will walk humbly before God, He will do something in and through us that will touch this generation! <\/p>\r\n

\r\nSo my question for you today is: What is the name of the thing that God has planted inside of you? What has the Holy Spirit been whispering to your heart? The Lord has told you something-something that He desires to do through your life. You know it, God knows it, and now is the time to agree with it. After all, there comes a point in our walk with God when there is no longer any excuse for unbelief. There comes a point when we must trust God, determined not to sit on the sidelines in silence and unbelief. Instead, we must allow God to be God in us-doing what only He can do, leading us where only He can take us, bringing honor to His name. That is how the Church started, and that is how the Church will finish before Christ comes to take us home! Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"105":{"sm_title":"An Hour Of Holy Desperation","sm_id":"194","sm_desc":"September 8, 2013 - God will allow a holy desperation to come into the hearts of the people He intends use in this desperate hour. The answer comes when we realize that the life that Christ promises us is not for ourselves but for others. The answer for this generation is the life of Christ within us.","sm_jpg":"24049_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2013-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2013\/09\/08s1\/20130908s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20130908s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"oeC-jSa9byA","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24254_sermon-newsletter-20131101-an-hour-of-holy-desperation.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

You and I are living in what I call \"an hour of holy desperation.\" Our society is degenerating very rapidly and horrific crimes are occurring so often that we are becoming dulled to it all. The abnormal is becoming normal; evil is becoming good. As you look around, perhaps you wonder, \"How do I fit into this moment in time? What can God do through my life? And if He is going to do something, why is it that my prayers, that I know are according to His Word, have not yet been answered?\"<\/p>\r\n

\"\" \r\n A DESPERATE HOUR<\/span>
\r\nTo help address some of these questions, let's look at another time in history when a desperate hour came upon a nation. The book of First Samuel speaks of a season when there was no clear word or vision. The priesthood that was supposed to represent God was instead deeply compromised (see 1 Samuel 2:22-24, 3:1). God's character, purpose, and mind were hidden from the people, leaving them without answers to the questions in their hearts: \"What is happening in our society? Where are we going?\" What despondency must have filled those who came into the temple!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nWe see later that the Israelites began to be defeated by their enemies-thirty thousand of them fell before the Philistines (see 1 Samuel 4:10). The testimony of God was being diminished and an enemy had come in and was dictating the terms of society and culture, leaving the people of God seemingly powerless to stand against it. To make matters worse, the Ark of God, which represented the presence, comfort, power and provision of God, had been captured. And so the entire city began to cry out in despair (see 1 Samuel 4:13, 17).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThis situation was very similar to the day in which we live-when it seems as if the presence of God-His power and provision that we have known throughout our history-is suddenly gone. It appears that the enemies of God now have the upper hand, dictating to us when we can pray, what we can teach our children, what is right and what is wrong. As a result, a deep cry is beginning to form in the hearts of the people.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nPsalm 107 also speaks of these seasons of holy desperation that recurred throughout history. The psalmist describes a people who were wandering, hungry, fainting, and held captive. It was a time marked by a foolish handling of the truth of God. Eventually, as economies were failing, even the prosperous began to lose hope. Yet it is in these very moments of desperation that the general population begins to cry out to God, as is evidenced in our day. There is a cry rising in this generation-a cry not necessarily heard by the natural ear, but God hears it. It is like the time He came to Moses and said, \"I have heard the cry of the people and I have come down to deliver them\" (see Exodus 3:7-8). In other words, I have heard their groans of hopelessness. Today the Lord hears the cries of those whose dreams have been shattered, of parents whose children have gone astray as a godless value system has been infused upon them from all directions, of those who ask, \"What happened to us as a nation? What has rendered us so foolish that we dare to handle the truth of God's Word so casually?\"<\/p>\r\n

\"\" \r\n GOD'S ANSWER<\/span>
\r\nWhen such a cry comes into the hearts of so many people, what is the Lord's response? I believe the answer is found in the book of First Samuel where we began. God allows a holy desperation to come not only into the nation, but also into the hearts of those He will use to call the people back to Himself. In this case, it was a barren woman named Hannah.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons? So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore\" <\/span>(1 Samuel 1:6-10).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHere we see Hannah at a place of holy desperation-a place where many of us are today. Note that this desperation differs from that of the world living apart from God. People without God are crying out as circumstances begin to overwhelm them; as despair and hopelessness fill their hearts. We, on the other hand, are not a people without hope. Nevertheless, there is a deep cry forming within many of God's people.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nPerhaps lately you have been asking, \"Lord, why haven't You answered my prayer yet? I have asked You for freedom, for I read in the gospels that freedom is promised to me. Doesn't the Scripture say, 'You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free'? Didn't You tell us that we shall have life, and we shall have it more abundantly?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHannah must have had similar questions in her heart as she went to the temple year after year, crying out to God for something she believed should be hers according to the Word of God. Remember, the importance of having a family was embedded in that culture; it defined people in that era. It was the deepest desire of Hannah's heart, and she knew she was praying to the God who makes provision for all; the God who could do anything. Yet for some reason He was withholding the answer.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nI can imagine the enemy constantly taunting her, \"Look at you-barren, fruitless. God must have a controversy with you. No wonder He is not answering your prayer.\" And all the while, the nation was spiraling deeper down and farther away from God. The Philistines were gathering on the borders, increasing in boldness and in number, intending to swallow the testimony of God in the earth.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n How hopeless the whole situation can appear sometimes...unless, of course, there is a bigger purpose that we do not realize; unless God has waited for something that we have not considered.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe Bible tells us that Hannah eventually reached a point of desperation where she could not even form words anymore. I have experienced that in my own prayer time before-where I come to a point of simply having nothing left to say. But it is in those very moments, just as it says in Romans, that \"the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered\"<\/span> (Romans 8:26).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHave you been experiencing a yearning, an inner groaning in prayer, yet you are not quite sure why or where it is leading you? Rest assured, there is a divine purpose in it. A God-breathed holy desperation has come into your heart, and it is no accident that it is happening in this particular moment in history. It is evidence that God desires to do something in and through you.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" \r\n WHAT GOD IS WAITING FOR<\/span>
\r\nThe Scriptures tell us that Hannah, in her most desperate hour, finally \"vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 1:11).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThat is what God was waiting for! You see, oftentimes when we receive an answer too quickly, our human tendency is to take the answer home. Sure, we may testify of how God was faithful and blessed us, but ultimately we will take the blessing and consume it on ourselves. That is why often God must wait until we come to a point of holy desperation just as Hannah did-a place where we purpose in our heart to take that answer and give it back to the Lord for His glory.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAt the time, Hannah had no idea that this holy desperation was what God was producing in His own people as His answer to the peril her country was facing. What she did know, however, was that there would be a cost accompanying her vow. Imagine how difficult it must have been, knowing that the priesthood was completely backslidden and the nation was in declension, yet still choosing to bring her son-the desire of her heart she had prayed for for so long-and commit him to the temple.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n I can picture what Hannah's neighbors must have been saying as she left for the temple that last time with her little boy. \"What in the world are you doing, Hannah? God finally answered your prayer and gave this child to you!\" It is the same thing that you and I will have to fight along the way-the false reasoning; the advice of those who would never walk such a journey. \"What are you doing, going to the mission field? Why are you putting yourself in such a position? Why are you denying yourself? Is this not the desire of your heart? Isn't it God who gave you this blessing? Why are you giving it back to Him?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nSomehow Hannah had the sense to know that the life Christ blesses us with is not for ourselves but rather for others. It was something she realized back in the temple when she first made that vow to the Lord, promising to bring back to Him the life He would give. In fact, it was at that point that Hannah went away with her countenance no longer sad (see 1 Samuel 1:18).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe incredible thing is that \"ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; that the Lord called Samuel\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 3:3-4). God's great plan was in this child! God called Samuel, and he became one of the greatest prophets in the time of the judges. Through Samuel, the truth of God came again to a eneration that had lost their moorings, for he had a word that people trembled under. Samuel wept over King Saul; he anointed King David. And it all came from this woman's cry of holy desperation.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" \r\n A DIVINE PURPOSE<\/span>
\r\nAnd now, before the light goes out in your city, before all hope is lost, God is calling to the light within you. You are the answer to the cries of this generation-a generation that is wandering, lonely, captivated by immorality, thirsting for something that is lasting.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n That is the reason for the groaning and the unrest you have been feeling. That is the reason for the delay in the answer to your prayer. God has been waiting for you to reach that place of holy desperation where you finally pray, \"Lord, I am coming to You one more time, and if You answer me-if You give me freedom, if You give me life, if You birth something divine inside of me-I am not going to take it home to consume it on my own personal desires. I will bring it back to You, even if it will cost me. All I ask is that You use it for Your glory. I believe that somehow through my life, the kingdom of God will advance and the works of the devil will be destroyed. Even those who oppose their own salvation will be set free.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThis is the desperate cry God has been waiting for in a desperate hour. We do not have ten years to get this right. I dread to think what this nation will look like ten to fifteen years from today if there is not a spiritual awakening among God's people. That is why we must awaken to the fact that we are not called to a picnic-we are called to a war for the souls of men. We are called to be a sign that astounds those who live according to their own reasoning and their own strength. We are not powerless; we have the One who created the universe by the Word of His mouth living inside of us! Every son and daughter of God has access to His resources and power in full.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Yet sadly, we have lived far beneath our position in Christ in this generation. The Church of Jesus Christ must awaken out of her slumber. We must get out of our mindset that it is all about my needs, my house, my fulfillment. No! Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. The Bible tells us that Hannah later gave birth to three sons and two daughters. She sought first the kingdom of God, and He gave her what would bring her into that place of completeness she had always longed for.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIt is interesting to note that even before Hannah was brought to that place in her life, on the day she left Samuel in the temple, she prayed an incredible prayer:<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God...The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble...The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 2:1-10).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn other words, the people of God will be given life again. There will be strength, there will be provision, there will be victory. We may not fully understand how, but we do know that when holy desperation drives us to the place where we truly purpose to bring back to God what He gives us, an answer to the cry in this generation will come out of it!<\/p>"},"106":{"sm_title":"Can God Speak to You?","sm_id":"192","sm_desc":"July 29, 2012 − The guarantee I have of the future is that my heart stays open and that God can speak to me because He knows the end from the beginning. If I refuse to walk in truth and humble myself before God, none of this will ever belong to me. Can God go after that issue of the heart? Can God go after that practice in your life? Can He? Or will you reject His counsel?","sm_jpg":"23076_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2013-10","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/07\/29s1\/20120729s1.wmv ","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20120729S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"2NQSgwTJg0M","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24097_sermon-newsletter-20131001-can-god-speak-to-you.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

If I were to ask you the question, \"Can God speak to you?\"<\/span> your response likely would be, \"Of course He can speak to me! Why else would I be reading this? Why would I go to church and lift up my hands to worship Him? It is obvious that God can speak to me.\" Yet, before you answer so quickly, consider the following scene in the book of Luke: \"And all the people that heard [Jesus], and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him\"<\/span> (Luke 7:29-30). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

A group of people were gathered in the presence of Jesus. They all were well aware that He had power and they were hearing a clear word being spoken to them. Perhaps there were even those among them who personally knew some of the dead people Jesus had raised to life again or the blind who now could see. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Nevertheless, there was a line that divided this group of people into two-a line described in these verses of Scripture as \"the baptism of John.\" Those who had accepted the baptism of John could hear the voice of God and justified God. However, those who had rejected his baptism were unable to hear what the Lord was saying. In other words, they could not be moved from where they were to the place that Jesus was calling them to.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Unfortunately, the same holds true in the body of Christ today. Although there may be those who are gathered around the Word of God, there tends to be a certain dividing line. I have often witnessed this over the years-a congregation of people sitting under the same Word, in the same presence of God, yet emerging with two entirely different results. Some of them are growing into the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, changing by the Spirit of God from image to image and glory to glory, just as the Scripture says. Others, however, continue to accumulate knowledge without change. They can quote verses and attend conferences, but realistically speaking, they are the same today as they were ten years ago. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Jesus went on to describe such a person: \"Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? And to what are they like? They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept<\/span>\" (Luke 7:31-32). One group of children is saying to another, \"We brought you joy, but you refused to leave the place of mourning.\" And on the other side, they say, \"We brought you a presentation of mourning, yet you refuse to leave where you are and join us.\" The point Jesus was trying to get across was this: \"Whether I call you with a testimony of the fullness of joy that can be yours, or if I warn you of the sorrow that awaits those who refuse to turn from sin, neither of these will cause you to get up from where you are and come over to where you should be.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

So what is the reason for the difference between the two groups of people? I believe it was simply this, as illustrated in our opening text: Those who had received and embraced the baptism of John recognized that their lives had fallen short of all that God intended. In contrast, the others did not agree with the counsel of God against them. They resisted change and instead embraced a form of godliness, ultimately precluding them from the divine power and life that was being freely offered. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

It is amazing how many people in our generation have come to what they assume is a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ, yet they have never truly repented. In other words, they have never come to realize how \"other\" than God we all are; how much of a corrupt nature we possess. That is the key difference-the reason why some people can hear the same Word as others yet remain unable to enter into the power of it. They fail to understand that even with all our good deeds, there is nothing in and of ourselves that we can present to a holy God. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n THE BAPTISM JOHN PREACHED<\/span>
\r\n \"And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight\"<\/span> (Luke 3:3-4). <\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The baptism John preached was a baptism of repentance-one where we acknowledge, I must die, and Christ must live. When John said to \"make His paths straight,\" he was not saying to repent and be baptized so that you can somehow get through to God. The moment you turn and receive Christ as Savior, you are fully accepted with God. Rather, he was talking about a repentance that opens the pathway for God to come to you.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth\"<\/span> (Luke 3:5). In other words, as you come in humility, Jesus will be faithful to remove every obstacle that stands in the way of your knowing Him in the way that He desires. He will bring down every place that you think is impossible-every crooked way, every lie that tries to convince you that God cannot or will not come to you. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

John continued, \"And all flesh shall see the salvation of God\"<\/span> (Luke 3:6). What an incredible promise! That means each one of us can have a clear view of Jesus once we are out of the way-once we are no longer holding on to anything that God is telling us to let go of. That is why you and I must make the choice now to say, \"Lord, if Your Word says it is wrong, then it's wrong! If You are telling me that I need to forgive, then I know there are no excuses for holding on to bitterness. If there is an aspect of my character that You are after or a practice in my life that needs to go, then I will heed Your rebuke!\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n NO GOOD THING WITHIN<\/span>
\r\n As John preached in the wilderness of Judaea, I can just picture people pouring out of the cities in response to his call. Yet it was not the religiously proud who came out. Rather, it was the publicans, the tax collectors, the common people-those who did not necessarily have anything of pride to hold on to and keep them blinded to truth. As they came out to be baptized of John, notice what he said to them: <\/span>\"O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?\"<\/span> (Luke 3:7). Imagine that! The people are actually coming out to repent, so why insult them now? <\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

It was almost as if they faced one last test before going into the waters of repentance for the remission of their sins. And the test was simply this: Do you agree that apart from Christ, you have the nature of Satan in you? Before you go into these waters of baptism for the remission of your sins, are you convinced that in your flesh dwells no good thing? <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Ever since Satan approached Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the seed of the serpent was sown into all humanity, meaning that every one of us has that inner sin nature that wants to be as God. We want to determine for ourselves what is good and what is evil, even if it is contrary to what is written in the Scriptures. However, there stands a wrath against sin-one that nobody will be able to escape. Some people may assume that they are getting away with playing religious games their whole lives, but there is a day coming when everyone will stand
before the throne of God. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

John continued, \"Bring forth thereforefruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire<\/span>\" (Luke 3:8-9). Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance! That means no more attempts to justify certain practices in our lives; no more excuses for the things that we have neglected to do. God has the right to take the axe to the root of every tree inside of us that must go, and it is our privilege to allow Him to do so.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n GREATER THAN JOHN<\/span>
\r\n Jesus Himself later gave this testimony of John the Baptist: <\/span>\"What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? ...A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee\"<\/span> (Luke 7:24, 26-27). John was imprisoned at that time. He was in a season of personal upheaval and turmoil, leaving him with questions in his heart and only a dim vision for his future. This is the exact place where many people find themselves today, and it is where many more will end up in the days to come. In fact, I believe God is speaking to us now so that we will be prepared to stand when everything around us begins to fail. The Lord desires that we be ready for the time when it may become difficult to understand His ways-when voices are raised everywhere, even inside our own heads, challenging the authenticity of Christ. <\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Jesus was essentially saying of John: \"Although he is in a wilderness, seemingly attacked on every side, he will not be overcome. He has been a man of truth, not only preaching a baptism of repentance of sin, but living it. Therefore, he has been given an inner confidence. There is a deposit of the life of God inside of this man that will keep and sustain him, even if he has to die for the cause of Christ\" (which he did). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Likewise, God is willing to deposit within each one of us all that we will need in order to face the future. I cannot minimize what the Holy Spirit has been speaking to me. The days ahead of us are going to be extremely difficult, perhaps unlike anything we have ever known. We are going to need strength and God desires to give it to us, but it does not come unless we are walking in truth. We cannot continue to live in ways that are clearly contrary to the Scriptures. (I am not referring to the struggling Christian but to the one who is willfully engaged in practices that God's Word warns against.) Neither can we retain any measure of our own righteousness or our own sense of self and still expect to enter into the fullness of what God has for us in Christ. There must be a willingness to walk clean and straight. Otherwise, we are rejecting the counsel of God and ultimately shutting off the supply of Christ.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Jesus then went on to make a phenomenal statement, \"For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he\"<\/span> (Luke 7:28). Here is how I see it: John had a measure of the Spirit given to him for the calling that was upon his life-to announce the coming of Christ. However, today we do not have merely a measure of Christ, we have access to the full life of God in Jesus Christ! John could point to Him; we can know Him. We can have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, carrying us in our weakness. We are reminded that this is not a message for those who are strong in themselves. Rather, it is the least, the weakest, and the seemingly most frail in the kingdom of God who
Christ empowers-with an even greater measure of power
than was given to John!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n GET RIGHT WITH GOD<\/span>
\r\n Today I implore you-as a pastor, as a father, as a brother-get right with God. At times I feel like Noah, standing outside a place of complete safety as people casually pass by. In those days, many who heard Noah might even have agreed with him, yet they still refused to turn from their own ways and follow God. However, you and I must realize that we will not be able to stand in the coming days if we do not fully commit ourselves to obey the Lord. As the Scripture says, <\/span>\"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent\"<\/span> (Acts 17:30). In other words, the Lord commands us to have a change of heart; to agree with Him and turn from what is wrong. <\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Lately I have been praying, \"Lord Jesus, help me to see if there is anything in my life that is going to lead me astray and, if so, give me the grace to put it away. I do not want to stand in a place where I reject Your counsel, even if it is against me.\" Over the course of my life, there have been things that God has had His finger on; attitudes I had embraced that I thought were acceptable but in reality had fallen short of God's standard. Some practices were obvious, others were not. But I believe the one thing that has kept me up until this point in my life is that my heart has been open for the Lord to speak and reprove if needed. Of course, I do not want to merely start presenting a record of past victories, for they are no guarantee of the future. My heart must stay open so that God can speak to me. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

And so I ask again: Can God speak to you? Can God go after that issue of the heart; that practice in your life; that sense of self-righteousness? Or will you reject His counsel and end up locked out of His power? <\/p>\r\n \r\n

If you continually choose to come to Him in humility of heart and with a willingness to agree with His Word, God will bring down the mountains and raise the valleys. He will create a clear pathway between you and Himself, and you will find that He promises not only to keep you but to give you power, joy and victory in the coming days!<\/p>"},"107":{"sm_title":"Staying Silent in a Perilous Time","sm_id":"190","sm_desc":"June 9, 2013 - It is not time for the church of Jesus Christ to be silent\u2014 it is time for us to speak like we have never spoken before. Don't let the fear of man silence your testimony. Cry out to God and He will give you boldness to glorify His name in the earth.","sm_jpg":"23823_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2013-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2013\/06\/09s1\/20130609s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20130609s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"ugvnwOGxohY","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/24028_sermon-newsletter-20130901-staying-silent-in-a-perilous-time.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In the days when I was a police officer in Canada, the laws of that country stated that it was a crime to do something that would cause harm to another person, but neglecting<\/span> to do something that resulted in another person's harm was equally as criminal. Take a moment to think about that in light of the numbers of people in our generation who are about to perish without God. So many are living under the illusion that mankind can pursue his own objectives, follow his own reasoning, and still manage to arrive at some utopian end. Yet, in reality, the end that awaits those who choose to live without God is one of such terror that our minds cannot even begin to comprehend it.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou and I are aware of the reality of heaven and hell, and we also know that in between the two stands a Savior. We know the truth because the truth has set us free. The truth has made us into new creations and continues to usher us into greater measures of strength and freedom every day as we sincerely follow Christ. We do not hold to a mere concept about God, we have the living reality of God inside of us. And so the question arises: Why is it that we, knowing the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, so often remain silent? <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM<\/span>
\r\n\r\n\"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 1:7-8). Paul identifies the root of this problem of remaining silent as fear or more specifically, as I see it, the fear of man-a fear of retaliation and rejection. It is not debatable that we are going to experience rejection when we choose to stand for what represents God in a godless hour. Yet just as Paul warned Timothy, we are not to back away in the face of difficulty. God is willing to give us the power we need to partake of the inconvenience, the rejection, the scorn, the retaliation-these \"afflictions\" of the gospel. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt is helpful to understand that the fear of man finds its fuel source in our sin nature. It all began when Satan was no longer content to be a worshiper in heaven-rather, he longed to be worshiped. That lust in his heart led him to think outside of the parameters that God had established for him. When he came to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, he subsequently sowed that fallen nature into the human race-a desire to live and think independently of God, ultimately wanting to be as God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWith that sin nature now entrenched in humanity, the next step was the innate desire to be worshiped-and so fallen man began to turn to one another for approval. That is why \r\nwe tend to be so greatly affected by other people's opinions of us; why our whole identity suddenly hinges on whether we are a success or failure in other people's eyes. In fact, this lust for the praise of man has driven many to industries where they can live in a realm of applause and accolades. Although they may realize the trap of it by the time they reach some pinnacle of adoration, they nevertheless become addicted to men's approval and can no longer live without it. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nConsider how tragic it would be to stand before the Lord one day and have somebody we once knew look us in the eye and say, \"You knew the truth. You knew there was a heaven and a hell! I know I was nasty, but why didn't you open your mouth and tell me anyway? You knew I was going to go here. You knew my children would end up here. Why didn't you speak to me?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSadly, the only reason any child of God would have is: \"I longed for your favor more than the favor of God. I wanted you to like me. I didn't want you to laugh at me; I wanted your accolades and praise.\" What a trap it is when we love the praise of men more than the praise of God! <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n THE POWER OF LOVE<\/span>
\r\n\r\nAccording to Paul, the only way to escape this snare of the fear of man is by calling out to God, knowing that He has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. God alone can give us the ability to escape being governed by the praise or the criticism of people. Furthermore, the Scriptures tell us, \"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear...\"<\/span> (1 John 4:18, NKJV). The love of God will not only drive out fear, but it will compel us to go back to those who are living without God in order to do them good, irrespective of their response toward us.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nNo doubt Jesus had the power to resist the accolades of man. The Bible tells us, \"When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone\"<\/span> (John 6:15). We know that Jesus was so full of the love of God that He allowed Himself to be given for the needs of the very ones who opposed Him. When people walked by His cross and reviled Him, wagging their heads and gambling for His garments, the only thing that came out of His mouth was, \"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do\"<\/span> (Luke 23:34, NKJV). This is the perfected love of God! It is this perfected love that will empower us to do what we are called to do in this generation-to love those who hate us, for their souls' sake.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, the one who fears is not perfected in the love of God. He is as the blind man who was touched by Jesus yet only saw people as trees walking (see Mark 8:22-25). In other words, this man had only half a vision. Similarly, when you and I do not have a heart to see people the way God sees them, we will be driven back by their hard looks and condescension. However, when that blind man was willing to be touched by the Lord a second time, he lifted his eyes and suddenly saw all men clearly. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n DESPERATE FOR A TOUCH<\/span>
\r\n\r\nIf you are desperate to be a witness for Jesus Christ-if you are tired of being one thing in church but another outside; if there is a cry inside of you that says, \"God, I have had enough \r\nof this powerlessness! I don't care who laughs at me or who thinks I have lost my mind. I want Your power to be able to stand for Jesus Christ!\"-then I have good news for you: God is willing to touch you again, just as He did that blind man.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nWhen I first got saved, I genuinely loved going church, loved the fellowship, loved worshiping God. But for the first couple of years, this devotion to God somehow just would not translate into what happened outside of church. I recall walking down the street with some of my friends at the police department and seeing a Christian walking toward us. I immediately began to cringe inside, for I did not mind giving somebody a hug and a \"God bless you\" at church, but not on the street in front of my friends!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nI remember finally coming to the point where I was tired of being ashamed of Christ in public. In fact, it drove me to such desperation that one day while I was in my patrol car, I literally punched the steering wheel and cried, \"I am sick of this! God, I am going to serve You if it kills me!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nShortly thereafter, a Christian police officer at work invited me to go down to the prison to share the gospel. He added that the chief had granted permission for us to do so in uniform. Aware of unrest that recently took place there, I warned him, \"If there is another disturbance in that prison and we are wearing our uniforms, we are dead!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\"I know,\" he casually replied. \"So do you want to come or not?\" I suddenly had a flashback to a couple of days before when I hit the steering wheel, telling God that I would serve Him if it killed me-and I eventually consented.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nOn our way to the prison, he told me, \"A friend of mine is an affiliate of the Outlaws (a type of Hells Angels motorcycle gang in Canada) and it is his one-year spiritual birthday. Do you want to stop by the halfway house where he is?\" I agreed, concluding that the halfway house certainly sounded more appealing than the regional prison.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nWhen we arrived, I was astonished to find the whole place full of heavy-duty ex-cons who loved God and were talking about Jesus! They were completely unashamed to tell me of the things they had done in the past, yet also about how God had saved and filled them with the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nThe director of the house ended up inviting us to stay for a service they were having, which turned out to be a phenomenal time of worship and testimonies in the presence of God. At the end of the service, all of these ex-cons gathered around and asked me, \"Have you been filled with the Holy Spirit?\" I quickly reverted to my theology and replied, \"Of course. When I received Christ, I was filled with the Holy Spirit\" (which is true in measure).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\"Yeah, but have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nI looked at them and thought to myself, \"Well, of course, you guys need that. You are just getting out of jail, so God has to give you something to help reintegrate you into society.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nThey persisted, \"Will you let us pray that God will give you His Spirit?\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nI finally said, \"Alright, you can pray for me.\" As I stood there, clad in full uniform, one of the guys went to stand behind me-and I immediately objected, \"Get away from me! Don't stand there!\" I was never comfortable with people standing behind me.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nAlthough they told me I would be wise to have someone stand there, I insisted that I was fine and proceeded to lift my hands as they began to pray. The next thing I knew, I hit the hardwood floor! I certainly was not expecting that to happen! I remember lying there, speaking in another tongue, half thinking that if the chief ever found out about what was happening, he would have me admitted to a psychiatric hospital.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nI left that place wondering, \"Was that real? Did that really happen to me?\" At the time, I was being discipled in a church that did not believe in the second touch of the power of God for the purpose of witnessing for Christ. Yet all the way home in my car, whenever I would open my mouth, this \"river\" would flow out. I was so aware of the presence of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nEntering the door of our farmhouse, I exclaimed to my wife, \"Hey, listen to this!\" as I started to speak in tongues. I then went outside and began running through the fields of our farm, shouting and praising and speaking in tongues. All the while, my wife was thinking, \"My husband has lost his mind!\" Yet she eventually saw an incredible change in my life. I was no longer bound by fear; no longer ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n APPOINTED TO SPEAK<\/span>
\r\n\r\nGod had put a compelling love in my heart. Yes, there were times when I was opposed and even threatened. Nevertheless, I simply could not remain silent, for I genuinely cared about the people I was speaking to. It was not a program or something I felt obligated to do, nor was I merely waiting for the right moment to toss someone a tract. No! I was compelled to speak about Jesus Christ. Men and women around me were dying in their sin, and somebody with the compassion of God had to speak to them. This is the calling on each one of our lives.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nPaul said it this way: \"Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 1:11-12). Paul said, \"I suffer, I am called, and I am appointed.\" In the same way, each of us is appointed by God to be a vocal witness of the truth. We are not called to be silent in this hour. We are called to stand for what we believe in; to testify of how God has transformed us and continues to work in our lives. We are called to stand unashamed rather than cowering down under the sneers of fallen humanity. And God has made a way for us to do so. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nPrior to these verses, Paul said to Timothy, \"...but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 1:8-9). It is according to His own purpose and grace! It is as if God is saying, \"I saw you coming, and I made a way for you. I made a way to cut the cords of needing the praise and approval of man. I made a way for you to fulfill My holy calling on your life-not just in part but in full measure. I made a way for you to love people with a supernatural love. I am willing to fill you with My Holy Spirit, giving you courage to stand as a voice for the kingdom of God-not by your ability, but by My Spirit!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nNot only can we not afford to remain silent, there comes a point in the testimony of the Christian church when we realize that we simply do not have time to argue doctrine any longer. Instead, we recognize that we need the power of the Holy Spirit in order to stand up and do what we are called to do. Remember, God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. It is only the power and love of God that will compel us to open our mouths and reach out to people in a time when godlessness appears to be pulling into the fast lane. And it is the sound mind that says, \"God's promises are true. What He has done for others throughout history, He will also do for me.\" After all, Jesus Himself said, \"If a son asks for bread, his father will not give him a stone. How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask?\" (see Matthew 7:9-11).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\nAnd so I encourage you today to ask the Lord to touch your life again and fill you afresh with His Holy Spirit. Ask Him to perfect you in the love of Christ-a love that will cast out all fear; a love that will not allow you to remain silent in a perilous time!<\/p>"},"108":{"sm_title":"The Miracle of Weakness","sm_id":"188","sm_desc":"May 12, 2013 - If you feel small and weak and you've been through pain and sorrow bring your neediness to the Lord. God's hand will touch you and strengthen you. God wants you to know today that His eye is upon you and you are not forgotten but He has reserved you for a special purpose in His kingdom. God is able to take the little you have and multiply for His glory.","sm_jpg":"23744_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2013-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2013\/05\/12s1\/20130512s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20130512s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"YzQKX2f850g","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23957_sermon-newsletter-20130801-the-miracle-of-weakness.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Hebrews 11, often considered the chapter of faith, speaks of those who were greatly used of God in times gone by: \"Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens\" <\/span>(Hebrews 11: 33-34). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

The writer then goes on to make a phenomenal statement: \"Women received their dead raised to life again...\"<\/span> (Hebrews 11:35). This refers to a specific power that, throughout the course of history, God had put into the hands of women to raise back to life that which was considered dead. Although the writer of Hebrews does not elaborate with specific examples, there are many in the Old Testament-one in particular in the Book of Ruth. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion...\"<\/span> (Ruth 1:1-2).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The name \"Elimelech\" means kingly or mighty, signifying that he most likely had some kind of relationship with God. An inheritance was given to him-a heritage of knowing the ways of God. However, we see that Elimelech led his family into the land of Moab. Now the Moabites were the descendants of Abraham's nephew, Lot, who had escaped Sodom and Gomorrah and ended up having an incestuous relationship with one of his daughters. This was how Moab was birthed-a place of spiritual mixture. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Elimelech must have been aware of the history and known that Moab was not the place of blessing that God had promised through Abraham to His people. Nevertheless, he proceeded to lead his family there during this season of famine. He is a type of those who claim to love God but are still living in mixture-half following God and half being led by their own senses. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

As they ventured out from Bethlehem, perhaps Elimelech and his wife, Naomi, anticipated a prosperous and wonderful future awaiting them. Little did Naomi know that she would end up suffering the loss of almost everything, including her husband.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n RETURNING HOME EMPTY<\/span>
\r\n\r\nWhile still living in the land of Moab, Naomi received word that the famine in Bethlehem was over. Left with no other hope, the Bible tells us that she and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, also now a widow, arose and headed back to Bethlehem. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Do not miss the significance in this-Bethlehem means \"house of bread.\" Bethlehem was where God chose to send His Son to be born in humble circumstances as the ultimate answer for a sin-sick and confused world. Bethlehem was where the wise were on a journey; where lowly shepherds out on a field had an open heaven-a vision of angels rejoicing and telling them where they might find this great provision of God. And so coming back to Bethlehem represents coming back to the simplicity of Christ, to the mercy of God, to His supernatural provision. It is a place where we finally leave all our own ideas and plans behind. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Naomi once went out full of what she thought was faith and anticipation for the plans of God to unfold. Yet in reality, they turned out to be presumption-mere human plans that could offer nothing but false hope. By the time Naomi returned to Bethlehem, all her expectations were replaced by a deep sense of loss and bitter disappointment. After all, she had suffered not only the death of her husband but of her two sons as well-which meant the complete death of her lineage. In a sense, she blamed God for all of this. Coming home, she said, \"Call me not Naomi [which means pleasant and agreeable], call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?<\/span>\" (Ruth 1:20-21). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

It would be like those today who say, \"I am still going to go to church, but don't bother me. I don't want to go to hell, but I can't say that I really trust God anymore. I trusted Him at one time, but things did not turn out the way I thought. I have nothing to show for my Christian journey. Just leave me alone in my bitterness.\" It is those people who feel like the best opportunities in life are gone and the new wine of hope and optimism has run dry. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

By this point, all Naomi had left was Ruth, and she could not even see a valid reason why Ruth should be following her. Naomi turned to her earlier in the journey and essentially said, \"There is nothing from my life that will be of any advantage to you. Why don't you stay where you are?\" (see Ruth 1:12-13). Yet Ruth was a young woman who simply refused to let go. It was as if there was something in her heart that instinctively knew that God had not failed. There was more to all of this than they could fully understand. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n CATCHING THE EYE OF THE KINSMAN-REDEEMER<\/span>
\r\n\r\n The Scriptures tell us that the two women came back to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. Entering into the work of the harvest, Ruth began to pick up what the reapers had left behind in the field. This is a type of going after that which has been neglected, unnoticed, or considered insignificant. Yet as she continued to labor in the field-perhaps feeling small and forgotten herself; laboring with sorrow and deep questions in her heart-suddenly the eye of the kinsman-redeemer fell upon her. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

It seemed that God was saying to Naomi and Ruth, \"I have not forsaken you. I have reserved you for a special purpose in My kingdom. You think you are alone, but you aren't. You think you have failed, but you haven't. I heard your cry long ago. I saw your sorrow, and I decided to bring you home in weakness, for I intended to do something through you that could come from My hand alone.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

It is just as Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 12:10, \"...For when I am weak, then am I strong.\"<\/span> It is not in my strength that the kingdom of God advances-it is in my weakness, for that is when God is finally allowed to be God in me. When I have nothing left but Him; when all my strength and resources have run dry; when all my natural hopes are dead; when I return with nothing else to do but gather that which everyone else has deemed insignificant-suddenly I realize that God's power is made perfect in my weakness! Suddenly I realize that He has put compassion in my heart for the weary, the weak, the widowed, the orphaned, the poor, the hungry, the imprisoned, the destitute!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Eventually, through marriage to the kinsman-redeemer, a child was born to Ruth. \"And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, there is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David\"<\/span> (Ruth 4:14-17).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

This child of the miraculous, who was provided by the kinsman-redeemer, was laid in the arms of Naomi. This child that was given to her in Bethlehem brought her and her house back to life, bringing new hope for the future. It was just as the Scripture described: \"Women received their dead raised to life again\"-their dead children, their dead families, their dead hopes, their dead plans, their dead dreams, their dead spirituality! <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Within this child Naomi held in her arms was the seed of every promise that God had made to Abraham, for through that child, a son named Jesse would be born. Jesse would have several sons, and the youngest, David, would become the greatest king that Israel would ever know, other than Jesus Christ. All the way down through the lineage of David, this seed of promise would continue to travel until Jesus Himself was born in Bethlehem in a manger. Jesus would live for thirty-three years on the earth, go to a cross to offer up His life, be raised from the dead and send the Holy Spirit. God's Holy Spirit would then come to you and me-the Church of Jesus Christ. Imagine-all of that was laid in Naomi's arms!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n OPEN YOUR ARMS<\/span>
\r\n \r\n It is important to recognize that this child was not given to Naomi when she was strong but rather at the time of her greatest weakness and need. How could she have known that what she held in her arms was the very promise of God to bless the entire world? It was all contained in this child that was given to a bitter woman who had lost all her natural hope, who did not see herself as a great player in the kingdom of God, a woman who had questions about the past and no hope for the future. Yet as she came home in weakness, the greatest miracle of all was placed into her arms! <\/p>\r\n \r\n

In the same way, God says to you today, \"In your weakness, open your arms. You will be stunned at what I put into them.\" The Lord reminds us through Naomi that He does not despise our weaknesses, our struggles, our questions, or our bitterness-even toward Him. However, you must be willing to open your arms to what God has to give to you. Naomi had to open her arms to this child. She could have said, \"Ruth, you keep it, it's just a baby!\" No! She opened her arms, for there must have been something in her heart that said, \"This is so much more than I ever could have hoped for in my own strength. This is so much more than when Elimelech and I left Bethlehem and headed out to the land of Moab, thinking we would find fulfillment there. I know there is something of promise in this child that God has put into my arms.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Perhaps today you feel small, marginalized, insignificant, or empty. Maybe you think that the best wine of your life was ten years back, or circumstances have left you with deep disappointment and even questions about God. Yet if you will just open your arms, you will find new hope for your family-whatever that may look like for you today. Remember that God is able to raise the dead. He is able to restore hope, vision, joy, and faith that has been lost. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

If you will open your arms to what God has for you, you will find a new understanding of the miraculous. You will discover that it is in our weakness that God chooses to hand to us the testimony of His Son. When we are strong, pride and human effort often get mingled with it all, and we ultimately make a mess of things. Yet in our weakness, suddenly it is all about God-all about His power and His plans. In our weakness, there are no seven steps to anything. There is but one step: Open your arms and let God put the promise into them.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n RETURN TO BETHLEHEM<\/span>
\r\n \r\n I personally believe that a spiritual awakening is coming to this country one last time. Many people are going to wake up and realize that they must get back to God. There comes a moment, just as there was for the prodigal son, when our eyes are suddenly opened and we say, \"We must get back to Bethlehem! We must get back to the house of God and the simplicity of preaching the cross of Jesus Christ. We must get back to relying on the miraculous power of God again. We have tried to reason the kingdom of God by ourselves. We have tried to persuade men by argument alone, only to find ourselves as a lone voice in this generation. No, we must get back to what God alone is able to do!\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

I assure you, God's people will not be coming back in strength-we will be coming back in weakness. We will not be coming back full of pride or with a list of things that God has to fulfill. No, we will be coming back with our struggles, our trials, our difficulties, our weaknesses, our confusion. Yet we will be coming back to Bethlehem because there is bread there. Provision and strength have always been there, along with the miraculous power of God. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

You may return in the same manner as Naomi did, saying, \"All I have left is one child who I drag to church every Sunday. Is this all that my life has amounted to?\" Yet I say to you: The eye of the Kinsman-Redeemer has fallen upon you! He sees you and says, \"Ah, there is a person into whose hands I can put the promise of My Son,\" for the Lord knows that you will not hold it lightly now. You will cherish this gift of God; you will cherish the ministry He entrusts to you. Naomi took that child and laid it in her bosom. She held that baby close, just as you will hold God's promise close to your heart.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

If the Lord can find a people who will walk humbly before Him, He will indeed be willing to show Himself to be God one more time. He is willing that you receive your dead raised to life again! The question is whether or not you are willing to let go of the doubts, the pain, the unbelief, and the sorrow. Are you willing instead to embrace by faith what the Lord desires to give you? Are you willing to say, \"Lord, as I come to You in my weakness, I ask You to put something into my arms that is deeper, richer, and fuller than anything I ever could have planned in my own strength?" You must be willing to say, \"Give me something that cannot be attained apart from faith. Let the miraculous begin to abound, and let the promises that You have made begin to flow through my hands.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

If you will choose to open your heart and your arms to what God has for you, even if you do not fully understand it all, you will begin to see that there is indeed miraculous power in weakness. <\/p>"},"109":{"sm_title":"The Incredible Fragrance Of Mercy","sm_id":"186","sm_desc":"April 14, 2013 - We are the testimony of God's mercy in the world. There is a scent of Christ in us that will cause people to stop and consider their ways and turn to God. God will restrain evil when the scent of His love and mercy is flowing through us.","sm_jpg":"23694_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2013-07","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2013\/04\/14s1\/20130414s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20130414s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"tQRfTlValt0","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23882_130701-cc-the-incredible-fragrance-of-mercy.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Have you noticed lately that anti-Christ sentiment has been increasing in fervency? It seems as if everybody advocates tolerance toward everything and everyone but the followers of Jesus Christ. We are the only people on earth upon whom there is an unrestricted open season for mockery and defamation. I am sure I do not have to convince you that it is going to become increasingly difficult to stand as a follower of Christ in the coming days. However, we can always find hope in the Scriptures.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words\"<\/span> (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). It is important that we encourage each other in this season, reminding one another that no matter how difficult this life is, no matter how hard our days might be, it is only for a short season. One day soon it will all be over, and the Church will be taken from this earth and gathered to be with our Christ forever.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAt the same time, what a tragedy it will be when the only thing that restrains evil in the world, the Church of Jesus Christ-the truth of God, the presence of God's Holy Spirit in His people-is taken away. When that restraint is removed, a pungent and devastating smell of sin will permeate the earth. The Bible tells us the heavens will melt with \r\na fervent heat at the anger of God (see 2 Peter 3:12). The time of rebellion, the time of mankind's arrogance in thinking that he can be his own god, will come to an end. The seed that Satan sowed into humankind in the Garden of Eden will finally reach its own day of judgment, for the time of mercy will be finished.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nUntil that day, however, you and I carry in these frail earthen bodies an incredible fragrance of the mercy of God. We are the testimony of God's mercy in this world. Paul described it in 2 Corinthians 2:14: \"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.\"<\/span> The word savor means \"a fragrance, an odor.\" Through His people, God makes known this incredible fragrance of His mercy.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nHave you ever walked through a department store or passed by someone, and suddenly a fragrance catches your attention? An attractive scent can cause you to stop for a moment and consider its source. It is the same with you and me-there is a scent of Christ on us that causes people to stop for a moment and consider their ways.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSometimes it is hard to believe that we carry the fragrance of Christ, isn't it? Yet if we have Christ within us, there is indeed a scent of Christ on us, whether we are aware of it or not. We carry it through the ups and downs, the victories and defeats, the efforts and exhaustions of the day-just as a quality perfume still smells good in the evening even though the one wearing it may not be as aware of it as she was in the morning.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nHave you had a day like that lately? You get up in the morning and read in your Bible, \"Have faith in God. For whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed and \r\ncast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass\" (see Mark 11:22-23). You begin to boldly speak to whatever that mountain is and command it to get out of your way and out of your mind. Filled with the victory of Christ, you then set off to the workplace or wherever it is that you have to go that day. A sweet song plays over and over in your heart as you sit on the subway.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAs your day progresses, however, you begin to experience the battles, the temptations, the defeats, the exhaustion. By the time you get back on the subway at the end of the day, your head is no longer up-it is hanging down. And the devil is right there, trying to tell you what a failure you have been; what an awful testimony of Christ you are.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWe have all had such days. Yet, no matter how exhausted you might be or how hard your day, your week, or your month has been, I want to remind you of something-you still smell good! Your head may be hanging down as you consider all that you have gone through, but the scent of God's mercy is still strong! As you pass by, people still stop to consider their ways. It is not because you have had a perfect day or because you walked around quoting Scripture, for that is just not what happens to most of us. We all have those moments when something slips out of our mouth that shouldn't have, or when we display a wrong attitude toward somebody. Nevertheless, as you walk out at the end of the day, the incredible fragrance of Christ is still on you because it a fragrance of mercy.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhen we get to heaven, we are not going to present a list of accomplishments, for there is nothing we could have done that could get us to heaven. It is all about the mercy of God. His mercy wakes us up, His mercy opens our minds to truth, His mercy sets us free from the snares and traps of the enemy. The mercy of God does not impute our sin when we make mistakes throughout the day-we are still covered in the blood of Jesus Christ. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n NOT PERFECTION, BUT SINCERITY<\/span>
\r\n\r\nWhat comfort there is in the thought that we do not have to be perfect; we just have to be sincere in our walk with God. That is all He requires of us. When the Lord called Abraham, He said, \"Abraham, I am going to bless you and increase you. I am going to make you a blessing in the earth; a father of many nations\" (see Genesis 17:4-7). We know that God was talking about the Church of Jesus Christ-the ultimate lineage of Abraham. Yet before He gave Abraham this incredible promise, the Lord told him, \"...I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect\"<\/span> (Genesis 17:1).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn the original Hebrew, the word perfect means \"to be sincere.\" That is all God asked of this man. The Scriptures show us that Abraham made incredible mistakes throughout his life. At one point, he even let his wife be taken into another man's harem. Nevertheless, the promise of God remained, and now when we think about Abraham, we think of mercy!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\nIn a similar way, people around us are not necessarily looking for perfection, nor are they afraid of our weaknesses. In fact, our human frailties can actually be an attractive thing to those who are looking for Christ. Before I knew the Lord, if I had encountered a flawless Christian who always spoke and did everything right, I would have considered it hopeless for me to ever come to God, knowing I could never measure up to that standard. I thank God that the examples He put before me were just ordinary people. Sometimes they made mistakes, sometimes they didn't.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nI recall a time before I was saved when my wife and I went to a fellow police officer's house for lunch. He and his wife were Christians, and they were intent on winning us to the Lord. However, instead of winning us to Christ, I managed to talk him into having a glass of wine. They didn't drink, so obviously I was very persuasive. Afterwards, the poor guy felt so condemned that he felt he had ruined his testimony.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nNow I do not advocate taking a glass of wine at any time, but I can tell you one thing-it showed me that the guy was human. It also showed me that he was sincere, for I saw how downcast he became. In fact, I ended up trying to encourage him! He was deeply affected by what he felt was a failure of a testimony before us, and he was completely unaware that all we saw was mercy. The fragrance of the mercy of God was still emanating from just a normal man who truly loved God and sincerely wanted to walk with Him. I found it very appealing that God loves and covers regular people who may not be perfect but who are sincere.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSo when you have one of those days where you find yourself walking home with your head down, thinking, \"I have blown it. I have destroyed the testimony of God, and now these poor people are never going to find Christ because of me\"-remember that sincerity is actually incredibly attractive. The fact that we are covered in our struggles is a sweet fragrance to this world-evidence that in ourselves we can never be perfect, and that the only perfect One is Christ within us.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n ANOINTED WITH FRESH OIL<\/span>
\r\n\r\nIn Psalm 92, we are reminded once again that we walk through this earth as recipients of mercy. \"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night\"<\/span> (Psalm 92:1-2). Daily we are encouraged in the morning, and we are thankful at night. In other words, in the morning God gives us His promise, and at the end of our day, He reminds us, \"Don't worry about your failure. My promise to you is still yea and amen!\" And so we continually have a song to sing because it is not about us, it is about Christ in us. That is our hope and our strength.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands\"<\/span> (Psalm 92:3-4). God's hands, not yours, have done this work. It is not your strength, it is God's strength. It is not your joy, it is God's joy that covers you. It is God's joy to change you and walk with you. It is His joy to call Himself your God!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThat is why the Scriptures tell us that we have the right to condemn every voice that rises against us in judgment-this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. When the devil comes against you and says, \"Look at how you have failed! Look what you said; look what you did; look what you didn't do!\" you can point right back into his face and say, \"Listen, I have something that you don't have, I have mercy covering my life! Devil, you stink of rebellion, but I smell of mercy!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe Psalmist continues, \"But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil\"<\/span> (Psalm 92:10). In other words, \"God, in spite of my mistakes or how I feel about myself, when I come to You, You will anoint me again. You will touch and strengthen me again, lifting me up and setting my feet on a right path. You will raise my head and give me a heart for the lost again.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou must believe that God is not angry or disappointed with you for your frailties and failures. He is more than willing to touch you once again with that sweet fragrance of His mercy. Oh, how this should cause us to love Him! It should cause us, as the Scripture says, to take up our instruments and begin to praise Him. It should cause us to lift our voices and sing as we have never sung before!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n A TESTIMONY OF MERCY<\/span>
\r\n\r\nIf you are a sincere believer in Christ, yet lately you have been feeling like your testimony stinks, I say to you today-you still smell good! So don't lose heart or allow your own struggles to cause your head to hang so low that you cannot praise God anymore. Do not let this testimony of mercy be taken from you. Refuse to fall into the trap of the devil that is wrapped in the arrogance of pride and accomplishment in your own strength. Instead, simply choose to walk with God in sincerity.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt is in that sincerity that you will change, as Paul says, from image to image and glory to glory. That means that from place to place, step by step, little by little, you will change into what God purposed you to be. You may fall along the way, but you will get up again. Remember, God has already forgiven, covered, and cleansed you, and even in your struggle He is still proud of you. So do not succumb to the lie that God is disappointed in you. You must rise up against every lie of the devil that will ever try to convince you that you are worthless. You have the right to declare, \"No! I am a testimony of mercy!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt is the delight of God to invite you on a journey to represent Him in the earth as an ambassador of incredible mercy. You are called to tell others that the mercy you have known in all of your struggles and failings can also be theirs! This is the message of the Church of Jesus Christ. This is the power of God that restrains evil. This is who we are on the earth until the day that humankind reaches the point where this testimony is no longer received. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nBut until that day, may I encourage you: Don't give up. Life is hard, but God is good, and He will keep you if you will let Him. In the Song of Solomon, He spoke to His bride (which is you and me): \"Come out of the place where you are hiding. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for I love the sight of you, and I love the sound of your voice\" (see Song of Solomon 2:14). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nDon't hide from the goodness of God. Let Him embrace you, especially when you feel worthless in His sight. God's promise to you is a fresh anointing-a fresh touch of mercy, a fresh awareness of how deeply you are loved, and a life that continually emits the sweet fragrance of Jesus Christ.<\/p>"},"110":{"sm_title":"Not So Fast, Goliath. Not So Fast.","sm_id":"185","sm_desc":"April 7, 2013 - We are living in a time in history where God's order is breaking down and another order is taking its place. God is calling His church to get back to the prayer meeting and back into the presence of God. God wants to give us strength to fight for the Glory of His name and boldly declare the victory of Jesus Christ so that sinners are saved and His church would advance. ","sm_jpg":"23664_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2013-06","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2013\/04\/07s1\/20130407s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20130407s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"9hRZggdT7aY","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23830_130601_cc_notsofast_v6.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle...And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together...And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass...He stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? Am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together<\/span>\" (1 Samuel 17: 1-5, 8-10). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nOur present moment in history is very similar to the time in which the Israelites were living when they faced this situation. Remember, they were the people of God, called to represent Him in the world. The miraculous didn't belong to the Philistines, it belonged to Israel, who had personally witnessed God's power and deliverance. Earlier in 1 Samuel, we read of some of the previous victories they had, even under King Saul: \"So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 14:47). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Yet now as they faced Goliath, the Scripture tells us that \"When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:11). Isn't that amazing? After a record of incredible victories and of God's faithfulness, the Israelites now stood trembling under one voice that cried, \"I defy you!\" Threatened by a challenge that would make them servants to godlessness, they had no spirit or will to fight back. It was as if they had forgotten why God had left them in the earth in the first place-to be a testimony and a blessing; a visible display of the power of God. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n HOW WE END UP POWERLESS<\/span>
\r\nHow is it that God's people end up powerless before the taunts of the enemy? We find a clue when David, who became king after Saul, said, \"And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul\"<\/span> (1 Chronicles 13:3). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n In Saul's victory days, when it seemed as if nobody could stand against the Israelites, the people of God put away the prayer meeting. The Ark was the presence of God, representing His forgiveness, mercy, power and provision. Yet they put it away and began to walk in their own strength, only to find themselves facing a giant that they could not contend with. We might rightfully say that God's order was breaking down, and another order was threatening to take its place. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nSimilarly, the Church of Jesus Christ in this country has had her share of past victories, yet today we see God's order rapidly breaking down as another order comes to take its place. If you don't realize how ominous this is, very shortly you will. It is time for the Church of Jesus Christ to get back to the Ark of God! We must drop all the foolishness that is masquerading as the presence of God and get back into the prayer meeting again. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n REJECTING THE FULL IMAGE OF GOD<\/span>
\r\nThe Scriptures point to another reason why the people of God end up powerless. Paul explains it in his letter to the Romans: \"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them...When they \r\nknew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man...\"<\/span> (Romans 1:18-19, 21-23). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe problem is not that people don't have truth-they just don't value it. It is not that people do not study it, they refuse to wholeheartedly embrace it. They do not want what truly represents the glory and full image of God to be made manifest, so they change the image of God into the image of man. In other words, they fashion a more palatable Jesus and ultimately discernment is lost. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nWhat happens to a nation when the Church is backslidden to this degree-when she has lost her voice and is virtually cast out as a nonplayer while society marches farther and farther away from godliness? <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator...For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another...And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient\"<\/span> (Romans 1:24-28). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nConsider how accurately Paul's description seems to fit of the society in which we currently live: \"Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them\"<\/span> (Romans 1:29-32). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nNot only do they do these things while claiming to possess some measure of the truth, they take pleasure in those who do them, as well. In other words, they settle for a vicarious enjoyment of sin through other people's lives. They watch television and movies, content to be entertained by fornicators, liars, murderers and thieves. According to one commentator, the final step of reprobation in a nation is when we will not do it ourselves, but we will be entertained by others who do. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAs the people of God have seemingly retreated into a place of powerlessness today, the voice of godlessness is rising once again. Remember that in his taunts, Goliath said to the armies of Israel, \"If you cannot put somebody forward to fight this battle and win, then you will be our servants.\" That means that unless we get back to the prayer meeting-unless we embrace truth once again and allow ourselves to be empowered by the Spirit of God-we will become servants to godlessness, and the freedoms in the house of God ultimately will be lost. Sharing the burden to see people set free from sin, from homosexuality, and other lifestyles that are a robbery of what God intended them to be, will soon be considered hate speech. I feel we are not very far from the day that it will be against the law. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAnd so, in a time when it might cost somebody something to stand up and face the giant, we must ask ourselves: Who will have the courage to fight? <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n THE SECRET BATTLES<\/span>
\r\nThere is only one solution: God must have a people who are fearless because they have personally experienced His supernatural power in unseen places. That was the case with a young man named David. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe Bible tells us that David went to Saul and said, \"...Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:32). \"I will fight! You all have the training and the armor, yet you have lost touch with God! You are no longer gripped with a passion to see the glory of God revealed in the earth again, to see captivated souls set free.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:33). It was as if the devil was now using Saul to try to discourage faith from coming into the battle again. \"Look how small you are, you are only a kid. How are you ever going to stand up against this giant?\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nDavid essentially replied, \"While I was keeping my father's sheep, along came a lion and a bear. They took a lamb out of my flock-a lamb I was given by my father to keep. So I went after them, smote them and delivered the lamb. And when the lion rose up against me, I grabbed hold of its mane. The Spirit of God came upon me, and I killed this lion! I won the victory over the lion and the bear, and now this godless Philistine who is standing up and challenging the honor of God will be just like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God\" (see 1 Samuel 17:34-37). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n David had already witnessed the miraculous; he had already won battles in secret places. That is why I implore you-do not play games; do not pretend to be free if you are not! Go into that secret closet of prayer, lay hold of the victory of Christ and say, \"Devil, you are not having my mind! You are not getting my heart or my home! I don't care how big you are or how small I am in your sight. I have the Spirit of God upon me, and in the name of Jesus, I take authority over you!\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n VICTORY BY FAITH ALONE<\/span>
\r\nFinally consenting to let David fight, Saul then tried to fit David with his armor. Now Saul's armor probably had some marks on it to which he could point and say, \"Here is where I once won the victory.\" In a similar manner, there are pastors who might say to me today, \"Aren't you a little extreme? After all, we tried these methodologies, and they worked. Our church grew from two hundred to four hundred!\" I can agree, just as David could agree with Saul, that yes, there are nicks on your armor from some past victories. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nNevertheless, we now have come to a season when this armor will no longer suffice. It is faith alone that will win the battle. Imagine if David had approached the Philistine with a survey, saying, \"Goliath, I'm sorry you are enraged against us, but what will it take to get you to come to our church? A nine-foot bed? A twenty-five foot swimming pool?\" No! David had seen the miraculous power of God. He had won victories that were supernatural, partaking of strength that could come only from the Lord. He had found some other weaponry. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nPaul speaks of this weaponry in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5: \"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strog holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.\"<\/span> <\/p>\r\n

\r\nWhat was the imagination in this case? Goliath imagined that because of his size and xperience, he would be victorious. Yet he failed to realize that he had exalted himself against \r\nthe knowledge of God, and that all God required was somebody of faith to rise up again-somebody who was not playing carnal games in the house of God; somebody who had won battles that nobody else knew of. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nDavid pressed past the threats and the scorn, just as we must not be hindered by the ridicule of the godless in this hour. \"Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:45). In other words, \"You have defied God! You stand here with your boasts and your weaponry, claiming that you can make us servants to godlessness. But I want you to know that you are not standing against us, you are standing against God!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee...and all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands\" <\/span>(1 Samuel 17:46-47). The battle is the Lord's! We are not going to match you force for force, and we are not going to win this in the political arena. We are going into the prayer closet, and we will come out strengthened by the Spirit of God! <\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone...\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:49-50). In other words, David was not fighting with human strategy or effort. The only thing he had was complete dependence on God. He took off Saul's armor and instead went to a brook and picked up five smooth stones. I don't know how long those stones had been there before they were made smooth, but in a sense they were weapons that had been fashioned by the hand of God-just as we have been given the weapon of prayer, the weapon of being set apart, the weapon of embracing the Word to the point that it takes precedence over everything that this world is trying to tell us. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nDavid went into the battle with only what had been given by the hand of God. We see this repeated over and over throughout the Scriptures-the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. God uses the Esthers and the Gideons; the barren wombs of Elisabeth and Hannah. The armies of Israel knew this truth, but they didn't believe it. They instead resorted to human reasoning and natural strategies. This, too, has been the great folly of the church in America today.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n IT IS TIME TO FIGHT<\/span>
\r\nGod help us now, for these dark and ominous days require men and women of faith. I challenge you to win those secret battles now. Don't hold on to areas of unsurrendered defeat in your own life. Learn to live for the honor of God rather than the preservation of self. Go into the prayer closet and fight it out in the strength of God. Do not let the devil have even an inch, concluding, \"All right, he took one lamb. I have ninety-nine left-big deal! Who is going to notice?\" No! Go after it, for this is essential in the school of faith. We must learn to say, \"We give absolutely no ground to the devil!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe time has come to stand anddeclare the Word of God unashamedly; to fight for those who are lost, for unborn children, for our families, for our marriages, for the future of this nation! It is time to fight for what God has entrusted to us in this generation. Be aware that as you and I rise up to face the challenges of our day, everything we naturally fear will start moving toward us to convince us that our faith in God is useless. But that is when we must continue to press forward in the power of God, looking these man-made giants straight in the eye, declaring, \"Not so fast, Goliath! Not so fast!\"<\/p>"},"111":{"sm_title":"Spiritual Depression","sm_id":"183","sm_desc":"February 24, 2013 - Spiritual depression affects the hearts and minds of the godly. The world can drive the love for the work of God out of our hearts. You may be going through a season where you are being pursued by ungodliness. Be encouraged, God will not allow you to be triumphed over. He will meet you right where you are and comfort you with His presence and encourage with His Word. ","sm_jpg":"23584_jb_1_10am_image_sermon_page.jpg","sm_date":"2013-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2013\/02\/24s1\/20130224s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20130224s1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"u1EYFYtreHA","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23722_20130501-carter-conlon-spiritual-depression.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Jesus warned His disciples that in the last days iniquity would abound, with such an outbreak of lawlessness that the love of many would begin to grow cold (see Matthew 24:12). As we look around today, it is evident that our society is becoming increasingly vile. There is a sneering and scorning of everything that is godly. Constantly being in the midst of such lawlessness can begin to drive the love for the work of God-which is the redemption of the lost-out of our hearts. Instead, many believers are now sighing, \"God, just get me out of here.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHas that been your prayer recently? If so, it may be a sign of depression-but one that is different from other forms of depression. It is a type of \"spiritual depression\" that can hit the minds and hearts of God's people. Perhaps you genuinely want to live for God and represent Christ to this perishing world, yet when you witness the abject rebellion all around, you begin to wonder, \"Will I ever really make a difference? Am I on the winning side or the losing side of all this?\" Such thoughts can begin to get hold of the minds of even the godliest of people. In fact, the Scriptures show us that this has been a familiar experience for many who have gone before us.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n The prophet Ezekiel lived during a time when society had reached such a point of depravity that God had decreed an end to it. The Lord instructed Ezekiel, \"Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 9:4). In this final moment of that particular society, we see that a sighing had come upon the hearts of the godly. I can picture them walking through their streets with a constant cry, \"Oh, God, it is so hard to live here! It is so hard to see the degeneracy of our society at almost every level; to witness everything that I hold dear being ridiculed and trampled underfoot!\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n GOD HEARS YOUR SIGHING<\/span>
\r\nWe read in Psalm 12 that even David shared a similar sentiment during a time in his life. Remember that David was destined to be king of Israel. One day everything was going to turn around; one day he would dance before the ark of the Lord. Yet, before that time came, David had to walk through a season when everything seemed to be against him. Society was going in the opposite direction of godliness. David began this psalm by saying, \"Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men\"<\/span> (Psalms 12:1). In other words, \"Godliness is fading so rapidly all around me, and I feel powerless to stop it!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak\"<\/span> (Psalms 12:2). The psalmist is saying, \"Their lips are full of empty words. They lie without conscience, and they even use the Lord's name without any regard.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?\"<\/span> (Psalms 12:4). In other words, they had cast off all restraint and were governed by their own corruption and faulty reasoning. The sin nature of man had taken over-that seed that Satan sowed into the human race in the Garden of Eden. Humanity embraced the devil's lie that says you can be as God, determining with your own speech what is good and what is evil. \"You don't have to listen to God anymore; He is not the only one who has an opinion.\" It is just like in our day, where evil has now become good, and good has become evil. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nNotice, however, that the psalm does not end without hope. \"For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him\"<\/span> (Psalms 12:5). God was saying, \"I have heard your sighing; I know what comes against you. Now I am going to arise and put you in a place where you will not be triumphed over.\" So if you currently find yourself in a season of being pursued by despair, rest assured that it is not going to conquer you! God has heard your sighs, and He has promised to set you in a place of safety. \"Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever\"<\/span> (Psalms 12:7).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n THERE IS MUCH LEFT TO DO<\/span>
\r\nThe prophet Elijah was another example of someone who experienced spiritual depression-in his case, after a significant victory. Elijah and all the prophets of Baal had gathered on Mount Carmel for a confrontation between true and false spirituality. In the end, the literal fire of God came down, licked up the water that was in the trench, and consumed Elijah's sacrifice. \"And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God\"<\/span> (1 Kings 18:39).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAhab, who was the king of Israel at the time, witnessed the entire ordeal on Mount Carmel before getting into his chariot and heading back to Jezreel. Perhaps he was going back to report to his co-regent wife, Jezebel, \"Listen, I saw the fire of God come down! I saw the prophets of Baal and all their foolishness that produced absolutely nothing. Yet I saw this prophet of God repair an altar, step back, and pray a simple prayer for just a few moments. Suddenly the fire of God came down. I saw it with my very own eyes!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nElijah headed to Jezreel as well. The Bible tells us that the Spirit of God came upon him, and he outran Ahab's chariot. I cannot help but wonder if it is possible that Elijah thought for a moment that those who were in government might bend their knees to God, just as the people on Mount Carmel had done. After all, God had manifested His glory, and there was now overwhelming evidence of the reality of the gospel he was preaching. Elijah might have concluded, \"Surely this will change the heart of those in government!\" Yet, on the contrary, Elijah soon discovered that hostility had actually intensified to the point that Jezebel threatened to kill him. Could it be that the unbending pride of those leading the nation was what caused him to retreat to a cave, so full of despair that he desired to die? <\/p>\r\n

\r\nTake a moment to consider our nation today. There is irrefutable evidence that God made this nation great. He took people from all over the world, and in just a few short years, managed to do something through those people that had never been done throughout history-technologically, socially, economically. Of course we have not been perfect in this, but our country began with a genuine regard for the ways of God. You would think that knowing America's history would cause people to bend their knees to God. Yet we look around and can easily get discouraged, asking, \"Lord, what is it going to take to touch this nation? What will cause us to finally turn from our present course of destruction?\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n The Scriptures tell us that the Lord came and spoke to Elijah in a still, small voice. He spoke tenderly, as if to let him know that He was not offended by Elijah's discouragement (see 1 Kings 19:12). In the same way, the Lord would remind you today that He is not offended by you or the situation you find yourself in. He is not sitting in heaven with His arms folded, shaking His head because you are going through a season of spiritual depression. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nGod met Elijah in his despair and lovingly told him that there was much left to do, even if he could not fully understand it all yet. At that moment, Elijah did not realize that one day all of Israel was going to live for God. He did not understand that a Savior was going to come through the lineage of a king named David. He could not see the Church ruling and reigning with Christ for all of eternity. It was just as the Scriptures tell us-we now only see through a glass darkly; we only know in part (see 1 Corinthians 13:12). However, there is a day coming when we will finally come to a full understanding. Until then, we must let the Lord lift us up out of our despair so that we can carry on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n RETURNING TO HOPE<\/span>
\r\nIn the book of Luke, we find a story of yet another time when it seemed as if godless religion was prevailing, consequently stripping many of Jesus' followers of the hope they once had. Two disciples in particular had left Jerusalem and were heading in another direction shortly after Jesus' death and resurrection (see Luke 24:13). This represents those who once had hope, but in their mind, their hope has been lost. Jesus Himself walked with those two disciples on the road to Emmaus and began to ask them the reason for their apparent sadness. They replied, \"Have you not heard? Are you only a stranger here? You see, God sent His Son, and we had hoped-\" (see Luke 24:19-21).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThat was all that was left of their testimony-we had hoped! \"We had hoped<\/span> that He was the One who was going to deliver us. We had hoped that He would bring godliness back into our nation and free us from the oppression of the Roman Empire. And now to add insult to injury, our own religious system delivered Him up to be crucified!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n In their eyes, godless religion had won the day. How easily you and I can draw this same conclusion today when we consider the volume of foolishness on television that masquerades as the gospel of Jesus Christ. Do you ever wonder how long this godlessness will win the day? How long these frauds and imposters will be allowed on television to deceive and rob the people of God?<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAs Jesus walked with those two disciples, He began to unlock the Scriptures, showing them that godless religion will never win. All it can do is fulfill God's divine plan for the redemption of humanity and for the strengthening of His Church. Everything is under His control; everything is in subjection to the will of God in order to fulfill His sovereign purposes on the earth. As they approached a village, the two disciples urged Jesus to stay with them. That evening, Jesus sat at the table and broke bread with them, and the Bible tells us that their eyes were opened. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nSuddenly the disciples recognized the truth-Jesus had indeed triumphed over the devil and had broken the bands of sin and hell! When the disciples realized they were not on the losing side, their hearts began to burn within them again, and they got up and headed back to Jerusalem. They headed back to what, in the natural, may have looked to be a place of defeat-a place where the enemy had triumphed. But it was in that place that the Holy Spirit later came down and filled them, causing them to partake of a victory that is hidden from those who do not know the Spirit of God. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n WHEN THE LORD TELLS YOU TO GET UP<\/span>
\r\nThe Scriptures speak of a time when Joshua, the commander of the children of Israel, also found himself in a moment of despair. The Israelites had gone in to take possession of the Promised Land, yet after an incredible victory at Jericho, they were defeated by a seemingly insignificant enemy at Ai. Joshua tore his clothes and fell on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening (see Joshua 7:6).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nKeep in mind that the Israelites had just begun this journey into the inheritance that God had promised them. But now Joshua was wondering, \"If we can't even defeat this little enemy, what will happen when we face greater enemies?\" He then began to succumb to a false reasoning. \"Why didn't we stay on the other side of Jordan? At least it was safe there. Why did we even start this journey?\" (see Joshua 7:7). <\/p>\r\n

\r\nImagine the voice of the enemy taunting him all the while: \"Joshua, you began this journey, but you have underestimated your enemies. You have overestimated your own strength, and you have overestimated the promises of God. Now you are going to be defeated and humiliated in the sight of man and before a holy God!\" You can be certain that those lies were bombarding Joshua's mind, trying to stop him from what God wanted to do through his life. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Perhaps lately you have experienced a similar mocking of the enemy. However, you must not succumb to the fear or the spiritual depression. You must not believe the voices that come to try and convince you that you have bitten off more than you can chew; that you believed promises that may be true for somebody else, but not for you. Don't buy into the lie that your life will never have any impact, or that you will never have victory, seeing that you have already been defeated by a seemingly insignificant enemy. These lies of the enemy have the potential to stop you in your tracks and draw you into a deep despair.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIt may just be that the Lord has to deal with something in your life. In Joshua's case, the Lord simply told him to get up. There was no great amount of compassion in it. God knew that there was something in the camp that would weaken the entire Israelite army, so in His mercy, He would not let them go forward until it was dealt with. In the same way, you and I cannot be victorious in the battle if we are holding on to something that we shouldn't be. So if God has His finger on something in your life, obey what He tells you to do. It is not worth holding on to something that is depleting you of strength for this journey. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n AN INTEGRAL PART<\/span>
\r\nIn those moments when you are tempted to be overcome by spiritual depression, you must remember that there is a much bigger plan underfoot than you can perceive or understand. Yes, you are only a little part of this incredible picture that God is painting; nevertheless, you are an integral part! Imagine if you were to come across somebody who is doing a thousand-piece puzzle, and they say to you, \"Ah, it is finished!\" Immediately your eye will fall on the one piece that is missing. Even though there are nine hundred and ninety-nine pieces in place, that one missing piece still makes a big difference. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nLikewise, your obedience to God, your going forward and fulfilling His call on your life, is an integral part of what the Lord is doing in this hour. It is so significant that the picture will be incomplete if you vacate the calling God has given to you on this earth. So don't let spiritual depression swallow you. Don't give in to the godlessness of this hour. Return to the place of hope; get back your passion for the work of God. Keep going forward, like Elijah, even if you do not fully understand it all, for there is much left to be done. There is a great reward if you will not quit!<\/p>"},"112":{"sm_title":"Pressing Into Fearful Places","sm_id":"181","sm_desc":"January 15, 2013 - You and I have to have a willingness to press into fearful places. Faith is not taking us where we are comfortable or moving us into where we can manage it in our own strength. Faith takes you and me where only faith can take us. The freedom is yours, the strength is yours, the vision is yours, the healing is yours, the supernatural empowerment of God is yours; it's all yours!","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2013-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2013\/mp3g\/20130115T1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23634_20130401-carter-conlon-pressing-into-fearful-places.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

The book of Second Kings speaks of a time when the Syrian army surrounded Samaria in the northern part of Israel and cut off the city's food supply. This resulted in an intense famine in the land, bringing people to a point of such desperation that they resorted to cannibalism.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Have you ever noticed that when things go wrong, people tend to blame God and His people? That is exactly what happened in this case. The king of Israel became infuriated at the prophet Elisha, threatening to take off his head because of the unspeakable hardship that had come upon the city. By the time the king appeared before Elisha, he was so weak that he had to lean on the messenger who was with him.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The word of God then came to them through Elisha: \"Thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria\"<\/span> (2 Kings 7:1). In other words, within twenty-four hours, provision would be available at such a cheap price that everybody would be able to afford it. There would be a supply beyond their wildest imagination! Yet, what was the servant's response to this incredible news? \"Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof\"<\/span> (2 Kings 7:2).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

What a tragedy! Can you think of a more pitiful spiritual condition than seeing the provision of God right before your eyes but not being able to partake of it? That is exactly what unbelief does. It locks us out of the incredible provision of God.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Imagine, for example, that you were given a free ticket to one of the finest restaurants in town. You have the privilege of going in and ordering anything on the menu that you would like. The food is delicious beyond belief and will surely satisfy your deepest hunger. So you go down to the restaurant and stand on the street corner, peering through the window. You see all the people eating inside, and indeed the food looks good. But you are still on the other side of the window.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Somehow it is a strange affliction of humanity that we just cannot bring ourselves to go into unfamiliar places. Instead, we begin to think of all the reasons why we cannot go in and claim what was freely put into our hands. Will I be embarrassed when it becomes obvious that I have never been in a place like this before? What if I get inside and nobody serves me? What if I find out my ticket is not valid? How will I pay? And so we remain on the outside, looking in.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n OUTSIDE OF THE PROMISED LAND<\/span>
\r\nSadly, that is how many people approach the Scriptures. They see what God says in His Word, they can quote His promises, they can sing about His faithfulness-but the question is, do they truly believe what He spoke? Oftentimes a deep, embedded fear remains in their heart, so they come up with a myriad reasons as to why they cannot claim the inheritance of God.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

We find a similar response in the book of Numbers when Moses commissioned twelve men to spy out the Promised Land. \"And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs...And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel...and brought back word unto them...and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there\"<\/span> (Numbers 13:23-28).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The spies came back and essentially said, \"What God said is true. We saw the provision, and indeed it is a land that flows with milk and honey!\" However, not only did they see this incredible provision, they also saw the walled cities, the weaponry, the sons of the giants. As a result, ten of the spies focused on all the reasons why this Promised Land could not be theirs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Now I want you to draw a parallel to the way we read the Word of God. You and I are always faced with a choice. We can see God's provision and say, \"Yes, it is there. It is true, and it is mine. I am going in to get my full inheritance!\" Or we can stand there and say, \"I see it; God's promises are clear. But my parents told me I was useless. My teacher said I would never amount to anything. I don't have much of an education. God, You know I am facing the giants. I see Your promises, but can't I just admire them from afar? Surely You understand how limited my strength is and how big the obstacles are. Are You really offended if I choose to stay on the street and just look in the window?\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n IT HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR<\/span>
\r\nYears ago, I received a complimentary dinner for four to one of the finest restaurants in the city. I saved it and took my father and mother there for their fiftieth anniversary. The maitre d' sat us in one of the best booths, and we were presented with a menu offering an extensive array of dishes, listed at incredible prices.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

When it came time to order, the poor waiter almost choked when my father said, \"I would like a hamburger patty, mashed potatoes and gravy, and no vegetables.\" My father was a miner, so he was accustomed to eating that way and was somewhat fearful of change. I remember how flustered he got when the waiter broke the news to him that they didn't serve hamburger patties there.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

How many of us do the very same thing, despite the fact that the Lord has set an incredible \"menu\" before us? \"I'll have a hamburger patty, please,\" we say, when God says we can be an evangelist. God offers us the privilege of daily partaking of His very own life; of being led to places that are beyond the familiar; of experiencing something that is deeper than anything we have ever known. It is all available as part of our inheritance in Christ.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Jesus once told His disciples, \"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you\" <\/span>(John 16:12-15).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Jesus was saying, \"The Holy Spirit is going to come to you; He will take what is Mine and show it to you because it is yours!\" We now know that Jesus was referring to all that was purchased on the cross of Calvary. In other words, \"I am giving you a ticket to everything that I have bought for you on the cross. I am giving you entrance into the victory that I won; every promise in the Bible is yours. The freedom, the vision, the healing, the supernatural empowerment of God to do the impossible-it is all yours!\" However, although this is freely available to us as the children of God, we still must press in to lay hold of it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n LAYING HOLD OF GOD'S PROVISION<\/span>
\r\n\r\nContinuing from our opening text in Second Kings, we see that the day did come when God made provision available, thus fulfilling the word He had spoken through the prophet Elisha. How exactly did He do it? <\/p>\r\n\r\n

It all began with four lepers sitting outside the city gate finally coming to the conclusion, \"Well, there's no point in staying here! We are going to starve. We might as well go into the camp of the Syrians\" (see 2 Kings 7:3-4). As the four of them headed down toward the enemy's camp, the Lord made their footsteps sound like an approaching army, striking such fear into the Syrian army that they immediately fled. When the lepers arrived at the camp, they could barely believe what they saw-food everywhere, campfires still burning, horses still tied to their posts. Everything their hearts desired was right there before them! <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Moved with compassion, the lepers gave word to the city's gatekeepers about their discovery, and provision was eventually unlocked to the entire city. \"And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord. And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him\"<\/span> (2 Kings 7:16-17). The king's servant, the one who hesitated and refused to believe the word of the Lord, was run over and trampled to death. May that never become the story of any of the King's servants today! <\/p>\r\n\r\n

On the other hand, we see that a group of people pressed through to this promise of provision-just as multitudes have done over the years. Think about all who have pressed in and found the power of God-the weak who have been made strong; those who couldn't put two words together who went on to become great preachers of the gospel; those who were once despairing and ended up bringing hope to others! <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Even the early church, as frail and feeble as you and I, walked into the camp of Jesus' victory and found incredible provision. Those 120 disciples must have been aware that stepping out of that Upper Room could have meant death for some of them. Nevertheless, they were willing to press in to that fearful place. They knew that something had been purchased for them on the cross, and they were determined to get it. The words that Jesus had spoken to them must have come back to their mind-that the Comforter was going to come to them, take the victory that Christ won, and show it to them because it was theirs for the asking. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

I can picture these men and women rising up to possess what was theirs, as if they were walking straight into the Promised Land. They went in to lay hold of the resources of God that they needed-boldness, love, a willingness to lay down their lives, if necessary, for the sake of His glory. And when they came out of that Upper Room, the disciples were clothed in righteousness and the power of God. They had new minds, courage in place of fear, vision where they once saw only their own frailty. As they stepped out into the public sphere, the 120, gripped by the power of God, overthrew the whole known world of their time. Even Peter, who had previously denied Jesus out of fear, preached a sermon that moved at least three thousand people to give their lives to Christ. This early church had clearly taken possession of their inheritance of the incredible provision of God!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n GET UP AND GO IN<\/span>
\r\nThe good news that I have for you today is: Nothing has changed! The provision of God is still available; the Promised Land in Christ is still ours. The strength and ability of God to take us into His life is still there. The only thing that we have to face is fear-the fear of change, the fear of rejection, the fear of God calling us to an arena that we are not familiar with. But that is what faith is all about. Faith does not take us to where we are comfortable or can manage in our own strength. No! Faith takes us to places where only faith can sustain us. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

You and I must have a willingness to press in to these fearful places. Perhaps the fearful place for you means getting out of a cocoon of security or out of a relationship that you know is wrong. It may simply begin by getting out of where you shouldn't be so that you can get to where you should be. Whatever the case, we must get to the point in our lives where we say, \"Enough staring in the window, I am going in the door. I don't care what people think. I have a paid ticket to the provision of God, so I am going in. I am going to sit at the finest table, and I am going to order everything on the menu!\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

That is who we are in Christ, and we must not settle for less in this hour! This generation deserves to have a glorious Church; this generation deserves to have a witness and a testimony-a people who have pressed in to fearful places and laid hold of the strength of God in Jesus Christ. It is time we rise up and say, \"I am not settling for mediocrity when God has called me to glorify the Name of Jesus Christ on the earth. I am not going to let the devil destroy my family when God said that if I believe, not only I but my household would be saved; that if I fear the Lord and walk in His commandments, my seed would be mighty on the earth. I am not settling for less than my inheritance. I am going to press in by faith and prayer, knowing that everything in this Bible is mine!\" <\/p>\r\n\r\n

As you make the choice to press in to these fearful places, people's futures will be changed. There will be people at the throne of God who will put their arms around your neck and say, \"Thank you for standing up in the workplace. I would not have known Christ if you hadn't. Thank you for coming to me in my poverty. Thank you for being a visible demonstration of God to me!\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

So get up and go in-that was the message of Elisha, and that is the word of the Lord to you today. Get up and go in, for there is a miraculous life available to all who are willing \r\nto claim it. Hallelujah!"},"113":{"sm_title":"A Message for Those Who Have Little Left to Give","sm_id":"178","sm_desc":"November 25, 2012 - Miracles still happen. Cast your bread upon the water and one day it will come back to you. He takes that which is small and multiplies it. God is going to be an endless source of supply to you.","sm_jpg":"23405_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2013-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/11\/25s1\/20121125s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20121125S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"6ZXgPC5NERI","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23590_20130301-carter-conlon-a-message-for-those-who-have-little-left-to-give.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

This message is for those who feel they have little left to give. Perhaps today this is your story: \"Lord, I don't have any strength left. I am running on fumes and I hope You are not going to ask me to give more, because I have nothing left to give.\" If you feel this way, I believe you will be encouraged by the time you finish reading this newsletter.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living\"<\/span> (Mark 12:41-44).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThroughout the Scriptures, we find many instances of people with less than others fully casting all they have into the work of God. As a result, great things are done through their sacrifice. Such was the case with this widow. While many were casting into the treasury out of their abundance, she took what little she had left-which was only a few cents-and put it all into the treasury.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nNotice that this widow's value system deemed the kingdom of God worthy of her gift. She must have felt that the Lord would take her offering and somehow use it for His glory. Not only that, she must have had a measure of trust that as she chose to \"seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,\" everything she needed would be given to her. And so she freely gave into the treasury out of her own need and difficulty.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nEcclesiastes 11:1 says, \"Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days\"<\/span> (NKJV). In other words, one day you will know what God has done with your sacrifice. How surprised this widow must have been to get to heaven and realize that her sacrifice would become part of the text of Scripture, offering instruction and insight into the kingdom of God for millions of people over thousands of years to come!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSimilarly, consider how many people will approach you in heaven and thank you for not giving up-for continuing to give even when you felt you had so little left. Perhaps somewhere along the way you discovered that life was not working out as you thought it would, leaving you with little hope for tomorrow. Nevertheless, you took that shard of hope, that little bit of strength you had left, and tithed it into somebody's life. You allowed that limited understanding, that small word of encouragement, that listening ear to be used for a greater good beyond your own need.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSomeday what you \"cast upon the waters\" will come back to you. When you get to the throne of God, people will thank you for speaking to them and ministering to them. One day your sons and daughters will rise up and say, \"Thank you for not giving up on us! Thank you for continuing to take us to church. You could have taken that little bit of strength you had left and used it for yourself. You could have chosen to get some extra sleep on Sunday morning, but instead you got up and faithfully prayed for us. You took us by the hand, you made us get dressed, and you brought us to the house of God. Now we are eternally grateful!\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n HANNAH<\/span>
\r\nThe Scriptures speak of another woman who seemingly had little to give, yet she chose to bring her sacrifice to the Lord. Her name was Hannah, and she and her husband, Elkanah, went to the house of the Lord frequently. Elkanah had a second wife who bore him several sons and daughters, yet Hannah remained barren (see 1 Samuel 1:2-3).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIt was Hannah's deepest desire to have a child, and so she came in great desperation to the altar of God. \"And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 1:10-11). God granted her request and gave her a son. Soon Hannah felt it was time to bring that little child to the house of God so that he might be given for His work, just as she had vowed.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThink for a moment how difficult it must have been for Hannah. I am sure that she had questions in her heart, just as you and I do. \"Don't I have a right to some personal happiness? Don't I have a right to keep something for myself? Shouldn't I be able to come to the house of God and expect that my needs will be met, too?\" Nevertheless, Hannah took this son that God had given her and, out of her own need, offered him to His service.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nThe Scriptures do not tell us whether Hannah lived long enough to see the impact her sacrifice had in the world. What she had given to God was a prophet named Samuel-one of the greatest prophets of his generation and a judge of Israel who led the nation back to the ways of God. Hannah was just a little person with a little sacrifice, bringing it to the house of the Lord. Yet time and again we see that God takes these little sacrifices and multiplies them, doing what is impossible for man.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n A LITTLE BOY'S SACRIFICE<\/span>
\r\nIn the book of John, we find another story of a seemingly small sacrifice making an incredible difference. As Jesus was preaching to a crowd of people, He became aware that they were hungry. \"He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?\" <\/span>(John 6:5-9).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nSeeing more than 5,000 people before them in the crowd, none of the disciples could figure out how they would be able to feed so many. Yet somewhere in that crowd was a little boy with five barley loaves and two fishes. I do not know if it was his lunch or if he was on his way home from the market. All I know is that it was all this little boy had. I can picture him tugging at Andrew's sleeve, telling him to give it to Jesus.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nOthers would never even consider bringing this seemingly small sacrifice to the Lord, for what good could it possibly do in light of the magnitude of the need before them? However, Jesus once said that unless you have the faith of a child, you will not see the kingdom of God (see Matthew 18:3). You will not be able to understand how the kingdom of God works unless this kind of faith gets into your heart.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAnd so Jesus took this little boy's sacrifice and multiplied it, feeding the 5,000 men, plus women and children. There were even twelve full baskets left over after everybody was fed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n ELIJAH AND THE WIDOW<\/span>
\r\nIn 1 Kings 17, we read of another widow whose small sacrifice was grafted into the testimony of Scripture. At the time, there was a major battle going on between the powers of good and evil, light and darkness. Spiritual apathy had taken hold of the nation of Israel, and Baal's prophets proceeded to lead the people astray from the truth. But God had a prophet named Elijah whom He had prepared for a confrontation on the top of Mount Carmel. God intended to do the miraculous and, for a short season, turn the nation back to the worship of the true God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nDuring the time of famine that preceded the clash atop Mount Carmel, God led Elijah to a widow in Zarephath. Although she had hardly anything left to give, Elijah approached her and said, \"Make me a cake to eat.\" The widow replied, \"I don't even have enough for myself and my son. I am just going to gather a few sticks so that I can bake what I have left, and then we are going to die.\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nElijah refuted, \"No, give first to the work of God (which Elijah represented at that point). As you give the little that you have to the work of God, I promise that your supply will not fail. God will be an endless source of supply to you.\" The widow did as she was asked, giving what little she had left for the kingdom of God. Just as Elijah had said, God was faithful to supply all that she needed. \"And she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah\"<\/span> (1 Kings 17:15-16).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n HALF AN ACRE<\/span>
\r\n1 Samuel, chapter 14, tells us of another occasion when there was a major battle going on in the nation. It seemed as if Israel would be defeated by its enemies one more time. Yet King Saul's son, Jonathan, along with his armor bearer, decided to climb up a hillside on their hands and knees, determined to take back from the enemy a parcel of land that only measured half an acre.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nTo the natural eye, the offering of their lives must have looked pathetically small in contrast to what they were up against. No wonder the Philistines looked over the brow of the hill and taunted, \"Look at the Hebrews who have come out of the holes where they were hiding. Come on up here, and we will show you a thing or two!\" (see 1 Samuel 14:11-12).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhen Jonathan saw this mockery of God, something got into his heart. He turned to his armor bearer and said, \"Let's go! The Lord has given them into our hand.\" Throughout the Scriptures, we see that God takes the weak, the marginalized, and that which is foolish to the natural man, and touches it with His hand to perform the miraculous-so that He alone can get the glory!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nIn this case, Jonathan and his armor bearer went up and fought, and they victoriously took that half acre of land. In the scope of what they were battling, it was merely a small and seemingly insignificant victory. But the Bible tells us that as a result, a trembling went through the host of the Philistines (see 1 Samuel 14:14-16).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nKeep in mind that these enemies of Israel were demonically inspired. Suddenly all of the demonic powers knew that they were being threatened, for faith had risen up once again. This is exactly what happens when a child of God finally realizes that his sacrifice is not small and insignificant; when he is willing to stand and say, \"God is able to do miracles. He does not change-He is still the God of the impossible. Therefore, I am going to get up and give what I have to the kingdom of God. I am going to cast my life into His kingdom. I am going to take my five cents; I am going to take my little bit of strength; I am going to take my testimony, and though it may look small in comparison to everybody else's, I know that God can take it, and great good will be done for His kingdom!\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n GIVE WHAT LITTLE YOU HAVE<\/span>
\r\nGod's ways are not our ways; they never have been. Yet, sadly, in this church age we have succumbed to strategists and boardrooms; surveys and committees. For the sake of Christ, I say we throw the whole thing out and get back to faith in God's house!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhere do we start? You and I must take what we have and sow it into the kingdom of God. That means that even if you feel weak, you must believe that Christ can use you. Just like Jonathan and his armor bearer, you have the potential to send a trembling through the hosts of hell. So do not let your circumstances or your natural thinking rob you of what the Lord is able to do through you. Don't let the devil convince you that your life is too small or that what you have is too insignificant to make a difference. You are not a marginal player in the kingdom of God. He has chosen you to be alive in this very hour, at this point in the history of our nation, so you would be highly unwise to count yourself out in this battle!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nI encourage you today-even if you have only a little left to give, bring it to God. Take the little bit of faith that you have, with the little bit of strength that is yours, and the little song that is still left, and cast it into the treasury. If you feel you do not have anything else, you can at least be kind to somebody.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\nRemember, that which is esteemed in the sight of God is not always esteemed in the sight of man. His eye falls on those things that the church world has a tendency to overlook. He sees the seemingly small sacrifices-the seemingly insignificant victories. The eyes of God see the single mother bringing her children to the house of the Lord. He sees you making a sandwich for that child across the hall who does not have a lunch. The eyes of God see it all, and He will reward everyone who gives to His kingdom. So give what you have to the work of God, and then obey what the Lord speaks to your heart. Someday you will see the results of your sacrifice, for whatever you bring to the kingdom of God, He will be faithful to take, multiply and use for His glory!<\/p>"},"114":{"sm_title":"A Guiding Voice In The Storm","sm_id":"176","sm_desc":"December 2, 2012 - We are in a place now where we have arrogantly set our course against the ways of God as a people, as a nation. We have a window of opportunity and it will require the whole church, every denomination. It's time to take everything and put it aside and go back to prayer, go back to the will of God. We have to go back to prayer. ","sm_jpg":"23416_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2013-02","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/12\/02s1\/20121202s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20121202S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"CDvl3RF5v6k","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23536_20130102-carter-conlon-a-guiding-voice-in-the-storm.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

It is becoming evident that a spiritual awakening is our only lasting hope for the future of our nation. America once was given great favor by God and although our history has not been perfect, the essence of our law was founded on the Judeo-Christian ethic. We had at least a measure of respect for the Word of God and an understanding of His ways of dealing with those who had gone before us. Yet over the years, we began to ignore the warnings of God and embarked on a journey led by our own senses and our own reasoning. We find a similar situation in the book of Acts: \"Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul...And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete\"<\/span> (Acts 27:9-11, 13).<\/p>\r\n

Paul had warned the captain and crew from the onset that this journey would end in destruction, only to be ignored and relegated to the bottom of the ship. Similarly, we have disregarded the revealed knowledge of Almighty God and, casting off moral restraint, proceeded to set sail in our own direction. We turned to praise the gods of silver and gold, wood and stone-things originating from the minds of men. If that were not tragedy enough, the Church in large measure followed the course of society and became attached to the value system of this world. This has left us with theological perspectives focusing on prosperity and success that have tremendously weakened the testimony of Christ in our nation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n CASTING OUT THE TACKLING<\/span>
\"But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive\"<\/span> (Acts 27:14-15). Just like those on the ship with Paul, we arrogantly set our course against the ways of God and now we find ourselves in a storm, facing circumstances beyond our control. We are being driven by the wind with seemingly no direction and no moral compass. <\/p>\r\n

\"Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; and the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship\"<\/span> (Acts 27:17-19). <\/p>\r\n

For years we have done our best to hold this country together. Now, out of desperation, we are beginning to cast overboard the tackling of the ship. The tackling represents certain standards that were once bedrock in this nation, such as the sacred right of unborn children in the womb to live. I am not a doctor, and I am not suggesting there may not be circumstances that need to be considered. But when we begin to murder our unborn children for the sake of convenience, we have crossed a line, which is terrifying at the least. Not only that, we have cast out the sanctity of marriage as defined by God from the beginning of time. God designed one man and one woman to be joined and to be fruitful in the earth. Yet now it seems that anything goes. It doesn't matter if the Bible calls it evil; we are now calling it good. <\/p>\r\n

Very soon we might even have to deal with the throwing overboard of the right of free speech and self-government, all in favor of a new morality. In the ferocity of a storm, people are willing to do things that they would not do under normal circumstances. When they have already lost their spiritual moorings and fear begins to set in, they will throw almost anything overboard in favor of what is believed to be safety and security. <\/p>\r\n

This is precisely why the role of the Church is so pivotal at this juncture in history. We have before us a window of opportunity to be a guiding voice in the storm. It is a window that I feel will be open for only a short season, which is why we must be prepared now.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n READY FOR THE CALL<\/span>
Paul was ready when the call came to him. He had been in the bottom of the ship, praying in the midst of his own struggles and fighting through his own belly of hell. All along, Paul knew that he was being carried on this journey by the spiritual ignorance of those who refused to heed the Word of God. <\/p>\r\n

Imagine the taunting of the enemy that he had to fight. \"This is hopeless, Paul! Your life is not going to amount to anything. How are you ever going to affect this journey or this generation? Do you really think that anyone on this ship will listen to you? Just go ahead and get bitter. Get vengeance on those who have caused this ignorant journey!\" Yet, despite the hardship and the battles Paul faced in the belly of that ship, he chose to pray. Suddenly, in the midst of all the difficulty, a window opened. He was called to the deck of the ship, and the people were ready to listen.<\/p>\r\n

What would have happened if Paul had not been ready when the call came? What if he had been down there grumbling with the rest of the prisoners-if his whole focus had been on himself and his own security? If that had been so, Paul probably would have stood on the deck with no more hope or encouragement than anybody else around. He may have had some ideas, but he would not have had the mind or the word of God for those who desperately needed it. That is why it is so essential that you and I be in prayer now. We must get a word from God! He will speak if we are willing to listen and set aside our own ideas about what our future should be. <\/p>\r\n

Paul was willing to listen, and as a result, the Lord gave him this word of exhortation for those on the ship: \"For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me\"<\/span> (Acts 27:23-25, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

Although the lives of the 276 would be spared, notice that it was not an entirely pleasant word that God gave to Paul. God was essentially telling him, \"You are going to go through the storm. You are going to remain in chains and be brought before Caesar, a man who thinks he is god. But you will stand before him and testify of the one true God in heaven and in earth.\" <\/p>\r\n

Paul embraced this call on his life, despite what it would cost him personally. He was intent on living to glorify Christ and reach the lost. This, of course, is where it gets hard. We all love to come into the Lord's presence to receive something-perhaps peace, deliverance, direction, a word of encouragement. But what happens when the Lord says, \"I want you to embrace My burden for a lost society and yield your body as a living sacrifice to My plan, even though it may cost you personally?\"<\/p>\r\n

It is a battle that we all have to go through, for not one of us wants to be inconvenienced. We do not particularly like the thought of following the journey of Paul-the hardship and the difficulty that often results from choosing to fully embrace Christ. However, I want to suggest to you that nothing else will make a difference in this generation. We have had seminars, radio shows, television programs, conferences-yet our society is going to hell in a handbasket. What we have presented to this country has not worked. In fact, it has sent this generation in an entirely adverse direction. It is time to put aside these things and return to prayer and to the embracing of the will of God for our lives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n A COMPELLING TESTIMONY<\/span>
As he stood on the deck of that ship, Paul's life was a compelling testimony of the keeping power of God. He clearly possessed an inner strength that was supernatural, and he was filled with the absolute joy of being fully surrendered to Jesus Christ. It must have provoked those traveling on that vessel with him to stand in amazement and wonder, \"What makes this man so confident? He is in the same predicament we are, yet he seems to be so full of hope! Why does he see a future when we see destruction? What is inside this man that makes him different from us?\" <\/p>\r\n

Paul's life moved those around him to consider the ways and the work of God. That is what the Church is supposed to be-a compelling testimony to this world. Jesus once used a parable to illustrate this idea: \"Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse\" <\/span>(Luke 14:16-18). Most historians relate this initial group of people to Israel-the Jewish people. We know from the Scriptures that they will respond eventually, but for a season they will refuse to come to the Lord at His invitation.<\/p>\r\n

The master then said to the servant, \"Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind\"<\/span> (Luke 14:21). This is thought to represent the three years of Jesus Christ's public ministry on the earth. He focused on the lame, the poor, the maimed and the blind, inviting them into the house of God. In those days, such people would not have had access to the holy place. But through Jesus Christ, an entrance was made for all people to come into the presence of God. <\/p>\r\n

\"And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled\"<\/span> (Luke 14:22-23). Most historians agree that this represents our present church age. That means that your life and mine should be a compelling testimony. We ought to present to this generation irrefutable evidence of the reality of Christ, alive within us. <\/p>\r\n

This is exactly what happened in the second chapter of Acts. Ordinary people went into the presence of God and prayed in one accord, even though it was an unpopular time. Jesus had just been crucified, and the crowd outside was intent on killing all followers of Christ. The one hundred and twenty in that Upper Room would have known the dangers of identifying themselves as His disciples. Nevertheless, they chose to pray and obey as God began to unfold to them a plan for each of their lives-not their plan, His plan. And so they came out of that Upper Room just as Paul had come out of the belly of that ship-completely gripped by God. Their lives, their hearts, and their speech were all undeniable evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit to transcend the natural borders of their humanity. They stood in the midst of that society, boldly declaring that there is a God who did die, who did rise from the dead and who does inhabit His people. As a result, at least three thousand in that anti-Christ crowd stood in amazement and asked, \"What must we do to have that kind of relationship with God?\" <\/p>\r\n

Note that a casual Christianity will not elicit this kind of response, as has been made evident in our generation. We have tried putting coffeemakers in the back of our churches. We have done surveys, built bowling alleys and swimming pools, and held parties and potlucks, assuming that this would bring people into the kingdom of God. But in reality, it is the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit alone who draws people! Oh, the foolishness of this church age! <\/p>\r\n

Do we have the courage to examine ourselves in this hour; to admit that our ways may not be God's ways; that our plans might not be God's plans? Do we have the courage, as Daniel did, to open the window, face Jerusalem, and pray in humility (see Daniel 6:10)? \"Lord, we have done a disservice to Your testimony in the earth. We have not brought about deliverance, because we have dealt casually with the holy things of God. We have failed to come into Your presence and seek Your will, to walk in the holiness that You require of Your people.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" \r\n GET THE VICTORY NOW<\/span>
\r\n Despite our foolishness as a church age, the window to Jerusalem is still open, just as it was in Daniel's day. The window to God's power, provision, and mercy is still open if He can find a people who are willing to get on their knees and say, \"Lord, whatever it costs, I am asking You to use my life for Your glory. Help me to walk righteously, for I know that You do not answer the prayers of people who regard iniquity in their heart. Help me to turn from sin and to do what is right. Help me to stand in the marketplace, not as a coward, but as a believer filled with your Holy Spirit, standing and making an open declaration of what is right and what is true. Help me to walk in the supernatural, that I might be a guiding voice in the storm.\" <\/p>\r\n

God is calling His Church everywhere to go back to prayer; to have a willingness to stand no matter what may come. And here is where it starts: Get the victory now! <\/p>\r\n

Paul got his victory before he appeared on that deck, for he had been at the bottom of the ship, praying. He had found victory-not from<\/span> his situation, but rather in<\/span> his situation. His situation did not necessarily change, but his heart, his mind and his perspective did. Remember that when he was brought up on deck, he was still a captive. He was still in chains, still being led on the journey to stand before Caesar. Nevertheless, he stood in absolute victory! <\/p>\r\n

Likewise, you must get the victory now. Get the victory over whatever sin is captivating you; get the victory over a divided heart. Get the victory now so that you will have the courage to go all the way with God, with a single focus on glorifying Christ and saving the lost. Be prepared to hear from God, and be willing to yield to His plan for your life. As you do so, the Lord will be faithful to provide you with all that you need to finish the journey in a manner that will bring glory to Him alone. He will give you hope when those around you are in despair, and He will cause you to become a guiding voice in the storm. Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"115":{"sm_title":"Delivering the Lamb from the Mouth of the Enemy","sm_id":"174","sm_desc":"November 11, 2012 - We are living at a time of unparalleled arrogance against the Word of God, the ways of God and the things of God. The whole church is going to have to abandon pursuits that have left her weak and powerless. In that secret place you have got to rise up. You cannot live in a secret defeat and ever win a public battle. ","sm_jpg":"23359_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2013-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/11\/11s1\/20121111s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20121111S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"tgX6OCfh5Gs","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23454_20130101-carter-conlon-delivering-the-lamb-from-the-mouth-of-the-enemy.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In the book of 1 Samuel, we read of a time when the testimony of God was in crisis-much as it has been in different nations throughout history and I believe is true of our nation today. At that particular time, the Philistine army was standing in opposition to the children of Israel-the very people whom God had ordained to be a blessing in the earth.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

It has always been the case that an encroachment of evil will attempt to obliterate the testimony of God. As the Philistines stood on the opposite side of the valley, their spokesman, Goliath, taunted the children of God day and night: \"Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? Am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid\" <\/span>(1 Samuel 17:8-11).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Though they faced an army that was greater in number and seemingly mightier than they, there was another reason why the people of God were left standing in fear and dismay. Saul and most of his followers had long ago abandoned faith for wealth, position and status. Notice that when this voice stood up against the ways of God, the only reward that Saul could offer the people was a product of what his value system had become: \"It shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches<\/span> (wealth), and will give him his daughter <\/span>(position), and make his father's house free in Israel<\/span> (status)\" (1 Samuel 17:25).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

A theological focus of wealth, position and status in society will always result in powerlessness and leave the church trembling. It causes God's people to end up overwhelmed, undermanned, hopeless, and with the sense that they are unable to win the battles they face. You and I are now living in an hour where there is no time for this self-seeking Christianity. It is doomed in our generation, trembling as voices rise to redefine everything that is right and holy. <\/p>\r\n

The Israelites stood on the hillside, watching as godlessness threatened the very testimony God had given to them on the earth. As they awaited the battle, there must have been at least some of them who wondered, Is there anybody among us who is able to stand against this kind of threat? If so, what kind of person will he be, and when will he arise?<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" THE HIDDEN BATTLES<\/span>
As he always does, God had prepared a vessel-a young man named David who had been diligently fighting to preserve what had been entrusted into his hand. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

By this time, David had already been serving Saul as his armor bearer. In 1 Samuel 17, verse 15, it says \"But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.\"<\/span> It is significant to note that David was not yet in the battle-he was in an obscure place, keeping his father's sheep. In the same way, it is important for you and I to be diligent with what God has entrusted to us, and that we do it with all our heart.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

One day when David was faithfully looking after his father's sheep, a lion and a bear came and took a lamb-a Bethlehem lamb-out of the flock. David later recounted the story to Saul: \"Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: and I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:34-35). <\/p>\r\n

This speaks to me of a person who has had victories that are not spoken of until the day he must stand and face the giant. It is a type of those who have fought and won when the devourer came to kill what the Father had given to them. Keep in mind that God has entrusted to us the victory of His Son, Jesus-the Lamb of God who was born in Bethlehem. <\/p>\r\n

Like David, the first battle that you and I will have to fight is the hidden battle. When you surrendered your life to the Lord, He gave you the victory of the Lamb from Bethlehem. However, you must be aware that the enemy is always going to come like a roaring lion, attempting to take that Lamb in his mouth. He is going to try to steal the victory God has given you-the promise of a new mind and a new life that will be lived for the glory of God. The enemy is going to take that Lamb in his mouth and say, \"This promise is not for you. Look how easily I can take it away from you.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

In the midst of that hidden battle, you must rise up. In that secret place where nobody else sees you and you are all alone, the devil comes and says, \"Your life will never amount to anything. The promises of God are not true for you. Your family is not going to walk with God. You will never have victory or a new future.\" But just as David rose up and took the lamb out of the lion's mouth, you must take those promises back out of the devil's mouth. \r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Today you may be thinking, \"What is the big deal about this lack of faith in my heart, the lack of believing that I will ever amount to anything?\" or \"What is the big deal about this small compromise in my life?\" Although a lamb may seem to be only a small thing, a big victory comes through it. You will never be a warrior in public until you have won these secret battles. They are a test of your faith in God and your confidence in His Word and His keeping power. Therefore, you must be determined to fight and win these hidden battles-whether it is a secret fear, a secret self-loathing, a secret sense of unworthiness, or unbelief within your heart. \r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

David fought those hidden battles. If he had not, he never would have had the courage to go into that valley and face Goliath. You, too, must face the enemy in your own personal battle. As you do, something of faith will enter your heart. And just as David was no match for a lion apart from being supernaturally empowered by God, you will begin to acknowledge that there is no other way to win your battle but by the power of the Holy Spirit. And when you get the victory, suddenly the Scriptures will come to life, and you will be convinced that all things indeed are possible to him who believes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" THE FATHER'S INSTRUCTIONS<\/span>
David not only won his hidden battles, but he was a person who cared about others and had the ability to hear and obey the instructions of his father: \"And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; and carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:17-18). <\/p>\r\n

The instructions were simple: Go to your brethren, bring provision to them, and let them know that their father cares about them. <\/p>\r\n

We tend to make everything so complicated with our study and theology, when all along things actually are quite simple. Win the secret battles, then get up and do what the Father says. The Lord's instructions to us today are along the same lines: Feed the hungry, encourage those who are in despair, and share with them the love of the Father. <\/p>\r\n

It is just as He describes in the book of Isaiah: \"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?\"<\/span> (Isaiah 58:6-8).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" A FAMILIAR ROAR<\/span>
Obeying his father's instructions, David approached the camp of the Israelites and ran to greet his brothers. \"And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them\" <\/span>(1 Samuel 17:23). <\/p>\r\n

Suddenly David heard something that he had heard before-a familiar roar that caused something to rise up within him. The lion was once again after the lamb! This time, however, it was not a lamb in his father's flock in Bethlehem that was at stake. Rather, it was the Lamb of God who was soon to come through the very people among whom David stood. Another Lamb was going to be born in Bethlehem through the tribe of Judah. That Lamb was actually in David's loins, for we know that he was in the lineage of Jesus Christ. Of course, David could have no way of knowing this at the time. Nevertheless, something must have stirred deeply within his heart. One more time he heard the lion trying to take the lamb in his mouth and so he decided to fight.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The Scriptures tell us that David refused to go to battle with the armor that Saul tried to fit on him. In other words, he refused to use the weaponry of those whose spiritual focus was on the things of this world. It may have seemingly won a battle or two along the way, but its powerlessness was now evident. Instead, David headed into the battle armed with five stones, a sling, and a confidence that had been born in secret: \"The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:37).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" IT TAKES ONE TO BREAK THROUGH<\/span>
\r\n \"And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?...And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field\" <\/span>(1 Samuel 17:42-44). <\/p>\r\n

Unmoved by the threats of the enemy, David declared, \"Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 17:45-46).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

In other words, you have come with the best that the world can give-your own armor, your own power, your own status, your own strategies. You have not defied religion, you have defied the Lord of Hosts. You have stood up against God in sheer arrogance, mistakenly believing that there would be no price to be paid for this. You have boasted against the power of God Almighty and His ability to take the weak and foolish and do something so significant that one more time the Name of Jesus Christ is glorified in the earth!\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead...So David prevailed over the Philistine\" <\/span>(1 Samuel 17:48-50).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

When David threw that stone and it sank into Goliath's forehead, it was a type of word that can come only from God. It is the word that goes deep and finds its mark in the conscience of fallen man. When you and I stand up under the anointing, speaking words of truth for the glory of God, they will have the ability and inherent power to penetrate even the hardest of minds and hearts. \r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines...And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron\" <\/span>(1 Samuel 17:52).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Some people will have to go through first, leading the way into the battle. Some may even end up paying a price. Yet, how often throughout history have we seen that it takes only one to break through that gate of faith, and soon many people will begin to follow? <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING<\/span>
I feel in my heart that the very future of our nation is now at stake-we need a spiritual awakening in America today. There is no \"Plan B,\" no other way except that the Holy Spirit stir His Church once again. God's people must get back into the prayer closet; we must turn off the football games and everything else that has diverted our attention and get back to the house of God. We do not have ten more years to get this right. <\/p>\r\n

I can already hear a familiar roar in our generation. Voices are rising up, trying to take the Lamb in their mouths-claiming that God's kingdom has no power, that Christ's victory is inconsequential, that nobody of any significance will be able to withstand them. That is exactly what Goliath was saying. <\/p>\r\n

Once again, God is looking for the Davids who will stand and fight to see the name of Jesus Christ glorified in the earth. Somebody somewhere must stand up for the glory of God and for the souls of men. Somebody must fight for those who are losing their own salvation, and in their own ignorance are heading into hell. Somebody has to love them enough to fight for them. <\/p>\r\n

I challenge you to stand up for the sake of Christ. You must recognize today that you are an integral part of this battle. You can do so much for the kingdom of God through prayer, through winning your secret battles, through obeying the Father's instructions, through acts of kindness-so do not write yourself off! If you are doing so, you are allowing the enemy to take the Lamb of God that belongs to you and put it in his mouth. It is time for you to fight back and say, \"Not this time. The devil is not getting my testimony. Yes, he may be bigger and stronger than I am, but he is not stronger than the Holy Spirit who lives within me!\"\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

When David ran into that valley, he put his life on the line for the Lamb of God to be born into Bethlehem. It is imperative that we, too, be willing to lay our lives on the line, determined to fight the battles before us. As we do, by the grace of God, we will deliver the Lamb from the mouth of the enemy!<\/p>"},"116":{"sm_title":"Finding and Keeping the Joy of the Lord","sm_id":"172","sm_desc":"October 9, 2012 - No matter how your day has gone, the Father is still dancing over you with the holy angels in heaven. He's not ashamed of you, He hasn't rejected you. He loves you with a passionate love so deep, so profound, so powerful that it sent Him to the cross. It's the Lord's joy to restore you.","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2012-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20121009T1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23411_20121201-carter-conlon-finding-and-keeping-the-joy-of-the-lord.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In our generation, scores of people are living without hope for tomorrow. Even within the body of Christ, many are seemingly walking around with little joy. Of course, when I was a young Christian, it used to annoy me if I was having a bad day and someone would casually remark: \"Oh, cheer up! The joy of the Lord is your strength.\" This did, however, prompt me to question, \"What exactly is the joy of the Lord? How do I get the joy of the Lord, and how can I keep it?\" I knew there had to be a foundation based on something more than just trying to smile and look like I was happy if I wasn't.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

As we consider some of these questions, let us look in the book of Nehemiah, for this is where we find the origin of that familiar verse, \"The joy of the Lord is your strength.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

RETURNING TO REBUILD<\/span>
\r\n\r\nAlthough the nation of Israel had received an incredible promise that they would be blessed to be a blessing on the earth, they ended up dealing very casually with the things of God. They began to walk outside of the borders God had set, and subsequently they were taken into captivity in a foreign nation for seventy years. At the end of those seventy years, they were sovereignly released by the hand of God. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n In the book of Nehemiah, we see the people of God returning to their homeland, attempting to rebuild out of the ruins and rubble what they had once lost. Similarly, there are many people today who once came to Christ and were given a new life, yet they ended up taking that life and living in a manner that did not bring honor to God. They strayed outside of His ways, only to end up making a mess of things. Eventually, just as the captives returned to Israel, these people come back to the house of God and attempt to rebuild the testimony that God had once given them.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nNow we come to the scene where Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites gathered all the people together. They began to unlock the mysteries and truths of the Word of God, hoping to recover what they had lost: \"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law\"<\/span> (Nehemiah 8:8-9). Think about how the people had just endured seventy years of sorrow. Most likely there were families that had been lost, children who did not survive, homes and inheritances that were forfeited. And now, sitting in the presence of God as His Word was being opened to them, they finally recognized what they had done. They saw their wrong and understood why such captivity and tragedy had come into their lives-and they began to weep.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n Nehemiah proceeded to say something incredible to the people: \"Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength\" <\/span>(Nehemiah 8:10). The joy of the Lord is your strength! Suddenly these were no longer just words of the law showing the people why they had come into bondage. Words of hope were now being declared to them!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions <\/span>(in other words, share this joy), and to make great mirth<\/span> (great celebration), because they had understood the words that were declared unto them\"<\/span> (Nehemiah 8:11-12). That is the cry of my heart-that we, too, will be able to understand these words and truly celebrate as the people did.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

CLOTHED BY THE FATHER<\/span>
\r\n\r\nJesus told a parable that spoke of another celebration, which I believe will help us to understand the joy of the Lord as well as how we can partake of it. In this parable, a man had two sons. One day the younger son demanded his inheritance, took it, and left home (see Luke 15). He might have felt that his father's house was too restrictive, too narrow-a type of the person today who concludes in his heart, \"There must be more to life than this-more than going to church, more than reading the Word of God and living within the borders of it. Certainly I was born for more than this!\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nThe Bible tells us that this younger son took his inheritance and spent it on riotous living, which means \"self-consumption\" in the original Greek. In other words, he took this life that he was given and spent it on himself, living however he pleased...until one day a mighty famine came upon the land.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nFinally this son came to his senses and said to himself, \"How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father\"<\/span> (Luke 15:17-18). He began to rehearse what he would say to his father: \"I am a sinner; I am not worthy. Just make me like one of your hired servants.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him\"<\/span> (Luke 15:20). Remember that this son had not only made a mess of his life and squandered his inheritance, by this time he carried with him the stench of having been in a field with the pigs. What an incredible shock it must have been to have his father come running down the road, falling on his neck and kissing him!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n Many people do not have this picture of God. Instead, they imagine God sitting on the throne with His arms folded, tapping His foot, saying, \"It's about time! Didn't I warn you when you headed out? Look at the mess you have made of your life and the reproach you have brought to the family name. You are fortunate that I would even consider making you a slave in my house.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nOf course, that is not the heart of God. On the contrary, whenever a wayward child returns home, there are two arms reaching out and a Father running toward him, saying, \"My son (or my daughter), you have finally come home! I have been waiting and watching for you. I have longed for you!\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nAs the son began his mantra, \"Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am \r\nno more worthy to be called thy son\"<\/span> (Luke 15:21), what was the father's reply? He did not even acknowledge anything the son was saying. Instead, the first thing the father did was clap his hands and say, \"Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him\"<\/span> (Luke 15:22). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nHow stunned that son must have been as his father called for the best robe to be brought out. All he could do was lift his hands as they clothed him. Suddenly he found himself wearing a robe reserved for royalty-a robe that covered the smell of the hogs and of all that he had done. As he walked into his father's house, it was as if he had never sinned against God. It was all covered! In the same way, the Bible tells us that we have been given a righteousness in the sight of God that is not our own. It is freely given to those who know that they need a Savior. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nSometimes we think it would be enough for God to just cover all of our sins and frailties. Yet notice that in the parable, the father suddenly gave another command: \"Put a ring on his hand!\" In other words, the father was bestowing upon his son all power and authority, much as God has given us the power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. God has given us power to stand against every voice that would try to condemn us; power to declare that we have a righteousness that is not our own; power to speak into darkened places; power to become what we could never be in our own strength-all freely given to us of our Father. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nThen the father said, \"Put shoes on his feet.\" This spoke of a journey. When God once instructed Moses and Joshua to take off their shoes (see Exodus 3:5, Joshua 5:15), He was essentially saying, \"No farther in your own strength, your own strategies, your own plans!\" However, when we are ready to walk with God, it is as if He then says, \"Now put your shoes back on. We are going on a journey together, and you are about to learn something of Me that many people do not know. It is something that cannot be understood by those who stand proudly in their own sense of goodness, who point in your face and say, 'Well, I have never made the mess that you made.' They have not done what you have done, but neither will they know what you know.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE<\/span>
\r\n\r\n With shoes on his feet, the ring on his hand and the robe on his back, the son was brought inside, and the father basically instructed the servants, \"Break out the instruments! Kill the fatted calf, and let's have a feast!\" So they celebrated, along with music and dancing (see Luke 15:25).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nThe people inside most likely were unaware of all that the son had done and they did not really care. Instead, I can picture them gazing at the ring on his hand, amazed at the authority that has been entrusted to him. They see the shoes on his feet, evidence that he has been invited by his father on an incredible journey to become the blessing that he was originally intended to be. And so the band starts to play, the fatted calf is put on the table, and thus begins a celebration like nothing this young man has ever experienced in his life! <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nBut what tops it all off is that suddenly his father starts to dance. As the son is standing there, he suddenly realizes that it is his father's joy to cover his sin! It is his father's joy to put a ring of authority on his hand and to invite him on this journey. It is not his<\/span> joy, it is his father's<\/span> joy! This is the joy of the Lord, and this is what becomes his strength.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

HE IS DANCING OVER YOU<\/span>
\r\n\r\nWhen was the last time you saw God dancing over you? It says in the Scriptures that He will rejoice over you with joy (see Zephaniah 3:17), yet sometimes the idea is so hard to truly embrace. But remember, no matter how your day has gone, the Father is still dancing over you along with the holy angels in heaven. He is not ashamed of you, nor has He rejected you. \r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n Even if you have walked away from God in any measure, or if you feel you have failed and made a mess of what He entrusted to you-I invite you to simply come home to the Father. Do not come home with your head hanging and with a sense of unworthiness. Imagine if the son had insisted, \"No, not me! Stop the music, stop the banquet, I'm not worthy.\" How he would have missed the joy of his father! Instead, just be quiet and allow God to embrace you. Lift your hands and let Him clothe you in His robe of righteousness, cleansing you of your sin. Let Him give you the power to live the supernatural life that He promises to those who belong to Him. Let Him set you free from everything that captivates you, from every lie that dominates your mind. Simply let the Father rejoice over you. \r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nRemember, God loves you with an everlasting love. It is a love so profound that it sent Him to a cross to pay the price for your wrong-all so that you may have the privilege of knowing that it is the the Lord's joy to receive and restore you. When you finally realize how passionately God loves you, and you understand that it is not your joy, it is His-suddenly the joy of the Lord becomes your strength.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nThat is what Nehemiah and Ezra were trying to tell the people. \"Yes, you made a mess and were brought into captivity. Now you have come home, and it looks like you are building with rubble and ruins. But you need to understand that you have come home because you are still the joy of your Father! You are still the joy of His heart, and it is the joy of the Lord to cover you.\" That is why Nehemiah instructed the people to go home, eat the fat, drink the sweet and send something to somebody else who did not understand this yet. In other words, tell somebody what God has done for you-about the mercy that you yourself have received. Let them know that what God did for you, it is His joy to do for them. The joy of the Lord will be your strength, and it will become theirs!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

SHARING THE FATHER'S HEART<\/span>
\r\n Sadly, the older brother in the parable never understood this joy. He was living in what I regard as a joyless, goatless religion. Rather than celebrating his brother's homecoming, he said to his father, \"You never even gave me a goat to celebrate with my friends after I so faithfully served you all these years\" (see Luke 15:29).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nThe father replied, \"Son, everything I have has always been yours.\" He was not talking about the palace and the farm instruments, he was referring to his heart. Likewise, God is saying, \"Everything I have has always been yours. I have always longed to give you this understanding of what My work is on the earth.\" \r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nOf course, you and I know that God's work on the earth is the salvation of souls. There is no greater joy in the heart of God than over one sinner who repents. In fact, the Scripture says that even the angels in heaven are rejoicing. They know what is in the heart of God, and they are simply entering into His joy. \r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\nToday, if you desire the Father's heart and want to share in His work on the earth, the Lord will surely allow you to be a partaker of His joy. And you will be able to keep the joy of the Lord by being an ambassador of Jesus Christ in this generation, refusing to regard the salvation of even one soul as somehow insignificant. Soon, every time you see a soul turn to God, something within you will cause you to want to join the party and dance. You will find that the joy of the Lord will give you a song that the world cannot take away, and you will finally understand that the joy of the Lord truly is your strength. Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"117":{"sm_title":"A Bride Worthy of Christ's Attention","sm_id":"171","sm_desc":"January 8, 2012 \u2013 Can you say that your life, devotion to God, love for His word and your kindness to other people has caught the eye of Jesus? Can you say you've been honest with God and you are dedicated to His purposes? In this last hour of time, let the Church of Jesus Christ cry out for boldness and ask God to do something so sovereign that everyone will see His mercy through our lives. We must cry out to God and ask Him to increase our testimony so it can be a virtuous bride who brings glory to the name of Jesus.","sm_jpg":"22560_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2012-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/01\/08s1\/20120108s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20120108S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23410_20121101-carter-conlon-a-bride-worthy-of-christs-attention.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:10). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

In the last chapter of Proverbs, we see a bride whom God Himself took notice of. I believe the Lord desires us to consider what it was about her that caught His eye. After all, the Scriptures say that God's eyes search to and fro throughout the earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are right toward Him. As the bride of Jesus Christ, you and I ought to ask ourselves, \"Am I the virtuous bride that He is looking for?\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n \r\n It is similar to the question that God once asked Satan: \"Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth?\"<\/span> (Job 1:8). God saw something of an enduring quality in Job and He called him a perfect and upright man. This does not mean that he was without fault, for there is no perfection in any human being apart from Jesus Christ within us. The perfection God saw in Job was sincerity, integrity and uprightness in his walk. Job was a man who feared God and shunned evil. Ruth was another example of someone who caught the eye of her redeemer at that time. Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer, had the power to bring her into an extraordinary inheritance in a place of safety. He said to her, \"It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done\"<\/span> (Ruth 2:11). Ruth had been doing what she knew to be right-she was kind to her mother-in-law and she continued faithfully gleaning in the field. Boaz later said these incredible words to her: \"And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman\"<\/span> (Ruth 3:11). She had caught his eye! <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Can you say that today? Are you one who shuns evil and pursues what is good? Can God look at you and say that there is a sincere and upright heart inside of you-that He has found someone who has caught His eye? <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" CHARACTERISTICS OF A VIRTUOUS BRIDE<\/span>
\r\n\r\n\r\nLet us look at Proverbs 31 in order to gain a greater understanding of the characteristics of this virtuous bride that the Lord is asking us to consider.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n \r\n \"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:11-12). We see that this bride seeks to honor God. She is trustworthy, seeking to honor her husband all the days of her life. Do you seek to honor God? Is that the core of what you are living for and why you profess to be a follower of Jesus Christ?<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:13-14). She seeks the best of materials to work with and willingly goes to work. She makes sure that the work she has been given to do is of the best quality possible. She is not merely grabbing whatever is close by and making \r\ndo with it-unlike the preacher who does not have a message from God, has not spent time in prayer and ends up on the Internet on Saturday night pulling up somebody else's thoughts. Such a person will never catch the eye of God. No, the bride goes far-all the way to the throne of God. She goes to those places that may be inconvenient and inaccessible to the lazy person. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:15). She gets up early and spends time in prayer, specifically naming those under her care to ensure that they are well provided for. She rises and says, \"God, You have given me charge of these people around me, and I do not want to merely have scraps to offer them. I want to have meat to provide for those who are under my care-a word in season for someone who needs it.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"She considereth a field, and buyeth it\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:16). She is industrious and brings increase to her husband's house. She considers the harvest and considers what she is called to do. The Scripture says that the kingdom of God is like a person seeking goodly pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells everything he has so that he may own that field (see Matthew 13:45-46). Likewise, the virtuous bride finds something of great value: the heart of God. She finds that reaching out to fallen humanity is really what the kingdom of God is all about-bringing people into security and safety through Jesus Christ. She finds this field, considers it, and buys it: \"With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:16). She plants something that will grow-something that will need attention and that will bring increase to her husband's house.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:17-19). She keeps herself strong and takes inventory of the quality of her work. She is unafraid to have it judged by Christ Himself, for she perceives, as far as she knows, that her work is good. All the while, her light does not go out, meaning that she refuses to give up regardless of how dark or difficult the days are. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:20-21). The virtuous bride is one who gives to the poor, concerned about those in society who are in need. Perhaps she once knew what it was like to need strength, and she found that a kind hand gave it to her. She is not sitting at home and reading the Scriptures in order to focus on herself. Everything is bringing her to focus on the needs of other people as well as her own household.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n \r\n \"She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:22-23). Carrying herself with such dignity ultimately brings public honor to her husband. Consider the time when the Queen of Sheba, who was outside of the kingdom of God, journeyed all the way to the temple simply because she had heard a report about Solomon. The queen testified, \"When I saw the dignity-when I saw how you walked into the house of God and the divine order of those around you who are serving the kingdom of God-my breath was taken away\" (see 2 Chronicles 9:3-4). Her heart was stirred to the point where her breath was gone!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

You and I ought to take a moment to consider: How do we carry ourselves throughout the day? Is it with such dignity that we bring honor to the King? Do we stir the hearts of those around us? If ever there was a time when you and I are called to walk with dignity, it is now. There is no other way to do this but by having an inner bearing of Jesus Christ. We must be gripped by the Spirit of God. We must have another mind, another heart, another spirit. We cannot be of this world, embraced by foolishness.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:25-26). She has great hope for the future. Even in the days we are living in, I have great hope for the future. I am not rattled by anything I read in the news. I do not expect things to get any better in the world, for my value system is not here anymore. The reason I have great hope is because in my heart I see multitudes coming back into the kingdom of God. I see prodigals from everywhere coming home, sinners returning to the house of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her\" <\/span>(Proverbs 31:28). In other words, the children around her love her and consider her ways worth following. They look at this bride, and they rise up, saying, \"The blessing of God is here! Why would I go anywhere else or consider any other kind of lifestyle? Why would I be drawn into things that are powerless and of no profit? I see something here that I desire.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS<\/span>
\r\n\r\nThe last verse in the chapter contains a phenomenal thought: \"Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31: 31). What exactly is the fruit of her hands? Could it be that God wants to give something to His Church-something that He desires to do in our lives that we have not fully considered yet? In order to understand this, let us look at the first generation church as described in Acts, chapter 4. Keep in mind that they were only a stone's throw from the Day of Pentecost. The disciples were heading out in one accord, making a difference in their society. A layman had just been healed in the temple, which brought Peter and John into trouble with the authorities. They were then ordered to stop speaking in the name of Jesus.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

What did the disciples do at that point? They gathered to pray! \"And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus\"<\/span> (Acts 4:29-30).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Notice that they did not pray, \"Lord, protect us. Prosper us, give us homes, give us food.\" They had advanced beyond praying for their own needs, for they understood that as they sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things would already be added to them. Instead, they were praying for something that only God could give. They essentially prayed, \"Lord, darkness is encroaching upon the testimony of Jesus Christ. It is rising up, trying to silence Your voice and the testimony of Christ in this generation. Grant that with all boldness, we may speak Your Word as You stretch forth Your hand to heal. Let signs and wonders be done in the name of Jesus!\" This did not mean that they were going to stand boldly in the marketplace and become obnoxious. What they were asking of the Lord was that He would stretch forth His hand and do more through them! <\/p>\r\n \r\n

I believe that the fruit of your hands is simply this: God stretching out His hand through yours. As you walk righteously as a virtuous bride, you have the right to go to the throne and say, \"Lord, stretch out Your hand through my hands. As I speak in Your name, let my hands be used to anoint the eyes of the blind, to unlock prison doors. Let my hands be signposts; let them be gentle; let them be as the hands of God in this generation. Let my hands be given to the needs of others, that once again You might be brought to reputation in this generation!\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n \r\n The Scripture says when the disciples had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with great boldness. We also see another outworking of this prayer: \"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all\"<\/span> (Acts 4:32-33).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The immediate fruit resembled that of the bride in Proverbs 31. Suddenly the disciples were of one heart and one soul. There was a release from selfishness, and now each of them was doing exactly as the virtuous bride-looking to the left and to the right toward the needs of others. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

In contrast, as we look at our generation today, it is easy to conclude that we may be one of the most selfish generations of all time. Self-focus permeates every level of society and has ultimately resulted in all the turmoil we are experiencing in our world today. I believe the testimony of the Lord's Church in these last days will be, \"It's all about you! God loves you, God can set you free, God will provide for you, God knows the way out of your situation!\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n \r\n \"Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:31). In other words, let her own works declare who she is, and let her influence be felt in the city. I believe the Lord is going to do something so sovereign in His Church that people will have no choice but to stop and acknowledge her. Whether they agree or disagree, they will have to stop because the tenderness and kindness, the decorum of God, will be so clearly upon His bride. She will no longer be considered irrelevant and insignificant in this generation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" A CALL TO FAITH<\/span>
\r\n\r\n\r\nAnd so the question remains: Who can find a virtuous woman?<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Today if you are able to say, \"Lord, as much as I know, I am walking in the truth that You have revealed to me. I am not playing religious games or holding onto things that You have clearly told me to surrender. I am walking away from evil, and I am walking toward Your work on the earth\"-then the Lord says at the end of His question, \"Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates\"<\/span> (Proverbs 31:31).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

This is a call to faith-a call to go deeper and farther than we have ever gone before. It is a faith that moves to action, believing God for the impossible. It is a faith that says, \"I am not settling here. I refuse to get something that is convenient and cheap and bring that as a testimony to the work of God. No! I will go farther, following wherever God leads me so that I might become all that He is calling me to be. I will trust God for the miraculous, asking Him to shake the place where I am, fill me again with the Holy Spirit, and stretch out His hands through me to bring healing to this generation. By the grace of Almighty God, I will be the bride who catches the eye of Jesus Christ!\"<\/p>"},"118":{"sm_title":"Mercy","sm_id":"167","sm_desc":"August 26, 2012 - God is a God of mercy, far beyond your mercy, far beyond mine. There is an incredible depth, an immeasurable depth to the provision that He has made for our failure, our day to day failure, our struggles and our trials. Jesus did not come because He felt some legal obligation to redeem us. He came because He is a God of mercy, a God of compassion! Mercy will fill our churches, mercy will touch our pastors again in New York City, mercy will cause the churches in Christ in this city to start feeding the hungry again, mercy will bring the presence of God into our prayer meetings.","sm_jpg":"23185_jb_20120826_1.jpg","sm_date":"2012-10","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/08\/26s1\/20120826s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20120826S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"ZCGrJJCYpL0","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23262_20121001--carter-conlon-mercy.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

When we pray, it is essential that we pray with hearts of faith. We are not to merely shout into the atmosphere and expect an answer. Rather, we must know the character of the One to whom we are praying and understand that His heart is one of mercy. That way we can boldly approach the throne of grace to find help in this season of need that our nation is in. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

God's heart of mercy is evident all throughout the Scriptures. In the book of Ezekiel, we read of the nation of Israel coming to a place of impending judgment. God's own people had grown casual and immoral; government officials were corrupt; prophets and priests were prophesying things out of their own minds, no longer hearing from the Lord. They were simply telling the people what would keep them happy and pacified, even though judgment was at the door (see Ezekiel 13). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord said, \"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none\" <\/span>(Ezekiel 22:30). God was looking to give a reprieve, a season of mercy, but He could not find anyone. I don't think the Lord was looking for somebody with mountainous faith or impeccable credentials in that generation. I think He was looking for somebody who simply would agree and understand that mercy is at the heart of everything God is and does. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Mercy is the reason the Lord did not destroy humanity in the Garden of Eden. Mercy is the reason why He left a family alive on the earth in the days of Noah. In His foreknowledge, God knew that you and I would be born into this world and had He destroyed it at any time prior to our being here today, we would have been lost to ever knowing life, to ever knowing God, to ever being part of the fellowship of the redeemed that will be around His throne for all eternity. God saw the loss, and because He is merciful, He stayed His hand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" I DESIRE MERCY<\/span>
\r\n\r\n A Pharisee once approached the disciples of Jesus and asked, \"Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?\"<\/span> (Matthew 9:11). In other words, \"Why does this Jesus, who claims an incredible proximity to God, waste His time hanging around those who have obviously fallen short of what we regard as the standards of godliness?\" Keep in mind that the Pharisees were the ones who were supposed to represent the heart of God to their generation. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Though they were not speaking directly to Him, Jesus heard them and replied, \"Go and learn what this means-I will have mercy and not sacrifice\" (see Matthew 9:13). He was essentially saying, \"I live on the side of mercy, but you pull back from the people and judge them by their ability to live according to your rules. You warn the people to taste not, touch not, handle not. You judge the weak; you judge those who might have pondered the things of God but ultimately walked away when they considered it too difficult.\" That is exactly what religion without the heart of God becomes-a place where everybody feels judged. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Jesus later warned them, \"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.\"<\/span> The word hypocrite means \"actors.\" In other words, you are role playing what God looks like. \"...For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone\" <\/span>(Matthew 23:23). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Jesus was saying, \"Woe to you, for you give to the work of God to a certain point as His representatives, but you hold back from the people the deeper matters: judgment, mercy and faith.\" The law should have taught them that without God, they were all under the same judgment as the sinner who walks in the door. As Paul said, \"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God\"<\/span> (Romans 3:23). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

We, too, must remember that we all deserve judgment. We stand in the sight of God by His favor and His grace alone, for there is not one who is righteous. Seeing ourselves in this true light opens our hearts to the mercy of God. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Jesus said to the Pharisees and scribes, \"If you had only recognized that you stand by mercy, then you would not have withheld this mercy from others. You would not be setting forth standards of outward holiness as examples of who God is, while withholding from the people what the law really teaches-that God is a God of mercy far beyond what our minds can fully understand.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Knowing the judgment and mercy of God will ultimately bring us through to faith. When we truly see our own need and understand God's willingness to miraculously supply what we lack, our hearts will be opened to believe that what God has done for us, He can do for others. He has shown us mercy, and He is willing to show others mercy. That is the gospel of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE?<\/span>
\r\n\r\n Later on in the book of Ezekiel, the prophet said, \"The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 37:1-2). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

In a season of great trial, Ezekiel was taken out to a scene that strongly resembles our society today-parts were disjointed and disconnected, strewn across a valley. The Scripture calls it an \"open valley,\" which represents an open and unhidden trial. Not long ago, we were in a season when Wall Street was hitting all-time highs and many were prospering. At that time, people in trial were essentially hidden and pushed to the corners. But now we all are in an open valley, and the grandeur of the mess in America has become apparent not only to us but to the entire world. Unfortunately, much of the church body is in a similar condition, captivated by the seductions of this world and left very dry. Many churches have lost the heart of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Just as the Lord asked Ezekiel, I believe the question He asks us today is: \"Can the church in America live again?\" That means the whole body of Jesus Christ-every denomination. Can we once again become a testimony to the life and power of Jesus Christ? <\/p>\r\n \r\n

If you do not know the mercy of God, you will be swallowed by the impossibility-by the word of all the statisticians, the prognosticators, the naysayers and the pessimists who list all the reasons why it cannot happen. But I am here to tell you the one reason why it can happen, and it's called the mercy of God in Jesus Christ! Mercy will touch our pastors and fill our churches once again throughout the nation. Mercy will cause the body of Christ to start feeding the hungry again. Mercy will bring the presence of the Lord back into our prayer meetings. It's all mercy! I am not saying that the economy will look the same as it once did, for the kingdom of God is not about saving temporal sandcastles. It's about saving people! <\/p>\r\n

\"Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 37:4-5). The Lord was saying, \"Ezekiel, tell them what I am willing to do. I will give you strength! I will cause you to be able to rise up again and live and know that I am the Lord.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

May I encourage you to do something? Would you simply tell the people around you what God is willing to do? Think of the people in your office, in your neighborhood, in the grocery store or in the streets. Don't hold back because of what you see with your eyes, for the kingdom we speak about cannot even be seen with the natural eye. Don't be caught in unbelief; don't be caught on the side of those who have lost heart. All through the Bible, we see people who claimed to know God, but they ultimately lost faith because they lost an understanding of His character. Recently I have had this cry: \"Jesus, Your Name deserves better than this. I am coming to You not because of our righteousness, for we have not represented You the way that we should have. I recognize that we have nothing to present to You. Our schemes and plans have all failed and come to nothing. We cannot present any reason why You should do what we ask, other than the fact that we know who You are-we know Your character. We know that You are the God who did not destroy this world but instead sent Your Son to die on a cross. We know that Jesus did not come because He felt some legal obligation to redeem us-He came because He is a God of mercy!\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" CALL OUT TO THE BREATH OF GOD<\/span>
\r\n\r\n The Lord then said to Ezekiel, \"Prophesy unto the wind...Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army<\/span>\" (Ezekiel 37:9-10). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Pray and call out to the Holy Spirit; call out to the breath of God! There is no other strategy, no other power in this world. There is nothing else that will make any difference; nothing else that will be able to take down all the weapons that have been built against the testimony of Christ in our generation. We are not going to be revived by a new superstar emerging on the horizon. No, enough of that! Call out to the breath of God! Call out for God's Holy Spirit to invade His house and His people once again. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

It is time to gather with one heart and one prayer: Holy Spirit, come! Come to the Baptists, the Methodists, the Lutherans, the Catholic charismatics, the Presbyterians, the Salvation Army-all the churches in our cities! Give us the strength to pray and to work together, recognizing that there are no big or small people in the kingdom of God-we are all equally important. Help us to realize that nobody can do this alone; we need the whole body of Jesus Christ. Yes, we are allowed our distinctives, our differences, in worship style, for those things are inconsequential. What is important is that Christ is in the heart of His Bride one more time and we stand together to make a difference in our generation. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 37:11).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The testimony of the people was: We have lost strength, and there is no living water flowing through us anymore. We can barely stand and get through our own trials and weaknesses, so how can we possibly believe for something greater than our own struggles? We are too far away to even get back to that place of faith. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

How many people in the body of Christ have a similar testimony today? Yet we can still take heart, as we see in the Lord's response to Ezekiel:<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 37:12-14).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In the same way, the Lord promises to regather us even from the grave-from places of death where the stone has been rolled away and we have lost heart. God says that He will regather us from these places where we have made peace with death, and the life of Christ will be ours once again. It all has to start in the church of Jesus Christ. A spiritual awakening is not going to simply come to the streets and leave us behind sealed graves. No, it happens in the church first! That has always been the pattern of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

No matter what area in your life is dead, it is time to get up and say, \"God, breathe on me again! I give up-I am dry-I am dead. I cannot do this on my own. I cannot change the way I am; I cannot love the people around me; I cannot forgive those who have hurt me; I cannot stand up and speak with boldness. I am done trying!\" I believe that is when suddenly all of heaven stands up and begins to rejoice-because finally there is another dead man whom Jesus can bring back to life. And the moment He does, the moment mercy floods your heart and faith begins to explode inside of you, it becomes easy to believe for others.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In this hour, I want to be a testimony of the mercy and glory of God. That is my message, and that must be your message. There are no how-to's, no seven steps, no pamphlets to pass out. It is you and me going out to tell people what God has done in our lives-how merciful He has been! At the very core of our testimony is the understanding that what God has done in my life, He is willing and able to do in yours. Where God has taken me, God can take you. The healing that He brought into my life, He can bring into yours. It is all mercy! You can give me all your reasons why this nation cannot be revived, but I do not believe one of them, for I know who God is-He is a God of mercy! <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Rise up, body of Jesus Christ! Rise up out of your graves, rise up out of weakness, rise up out of death and captivity! Rise up and let God be a God of mercy to you and to this generation! Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"119":{"sm_title":"A Call for Intercessors","sm_id":"165","sm_desc":"May 6, 2012 - An Intercessor is not just someone praying for some generic things in their own life. They see the need, the peril that people are in and they are suddenly gripped with it. Intercession is from the Holy Spirit, something that God puts into the heart and calls you into His presence. Intercession begins with self-denial.","sm_jpg":"22782_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2012-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/05\/06s1\/20120506s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20120506S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"vOTmOzznQZo","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23226_120901_cc_callforintercessors_v4.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? And what is thy request? It shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom\"<\/span> (Esther 5:1-3).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n In the story of Esther, the Lord gives us a clear picture of the power of prayer-a specific type of prayer called intercession. We are given a visual image of what it looks like when an intercessor approaches the throne of God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAn intercessor does not pray solely for his or her own benefit. Rather, an intercessor recognizes and is gripped by the peril of other people. Unfortunately, intercession is not something that we are naturally drawn to. The Bible tells us that even Esther was influenced by an outside voice before she arose and approached the king. It was not inherent in her heart to go to the lengths that she eventually did, just as it is not a natural tendency in my heart or in yours. The voice of the Holy Spirit must guide and woo us to go beyond praying for our own jobs, our own safety, and our own bread-although these are all justifiable things to pray for. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe Bible tells us that when the king saw Esther, he wanted her to draw near (see Esther 5:2). He extended to her his scepter, which represented his complete power and authority as king. When Esther was allowed to touch the top of that scepter, it was a picture of her having touched the heart of the king. She had actually tapped into a place of authority that did not belong to her. However, it became hers by invitation, much as we are invited to come boldly to the throne of grace in order to find help in our time of need (see Hebrews 4:16).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAfter Esther drew near and touched the top of the scepter, the king said these incredible words to her: \"...What wilt thou, queen Esther? And what is thy request? It shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom\" <\/span>(Esther 5:3). In other words, there will be nothing, except for the throne, that will be withheld from you.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" HOW TO APPROACH THE KING<\/span>
\r\nIn the scecond book of Chronicles, we are given another glimpse of the type of intercession that God seeks. \"Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord...And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice<\/span>\" (2 Chronicles 7:11-12).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n In the original Hebrew, the word sacrifice refers to the shedding of blood. All of the people who came into the temple were required to sacrifice a lamb, a goat, a dove or a calf in order to approach God in prayer. This means they would have been at the altar, watching as the young animal had its throat slit. The blood would have been poured out into the basins, and the carcass set upon the altar right before their very eyes. With such a scene still fresh in their minds, they likely would have been reminded that this was not a light or casual thing-it cost a life for them to be able to approach the throne and bring their intercession before God. Likewise, you and I must be aware that when we come into the presence of God to pray, we are not to come casually. It cost the Son of God His very own life to make a way for us to come inside the veil and have face-to-face interaction with God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nHow serious is this matter to God? One thing we know is that it was regarding this issue that we have the only account of God's righteous anger being physically manifested in the New Testament. As Jesus drove out the moneychangers from the temple, He displayed His anger toward those who were robbing the people of what God wanted to do for and through them (see Matthew 21:12-14). The core issue was not merely the thievery and the bartering that was going on. Rather, it was the fact that they had taken away the holiness of the temple; the sense of awe was gone. As a result of their own casualness and lack of reverence, they had taken this out of the hearts of the people as well. I believe this is the greater thievery Jesus was speaking about and why His anger was so manifested. No longer was there a solemnity and awareness among the people that they had been invited by sacrifice to draw near to God-so that He might do something profound through their lives.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn contrast, Esther certainly did not approach the king's court casually. In those days, it was against the law to come into the inner court without having been expressly invited by the king. She knew that coming into the inner court could potentially cost her life, yet when she came, the king chose to withdraw his lawful right to execute his wrath. I imagine that as he held out that scepter to her in full view of all the people who were ministering to him around the temple-the guards, the cupbearers, the servants-there must have been a collective gasp of awe. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn the same way at Calvary, Jesus Christ suspended His lawful right to execute His wrath upon us. His own law dictated that anybody who came into the presence of God uninvited would die. Although we rebelled against Him and, in abject ignorance, even declared ourselves to be as God, in His kindness the Lord chose to sacrifice His own blood. He tore the veil that separated us from Him, inviting us into His presence and allowing us to freely partake of His power-most likely to the collective gasp of all of heaven. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Continuing in second book of Chronicles, we see further how we ought to approach the King: \"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven...\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 7:14). In other words, we are not to come like the self-made strategists-those who consider themselves to be as God. They step into the holy place with their own ideas, confidently saying, \"God, would You bless what I have come up with?\" They neglect the fact that many of our good ideas may actually be wickedness in the sight of a holy God. As He said through the prophet Isaiah, \"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts\" (Isaiah 55:9).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nNotice that Esther came humbly before the king in her royal apparel, clothed only in what he had provided for her. She did not come asking the king to bless her plan, for she had no plan. In fact, she was not even sure if she was going to live or die. We, too, are not to come arrogantly to the Lord of the universe-we are to come humbly. Yes, we come with confidence, understanding that He desires us to come. However, we also come acknowledging who He is, aware of the fact that without His covering, without the royal apparel, we are nothing. We have no plan that is going to advance the kingdom of God. The church of Jesus Christ has tried these things for years now and it has not brought significant deliverance to our nation. It is time to humble ourselves once more and enter into the place of intercession.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" A CERTAIN TYPE OF PRAYER<\/span>
\r\n We read in chapter 3 of Esther that a decree had been written, sanctioning the annihilation of all Jewish people. This is a type of the law of sin and death that is over our society today. Esther heard about it and with the encouragement of her uncle, Mordecai, she knew that she was called to intercede on behalf of her people. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Just as Esther recognized the peril that her people were in, it is time in our generation that we finally acknowledge the reality that multitudes are headed for eternity without God. I do not know about you, but I am not content to have the city where God has placed me go to hell on my watch. I am not content to see this nation sink deeper and deeper into immorality; to let the Sodomites lead our society; to let wicked and evil media determine the value system of our children. I am not content to say, \"Well, Lord, You have taken my life this far and that is far enough. I have some great accomplishments under my belt, so hopefully that will be good enough when I get to heaven.\" No! There is something deeper for all of us, something more profound that God is calling us to. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nBefore she approached the king, Esther called those who were part of her entourage to three days of fasting. Intercession is a type of prayer that begins with self-denial and self-sacrifice. Rather than being preoccupied with self, a true intercessor is willing to forego his or her own comfort for the sake of others. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nNot only is it a type of prayer that begins with fasting, but it is a prayer that throws its life in with its petition. Esther was determined: \"I am going in, and if I perish, I perish\" (see Esther 4:16). Intercession is not merely a casual, \"God, help those poor people over there.\" It is, \"Lord, even if it costs me everything, if You are sending me, I will go. I am not just praying a generic prayer to satisfy my own conscience that I have somehow exhibited some compassion today. I am willing to put my life in with my prayers.\" That is the key, and that is exactly what Esther did. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAfter she presented her petition, Esther prepared a banquet for the king, which the enemy, Haman, attended as well. She had to listen to his endless chatter at the table, along with every force of hell that was likely sneering at her, saying, \"Who do you think you are? Do you really think you can change the law of death that has been written over your people?\" In the same way, when you go into the prayer closet, be certain that the devil is going to come in with you. You will have to fight through his lies and accusations. But do not worry, God will give you wisdom and a strategy. It will all come from the mind of God! In Esther's case, the Lord had already set a trap, and when the time was right, Haman ended up hanging on his own gallows.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" A NEW DECREE<\/span>
\r\n \"And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king\"<\/span> (Esther 8:3-4). This is the second time we see such a scenario. Esther came in, and by then she has learned what is necessary to approach the king. The king automatically held out his scepter to Esther, and she was given the power to rewrite the law. Suddenly she was directly involved in rewriting the law of sin and death into a law of life!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Messengers headed out and the word spread: You don't have to be overcome by the enemy; there is a law of freedom and victory! There is a law that heals the oppressed, opens prison doors and gives strength to those who have no strength. From India to Ethiopia, into 127 provinces throughout the world, this law went out by the power of Almighty God Himself (see Esther 8:9-10). It was all because of one young woman's decision to go to the king. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nAfter all this, something even more amazing happened. The king had received the report of all the victory that had been won by Esther's people. \"And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? Now what is thy petition? And it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? And it shall be done\"<\/span> (Esther 9:12).<\/p>\r\n

\r\nNotice that there was no longer a scepter involved-the king himself was now approaching Esther! The end of this chapter talks about the decree of Esther that was sent out, confirming the feast. She was writing laws now as bride and co-regent with her husband, just as we are going to rule and reign with Christ one day. The king had seen Esther's virtue-the purity of her heart and motives that were not for her own benefit. He knew that she was not trying to acquire the kingdom for herself, so now he was the one approaching Esther. <\/p>\r\n

\r\nWouldn't you like that to be the case in your prayer time? Imagine getting into your prayer closet and having the King come down to ask, \"What can I do for you today?\" Wouldn't you like to be a person in our generation who could amaze heaven?<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\" THE CALL IS ISSUED<\/span>
\r\n We are living in a perilous time-a time when evil men seem to have the upper hand; a time when calamity could come upon us at almost any moment. Yet remember the word that came to Esther: \"And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?\"<\/span> (Esther 4:14). Who knows whether we were born for this moment in history? We were born, we have been trained, we have been taught, and we have been wooed by the Holy Spirit. We have known the blessing of God in order to be drawn into His presence for the sake of the lost-to be drawn in to believe that He is able to move supernaturally in our cities.<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIt was the voice of Mordecai that prompted Esther to even consider the course of action that ultimately changed the future for her own people. She had to make a choice, just as you and I are faced with a choice: Do I put on my royal apparel-the righteousness that God has given me-and approach the King? <\/p>\r\n

\r\nDo I come humbly and with reverence, recognizing the great cost involved in order that I might come into His presence? I must be willing to say, \"If I perish, I perish. If I must lay down my comfort, my dreams, my plans, my vision for my future, then so be it. But God, You cannot let this generation die on my watch-not when I know that I have the authority in Christ to touch the power of God!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe Lord has issued a clear call for intercessors in this hour! Will you answer it?<\/p>"},"120":{"sm_title":"When Death Seems Like a Better Option","sm_id":"163","sm_desc":"June 17, 2012 - There are times which come even to the people of God, where thoughts of death call out to them. You have a right to speak to that hopelessness, that darkness. Say in the name of Jesus, the Son of God, \u201cYou are not going to take away my future, my hope; you are not stealing my song!\u201d ","sm_jpg":"22914_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2012-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/06\/17s1\/20120617s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20120617S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"I9J_-w8Q5vE","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/23138_20120801-carter-conlon-when-death-seems-like-a-better-option.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

People go through secret inner struggles in life, and quite often it seems to them that nobody fully understands. Of course, part of the enemy's strategy is to keep these battles hidden-to keep those who are afflicted from reaching out for help. <\/p>\r\n

At times, the struggles may intensify to the point where thoughts of death call out-even to the people of God. They begin to consider death as a reasonable solution and perhaps the only option left to escape their anguish. I have spoken to people who are seemingly happy but are battling an inner despair-a despair that seems to grow deeper and darker every day, and they do not know how they will ever escape. At some point, they begin to entertain the thought that it would be nice to get out of here, to finally just be finished with the struggles, the trials and the pain. <\/p>\r\n

BURNOUT AND FAILURE<\/span>
\r\n Many factors can give rise to these thoughts of death. For instance, it may happen to someone who feels that he or she has failed to the point of no recovery. Consider Elijah-a great prophet of God who was zealous for truth. Elijah initially had a view of what he thought his life would accomplish and all that God was going to do through him. In light of this vision, he eventually reached a point where he felt that he had failed. The Scripture says that he went a day's journey into the wilderness-into a dark and lonely place. Nobody was there; nobody could help him. He sat down under a juniper tree and requested that he might die (see 1 Kings 19:4). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Notice first of all that Elijah was spiritually and physically burned out. When we get burnt out, all of our molehills become mountains. Things that we would be able to push aside easily when we are in a position of rest and strength suddenly become incredible mountains that we cannot seem to get over or around. Yet some of these things are simply physical factors that get hold of our lives when we are burnt out.<\/p>\r\n

Prior to his escape to the wilderness, Elijah was on the top of Mt. Carmel, boldly taking a stand for what was right as he challenged all the prophets of Baal. Yet, following this great victory, at the threat of an evil queen, Elijah ran for his life. In other words, he cowered before evil. Elijah knew the history of what happens when God's people lose faith and courage, and at that point, he preferred to die rather than be counted among them. <\/p>\r\n

In the same way, there are believers today who, when they first came to Christ, had an image of what their life was going to look like. Oh, what a powerful testimony and what incredible strength they would have! Yet suddenly they found themselves overpowered or running from evil. A sense of hopelessness eventually entered their heart, and they concluded, \"God, I am no better.\" That is what Elijah essentially said: \"I am no better than the people who have come before me. Here I am fleeing from the voice of this evil queen. I am no better than the cowardice that I once stood against and the worship at the altars of Baal.\" And so he added, \"Lord, just take my life now. I don't see any purpose to it.\" <\/p>\r\n

Elijah was likely a man who feared the anger of God, for he had witnessed His judgment upon people and nations who disregarded the presence of the Lord. I imagine he must have been afraid when powerful manifestations suddenly broke out all around him-fire, an earthquake and wind. Yet the Bible tells us that God was not in any of these. How surprised Elijah must have been when a tender whisper suddenly came to him-a whisper that had the power to overshadow the roaring that was going on in his mind. This whisper came and told him to take heart, for there was still much left for him to do. God was not angry with him after all.<\/p>\r\n

I believe that the display on the mountain was God showing Elijah, \"If I were angry with you because of your failure, as you think I should be, I would have destroyed you by now.\" Let this serve as a reminder for you as well. When you get tired and when you have failed, you may easily get the sense in your heart that God is angry with you. However, you must get away from that lie, for the Scripture simply does not bear witness to it. God said, \"I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have engraved you on the palms of my hands\"<\/span> (see Jeremiah 31:3, Isaiah 49:16). When we fail, He picks us up. When we fall short, His arm of mercy is never short. When we will not forgive ourselves, He will forgive us. After all, when Jesus went to a cross on Calvary two thousand years ago, He did not go because you were strong. He went to the cross because He knew that you would never make it in your own strength. He knew that you needed a Savior. <\/p>\r\n

Sometimes part of the sense of failure is really just the result of pride-thinking we can do it on our own when, in fact, we cannot. If God dealt with us in the manner that we deserved, nobody would make it to heaven, for God's kingdom is a kingdom of mercy. So do not let the devil condemn you, telling you that you have somehow sinned away your day of grace and that your life is not worth living. That is simply not true. If it were, you would not even have the desire to get right with God. <\/p>\r\n

SORROW OF LOSS<\/span>
\r\n Thoughts of death as an option can also arise when the sorrow of loss in our lives has reached a point where the thought of living has lost all meaning. Consider the story in Luke: <\/span>\"Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people\"<\/span> (Luke 7:12-16). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

This woman had already lost her husband, and now she had lost her only son-her future, her hope. When we have lost something or somebody, our hearts can become so sorrowful that the thought of living without them becomes almost unbearable. \"If I can't share life with this person, I would rather share death with them.\" <\/p>\r\n

Jesus came into this situation and, full of compassion, said to the widow, \"Weep not.\" Then He performed a miracle, and the dead was brought back to life. Of course that is not the way God is going to do it in every situation. Nevertheless, it is a picture of how the Lord is able to stop this procession of pain and sorrow. When Jesus spoke, the young man got up and began to speak. It was the voice of hope rising again. <\/p>\r\n

Likewise, in spite of the pain or heartache that you have gone through or are perhaps experiencing today, God is able to cause a voice of hope to speak to your heart. You must simply believe that He will. The Bible says that, \"...all things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose\"<\/span> (Romans 8:28). You may not be able to see much good in the moments when you are completely overwhelmed and despondency is building in your heart, but just remember that God is able to speak through even the greatest difficulty. Suddenly the voice of hope will come to you again. <\/p>\r\n

RECOGNIZING THE BATTLE<\/span>
\r\n Another reason why thoughts of death may come is because God has something significant intended for your life, so the devil has come against you with a fury. Do not forget the fact that we are in a spiritual battle. I have heard people sometimes say, \"I don't know what is wrong with me. I never struggled in my mind like this before I got saved. Even when I was out at bars and doing drugs, everything seemed to be fine. But now I am fighting hell in my mind!\" Actually, that is the truth of the matter-you are fighting hell in your mind. It is not that you are deficient or that somehow you have entered an arena where nobody before you has ever gone. This is warfare, and you are fighting spiritual wickedness in high places. You are fighting the prince of the power of the air who hates the children of righteousness (see Ephesians 2:2). You are targeted and hated by darkness; therefore do not be surprised when your mind is flooded with such thoughts. It is important, however, to remember that in Christ, you have been given the power to stand up and resist these things. One of the ways that you defeat them is to simply get up and say, \"No!\" In Christ, you have been given the power to stop this downward spiral of despair before it gets to the point of thinking about leaving this world. You do not have to succumb to hopelessness or continue to give in to wrong reasoning. Jesus offers healing and freedom from all captivity and thoughts of despair. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

As a child of God, you have the power to say, \"From now on, no farther. No more of these thoughts!\" Rather than sitting and continuing to mull over your depressing situation, get into the Word of God and begin to set your mind upon whatsoever is pure, whatsoever has virtue, whatsoever is lovely, whatsoever is of good report (see Philippians 4:8). Read the stories of those who went through impossible situations and somehow found the strength of God to fight against odds that could not have been won in any amount of natural strength. <\/p>\r\n

If you do not make the choice to stand up and resist the lies, you constantly will be dragging yourself through sorrow, and there will never seem to be any meaning or purpose in your life. It is time to take authority in the name of Jesus over every lie of the devil, over every power of evil, over every weapon formed against any righteous child of God. We must tread upon these things and bring them under the soles of our feet, appropriating the victory of the cross. Jesus said, \"It is finished,\" so that means the power of hell is completely finished! Satan's ability to lie to your mind and to convince you that there is no reason to live is finished. <\/p>\r\n

You may not fully realize it today, but you are a great threat to the kingdom of darkness. The majority of society is feeling what you have had to go through or what you may be experiencing today. But you know something that unsaved people do not know-that God is going to keep you and use you for His purposes. Not only are you going to get out of this, you are going to do great damage to the kingdom of darkness along the way. You are going to trust God for the power to recognize everyone who has ever struggled just as you do. And by God's grace, you are going to be used of the Lord to pull them out; you will be used as a key to unlock their prison doors.<\/p>\r\n

Even a simple word can make a difference when it comes from a vessel that is anointed by the Spirit of God. It may just be something soft spoken to a heart that is losing hope. God spoke softly to Elijah and lifted him out of his despair, and then Elijah went on to anoint kings and do great good in the earth. The Lord carried him on the journey and gave him a friend named Elisha.<\/p>\r\n

It is important that you do not try to make this journey alone. We all need a friend with whom we can share our heart and pray. It does not mean you must burden that person with all of your woes. However, one of the greatest ways to expose the works of darkness is to simply have somebody you can talk to-someone with discernment who can recognize, \"Ah, no, that's the devil!\" And sometimes that is the end of it. One wise word is often all that you need in order to stop listening to the lies. <\/p>\r\n

THE ONLY DEATH TO CONSIDER<\/span>
\r\n We see in the Scriptures that even Paul and some of his companions reached a point of great despair.<\/span> \"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 1:8). They were fighting the good fight of faith, only to find that their own strength had reached its limits. Suddenly hopelessness came knocking on the door. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 1:9). This is the only reasonable death that we as people of God should ever consider: that we be willing to die to our own strength, die to our own plans, die even to our own sense of hopelessness. Rather, we put our trust in the One who raises the dead, yielding everything we have into His hands, calling out to Him to take over and manifest His life in us. That is the only death that is an option for a child of God. <\/p>\r\n

The Lord is going to use you for His glory and His purposes in this generation, but you must have the courage to believe that your life is worth living. When the devil tries to come against you, reminding you of all your woes, begin to speak aloud: \"My life is worth living. God has a marvelous plan for me!\" <\/p>\r\n

Remember, no weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you shall condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord (see Isaiah 54:17). That means that you have a right to shake off the heavy bands and speak to that hopelessness and darkness. You can speak to that parade of sorrow, saying, \"In the name of Jesus, the Son of God, you are not going to take away my future. You are not going to take away my hope; you are not stealing my song!\" <\/p>\r\n

As you do so, not only will you see the despair broken off of your life, but off of the lives of those whom God will bring your way to minister to in the days ahead. Hallelujah! <\/p>"},"121":{"sm_title":"The Blessing of Brokenness","sm_id":"161","sm_desc":"May 13, 2012 - You ask yourself how does this apply to me? If you have been broken, if life has disappointed you or your plans have failed you; it is the person that says \u201cOh God, I simply take it and pour it out on your feet. I thank you Lord for letting a nail go through those feet for me. I thank you God for loving me the way I am.\u201d ","sm_jpg":"22809_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2012-07","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/05\/13s1\/20120513s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20120513S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"33dwAgKvzL4","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22958_20120701-carter-conlon-the-blessing-of-brokenness.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spoke within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner\"<\/span> (Luke 7:36-39).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

What was it about this woman's actions that prompted God to record it in the pages of Scripture, to be remembered throughout the generations? <\/p>\r\n \r\n

First, we know that the woman was a sinner, although we do not know for sure what her specific sin was. She had with her a jar made of alabaster, a type of stone that was carved out to contain costly perfume. The only way to get the perfume out was to break the neck of the bottle. In other words, it was in the brokenness that the fragrance would be released. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Perhaps all this lady had left was contained in that alabaster jar. There were no banks back then, so this could have been the entirety of her savings-maybe even the wages of sin. It was a representation of all of her hopes, her dreams, her ambitions and her future. However, this woman found something so wonderful and profound about Jesus Christ that she took that jar, broke it, and poured the ointment out on His feet. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

The fragrance of that moment of worship permeated the entire room-a type of fulfillment of the Scripture that calls us to be a savor of Christ everywhere we go. This sweetness of God that is to follow us is something that does not come through just study or prayer, as wonderful as those things are. There is a certain fragrance of Jesus that only comes through brokenness.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Recently as I sat in on a morning session at a conference where I was to speak in the evening, I was greatly ministered to by a broken man. This pastor stood before us to share a 20-minute devotional that would lead the group into prayer, and from the moment he began to speak, I sensed there was something different about him. I don't know all the details of this particular pastor's life, but I can tell you one thing-I know a broken man when I hear one. I know a man who has come to the end of himself, no longer concerned about what people think about him. There is something so precious in a life that has no greater purpose than to be poured out for the love and glory of Jesus Christ. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

It was amazing to be in that room and literally feel something spiritual happen-something indescribable that cannot be created by music or by any amount of hype. It is not something that man can do-it is something that God does. It was the fragrance of Jesus being released-Christ Himself coming into a room and bearing witness to that which truly honors and represents Him. Suddenly I was surrounded by thoughts of the majesty of Jesus Christ, and the only thing I could do was put my face into my hands and weep.<\/p>\r\n

REALIZING THE LOVE OF GOD<\/span>
\r\n How do we get to this place of brokenness? I believe we find a perfect example in the story of the prodigal son (see Luke 15). This young man had an inheritance from his father, yet he ended up taking this blessing to a faraway place. Finally, after squandering all his resources and having to resort to feeding pigs, he came to his senses and realized that his life pursuit was empty. The testimony of being his father's son was in shambles because of what he had done and where he had gone. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

This son decided to get up and head home. He had gone out with such incredible dreams, but he was coming home empty-his plans destroyed, his resources bankrupt. His failure was before his face constantly, for the testimony out of his mouth was, \"Father, I have sinned, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son\" (see Luke 15:21). In other words, I have lost something of my position with you, so just make me a servant, a slave forever. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

How shocked he must have been to find his father running to embrace him. Not only that but his father brought him into the house, called for the fatted calf to be killed, and gathered the musicians, saying, \"Strike up the band! We are going to have a celebration because my son has come home!\" I imagine that the realization of his father's incredible love and mercy brought him to a place of brokenness.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In the same way, it is when we have failed that we truly start to appreciate God. It is when we have hit the wall, after we have gone out with pride only to realize later that we have misrepresented Him publicly or privately. In our generation, many of God's people, including His ministers, have done the same thing as the prodigal son. They have taken the anointing, the blessing, and the strength of God and gone into places far away from His heart. Many headed out with pride, filled with their own ideas and theories about God, only to lift their head one day and say, \"What a fool I have been. What a foolish ministry I have been part of; what a foolish testimony I have created. I have taken this life of God and ultimately made a reproach of the name of my Father!\" They finally come to the realization that if it weren't for the love and mercy of God, none of us would be standing today. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

It is amazing to begin to understand the depth of this love-which the apostle Paul described as a love that passes our natural understanding (see Ephesians 3:19). You and I begin to see many people come to the saving knowledge of Christ as we bear this incredible love of God in these earthen vessels. Remember, God bears witness to what belongs to Him-what is true. It is not because of the eloquence of our preaching or the accolades on our wall, but because God chooses to bear witness with His own Person and presence through those who have been broken-those who have truly come to understand how loving and merciful He is.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

A SCENT OF FREEDOM AND PROVISION<\/span>
\r\n It is true that we bear the treasure of the risen Christ in these earthen vessels, just as the Scripture says. However, it is also true that our rigidity can sometimes keep these vessels unbroken, consequently locking inside the fragrance of Christ. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

For example, Moses was a man who had a great calling of God, but the rigidity of holding to his own ideas rendered him unusable. The plan and purpose was there, but Moses was still governed by his own strength and his own thinking. So the Lord brought him to the wilderness for forty years until he came to a place of brokenness and a loss of all confidence in himself. By the time God finally called him, Moses said, \"I might have been a mighty speaker, but I no longer am. I have lost all of what I had then\" (see Exodus 4:10, Acts 7:22).
\r\n <\/p>\r\n

In the Lord's eyes, however, Moses was ready to lead three million people to freedom. When Moses walked into that camp in brokenness and dependence upon the Lord, I believe the fragrance of God spread throughout the whole camp of Israel. After all, why else would the people listen to an 80-year-old man with a stick saying, \"God sent me to set you free?\" Remember, they had been in bondage under the Egyptians for 430 years! In the natural it was an insane plan. There must have been something more-something of the sweetness of God that was being poured out through this broken vessel. It was as if suddenly the fragrance of Christ, the scent of freedom, filled the camp.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In the same way, if I am preaching to you and Christ is bearing witness to my words, the smell of freedom is coming into your heart and mind. Suddenly these thoughts begin to emerge: \"Hey, this prison door cannot hold me anymore. This wound of the past cannot continue to dominate my thinking. I don't have a reason to be afraid of the future because God is in my future.\" <\/p>\r\n

Consider the brokenness that Joseph had to endure. At an early age, God gave Joseph a great promise that he would one day be put in a position of leadership and that through his hands many people would be fed. Yet in his youth, Joseph was too full of pride to reach his potential. It was not until he found himself in a place of brokenness-until after thirteen years of enduring trials, temptations, betrayal, and even wrongful imprisonment-that the promise was fulfilled. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Joseph stood before the leader of one of the greatest nations in the world at that time, and with just a few words of wisdom that God had given him, suddenly in Egypt there was a smell of provision. A sweet aroma of Christ was released in Pharaoh's court through this broken man. This aroma even reached all the way to Israel, right to Joseph's own family, who walked into the center of God's provision and were sustained for many years to come. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

BRINGING WHAT IS MOST PRECIOUS<\/span>
\r\n The woman in our opening text who came into the Pharisee's house no longer cared to court the favor of the religious establishment around her, nor did she seem to scorn it. The only object of her affection was Jesus. The highest calling of her life at that moment was to be poured out for the One who received her in spite of her failure to properly represent Him as one of His chosen children in the earth. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

The religious order of the day rejected her. They were more or less stuck in their pursuit of the best seats in the house, the titles of \"Master, Master\" and the finest robes. They were completely outside of what was happening here and were unable to see any value in this act of love. Unfortunately, that will always be the case for the religious. <\/p>\r\n

On the other hand, this woman heard Jesus, and she understood that He was willing not only to forgive her but to give her a future and a purpose for her life. So she brought what was most precious to her-the sum total of what her life had amounted to-and broke it, pouring out the precious ointment on the feet of Jesus as a love offering. How the scent of freedom must have permeated the room. That is the blessing of brokenness. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Now this woman could have come into the Pharisee's house, handed Jesus the jar and said, \"Master, in this vessel is a very expensive fragrance. It has the potential to fill the atmosphere with a scent that will linger for hours.\" She could have merely told Him about it, and there would have been truth in what she said. However, it was in the breaking of that flask that the fragrance was released and the whole room was filled with the glory of God. Tragically, we almost pride ourselves in our ability to be unbroken. We spend much of our pursuit trying to shore up these vessels so that they might not appear to be weak or cracked. Half of our gospel is all about how to keep ourselves strong, intact and looking good, when in reality there is a sweet aroma that can emanate only from a broken vessel.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BROKEN<\/span>
\r\n You may now be asking how this applies to you. If you have been broken, if life has disappointed you, if your plans have fallen through your fingers, if people have made promises to you but those promises have failed, if your hope and your resources have run dry-the one thing that you can do today is open your heart to the love of God, for He passionately loves you. You are the object of His affection-the reason He went to a cross. He loves you whether or not you see your life as a success; He loves you in spite of how far short you feel you have fallen. It makes no difference to Him, for He loves you unconditionally.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Allow God's love to touch and fill your heart. It is a love that cannot be measured by human reasoning; a love that has not diminished in spite of what you have done with it or where you have gone with it. Let this incredible love of God bring you to your knees-to the place where the only thing you can do is pour out from the depths of your heart great love and gratitude to the One who gave everything for you. As the psalmist said, \"Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him...\"<\/span> (Psalm 62:8). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Once you come to that place at the feet of Jesus, you will discover that He does something profound and powerful through those who have experienced the blessing of being broken in the sight of a holy God. Just say to Him, \"Lord, whatever I am, whatever I have, I simply take it and pour it out on Your feet. I thank You for letting a nail go through those feet for me. I thank You for loving me and promising hope in spite of what I have done.\" In doing this, you will find that you have a lot more power than you know. When you simply find a place to pray in your house, pouring your affection out on the feet of Jesus, watch what happens to your sons and daughters, to your family, to all those around you. Watch what happens as you allow the fragrance of Jesus to fill your house, your workplace, your own heart and mind. Watch as the presence of Jesus goes with you wherever you are sent. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

The wonderful thing is that it is very difficult to resist the presence of God. No matter how hard-hearted people are or how much they claim not to care about God, they simply will not be able to resist the presence of God when He comes in with that sweet smell of freedom. This is how lives will be changed and hearts will be healed. This is how the kingdom of God will go forward in our generation-as we simply allow the savor of Christ to flow through these broken vessels!<\/p>"},"122":{"sm_title":"Open Thy Mouth Wide, and I Will Fill It","sm_id":"159","sm_desc":"April 15, 2012 - Why are so many people experiencing such an unprecedented heaviness? You've come with this question in your heart: \u201cWhy I'm I feeling this way?\u201d It is God almighty who will come into your trial and give you and I the strength that we need.","sm_jpg":"22745_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2012-06","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/04\/15s1\/20120415s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20120415S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"CD6OSYsqmzI","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22861_20120601_carter-conlon-open-thy-mouth-wide-and-i-will-fill-it.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

It seems that recently many of God's people have been experiencing an unprecedented sense of heaviness. Perhaps you are among those who have wondered lately, \"I am a seeker of God and I am not living in willful disobedience. I have searched my heart and am walking in the light He has revealed to me. Yet suddenly great heaviness has come upon me. Is depression coming into my life? Is this a result of the hour in which we are living? What is causing this feeling?\" <\/p>\r\n

I suggest that what many have been experiencing is actually a precursor to something God desires to do in our world today. He wants to do it in His church-in your life and in mine. As we look at the way God has dealt with His people in the past, it will give us a better idea of what exactly this is.<\/p>\r\n

Throughout the Old Testament, we see that the nation of Israel often found itself in a very precarious position. Society would be failing and people faltering-evidence of the common pattern found throughout history that no matter how God blesses us, we somehow foolishly find a way to walk away from it. For instance, look at America! In just a few hundred years, God's blessing helped this nation rise to preeminence in the world. America was birthed as a country where people could freely worship God; the Judeo-Christian ethic was the foundation of law and practice at this country's inception. Society was not perfect, however, and we are now living in an hour marked by a casual handling of truth. The value system of a fallen society has found its way into the church and now dominates much of today's preaching, resulting in a powerlessness among the people. <\/p>\r\n

In the book of Isaiah, we find that Israel once again found itself in such a situation. In His mercy, the Lord decided He was going to speak one more time to the people, just as He is preparing to do in our day. God drew a young man named Isaiah into His presence (see Isaiah 6). Isaiah, a student of the Word, had already been given a measure of revelation and had been prophesying prior to this point. He was a sincere and honest man, yet when he was lifted into the presence of God and beheld His holiness, he cried, \"I am undone! My works are but filthy rags in the sight of a holy God! No matter how we claimed to know You, I realize that we truly did not, for my eyes have now seen the King of Glory.\"<\/p>\r\n

A weight of heaviness had come upon Isaiah. For a moment, he experienced the heaviness that many people in society would soon feel-people who were living without God yet who were about to hear the voice of a holy God speaking to them in some measure. It was at that moment of being undone that a living coal from the altar touched Isaiah's lips. God filled his mouth, and the message was beyond anything that humanity could produce. The message was about God, originating from His very heart. In fact, Isaiah was given a panoramic revelation, one of the most momentous revelations in all of the Old Testament. He saw the cross, the Savior, the gentiles coming to Christ. He saw a day of jubilee for all who wanted to be free from bondage and burdens and he saw the returning King! Isaiah was given this incredible vision of Christ so that he might preach to a generation for whom the Messiah was simply a fading illusion. <\/p>\r\n

Just as the Lord touched Isaiah's lips and filled his mouth, a similar theme is found in Psalm 81:<\/span> \"I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it\" <\/span>(Psalms 81:10). God is essentially saying to His people,
\r\n \"I want to fill your mouth. I want to fill it with that which could come only from heaven. I want to give you a testimony and do something in My people that would astound those who live outside the kingdom of God. I want to lift you into the supernatural and empower you with the Holy Spirit.\" Remember, the kingdom of God is not to be a natural kingdom-it is a kingdom of faith. It is not a kingdom where the naturally strong rise to the top, but rather where the nothings and nobodies are empowered by the Spirit of Almighty God. It is a kingdom of men and women of whom the secular leaders say, \"I don't understand how they speak with such wisdom! We know they do not have the learning that we have. The only thing we can say about these people is that they have been with Jesus!\" <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Despite all that God purposes to do in His people, isn't it appalling how we turn away from Him time and again? As it says in Psalm 81, \"But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels\" <\/span>(Psalms 81:11-12). \"I gave them up!\" It is tragic how we in America took the embodiment of the constitution of this country-the inalienable right of all men and women for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness-and allowed it to become a substitute for the worship of God. Now we have been left to walk in our own counsel, and look at what has happened. My heart breaks every time I look at the news-parents killing their children; schools unsafe; people becoming dull to the abject violence that abounds. Social engineers are working behind the scenes to produce a nation where evil is called good, and good is called evil. It is a plot generated under the guise of tolerance, but when it gets into power, beware, for it will be anything but tolerant of the church of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\r\n

OPEN YOUR MOUTH WITH A SONG<\/span>
\r\n We have come to a critical hour when we as the church of Jesus Christ must make a decision. To those who still have ears to hear, the psalmist says, \"Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day\" <\/span>(Psalms 81:1-3). In other words, God is saying to His people, \"Here is where it starts; open your mouth with a song.\" <\/p>\r\n

It does not matter how many backstabbers are in your workplace-when you get off that elevator, do not join them. Instead, when you walk in, have a song in your heart. The psalmist David said it is a song that can be seen long before it is heard-a song of joy and hope (see Psalms 40:3). As the days grow increasingly difficult, you and I must remember all the Lord has done for us, for our tendency is to get lost in the present if we forget the past. Think about where you would be today had He not broken your chains and set you free from what captivated your heart. In the book of Deuteronomy, God even told His people that when they walked with their children, when they got up in the morning, when they went to bed at night, they were to rehearse what He had done for them, lest they forget who He is.<\/p>\r\n

Open your mouth and celebrate with a song. Psalm 89:1 says it this way: \"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.\"<\/span> Do not allow the devil or the evil of this society to take the song of God out of your mouth. Keep singing, keep repeating, keep rehearsing that song. Sing it every day and every night: \"Great is thy faithfulness, O God!\"<\/p>\r\n

OPEN YOUR MOUTH IN PRAYER<\/span>
\r\n Not only should we have a song in our mouths, we must also open our mouths in prayer. It is time to go into our prayer closets, even if we have to go there with trembling, weakness and tears, as Paul did. God promises to fill our mouths. <\/p>\r\n

Consider what happened after the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 2-4). Miracles were abounding and thousands of people were being added to the church. Yet suddenly voices began to rise up and threaten the very testimony of God, and the disciples were commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus. <\/p>\r\n

At that point, the disciples did not strategize or form a committee; they did not say, \"Let's find seven steps to get out of this mess.\" No! They lifted up their voices to God with one accord in prayer: \"And now Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness\"<\/span> (Acts 4:29-31). <\/p>\r\n

The Bible says that the place where they were gathered was shaken when they prayed. What a reminder for you and me that this is not a time to be quiet or to recede. We must open our mouths and pray boldly just as the disciples did. \"Lord, stretch out Your hand and heal. Give me power in my speech so that I can speak to the people around me-power to heal wounded hearts, broken homes, hopelessness; power to bring victory to somebody who might want to take their life. God Almighty, put something in my mouth!\" <\/p>\r\n

You and I can no longer live in silence in this generation. However, I am well aware that I cannot do this without the Holy Spirit, and neither can you. God forgive us as a church for trying in our own natural strength to advance a kingdom that cannot be seen or rationalized. <\/p>\r\n

OPEN YOUR MOUTH WITH THE POWER OF GOD<\/span>
\r\n When the 120 disciples initially came out of the upper room and burst into the marketplace, they were speaking the \"megalios\" of God. In the Greek New Testament, the \"megalios\" of God were words spoken by faith regarding what the living Christ within them was about to do through them. The disciples were given the ability to speak to people of other languages and other cultures-languages they had never learned. They were speaking eternal truths. <\/p>\r\n

Peter then opened his mouth with the power of God and preached an eloquent sermon that could only have come straight from the throne of God. \"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?\" <\/span>(Acts 2:36-37). Bear in mind that these were people who were alienated from God-Christ-haters in their generation. Yet they saw something supernatural at work in these disciples, and all of a sudden their hatred dissipated. It was just like the Lord said in Psalm 81, \"Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him...\"<\/span> (Psalms 81:13-15). Suddenly those who hated God were melting in His presence, and thousands were asking, \"What must we do to be saved?\" <\/p>\r\n

Likewise in our generation, our cities will not be saved in any other way but through a body of believers in Jesus Christ who are filled with the Spirit of Almighty God. There is no other plan of God for the time in which we live-no Plan B; no superstar who will suddenly rise up. There will either be a church or there won't be a church, and that is the choice you and I must make now. We must choose to be a people who are God-gripped by the Holy Spirit, walking in the supernatural, filled with the tenderness and compassion of God. We must be willing to be yielded and ridiculed; willing to stand out in the marketplace no matter what the cost so that others may come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. <\/p>\r\n

We have a window of time where multitudes may turn to Christ, where churches can live again, where the testimony of Christ can rise out of the ashes and have a great effect on our society. I do not know how long that window of time is, but I feel that it is not for long. We do not have a hundred tomorrows to get this right. We must go into that prayer closet now and say, \"God Almighty, whatever You have to do in my life, wherever You must take me, whatever You need to speak to me, I invite You to do so. I know that I cannot do this apart from Your strength inside of me, and I am not even willing to try. When I open my mouth, You said that You will fill it.\" <\/p>\r\n

A FRESH INFILLING<\/span>
\r\n My prayer for weeks has been: \"Jesus, baptize me afresh in the Holy Spirit. Give me strength, and strengthen Your people for this journey. Make us a testimony for the sake of Christ and for the sake of the lost in our cities. I am not willing that people should perish in their sin when the church of Jesus Christ is still here!\" <\/p>\r\n

Is it possible that the Lord has brought this heaviness upon you to remind you of your need for Him? Perhaps He has allowed the distress in your mind and heart in order to bring you to the end of yourself, to bring you to the place where you once again cry out, \"Lord, I need You! I cannot do this unless You fill me with the Holy Spirit. I need Your thoughts, Your words, Your plan and Your power to accomplish it. I want to make a difference in my generation. I am simply unwilling to stand one day at the throne of God with a full notebook from church but an empty basket to bring to You. I want to believe You for the miraculous.\" <\/p>\r\n

I cannot cry out for you and you cannot cry out for me. This is something that must be birthed in your own heart. When I picture the disciples gathered in that upper room, I certainly do not imagine it was a nice, quiet little prayer meeting-\"Would you pray now, Brother Peter? Okay, now it's your turn, Brother Matthew.\" No! I see a group of people desperately crying out, \"Oh, God, if You don't do something in us, we are going to have no effect! Glorify Your name in us!\" And suddenly a rushing mighty wind came, cloven tongues of fire sat upon them, and they began to speak about the wondrous power of God that is available to all who turn to Him.<\/p>\r\n

I urge you today-do not sell yourself short in this hour. Do not settle for powerless religion or mere thoughts of God. Get hold of a living relationship with the Lord. If that means you have to hang on to the altar until He comes, then do it! Open your mouth and He will fill it. Cry out to the Lord until He baptizes you afresh with His Holy Spirit, that the power of God may rest upon you in this generation! <\/p>"},"123":{"sm_title":"Jesus, Take the Stones From My Hands","sm_id":"158","sm_desc":"February 19, 2012 \u2013 We can truly represent God in this generation. We can put down our stones. We can be ambassadors of the one that went to a cross and said, \u201cFather forgive them they don't know what they are doing.\u201d We can put our arms around people as the father did to the prodigal son, help them and empower them to be everything that God is calling them to be. We still have that opportunity to bear each other's burdens. To represent Christ to a generation that still needs to know Him. It is the love of God in our hearts that will make the difference.","sm_jpg":"22630_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2012-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/02\/19s1\/20120219s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20120219S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"eg3V0Uj_tck","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22778_201205-carter-conlon-jesus-take-the-stones-from-my-hands.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.\n <\/p>\n <\/span>\n

\"Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. <\/p>\n

\"And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord.\n And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more\"<\/span> (John 8:1-11).<\/p>\n

Forgiveness-that is what this story is all about. How important is forgiveness? Well, very simply, without it we are not saved. It is conclusive in the Scriptures that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We have fallen short of who we were created to be, of how God designed our lives to be lived, of what kind of testimony we should have here on earth. We are truly amazed when we come to a place of understanding the depths of our sin yet recognize how God, in His mercy, chose through His Son to forgive us.<\/p>\n

Forgiveness is also directly linked with mountain-moving faith. Jesus once told His disciples, \"...Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe...he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore...What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses\"<\/span> (Mark 11:23-25). Jesus was saying, \"I am willing to give you faith that can move mountains-all those things that stand before you and hinder what your life is destined to be. Whatever you are lacking, I will supply. But when you come to Me, if you have anything in your heart against others, forgive them, that your Father in heaven may forgive your trespasses.\" <\/p>\n

It is clear that without forgiveness, we cannot remain in the life flow of the blessing of God. Jesus went on to say, \"But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses\"<\/span> (Mark 11:26). That does not mean that you lose your salvation every time you struggle with unforgiveness, for it is a struggle that no one is immune to. However, it does mean that when we harbor unforgiveness in our hearts, a sense of well-being is lost. That life flow and ability to hear from God becomes hindered because ultimately the kingdom of God is all about forgiveness. <\/p>\n

AN OUTWARD DISPLAY<\/span>
\n \n Picture for a moment the scene in our opening text: Jesus is sitting in the temple teaching the people when suddenly in bursts some scribes and Pharisees. Keep in mind that the scribes and Pharisees were the keepers of the law-the ones who were supposed to represent the testimony of God in the earth. To their credit, they started out with the desire to preserve the Word of God. Fearing that it might eventually devolve into something other than what God had originally meant, they set out to be purists. They intended to guard the Word and to exemplify what was written in the text of Scriptures that they had up until that time. However, they ended up being more of an example of how religious zeal and incomplete obedience to the full revelation of God in the Scriptures can leave people bearing very little resemblance to Jesus. \n

Into the midst of the crowd they came, bringing a woman who was of the family of faith but who obviously had fallen and failed. Casting her down at the feet of Jesus, they said, \"This woman claims to belong to the family of Abraham, part of the seed of God's testimony on earth, but we caught her in the very act of adultery. Our Scripture says that she should be condemned and stoned to death. What do you say, Jesus?\" The Word says that they asked this question in order to test Jesus and have reason to accuse Him. Ironically, they were quoting the Word of God, but they were arguing with the author-trying to tell Him what He meant when He wrote the Book. <\/p>\n

Consider as well the outward appearance of the scribes and Pharisees in this whole scene. They would have been spit-and-polished, with everything pristine-their garments pressed with precision, the borders of their sleeves and skirts measured to exactly the right length. They had prayer shawls over their shoulders and prayer beads attached to their sides so that they would be known as people of prayer. Standing there adorned with all of this paraphernalia, they also had one more thing-they had stones in their hands. Or at least they had stones very close at hand, ready to condemn anyone who failed to meet their religious ideals. <\/p>\n

REWRITING THE SCENE<\/span>
\n \n Now contrast this to Jesus, who, according to Scripture, identified with the common man. He was made in our likeness, He took upon Himself our frailty, and He understands our weaknesses. He had no outward display-no symbols of prayer and obedience-except the manifestation of the full power and purpose of God.<\/p>\n

As a carpenter's son, Jesus likely wore regular workman's garments. There was probably dirt around His knees since He had stooped down to write on the ground with His finger. Although we do not know exactly what He wrote, we do know that it stung the conscience of the religious but gave hope to a woman who had fallen. In other words, Jesus rewrote a scene of judgment and death into a place of forgiveness and hope. He rewrote this woman's future-perhaps giving her the reassurance that her past as well as present frailties were still covered by the mercy of God, for she knew she was a sinner in need of a Savior. On the other hand, those standing by with the stones had long lost the understanding that they themselves were outside of the kingdom of God, having failed to represent His heart of mercy. <\/p>\n

Jesus could not have rewritten this moment in history if He, too, had been holding stones. The same holds true for you and me. If we are found with stones in our hands, we will not have any power to make a difference or to rewrite the future; we will be unable to represent God in our generation. After all, how can we represent a kingdom that is established on a foundation stone of forgiveness if there is unforgiveness in our hearts? It is simply not possible, which is why we must come to a place of total forgiveness. Of course, this is never easy. It means that we must learn to overcome grievances that have been learned or personally experienced-sometimes deeply embedded over the course of our lifetime. <\/p>\n

HOW TO LET GO<\/span>
\n \n I remember a time when I was betrayed by somebody whom I loved and trusted. The betrayal was so deep in my heart that it took me about a year to get over it. I cannot tell you how many times I went before God and said, \"Lord, I am not even at forgiveness yet-I am dealing with trying not to hate somebody. You have to help me.\" No matter how many times I attempted to put those stones down, my hands simply would not let them go. If I succeeded in throwing them down for a moment, it was as if a bungee cord was attached to them, and they eventually bounced right back up into my hands again.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, I persisted in the battle, not willing to be a hypocrite in the kingdom of God. I found myself in the same place over and over, praying the same kinds of prayers, until one day, the Lord spoke to my heart: \"Here's how to do it. Turn your hands over and let Me take the stones away.\" I realized at that moment that it was impossible for me to put them down in my own strength. Only the Lord could take away the stones, and I found that He was willing to do it.<\/p>\n

The Scriptures speak of another man who had stones in his hands. He dwelt in the mountains and in the tombs-one is a high place and the other is as about as low as you can go on the earth (see Mark 5:1-5). However, instead of casting his stones at other people, he was cutting himself with them. It is a picture of a person who hates himself for what he has done and for what he is becoming. Just like the Pharisees, this man needed the courage to say, \"Jesus, take these stones from my hands.\"<\/p>\n

Likewise, many Christians today are unwilling to forgive themselves for the things they have done in the past. Although the Lord has cleansed them, they persist in calling themselves unclean. God alone can give them the grace to let go of the past-to release the stones from their hands. <\/p>\n

REPRESENTING CHRIST IN THE DAYS AHEAD<\/span>
\n \n Without forgiveness at the core of our being, we can talk about Jesus, but we cannot represent Him. People who merely talk about Jesus become concerned solely about the exterior-about their own reputation, about being called, \"Teacher, Teacher\" and having the best seats at banquets (see Matthew 23:6-7). These things become the whole focus of their life. The people who truly represent Jesus are the ones bending down, writing in the sand. They are rewriting into people's lives the mercies of Almighty God, no matter what they have done or how they have fallen.<\/p>\n

I believe very soon many prodigals will be returning to the house of God-men and women who perhaps gave their lives to Christ when they were young, yet somehow ended up on a wrong path. They took the life of Christ and went far beyond the borders of where they should have been living-but not beyond the reaches of God's love. And now the Lord is giving His church the opportunity to represent Him, offering these people hope for the present and rewriting their future. Just as the father welcomed the prodigal son when he came home, we can put our arms around others, covering their failures and empowering them to become everything that God is calling them to be. We can put a robe over their shoulders, shoes on their feet, and invite them to join us on the journey. But before we can do this, we must put down our stones.<\/p>\n

I don't know about you, but I do not want to misrepresent Christ in this world. Yet if I am ever going to err, let it be on the side of mercy. Let it be mercy that rewrites my life and the life of everybody God desires to touch through me. I want to be a bridge builder, not a bridge destroyer. I want to see the church come to life once again in our generation-every race, every nationality, every denomination coming together as one body in Jesus Christ for this final moment of time. This means that all of us must drop our stones-denominational stones, racial stones, all the grievances that we have been holding on to. By the grace of God, we must be willing to stoop down, get our hands and knees dirty, and start rewriting the future in people's lives.<\/p>\n

It all begins by holding up our hands and saying, \"Jesus, take the stones from my hands. I know that I do not have a right to carry these, but I cannot put them down. You have to take them from me.\" Remember, Jesus is not angry with your frailty or your struggle. All He is asking is that you simply turn your hands over and trust Him. Trust Him to take away any unforgiveness in your heart, any self-condemnation, any inner judgments that you may not even be aware of. It is God alone who can help you to forgive and bring you into this place of mercy and faith that He speaks of. It is God alone who can enable you to stop beating yourself for your past failures. <\/p>\n

If we do not come to God and allow Him to take away these grievances now, as the body of Christ we are going to be swallowed by the evil of this generation. After all, it is clear that we are living in an hour when society is becoming increasingly divided and civility has practically gone out the window. This comes as no surprise, for Jesus warned that in the last days, nation will rise against nation (see Matthew 24:7). In the original Greek, this means that ethnic culture will rise against ethnic culture. In other words, the world will be marked by bitter divisions and hatred. Yet in the midst of this, you and I cannot be found like the rest of society. If we end up embracing any part of this system that is throwing stones at each other, we will no longer represent the Christ who went to a cross. Let everyone else do the judging, but we are called to live by a higher law-the love of God, the mercy of God and the forgiveness of God in Christ Jesus. It is the willingness to embrace what we would not naturally embrace; the willingness to call \"clean\" what others regard as unclean; the willingness to receive with hope
\n what others would call failed. <\/p>\n

There is no other gospel that will change the hearts of men. It is not our garments, it is not our Scripture memorization, it is not our big Bibles -it is the love and mercy of God in our hearts that will make the difference. It is time to allow Jesus to take the stones out of our hands so that we can truly represent Him in this generation. As we learn to forgive, and as we are willing to stoop down and identify with people who the whole religious scene is about to write off in their ignorance, I believe there will be a harvest of souls in this generation beyond anything we ever could have imagined. Hallelujah! <\/p>"},"124":{"sm_title":"Hunting a Partridge in the Mountains","sm_id":"157","sm_desc":"February 12, 2012 \u2013 In our generation, something is happening in our time that began to separate Christ from His church. Why am I crying out to Him and He is not answering me? All throughout history we have time and again seen when ordinary people go in and seek the face of God with honesty, that Jesus Christ be made Lord. Find the fulfillment of these words of Jeremiah the prophet, \u201cYou shall seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.\u201d ","sm_jpg":"22615_jb_sermon_banner_2012.jpg","sm_date":"2012-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/02\/12s1\/20120212s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20120212S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22724_201204-carter-conlon-hunting-a-partridge-in-the-mountains.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Much of the church in our generation seems to have been on a never-ending pursuit of God-only to emerge with little fruit to show for it. As a result, I believe a cry has come into the hearts of many of God's people today: \"I have sought God in the only way that I know, the only way I have been taught. I have tried to find Him in all the places they said He was, but I could never seem to lay hold of Him. I feel like the psalmist who cried out, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?'<\/span> (Psalms 22:1-2). I cry, but it is as if God does not hear me. Why?\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Suddenly it seems all our religious activity has come to a screeching halt, and we realize that despite all our seeking of God, we still fail to impact our society the way the church of Jesus Christ ought to. Now we finally have the sense to stop and ask the question: Lord, why have we been seeking You but You have not been answering us? I believe something within the story of Saul and David answers this question. Let's look at the relationship between them as a type of your and my relationship with Jesus Christ. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

SAUL AND DAVID<\/span>
\r\n Although he was king over the nation of Israel and master of his own destiny, Saul eventually came up against an enemy that he instinctively knew was too strong for him (see 1 Samuel 17). He and all the people under his leadership stood trembling before a Philistine giant named Goliath. In the midst of his dilemma, David, a type of Christ, came to Saul with words of courage and faith: \"Do not fear. I am going to go fight this battle for you, and I am going to win\" (see 1 Samuel 17:32, 37).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Saul ended up embracing what appeared to be a foolish battle plan. A young boy filled with a heart of faith and a desire to see God glorified in the earth went out to fight for him. It was a battle plan that Saul would not have considered had he remained strong in himself. Similarly, if we have the courage to admit it, we would not have considered Christ if we had not eventually come to recognize our inability to win our battles in our own strength. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

David went into the valley and decapitated the power of the enemy's army. Saul soon found himself in hot pursuit of the enemy although he was actually getting the spoils of another man's victory. When you and I embraced the cross, we too, entered into a power and victory that was not our own. It was Jesus Christ who won the battle over the powers of darkness. It was Jesus who unlocked our prison doors, brought healing to our wounded hearts and gave sight to our blinded eyes. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

After this great victory, Saul took David home and made him a part of his household (see 1 Samuel 18:2). Similarly, when we came to Christ, we didn't leave Him at church. We took Him home just as Saul took David home. David sat at Saul's table, just as you have Jesus at your table when you open the Bible and spend time with Him. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Saul also benefitted from David's skillful musicianship (see 1 Samuel 16:16-23). The Bible doesn't specify, but it is likely that a spirit of worship coming from David's heart as he played on that harp caused an evil spirit which was troubling Saul to let go of him. Today we have the assurance that the Lord \"...will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing\"<\/span> (Zephaniah 3:17). Perhaps there have been days when you felt heavy and oppressed, and your mind seemed to be caught in a tangled web of attacks. Yet after worshiping, you found that your mind was suddenly clear and that this evil had lost its hold. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

In many ways, we find ourselves in a place very similar to where Saul was in his relationship with David. Eventually, however, something happened that began to separate the two of them. Likewise, I believe that in our generation, something has begun to separate Christ from His church. If we are wise, we will stop and consider: What happened in this relationship between Saul and David? <\/p>\r\n \r\n

THE TURNING POINT<\/span>
\r\n \"And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 18:6-9).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Here is the key: Up until this point, Saul was still in control of his own life, and David was merely a wonderful addition to his kingdom. This is exactly how many people regard Jesus Christ today, which is not surprising since that is the way He has been portrayed in much of the preaching of our generation. Add Jesus to your plans, add Him to your career, add Him to your self-image. Just add Jesus! He is the power of God and will make a wonderful addition to your kingdom. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Things took a turn in their relationship when one day it dawned on Saul: David was increasing and he was decreasing. Remember, John the Baptist said of Jesus, \"He must increase, and I must decrease.\" Suddenly Saul realized, \"Wait, David hasn't come to be a wonderful addition to my kingdom-he has come to be the next king!\" From hat day forward, Saul gathered his men and began to pursue David.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Most people do not have a problem adding Jesus to their agenda, but the thought of His becoming king and their becoming His subjects is where the real struggle begins. One day they realize the Lord is asking something of them that does not agree with their plans, and they suddenly find themselves at a juncture. Unfortunately many people, just like Saul, refuse to yield the throne. Of course, very few would have the courage to openly admit, \"I am walking away from Jesus,\" so they continue their pursuit of Christ. However, the pursuit is now only for the purpose of validating a throne they refuse to yield-an attempt to get the Lord to agree with their own personal agenda.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

A FUTILE PURSUIT<\/span>
\r\n \"And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 26:1-2). <\/p>\r\n \r\n

What a classic picture of the type of pursuit of God so common in our generation! Saul would receive a report about where David was, and then with three thousand of his men, he would set off to find him. When the search failed, another report came and off they would go in another direction. Yet in this whole pursuit, he was never able to find David. How frustrating it must have been to always come back empty and seeming like less of a king than when he had set out-a sentiment shared by many today as they return home empty after attending the latest conference or supposed manifestation of Christ.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

At one point in the pursuit, David and his servant Abishai had entered the very camp where Saul and his armies were sleeping. \"So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were \r\n all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 26:12). David took Saul's spear-a symbol of his strength and ability to make war. He also took Saul's water bottle, which is the replenishment of God. In the New Testament, this is the spring of living water that Christ promises to those who truly belong to Him. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

After they had climbed a hill opposite Saul's camp and were a safe distance away, David called over to Saul: \"Do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains\"<\/span> (1 Samuel 26:20, NKJV). David was essentially saying, \"You are seeking me, but you cannot find me. It is as if you are hunting a flea or a partridge in the mountains.\" Did you know that a partridge can camouflage itself? It may be a foot away from you, yet it can make itself the same color as the leaves and you will easily walk right past it. David continued to call over to Saul, \"...Behold the king's spear! And let one of the young men come over and fetch it\" <\/span>(1 Samuel 26:22). In other words, \"We are a mountain apart, but here it is if you want it. Send one of the young men over to fetch it.\" If only Saul had possessed a measure of humility in his heart at that point and said, \"No, David, I am the one who should have been guarding it. I will come and get it.\" It was a wonderful opportunity for Saul to humble himself-a moment that could have made a difference in history. In a sense, he would have been bowing his knee before the real king. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Now consider this scene again, keeping in mind David as the Christ-type and Saul as a type of what the church has become after walking in the stubbornness of our own ways. In our spiritual slumber, the Lord has come and taken our spear and our water bottle. He has taken our ability to conquer and removed what refreshes us. And now, just as David cried out from the hill, Christ is crying out to our generation from Calvary one more time, \"Here is your strength to make war; here is the Living Water you are looking for. Come and get it!\" Responding to this call requires humility. If you try to go up a mountain standing erect, you will fall over backwards. You must go up in a position of humility. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Saul could not bring himself to lay hold of the spiritual principle in this, just as there are people today who refuse to humble themselves and allow Christ to be Lord of all. Seek Him all you want-travel the world; hear about a revival in some country and get on the first plane over-but if you are not willing to bow and let Christ be Lord of all, your seeking will be in vain and you will constantly come home weak, empty and dry. Eventually you will reach the erroneous conclusion that Christ cannot be found and that revival in personal measure is just an illusion. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

THE SEARCH IS OVER<\/span>
\r\n Interestingly, the Scriptures also tell the story of four hundred distressed, debt-ridden men who headed toward where David was (see 1 Samuel 22). The beauty of it all was that they did not have a hard time finding him. Saul with his three thousand men, probably including some of the best spies and scouts in the land, travelled all over the countryside and could not find David. Yet four hundred discontented men just got up one day and essentially said, \"Enough of this! We're going where the anointing of God is.\" So they went into the cave where David was, just as we are called in our generation to come outside the gate and join Christ (see Hebrews 13:12-13). They went outside of the system that had rejected Him as Lord, and David became captain over them. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

These men did not come in their own strength or with their own resources, for they did not have any left. They did not come with a plan-they went to get the plan. It was as if each of them had concluded, \"I would rather die with David than live in the kingdom of Saul with his powerless pursuit. I am going to where the power of God is.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

How was it that many of these men later went on to accomplish incredible feats-eventually being named among David's mighty men (see 2 Samuel 23)? I believe it all started in that cave. I can imagine David telling them the story of the day he defeated Goliath. After all, what else was there to do in the cave? The four hundred would say, \"David, tell us again. Tell us how you had the courage to go into that valley!\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

And so David would rehearse the story over and over again-how he knew it just was not right for the men of God to be cowering on the mountainside while this giant perpetually raised his voice against the glory and honor of God. \"Then the Spirit of God came upon me, and I stood there and called, 'You come to me with a staff and a spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord God of hosts, the God that you have defied!'\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

I can just see courage and strength rising in these men's hearts day after day until they finally concluded, \"If God did that for David, and if that is how He is going to be honored, then I refuse to live in mediocrity any longer!\" It is a type of those in our generation who say, \"I am not searching anymore. I have found Him, for I am no longer trying to force my agenda into the kingdom of God. I have chosen instead to be abandoned to the will of God and to live for the honor of His name!\" The four hundred found strength as they followed in the footsteps of David-just as those of us who are willing to follow in the footsteps of Christ will be empowered to change the course of history.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord will once again take the weak, the discouraged, the disillusioned-the one who is an honest and sincere seeker of God. He will use the one who is not trying to bring any agenda to Him, but rather is seeking and walking in His will. Throughout history we have seen that when ordinary people seek the face of God with honesty, they find the fulfillment of the promise, \"You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart\"<\/span> (Jeremiah 29:13, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

I pray that in this hour, God will give us the courage to bend our knee to the lordship of Jesus Christ-that He will give us the power to humble ourselves and stop pursuing Christ for the wrong reasons. No more coming into the prayer closet and presenting God with our own plan, expecting Him to bless it. Instead, let us go in and find God's plan, for there is no other plan and no other way. One more time, let us yield ourselves to His will, unto the death if necessary. That is how we will be set free from this futile pursuit and truly empowered to influence our generation. Hallelujah! <\/p>"},"125":{"sm_title":"The Candlestick","sm_id":"154","sm_desc":"November 27, 2011 - There is something so attractive about first love. That is why we love weddings so much, because our heart is strangely warmed. Did you leave your first love? God is not looking for all the things you can do for Him, He is longing for you to embrace Him. He does not want you to be a laborer in His life, He wants someone to love Him. Are you willing to love Jesus and embrace His will for your life? The candlestick is that which is in us that makes Christ attractive to others. It is time to get back to your first love.","sm_jpg":"22491_jb_sermon_banner_2011.jpg","sm_date":"2012-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2011\/11\/27s1\/20111127s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2011\/mp3g\/20111127S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"HXV5OL3lQ9g","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22668_2012_03-carter-conlon-the-candlestick.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"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; 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. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love\"<\/span> (Revelation 2:1-4).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

It is critical that those of us who have been walking with God for any length of time pay special attention to these words. Ephesus was a church that was theologically sound. The followers of Christ tested what was preached and did not tolerate anything that strayed from truth. These were a working people who labored without fainting, but something had happened to them along the way-they had left their first love.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Have you noticed that there is something very attractive about first love? That is why we love weddings! Even the most callous person is strangely warmed inside watching a young couple exchanging vows at the altar-a classic picture of first love. The couple sees no wrong in each other, and they look forward to sharing the rest of their lives together.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Imagine a scene fifteen years later when this same wife is feeling under the weather. Her husband is sitting at her bedside at 3 a.m., holding cough medicine and reading to her its healing ingredients. \"Honey, this cough medicine contains 6.2 milligrams of diphenhydramine, which is an antihistamine and a cough suppressant; 2.5 milligrams of phenylephrine, a nasal decongestant.\" <\/p>\r\n

She simply looks at her husband and asks, \"Why are you reading all this to me?\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

He replies, \"Well, there are a lot of frauds on the market, and I'm not willing to go to all this trouble and have you take an inferior product.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Suddenly she looks up at him and asks, \"Do you love me?\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Of course I love you,\" he says. \"It's 3 a.m. and I'm sitting here discussing with you the truth of the healing that I hold in my hand.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Remember when Jesus appeared to His disciples on the shore and asked Peter a similar question? Jesus turned to him and asked, \"...Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?\"<\/span> (John 21:15). We do not know exactly what He was referring to when He said \"these,\" but it must have been something within reach, something He was pointing to. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Perhaps it was the boats, the oars, the nets, the friends. Peter must have loved the smell of the sea, handling the oars, the thrill of casting his nets into the water and bringing in fish, the camaraderie that he shared with his friends. Suddenly Jesus is asking him, \"Do you love Me more than these? Do you love Me more than the things that you have become familiar with? Do you love Me more than what you have grown accustomed to tasting, touching, feeling and handling?\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Peter could have replied, \"Well, I am here, aren't I?\" The Scriptures tell us that when Peter saw Jesus standing on the shore and one of the disciples recognized it was the Master, Peter leaped from the boat into the water. There was a love in his heart. He could have said to Jesus, \"Didn't you notice that I got here first? I had my seat reserved at the fire before the rest of the people even arrived. Why would You ask me if I love You? You know that I do!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Today I could ask you this same question in Christ's stead. Do you love Jesus? Do you really love Him? Some would answer, \"Well, of course, I love Jesus. I would not be reading this if I didn't love Jesus. I would not be studying the Scriptures and examining truth if I didn't love Jesus. I would not be going on missions trips if I didn't love Jesus. It is quite obvious that I love Him.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Let us look again at the husband who carries on with his duty to properly present the medicine that he holds in his hand. Once again, in a voice barely above a whisper, his wife asks him, \"Do you love me?\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

In reality, this husband has become much like that church in Ephesus-concerned about having the right product, concerned about getting up because of duty and doing the right thing, concerned about the appearances of love. Yet Jesus said to this church, \"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent\"<\/span> (Revelation 2:4-5). <\/p>\r\n

When I first came to Christ, I could hardly wait for opportunities to read the Word of God. Winning the lost seemed as easy as breathing. There was no program involved-I simply loved Jesus with all my heart. People would ask me, \"What happened to you? Why do you always seem to be so calm? What is the difference that I see in your life?\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

I did not open my mouth and explain, \"Well, I have been testing and proving those who claim to be apostles, and I found them to be liars.\" Neither did I tell them that it was because I had gone on a missions trip or had been working in the house of God. The answer was simply, \"I love Jesus. He has come into my heart and transformed my life. He has broken the power of the things that once bound me, and He has given me hope for a future. He is teaching me how to be a good husband and father.\" I had a simple answer because in my heart, I loved Him. People are attracted to that relationship of first love. <\/p>\r\n \r\n <\/p> A THIRD TIME<\/span>\r\n \r\n
\r\n \r\n Having just answered Jesus' question, Peter was probably settling down by the fire when Jesus once again asked him the same question, \"Do you love Me?\" Peter replied, \"Yes, Lord, You know I love You.\" Perhaps Peter should not have been so quick to answer, for he was asked the same question one more time. <\/span>\r\n

\"He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee...\"<\/span> (John 21:17). By this point, Peter was exasperated and essentially said, \"Lord, You know all things. You have already asked me this twice, and this is the third time. You know that I love You. Why would You keep asking me that question?\" Jesus answers him succinctly: <\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me\"<\/span> (John 21:18-19).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Jesus was saying, \"Peter, just embrace Me once again. Do you remember those early days around the table when I told you I was going to Jerusalem and that I was going to be betrayed and crucified? Remember that day when you said, 'I will go with You and I will die with You. Where You are, there I will be?' You did not say that out of duty, you said it because you loved Me. Now I am asking you to stretch out your hands and embrace Me one more time. Embrace Me in the way you
\r\n did in those first moments.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

This is the same thing that the wife was saying to her husband as he dutifully read the contents of the cough syrup: \"I just want you to embrace me. I want to know that I am the love of your life and not a labor in your life. I want to know that I am still as important to you today as I was that day we spoke those vows to one another. I don't want you to read to me, I want you to hold me!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

There are men reading this whose marriage is not going well. Could it be because you have lost your first love? I believe if you will reach out and embrace your wife again, you will find that she still wants to be given to you, that she still desires to walk with you. God has put it in her heart to be loved by you. You will find that a lot of healing will come into your home if you will just simply reach out, stop talking and start holding.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord went on to say in Revelation, \"...To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God\"<\/span> (Revelation 2:7). I believe Jesus was saying this to the church in Ephesus as well as to His Church today: \"Will you simply love Me as you once did-when no cost was too great and no journey was too far? Will you reach out and allow Me to lead you? Will you embrace My will for your life and walk with Me wherever I go? If you are willing, I will unlock to you the full victory of Calvary and it will be strength and life to you.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n <\/p> THAT WHICH MAKES US ATTRACTIVE<\/span>\r\n \r\n
\r\n \r\n \"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent\"<\/span> (Revelation 2:5). <\/span>\r\n

So what is the candlestick? Simply put, the candlestick is the light of first love-that bright, burning flame. It is what makes Christ in us attractive to people who are outside of the kingdom of God. It is what makes our children want to follow God. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Have you ever noticed a young couple in a restaurant eating together, so in love that they are not even aware of the food on their plates? They are staring into each other's eyes while the food is getting cold. Then you look at the same couple twenty-five years later-he is reading the newspaper and she is looking out of the window. The only words they have to say to each other are, \"Nice potatoes.\" \"Yeah, and these peas aren't bad.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

There is nothing attractive about that relationship, nothing that would cause young people to look at them and say, \"Wow! I would love to be married someday and have a relationship like that!\" Likewise, when our relationship with Jesus degenerates into simply testing and proving, laboring and concentrating on not fainting, keeping right and avoiding the fraudulent, nothing attractive remains. There is nothing about our relationship with Christ that anybody in the world is going to desire, let alone ask about.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Yet that is the danger we can fall into. It is so easy to become an Ephesus church, focusing on doing everything right. Right doctrine, right works, right programs-all at the expense of losing what was so precious in the beginning. God help the bride of Christ who suddenly needs a pamphlet to talk about her Bridegroom. \"Can I tell you about Jesus? Wait, I have it here somewhere. There is a pamphlet here that describes Him. Yes, let me tell you about my Bridegroom.\" No! Our hearts should be captivated! Just as it says in the Song of Solomon, \"Have you seen him? He is the fairest among ten thousand! He is altogether lovely!\" (see Song of Solomon 5:10-16). That<\/span> is first love.
\r\n <\/p>\r\n \r\n <\/p> RETURN TO YOUR FIRST LOVE<\/span>\r\n \r\n
\r\n I don't know about you, but I want to finish this race the way I started. I want my marriage to finish even better than it began. I want my love for Jesus to increase. I don't want to preach in different places and have people conclude, \"Wow, he sure is theologically accurate. He sure can rip apart the false prophets. He sure can labor without fainting.\" I would much rather people notice, \"He sure does love Jesus! Everything in his being, everything in his voice, everything in his eyes simply exudes a relationship that I would like to have!\" <\/span>\r\n

Perhaps you started out so in love with Jesus, yet somewhere down the road that love has degenerated. In your heart you know that your relationship with Him is not what it used to be. It has become all about works, doctrine, and learning to endure. If this is the case, Jesus would say to you today, \"If you can overcome this declension and get back to your first love, all that I have will be yours again. I will fill your heart with compassion. There will be light in your eyes, and people will ask you the reason for your hope.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

How do we come back to our first love? I believe it starts with asking the Lord to ignite our hearts once again, and then simply reaching out and embracing Him. Jesus told Peter, \"Stretch out your hands.\" He was talking about embracing the Lord-embracing the heart and will of God; walking together with Him in intimacy again. <\/p>\r\n

Don't let your candlestick be taken away in this critical hour. Come back to your first love, whether you have walked with God for fifty years or for ten. Simply come back to that place where you love Him with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind and all of your strength. We must have the flame of first love burning brightly in this dark hour. This<\/span> is what our testimony should be; this<\/span> is what will bring Him glory in our generation! <\/p>"},"126":{"sm_title":"2012 - A Year To Consider Jesus","sm_id":"151","sm_desc":"January 1, 2012 \u2013 As you begin the new year, will you stop and consider how deep and how far you are willing to go with Jesus? Consider Jesus and go outside the boundaries of a scornful world, lay aside every weight and don't allow your struggles to dominate your focus. We are to stand and fight for a people who are fighting against their own salvation. It's all about people and all about those who need a Savior. Consider Jesus and go all the way with Him.","sm_jpg":"22549_jb_20120101.jpg","sm_date":"2012-02","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2012\/01\/01s1\/20120101s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2012\/mp3g\/20120101S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"K9MiXYkEkag","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22607_2012_02-carter-conlon-year-to-consider-jesus.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

As we have stepped into this New Year, I believe we also have entered a season when the Lord is asking His people to stop and consider something. Most likely it will be a short season, but a critical one-a season to seriously consider the extent to which we are willing to embrace and follow the full pathway that God has put before us. <\/p>\r\n

Unfortunately, we are living in a time when much of the church of Jesus Christ has become hemmed in by the boundaries that society has set around it. We have allowed a handful of people to dictate when we can and cannot pray in public; what we can and cannot do in the name of Christ. Such limitations have been put in place despite the fact that those who believe in Jesus statistically comprise over 70 percent of the American population. We have retreated to a place where we can be assured that we will be tolerated-knowing that the world will have no problem as long as there is nothing in the church that stands as a definitive contrast to a society that continues to cast off moral restraint at an unprecedented level.<\/p>\r\n

In God's Word we read of a church called Ephesus-a church known for its works, endurance and doctrinal purity. Yet Jesus said to them, \"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love\"<\/span> (Revelation 2:4). The church had lost the very thing that made her attractive-a wholehearted love for Christ and the embracing of His work on the earth. Those outside the church must have looked in and seen a relationship of merely mutual tolerance, much like a marriage that had lost its spark of love and passion. <\/p>\r\n

Do you remember the first time you fell in love? The first days of your marriage? You were filled with passion, unashamed to be seen in public with your spouse. You walked down the street arm in arm, proud to acknowledge that this was the person you had given your life to. <\/p>\r\n

Sadly, we look at much of what is purported to be the testimony of Christ today and cannot help but wonder where the passion is. It is like the married couple who stays together for convenience or for the sake of the children, all the while completely unaware of how unattractive their relationship has become. No wonder so many people have concluded, \"If this is what a relationship with God looks like, no thank you! If this is the passion it produces, if this is the character that evolves from it, I would rather find something else.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

A MERCY CALL<\/span>\r\n \r\n
\r\n Although we have in large measure moved away from the simplicity of Christ and have formulated theologies to justify our backslidden condition, I am thankful this is not the end of the story. The Bible tells us that we have a season to consider our ways. The prophet Haggai spoke to the people of God who were called to rebuild the testimony of Christ in their generation: <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little...Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit\"<\/span> (Haggai 1:4-10).<\/p>\r\n

Consider your ways! Haggai was saying to the people, \"You have settled into a form of religiousness. You developed strategies to fill the house of God and mask the encroaching spiritual bankruptcy, but now you suddenly find heaven closed. You boasted of a great harvest that was going to come in, but where is it? You had sporadic gatherings, seemingly with no substance, and the Lord blew it all away.\"<\/p>\r\n

Today's church has made conversion so easy. There is no longer a need for repentance, no requirement to turn from sin, no admonition to give one's life fully to the work and cause of Jesus Christ. Instead, people are told that if they will simply repeat a little two-line prayer, their sins will be forgiven and they will be on their way to heaven. We have opened the gates wider than the Scriptures have opened them. We have brought in a supposed harvest, but now are finding that this harvest has no power to stand against all that society is throwing against it. Many claim to be Christians, but where are the warriors-the men and women of character? Where are those who are willing to stand in the face of the storm?<\/p>\r\n

\"And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands\"<\/span> (Haggai 1:11). The Lord called for a drought, and this is exactly where we find ourselves today. The Lord has called for a drought in America in order to get the attention of His people, as well as that of a lust-laden society. <\/p>\r\n

Remember, the mercy of God sends us into the storm. Yes, it is judgment, but mercy precedes and triumphs over judgment. We need to be brought into a place of realizing our true condition. How tragic it would be to live as if everything is fine only to discover later that we missed the whole purpose, stopped short of the gateway to eternal life, and lived a cultural Christianity with no reality in it.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

AN ALTAR OUTSIDE THE GATE<\/span>\r\n \r\n
\r\n The writer of Hebrews tells us, <\/span>\"We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle\" <\/span>(Hebrews 13:10). We have an altar! Yet there are those whose whole relationship with God is based on ordinances, laws and obligations. They have lost their passion and settled for a mediocre Christianity, just doing their time, reading their Bible for ten minutes every day, and vocally professing to be a Christian. They may not have the courage to love God in public or the heart to do His work, but there is also an altar for that-an altar with no power. There is no lasting ability, no sustaining strength, no revelation-nothing but ideas out of men's natural minds.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

On the other hand, there exists an altar that is much deeper and more satisfying, but it requires a refusal to settle for rituals and profitless labor. That is why Paul said to Timothy, \"Stir up the gift of God that is in you\" (see 2 Timothy 1:6). When you first came to Christ, the hand of God came upon you, and you were called to do something that only you could do. God gave you a responsibility, and He endowed you with gifts to glorify His name. So do not let things spiral down to the point of merely coming to church out of obligation; a passionless relationship with God that bears no fruit in the earth. If you allow that to happen, you can be certain that nobody will desire what you have. People will look at your relationship with God and conclude, \"I am already despairing enough. I do not need religion adding to my misery!\"<\/p>\r\n

\"Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate\"<\/span> (Hebrews 13:12). He suffered outside the gate! For the sake of saving us and enabling us to walk again with a holy God, Jesus traveled outside the gate-outside the limitations, outside the borders of the religion that tried to confine Him. He could have risen to become one of the highest in the whole echelon, but He refused to play their game. Therefore, they dragged Him outside the gate, outside of the city. <\/p>\r\n

\"Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name\"<\/span> (Hebrews 13:13-15). You and I are called to \"go forth out of the camp\" to where Jesus is. In other words, we have a chance as a church to come out from our cultural captivity-to come out to a new place where our mouths are open in constant thanksgiving. We can come out and approach the altar where the fire of God truly is, where His glory abounds, where people are given abilities that could only come from the heart of God. <\/p>\r\n

Going to that altar requires humility, a contrite heart-admitting that perhaps our religion falls short of the glory of God for our lives. Notice that the Scripture speaks of \"bearing His reproach.\" That means it will require a death to self and a willingness to step outside the gate, for that is where this altar is found. At this altar we are willing to endure the scorn of a fallen world; we will not let the snickers in the workplace prevent us from bowing our heads. No! We have an altar, and it is called being given for the glory of God and for the souls of men. There is a place that this church age has been called to-a place where we fight to bring people into true freedom. <\/p>\r\n

Hebrews 12:1 says it this way: \"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses...\"<\/span> The writer is referring to those saints described in the previous chapter-those who faced threats, fire, flood, trial, personal inability-yet none of these things were able to stop them. The same holds true for every genuine believer in Christ today-there is nothing that can stop the plan of God ordained for those who choose to be given for His glory.<\/p>\r\n

\"...Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us\" <\/span>(Hebrews 12:1). No weight can crush us; no sin can keep us! Jesus came to give sight to the blind, to open the prison doors to those who are bound, to heal those whose hearts have been wounded. That means we are free to get up and walk out of every place of captivity, and no opposition or limitation can stop us in this race. The only thing that can stop us is our personal choice to live within the confines that a fallen society has placed around us, cowering when they regard us as narrow, misguided, weak or foolish.<\/p>\r\n

\"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him... \" (Hebrews 12:2). The source of His strength, the vision that was before His eyes, was the joy of seeing you free; the joy of having you back in a living relationship with Him! It was all about you and me. Yet what have we set before us in this generation? Gold, cars, jobs, position and power. No wonder there is no joy in much of what professes to be Christianity. Our focus is wrong-it should be all about people! Jesus did not quit or give in to the scorn or accusations that came against Him, because He saw you and me ruling and reigning with Him forever. We will not tremble or remain silent once we begin to see the men and women around us the way Jesus sees them. <\/p>\r\n

\"[He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God\"<\/span> (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus won a victory! That is the altar that you and I have if we are willing to join Him outside the city; if we are willing to escape the boundaries and be put outside of a people who really are fighting against their own salvation. <\/p>\r\n

\"For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds\"<\/span> (Hebrews 12:3). Consider Him! Consider what He endured, and consider what you are willing to endure. Consider how deep and how far you are going to go in this walk with God. Are you going to settle in and become a powerless voice as Lot did-a man who was so intermixed with the ways of society that even after meeting with angels, he could barely bring his own family out of captivity? Or will you be like Noah, who built an ark, enduring the ridicule of people who passed by every day, and said, \"You foolish old man, it has not rained here for years, and you are building a boat?\" Yet the Bible says that Noah was a preacher of righteousness, and he brought his whole family to safety with him. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

STOP AND CONSIDER<\/span>
\r\n Do you feel the urgency of this hour? Do you realize that we are about to enter a storm of unprecedented proportions? Just as in Noah's day, some people may ridicule this message and put it away. However, I urge you to get oil now, to get strength now, to make a choice now. As Joshua said, <\/span>\"Choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord\"<\/span> (Joshua 24:15). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The prophet Isaiah said that in the last days, in the midst of the darkness, there will be a people who have a song of praise to God (see Isaiah 30:29). Of course, that does not just happen. It all starts when we make a choice to consider Jesus, understanding that the victory He has already won can be ours. We make a choice to go to an altar in a place that those who play games with God cannot go. <\/p>\r\n

I encourage you to let 2012 be a year when you consider Jesus. Consider whether you will follow Him all the way. That means not being half-measure, not falling short, not running a cheater's race, not bowing to the boundaries of society, not settling in to a relationship of begrudging service in the house of God. If you are determined not to settle for anything less than the fullness of what He has for you, you will find that the Lord will give you the strength of character to be salt and light in your city. He will give you compassion for all men, even those who oppose you. You will be taken into the divine life of Christ, and this will be a year when God will astound you! <\/p>"},"127":{"sm_title":"The Glory Of The Latter House","sm_id":"149","sm_desc":"October 23, 2011 - How does our life bring Glory to God? The devil loves to wrap the church up in death, but God gets glory when He brings us out of the grave into His resurrection power. Faith in the finished work of the cross brings us into the promises and power of God. God is with us in spite of our failures. He has all the resources we need to fill our temples with His Glory. Jesus is calling His church to be ambassadors of His Glory.","sm_jpg":"22406_jb_sermon_banner_2011.jpg","sm_date":"2012-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2011\/10\/23s1\/20111023s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2011\/mp3g\/20111023S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22597_2012_01-carter-conlon-glory-of-the-latter-house.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In the days of Solomon, there existed a magnificent temple filled with the presence and glory of God-a place marked by divine order and beauty. However, the people were careless with this glory and were taken into captivity, which was the chastisement of God. It is true that God will chasten His people, but only out of love. Then He will call them to rebuild.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord put it on the heart of Cyrus, the king of Persia, to write a decree allowing the people of God to return to Jerusalem to rebuild this place of former glory. However, in their attempts to rebuild, this group of returning Israelites encountered serious opposition-much like you and I do once we are determined to make our lives count for God. They became discouraged, which caused them to turn inward and rely on their own reasoning, eventually bringing them into what I would call a lesser glory. It was now simply a natural people trying to build a natural kingdom. Ultimately they began to focus on their own houses rather than on the work of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

When you and I lose the supernatural, we lose the heart of God. As soon as we lose the heart of God, which is the redemption of all humanity in the earth, our whole relationship with God begins to be centered around our own sense of well-being and building our own house. But, of course, the Lord does not leave His people there.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" LIMITED VISION<\/span><\/br>\r\n \r\n
\r\n \"In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying, Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?\"<\/span> (Haggai 2:1-3).\r\n
\r\n
\r\n The Lord raised up the prophet Haggai to call the people back to the work of God. In hindsight, we know that they were about to build a temple that Jesus Christ Himself would walk into. The glory of that latter house, although it looked different from the first glory, would be greater than the glory in Solomon's day.\r\n
\r\n
\r\n Similarly, just as there was a glory when Jesus visited this rebuilt temple and a glory on the day of Pentecost-there will also be a glory in these last days in which we are living. There will be a greater glory in the temple of Almighty God, and that temple is you and me!\r\n
\r\n
\r\n Remember when you first read about the disciples in the Upper Room who burst forth into the marketplace, filled with the power and glory of God? You knew in your heart that the calling of every Christian was to be filled with God's glory, be brought into the supernatural, and make a difference in his or her generation. You had an image of \"the temple.\" Even if only for a moment, you saw what it should look like in its glory. Yet, just as Haggai asked, how do you see it now?\r\n
\r\n
\r\n Many people might say, \"My life is nothing like I thought it was going to be in Christ. I had such aspirations; I believed that all things were possible in Christ. I truly wanted to glorify God in the earth. But now when I look in the Bible and then look at my life, it seems as if I fall so far short of what I am supposed to be.\"\r\n
\r\n
\r\n You see, there is a weakness in each of our hearts, just as there was in the hearts of those in Haggai's day. It is this inability to believe beyond what we can see with our natural eyes that in turn opens the door to discouragement in our lives. So how do we get beyond this limited vision? Is it through more Bible study? Attending church more frequently? Our natural tendency is to conclude that if we just read more, studied more, prayed more, and did more, somehow our lives would be an ambassadorship of glory to the Name of God-only to realize later that all we have done is studied more, read more, prayed more and done more. Those are good things, but they may not necessarily bring the glory of God in its full measure. It is only God who can get us beyond this limited vision. So how does He do it?<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" MARY, MARTHA aND LAZARUS<\/span><\/br>\r\n \r\n
\r\n In John 11 we find the story of Mary, Martha and Lazarus-three people who had an intimate friendship with Jesus. He visited them frequently, sat at their table, spoke wondrous things. Martha served Him, Mary worshiped Him, and Lazarus loved Him and knew he was loved of Christ. What an amazing family, even down to devotions in their home with Jesus Himself! It couldn't get any better than that, could it? I am sure they enjoyed Jesus' visits to their house, just as you and I enjoy coming to the house of God today. It delights our hearts to come and worship the Lord, to serve Him, to hear from His Word.\r\n
\r\n
\r\n However, despite all this, Jesus knew there was still a deficiency-there was still something in these three that could not fully bring glory to God. So what did Jesus do? Did He reprimand them? Did He cause Mary to sit at His feet longer, Martha to serve Him more and Lazarus to love Him more? No! Do you know what He did? He let sickness and death come into their house!\r\n
\r\n
\r\n We see the same principle in Haggai-a picture of what the Lord had to do so that His people might truly bring Him glory. <\/span>\"Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house\"<\/span> (Haggai 1:9).\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \"You looked for much and it came to little.\" Think for a moment how similar it is today with all the aspirations that our church generationhas had-all the strategies about how to bring people into the house of God. They came in, but they did not last. The Lord said, \"You brought them in, but I blew them away because they were not truly converted.\"\r\n <\/span>
\r\n
\r\n \"Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit\"<\/span> (Haggai 1:10). Because of this lack of true faith, heaven is brass and there is no fruit. We talk of harvest, but there is very little happening, especially within the borders of this country right now. So how does God deal with it?\r\n
\r\n
\r\n <\/span>\"And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands\"<\/span> (Haggai 1:11). This is what God does: He calls for a famine, for a financial downturn, for unemployment! In other words, He takes away everything that has brought us into a false confidence-not in anger, but out of love for His people.\r\n
\r\n
\r\n The Lord did the same thing with Mary, Martha and Lazarus, allowing sickness and death to enter their house in order to show them their powerlessness. He allowed them to be taken captive by their circumstances, confronting them with their unbelief. Then He came to them one more time to manifest His glory.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" IT IS TIME TO BELIEVE<\/span><\/br>\r\n \r\n
\r\n Today we find ourselves in the same position as Mary, Martha and Lazarus-a place where we are not going to see the glory of God in our own strength. When Jesus came to where Lazarus was lying four days dead in the tomb, Martha quoted many Scriptures to Him, but she really did not believe any of it. It had never taken root in her heart.\r\n
\r\n
\r\n In the same way, you and I know the Scriptures. However, there comes a point where we simply must believe it. For example, do we truly believe it when the Lord says, <\/span>\"Yet now be strong...all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts: According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not\"<\/span> (Haggai 2:4-5). Do we believe that in spite of our failure, in spite of our careless handling of precious truth, in spite of our captivity, He is still with us-that He has not abandoned His church in this hour?<\/span>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \"For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts\"<\/span> (Haggai 2:6-7). In other words, the time has come to judge all nations. \"But not you-I will fill you with My glory,\" says the Lord. The word glory in the Hebrew text means weight, honor, esteem, glory, majesty, abundance and wealth. The Lord will fill us with what we could never have on our own. It does not come from human effort but rather from simply believing God. That is why the Scripture says, <\/span>\"The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts\" <\/span>(Haggai 2:8). God possesses
and will endow us with all that we need to rebuild this last temple for His glory.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" <\/span>WRAPPED IN DEATH<\/span><\/br>\r\n \r\n <\/span>
\r\n So the question that remains is, \"How exactly do I do this?\" Perhaps, just like those who were called to rebuild in Haggai's day, you have already concluded in your heart, \"I tried, but it didn't work. I just did not have the strength to stand against all the opposition. How do I go on?\"\r\n
\r\n
\r\n The answer is actually quite simple. In Ezekiel 37, what do you think the dry bones did? These were the children of Israel whose testimony was, \"Our hope is lost; our strength is gone.\" Throughout the generations, this is exactly where the people of God often have found themselves. The Lord instructed Ezekiel, <\/span>\"...say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 37:4). That was all they could do. The bones were scattered, without the strength to bring themselves together, yet somehow God in His mercy gave them the ears to hear.\r\n
\r\n
\r\n <\/span>\"...I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves...and bring you into the land of Israel\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 37:12). In the same way, the Lord promises to bring us out of our graves-out of every place of despair, hopelessness, powerlessness and captivity. He essentially says, \"I am doing it because I am God and you are My people-not for your sakes but for My Name's sake. It will never be said in eternity that I brought you out and could not bring you in, or that I abandoned you because of your weakness and your failure\" (see Ezekiel 36:32).\r\n
\r\n
\r\n The devil loves to try to wrap up the church in death, captivity, and adverse circumstances. How he must have snickered on the hilltop as he saw Martha running around quoting Scriptures she no longer believed; Mary weeping because she felt God had failed her family; Lazarus dead behind a stone. It certainly looked like a hopeless situation, and the devil must have gleefully concluded, \"Ah, just look at the church of Jesus Christ!\"\r\n
\r\n
\r\n Oh, yes, he had it all wrapped up-except for one thing! The God who spoke the universe into existence by the word of His mouth is still alive! He is the God who declared, \"I will have a church! I will have a people in the earth who will glorify My Name.\" Suddenly that voice stood on a mountaintop and called, \"Lazarus, come forth!\"\r\n
\r\n
\r\n Ironically, there was really only one man who could hear His voice-the dead man! The man who knew he couldn't do it-the man who tried to live but died. The only thing left was the voice of God. The One who had all power over sin and death was calling him, and it was crunch time. He had to decide: \"Do I get up, or do I stay? Do I believe my circumstance, or do I believe the voice of God?\"\r\n
\r\n
\r\n Lazarus got up! He walked out of that grave in the little strength he had, and Jesus gave the command to loose him or, in other words, to set him free and let him go. Where did he go? He went right back to the table with Jesus! However, now everything was different, for he was living in resurrected life. Many people came not just to see Jesus-they came to see the man who was raised from the dead (see John 12:9). Likewise, many people in our generation will come not only to see Jesus, but they will come because of you! They will come because you have been raised from the dead-brought out of captivity and given new life.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" A GREATER GLORY<\/span><\/br>\r\n \r\n
\r\n \"...I will shake the heavens and the earth; and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee...and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts\"<\/span> (Haggai 2:21-23).\r\n
\r\n
\r\n A signet is a sign of the authority of God. He was saying, \"I will make you a sign to this generation, for I have chosen you-even in your captivity and despair.\" It was not our choice but His! He is calling us to be ambassadors of the kingdom of God in this last generation. God is calling His whole church-every place, every denomination, whether they are alive or they appear to be in the grave. Nothing is over until God says it's over!\r\n
\r\n
\r\n The only choice we have is whether or not we will hear His voice and respond to it. Either we believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life-that He can bring us into freedom and do the miraculous through our lives-or we stay in the grave.\r\n
\r\n
\r\n Remember, the Lord has promised: <\/span>\"The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former...\" <\/span>(Haggai 2:9). A greater glory! God longs to do more in your life than you have ever envisioned. A whole generation is dying in its sin, but now the voice of God has come once again, calling you to rebuild. He is calling you into a freedom and ability that can come only from Him. I implore you today in Christ's name to step out of all bondage and captivity-whatever it is in your life that has convinced you that God will never use you. Leave that place behind! As you respond to His voice, the Lord will strengthen you, give you His Word, fill you with His Spirit, and cause you to be a demonstration of His resurrection life in this generation! <\/span><\/p>"},"128":{"sm_title":"Finish The Race With Prayer","sm_id":"146","sm_desc":"April 3, 2011 \u2013 Prayer should be the very essence of our life. The Bible says that if we pray according to the Word of God we can have whatever we ask for. If we really believe that then why is it so hard for so many to pray? Many cannot pray because they always feel condemned. The Cross is the full expression of God's love for us. Because of Jesus Christ we are covered by His blood and invited to come boldly into His presence in our time of need. Don't let your own heart or the devil weigh you down and keep you out of the prayer closet. Whatever mountain is in your way you can pray it away. The prayer closet should be a profound place of fellowship. When our desires are lined up with the heart of God and we begin to pray the miraculous happens. ","sm_jpg":"21754_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2011-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2011\/04\/03s1\/20110403s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2011\/mp3g\/20110403S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22500_2011_12-carter-conlon-finish-the-race-with-prayer.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them\"<\/span> (Mark 11:22-24).<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Considering these words of Jesus, one cannot help but wonder why it is so hard for many of God's people to pray. After all, if we truly believed these three verses of Scripture, wouldn't we be running into the prayer closet every day? Wouldn't prayer be the very essence of our life? Imagine having a friend with a billion dollars tell you, \"Whenever you have a need, call me and it will be yours.\" Don't you think you would dial that number once in a while? Yet we have the very God of the universe saying, \"I will move anything out of your way that hinders you. I will give you all you desire if you pray and believe.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

I don't know about you, but I want to finish the race with prayer. I have seen the fruit of prayer in great measure over the years, but I never want to get to the point of concluding that I have received enough. If God has more of His life for me, more ways that He can glorify Himself through me, I would be a fool to stop praying and start relying on something other than the words that come from the very heart of God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

So why is it so hard to pray? Obviously the devil is against prayer. All through the Scriptures we see what happened as a result of prayer-babies were conceived in barren wombs, the old were made strong, the miraculous abounded-so, of course, Satan is going to oppose us whenever we decide to pray. However, is it possible that there is something in our own hearts that hinders us as well? <\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" OUR OWN HEARTS CONDEMN US<\/span>
\r\n I believe that many people cannot pray because they constantly feel condemned. Imagine how difficult it would be to visit a friend who always magnified your faults and criticized your most sincere efforts. Although you come in happy, suddenly your spirits are dampened as this friend starts pointing out everything that you are not doing right.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Have you ever encountered something similar in the prayer closet? When I was a young Christian, I had a difficult time with this. If I prayed fifty-eight minutes, I would walk away and a small voice would say, \"What? Could you not pray with Me one hour?\" If I prayed an hour and five minutes, the voice would say, \"Is that all of the twenty-four hours of your day that you can spare for the Lord?\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Of course, this constant condemnation was from my own heart, although it is easy for us to mistakenly attribute such thoughts to God. Because of this, we enter the prayer closet in a manner much like Peter in Acts 10. The Scripture says that Peter went up on a rooftop, and as he began to pray, a sheet was let down by its four corners and contained all kinds of unclean beasts, birds and insects. This is exactly what our prayer life can be like-as we go into that secret place and get on our knees to pray, immediately a sheet comes down containing all our failings, faults, struggles and shortcomings.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Does this sound familiar? All the things you did wrong, all the places where you fell short as a Christian, all these little things come to your mind-as if that is all God remembers. However, notice that the Lord instructed Peter, \"Rise, Peter; kill, and eat\"<\/span> (Acts 10:13). In other words, \"Be nourished, Peter. Strengthen yourself during this time of revelation that I am giving to you.\" Peter insisted, \"No, I can't do that because there is such uncleanness here.\" In a similar way, many people today cannot grow in grace or lay hold of the promises of God because of a constant awareness of their uncleanness.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord replied to Peter, \"What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common\"<\/span> (Acts 10:15). When we go into the prayer closet, we must understand that we have been cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ, and we are not to call ourselves unclean anymore. The Bible says that in Christ we are the righteousness of God. In other words, we are as clean as God is-which would actually seem almost blasphemous if it were not written in the Scriptures.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

I thank God for the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ. I thank God that I do not have to be strong to go into the prayer closet. As a matter of fact, the book of Hebrews tells me that it is in my time of need that I should go to the throne of God. It is when I need strength, direction, empowerment and help that I should go boldly to the throne of grace (see Hebrews 4:16). As His children, we have an open invitation to come into the presence of our heavenly Father.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Remember that the apostle Paul said, \"Be careful for nothing...\"<\/span> In other words, do not be weighed down; do not let the enemy or your own heart condemn you. \"...but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God\"<\/span> (Philippians 4:6). How can we come into the prayer closet with thanksgiving if we do not believe that we are already received of God? We must be convinced that it is God's delight to manifest the life of His Son in us-to give us the things that we need to represent Him on the earth. That is the key to praying with thanksgiving.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" ASKING AMISS<\/span>
\r\n Another reason we may have difficulty praying is because our desires are not in line with God's desires for us. <\/span>\"...Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts\"<\/span> (James 4:2-3). You and I are left on the earth to make known the love of God-the love that sent His Son to a cross-and to glorify the Son. Christ bought the redemption, but we are to bring the reality of that redemption-the reality of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Yet when we forget this purpose, we ask amiss, and then we wonder why our prayers are not answered.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Think for a moment of what can result when we pray in line with God's desires. When the 120 came out of the Upper Room in the Book of Acts, God had supplied them with the strength that they had prayed for-a supernatural strength that replaced mountains of fear and unbelief. There they were, 120 predominantly uneducated people, simply bursting into the marketplace among those who still had the blood of anger on their lips toward followers of Jesus Christ. Yet these disciples were filled with boldness and the presence of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Greek word megaleios<\/span> means they were speaking of the anticipated outworking of the inward life of God. They were speaking about what God was going to do, what He had given them, the faith that was alive in their hearts. The religious looked at this and essentially said, \"Wow! There is nothing of our religion that has ever given us anything like this! What must we do to be saved?\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Or consider the story in Genesis 24 where Abraham told his servant to go back to his country and find a bride for his son Isaac. This servant journeyed out to the land of Abraham's family and prayed, \"Lord, if You have prospered my journey, and if You are going to be favorable to my master, lead me to the bride for his son\" (see Genesis 24:12-14).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Scripture says that before he was done speaking, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder (Genesis 24:15) before he was done speaking! This servant had traveled a long distance, was in a very large place among a crowd of strangers, and did not even know where Abraham's family was. However, he prayed, and the miraculous began to unlock. I thank God that Abraham's servant was not a strategist. I thank God there were no phone books or cell phones available. In that generation he did what every man should do-he prayed! And when he prayed, God sovereignly began to answer that prayer. Rebekah was grafted into the lineage of Jesus Christ, and from this came Jacob, the patriarchs of Israel, and ultimately the Son of God Himself. What incredible results we see when we do not ask amiss!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" FEAR OF WHAT GOD MAY ASK
\r\n <\/span>Many times we cannot pray because we are unwilling to follow the pathway that may open up before us. We are afraid that God is going to ask something of us that we are not willing to give up. In Acts 8, we read the account of a man named Philip who had a marvelous ministry in Samaria. Multitudes were being saved and healed and even the original apostles had taken notice of his ministry. Yet, while in prayer, Philip was asked to leave what most would view as security and success-all to go to a barren place, into a situation he did not understand.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

You and I tend to have a view of what our lives should be and what success is. Therefore we are not willing to go into the prayer closet lest God ask us to do something that is not on our agenda. That is why some churches today are filled with people who are simply using Jesus Christ to further their own agenda rather than the will of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Philip chose to obey God and left Samaria for a desert place. It was in that desert that he experienced a miracle-a man of authority from Ethiopia being brought to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. After baptizing this Ethiopian eunuch, the Scripture says that Philip was translated by the Spirit of God. The Lord just took him and placed him in another city about thirty miles away! Obedience to leave what we view as success can actually be what opens to us the supernatural.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Of course, that does not mean that once we have a willingness to obey, we suddenly understand the full picture. God simply calls us to take that first step of obedience by faith. Philip's obedience brought the gospel-the first record we have of the gospel of Jesus Christ-into the northern parts of Africa. As we walk in obedience to the will of God and our desires are in line with His, we have the right to come into the prayer closet and say, \"Lord, I need this\" and suddenly we see the miraculous begin to unfold.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Later in the book of Acts we find the story of a disciple named Ananias. As Ananias was praying one day, God said to him, \"There is a man called Saul of Tarsus staying down at his house on Straight Street. I want you to go down and lay hands on him. I am going to heal him and fill him with the Holy Ghost\" (see Acts 9:11-12). Ananias essentially replied, \"Lord, is this the same Saul that has done great harm to Your people in Jerusalem? I have heard that he has authority from the priests to put in prison all who call upon Your name. Now You are asking me to go lay hands on this man?\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Nevertheless, Ananias obeyed the word he received in prayer. As he prayed for Paul, scales fell from Paul's eyes and he soon began to go out and preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Christ. Thank God for Ananias' obedience! What if he had not obeyed God-if he had gone into the prayer closet and pushed out of his mind everything that was detrimental to his own safety and security?<\/p>\r\n \r\n

I cannot get over the thought of the incredible, explosive power that is available if we have the courage to go to prayer and ask, \"Lord, what would You have me to do?\"-and then have a heart that is willing to obey whatever God asks of us.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" SPEAK TO THE MOUNTAIN<\/span>
\r\n Just preceding our opening Scripture (Mark 11:22), Jesus had cursed a fig tree that had an appearance of fruitfulness but was actually barren. He had come to what was a type of religion, a type of a relationship with God. He looked for life on it, but there was none. The fig tree represents everything within us that has no ability to let the power and strength of Jesus be manifested through us to others-everything in us that hinders, everything that does not represent the life of God, all that falls short of His glory. Remember, it was fig leaves that Adam and Eve used to cover themselves in the Garden of Eden. You and I have the power in Christ to curse this-to speak to this area in our own hearts and say, \"No longer will you govern me.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith\" <\/span>(Mark 11:23). Jesus said we have the authority to speak not only to the fig tree but also to the mountain. The mountain is the soil-that which gives life and allows things that do not represent God to survive. We have the power to cast into the sea everything that feeds this powerlessness and allows God look-alikes to flourish in our lives. We can cast them away and expect God to replace them with what we need to glorify Him on the earth.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In other words, whatever the devil has said you cannot do, whatever your own heart says will never change, whatever fear there is within you-that is the mountain. That is where you must stand and say, \"I do not believe the lie-I believe what Jesus has spoken. Today I speak to this mountain, and I command it in the name of Jesus Christ to be cast away from me and planted in the midst of the sea!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

It is time to have faith in God. It is time to pray and expect the Lord to answer. Oh, what an hour to rise up and be the Church again! What an hour to go into the prayer closet with boldness despite all our weaknesses and come out with the strength of God. What an hour to have a clear mind, a clean heart, a fresh vision for the future, new strength that comes from God alone. What an hour to be equipped with the power of God.
\r\n <\/p>\r\n

Thank God that as we come to Him in faith, He will hear our prayers and give us strength. He will open our mouths to speak His Word. He will vanquish our enemies, endow us with giftings that we do not naturally have and enable us to face the days that we are living in now. There is going to be a new song in our hearts, and we are going to finish the race with prayer! <\/p>"},"129":{"sm_title":"The Day That Jesus Left His Friends","sm_id":"147","sm_desc":"July 3, 2011 - Have you ever gone into an intense trial and reached out for support and fellowship only to find that those who were closest to you have fallen asleep when you needed them most? The Bible says cursed is he who leans on the arm of flesh, mankind will always fail us. There are times of maturity when God calls each son and each daughter in His kingdom to go into their own personal Gethsemane and nobody else can understand or help you. There is a place where flesh won't do and only the strength of God can take you through. There is a point when God calls us to something beyond what any friend could give us. When we come out of this trial we won't be looking for strength from others but we will return with strength for them. Nobody but God can take you through, and nobody but God can give you the strength and the power that you need.","sm_jpg":"21975_jb_sermon_banner_2011.jpg","sm_date":"2011-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2011\/07\/03s1\/20110703s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2011\/mp3g\/20110703S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22480_2011_11-carter-conlon-the-day-that-jesus-left-his-friends.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

I am so thankful for friends and fellowship in the body of Jesus Christ. It is wonderful to be able\u00a0 to encourage one another, to spur each other on to continue in the faith, to have a word that might\u00a0 help lift another's burden. The\u00a0 Bible clearly exhorts us not to forsake assembling together- in even greater measure as we\u00a0 see the Lord's return drawing\u00a0 nearer (see Hebrews 10:25). Yes, I have enjoyed many marvelous moments of friendship over the years. Nevertheless, I also have found that God often calls me to\u00a0 a place where I must journey alone.
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\r\n<\/span>\"And as they were eating, Jesus\u00a0 took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives\" <\/span>(Matthew 26:26-30).
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\r\nHere we see fellowship around\u00a0 a table, with Jesus openly declaring His intent to obey the calling of His Father, regardless of the personal cost. He was essentially telling them, \"As you see this bread broken, I am going to be broken\u00a0 for you. Not only for you, but for\u00a0 all people who will turn to God through Me. Just as you see this juice being poured out, My blood is going to be spilled upon the ground for the redemption of all humanity.\"
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\r\nI am sure many of us have openly declared our desire to obey God\u00a0 to the fullest. We have gone to an altar and prayed, \"Oh, God, take\u00a0 me the full journey; use my life\u00a0 for Your glory. Make me into\u00a0 what You want me to be!\"
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\r\n Six months after praying a prayer\u00a0 like that, you may have found yourself screaming, \"Lord, what\u00a0 are you doing to me?\" And the\u00a0 Lord answers, \"Well, I am just answering your prayer. You said\u00a0 you wanted to take up your cross\u00a0 and follow Me, so that is what you are doing!\" It is not merely a theological cross that you take up, of course. There must be a practical inward and outward working of it.
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\r\n \"\" UNFULFILLED PROMISES<\/span>
\r\n <\/span>\"Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me thisnight: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after\u00a0 I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended...Likewise also said all the disciples\" <\/span>(Matthew 26:31-35).
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\r\n We have all had friends say,\u00a0 \"I am in this with you; we are\u00a0 going over the finish line together!\" I cannot help but wonder if, in this context, Jesus was tempted to lean on His friends for this final and most pivotal part of His earthly journey. Hebrews 4:15 tells us Jesus fully understands and feels our struggles and weaknesses, for He \"was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.\" The God side of Jesus Christ could not be tempted, but\u00a0 the man side of Him could be.
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\r\n \"Then cometh Jesus with them\u00a0 unto a place called Gethsemane,\u00a0 and saith unto the disciples, Sit\u00a0 ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and\u00a0 the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy\" <\/em>(Matthew 26:36-37). Jesus was approaching that final moment\u00a0 when He would give His life for\u00a0 all the sins of humanity. Into this place of prayer He chose to take Peter, James and John-His closest friends on earth, His inner circle. They had seen His transformation; they had been with Him when\u00a0 He raised the dead-they knew\u00a0 who He was.
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\r\n As Jesus took them into the garden of Gethsemane with Him, He shared with them the agony of His heart.\u00a0<\/span>\"...My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me\"<\/span> (Matthew 26:38). In other words, \"I am going into a time of intense agony, and I am asking you to be with Me. I am asking for your support, your prayer, your help. You promised Me that you would not deny Me. You promised Me that you would stand with Me, even unto death. You promised Me that no matter how difficult it got, you would not walk away from Me. Now I am asking you to stay here with Me.\"
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\r\n Jesus went a little farther beyond them into the garden and began to pray, His sweat dripping as blood because of the agony that lay\u00a0 ahead. I find it very interesting because He then got up and went back to His inner circle. Although Jesus was seeking strength from\u00a0 His Father-the only source of\u00a0 true strength-He also went back\u00a0 to His disciples. When He found them asleep, He said to Peter,\u00a0<\/span>\"...What, could ye not watch with me one hour?\"<\/span> (Matthew 26:40). Do you think Jesus could have been tempted to be disillusioned, perhaps even bitter, with His friends? He could have been tempted to question Peter, James and John, \"After pouring My heart and life into you for over three years, could you not have given Me one hour when I needed you most?\"
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\r\n During our journey, there will be places where God calls us to go individually. However, it is during those times that we will often be faced with the temptation to lean on our friends. While we theologically know that our only source of strength is God, we all have the human tendency to come back and lean on people. You and I run into a crisis and go into the prayer closet-yet we are not even halfway through our prayers when suddenly we are on the telephone calling somebody seeking counsel. We are looking for strength from God, but we also are looking to people for what only God can give. And there is a temptation in the\u00a0 heart to get bitter when we are looking in a dual place.
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\r\n Remember that the Bible says, <\/span>\"...Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm...\" <\/span>(Jeremiah 17:5). Flesh will always fail. As wonderful as fellowship is,\u00a0 as wonderful as the promises that\u00a0 we have made to each other are,\u00a0 we simply are not capable of keeping those promises, for we are all built of the same frail cloth. The disciples were not at a place in their spiritual journey where they could share\u00a0 in or understand what Jesus was asking them to do.
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\r\n <\/span>\"He went away again the second\u00a0 time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass\u00a0 away from me, except I drink it,\u00a0 thy will be done. And he came\u00a0 and found them asleep again:\u00a0 for their eyes were heavy\"<\/span> (Matthew 26:42-43). I see this as a last backward glance for the help\u00a0 of man. After all, why did Jesus\u00a0 come back a second time instead of just staying there to pray? It is as if\u00a0 He simply was looking for help, for companionship, for strength-only\u00a0 to find His disciples asleep.
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\r\n It is only my opinion, but I believe that the Father in His mercy put them to sleep, for it was the strength of God alone that could take Jesus\u00a0 on this last and final step of His journey. There are times in our\u00a0 lives when God calls each child\u00a0 of His into his or her own Gethsemane, and nobody else\u00a0 can understand it; nobody else\u00a0 can help them there. People may offer words of encouragement and promise, but ultimately they will\u00a0 end up asleep because it is not\u00a0 their moment.
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\r\n NECESSARY WOUNDS<\/span>
\r\n A specific tree in Israel normally yields large amounts of fruit, yet sometimes it starts bearing less than it should. In our natural compassion we would start reading manuals about how to encourage this tree, how to go around the root system, how to give it certain types of fertilizer to help it grow and bear more fruit. Yet the true keeper of the vineyard comes with a huge machete in his hand and literally hacks the tree full swing on the side, causing the sap within to bleed out. At that point the tree has only two choices-it either goes down deep to find water or it dies. Most of the trees go down deep and eventually the wound heals because it finds itself in a root system drawing water from depths that ordinary trees cannot reach.
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\r\n Similarly, if you desire to walk as Jesus did, you will not escape the classroom of being wounded. People you trusted will fall short. Proverbs 27:6 says, <\/span>\"Faithful are the wounds of a friend...\" <\/span>Faithful. Did you know that God will even assign people to wound you-to fail you, to fall short of what you think friendship should be-in order to get your roots to go down deeper? Are you convinced that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose? (See Romans 8:28.) We tend to spend so much time rehearsing wounds of the past that we fail to understand that God is the author of these things in order that we might bear much fruit in His kingdom.
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words\"<\/span> (Matthew 26:44). Jesus left them! There simply comes a point when you have to leave your friends. You must leave this reliance on flesh and move into that place where the Holy Spirit is calling you-a place deeper and farther than natural man can go. It might even\u00a0 be a small journey from where you are today-just a small step. It\u00a0 does not mean that you leave your friends behind. It means that you come back and are more committed to them than ever.
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\r\n RETURNING IN POWER<\/span>
\r\n The last part of the journey is\u00a0 where you and I are called to be\u00a0 fully given for all people in spite\u00a0 of their response to us. Nobody but\u00a0 God can give us the strength to go\u00a0 to that place-to the place where\u00a0 we come back. The Scripture says that Jesus left the disciples, and when He later returned, He said\u00a0 to them, <\/span>\"...Sleep on now...\"<\/span> (Matthew 26:45). Jesus was not looking for strength from them, but instead He returned with the strength of God in Himself for them.
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\r\n Note that when Jesus came back\u00a0 this third time, He was not bitter\u00a0 or indifferent. In fact, the fellowship was about to become sweeter. Genuinely sweet fellowship in\u00a0 the church of Jesus Christ is when I am not looking for anything from you, nor are you looking for anything from me. Instead, we are both given for each other. That is the sweetest fellowship there is.
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\r\n Jesus Himself said, \"No one that the Father has given me is going to perish except the son of perdition\" (see John 17:12). Chosen to wound Him; chosen to betray Him-that was all part of the plan of God. Yet how many people fail at this point? How many get saved, walk with God, attend Bible studies, embrace the Scriptures, sing the hymns of Zion, but fail right at the finish line because they cannot accept that this kingdom is all about being given for other people? It is all about a God who is good to the unthankful and\u00a0 the unholy; who sends rain on the just and on the unjust. We are\u00a0 called to represent Him in the\u00a0 earth, yet how can we do so if\u00a0 we do not carry the heart of God within us? How will we ever make a difference unless we have been empowered by God Himself to come back and, whether or not it is ever reciprocated, be given for all people?
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\r\n Remember that Jesus had to\u00a0 endure the betrayal of all His disciples, who fled in fearfulness.\u00a0 Yet God ultimately brought Him\u00a0 to a point where He could come\u00a0 back and enter an upper room full of those who had denied Him and simply say, \"...Peace be unto you\" (John 20:19). Jesus then breathed\u00a0 on His disciples, saying, \"...Receive ye the Holy Ghost\" (John 20:22), and sent them out as the Father\u00a0 had sent Him.
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\r\n And what do they end up doing? They go back to their fishing! Nevertheless, Jesus returned to\u00a0 them and was on the shore baking bread and cooking fish-calling\u00a0 them in, talking about love. He\u00a0 had come to a place where He\u00a0 was fully given for His friends.
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\r\n LETTING GO OF GRIEVANCES<\/span>
\r\n It is time for us to leave behind\u00a0 those moments when we were failed by the people we needed. Perhaps\u00a0 for you it was parents in your youth,\u00a0 a marriage partner who walked out,\u00a0 or church leaders who disappointed you. Whatever the circumstance, you must get beyond the grievances of man-beyond harboring and nurturing in your mind the failures\u00a0 of humanity.
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\r\n Over the years I have seen that many people never get beyond that point. They sit in church, but when you dig down deep, it becomes apparent that they still have an inner grievance against people, particularly those they once considered to be their friends in church. They can still sing the songs, still clap their hands and say, \"Praise the Lord\"-as long as the one who betrayed them stays about five feet away. Their fellowship becomes selective, and they start seeking out people they believe will not hurt them again. Unfortunately, they do not realize how far short of the glory of God they have fallen.
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\r\n When we choose to press in to find the strength that only God can give, we will no longer have our list of grievances. Instead, we will have a heart that says, \"Slap my face if you will, but by the power of God I shall be given for all people. Put me in jail, laugh me out of the workplace, but God has given me the strength\u00a0 to be given for others.\"
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\r\n There is a time when we must leave our friends for just a moment and find strength that can come only from God. God forbid that in this hour you and I should stop just near the end of the journey-that short distance of going from leaning on people to coming back in the power of God.
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\r\n When we return in the power of\u00a0 God, we do not come back aloof\u00a0 or with resentment toward others.\u00a0 We come back ready to be given\u00a0 for all men, even our enemies.\u00a0 We are no longer looking to draw from others, and therefore we return to experience a fellowship that is much deeper and sweeter-the\u00a0 true fellowship of Christ!


"},"130":{"sm_title":"I Once Longed For New Things To Obey","sm_id":"140","sm_desc":"January 16, 2011 - This message is a wakeup call for those who started out with a passionate whole-hearted trust in God and are now beginning to move from walking in the spirit to walking in the flesh. You can cut off the source of the strength of God by coming to church and worshipping God even though you know clearly that you are doing something God told you not to do. Be careful of the mindset that thinks you can do whatever you want in spite of God is telling you to do, and thinking you will not be held accountable for it. When your faith is tested on the altar beware of turning from walking in the spirit to walking in human reasoning. You do not have to finish poorly. God is drawing us back into His Word and calling us to lay down our lives as a living sacrifice. Today is the day to put away all that would hinder your walk with the Lord. Stay in God's presence until you heart burns again for the Word of God.","sm_jpg":"21586_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2011-10","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2011\/01\/16s1\/20110116s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2011\/mp3g\/20110116S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22314_2011-10-carter-conlon_i-once-longed-for-new-things-to-obey.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":" Recently I have been studying the lives of Bible characters who started out well yet finished poorly. I began in full-time ministry when I was 33 years old and I am now 57. It has been an incredible journey and I know that I have been supernaturally helped all along the way. However, I noticed in the Scriptures that many men who walked mightily with God seemed to falter in the latter part of their lives. I do not know about you, but I certainly do not want to finish poorly and look back with regret at the end of this journey.
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\r\n I believe that one way to avoid the pitfalls is to study the Scriptures with an open heart, for as Paul told Timothy, <\/span>\"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The word perfect conveys the meaning of being brought to where God wants us to be-into His perfect will for each of our lives.<\/span>
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UZZIAH<\/span><\/span>\r\n
Uzziah began his reign over Judah at the age of sixteen and ruled for fifty-two years, only to end up a leper. In his early days, he walked in the ways of God, \"...and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 26:5). Uzziah was given a brilliant intellect and the ability to lead the people into a period of peace and advancement for the kingdom of God.
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\r\n \"But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense\" <\/span>(2 Chronicles 26:16). It is almost unthinkable that Uzziah would do such a thing. As king, he must have known that he had no authority to go into the temple and do what God reserved strictly for the priesthood. I personally do not know how to understand this other than to conclude that Uzziah must have lost the fear of God.
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\r\nThere is great danger in assuming that the Lord will no longer hold us accountable for what we do after having walked in the blessing of God for many years, knowing nothing but His kindness and favor. Suddenly the things we ran from in our youth somehow seem right in our eyes. It is part of that fallen human nature that ultimately wants to be its own god and determine what is good and what is evil, even if it is completely contrary to God's Word. Perhaps this applies to you today-you have walked with God for years, experiencing His blessing and favor. Yet now you are worshiping in church while doing something that you clearly know is a violation of the Word of God. However, you mistakenly assume in your heart that you will not be held accountable.
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\r\n When Azariah and the other priests went in after Uzziah to withstand him, \"Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death...\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 26:19-21).
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\r\nImagine, fifty-two years of history wiped out by one foolish act! There should have been a glorious conclusion to Uzziah's life, but instead he ended up in a leper colony, literally put away by the hand of God. The leprosy on his forehead was a type, of the disease that had taken hold of his mind. When you have walked for a long time in the blessing of the Lord, beware! Beware of the casualness; beware of assuming that because God has blessed you for so long, you are now free to do what you once knew was sin and somehow not suffer any consequences.\r\n \r\n

ASA<\/span><\/span>\r\n
Asa was another king of Judah who had a promising beginning. \"And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves\" <\/span>(2 Chronicles 14:2-3). Asa started out with a desire to do things God's way. He wholeheartedly served the Lord and led others into obedience, and the people built and prospered under his leadership. When the Ethiopian army came against the people of Judah with almost two-to-one odds, Asa went straight to prayer. \"Lord, it does not really matter how many of them there are or how weak we are. If You are in this, we are going to win the battle, and we are going to fight it for Your glory\" (see 2 Chronicles 14:11). So the Lord smote the Ethiopians.
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\r\nSimilarly, you have walked in impossible places. You have faced trials and times in your life when you knew you were powerless to get out of what held you captive. Yet you went into the prayer closet and cried, \"Lord, I know I am weak, but it doesn't matter because the power of Your Holy Spirit is on me. For the glory of Your name, take me out of this place and into where You want me to go!\" And God did exactly that, opening the door of impossibility.
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\r\nLater, during the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, the northern kingdom of Israel came and built a fortified city against one of the areas of Judah. Despite witnessing the faithfulness of God over and over, suddenly we see a turn in Asa. He did go into the house of the Lord, but this time he did not go there to pray that God would once again glorify His name in an impossible situation. Rather, Asa went into the house of the Lord to take out the treasures so he could hire a foreign army to help fight against his enemy.
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\r\n Accepting Asa's offer of silver and gold, the Syrian king sent the captains of his armies to come to Judah's aid, causing the northern kingdom to retreat. \"Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 16:6). It all certainly looked successful-they won again and outsmarted the enemy. Asa may have even given some credit to God for this. The people of Judah took down the fortified city that was being built against them and used the stones to build additional places of habitation for the people of God in Judah. What possible problem could God have with this?<\/span>
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CUTTING OFF YOUR OWN STRENGTH<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n \"And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand...Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 16:7, 9). It all had an appearance of success, but the prophet of God said, \"No! It is not success, it is foolishness. You began in the Spirit with a wholehearted trust in God, but you have turned to the flesh, scheming and reasoning how to get through. You have literally cut off the source of your own strength, and now the end result is that you are going to have trouble for the rest of your life.\"
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\r\nAfter so many years of walking with the Lord, Asa should have been open to correction. One would think that he would have fallen on his face before the Lord in repentance. But we read in verse 10, \"Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house.\" In other words, he locked away the voice of correction and now held the key to what could and could not be spoken.
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\r\nThat is exactly what the backslidden Christian will always do with the voice of God. He will come into church and conclude, \"If the pastor speaks this, then I will let him out and listen. If he doesn't, I will lock him up again. I will choose what is truth; I will choose when to bend my knee. No one has the right to tell me that what I am doing is wrong after all these years of walking with God!\"
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\r\n How dangerous it is when we become angry with spiritual authority! Asa probably continued to smile and walk regally and royally, yet he was filled with rage. He could not escape the thought that he was rebuked, which is often the dilemma of those who have long walked with God. <\/span>
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DEAD INSIDE<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n \"And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the physicians\" <\/span>(2 Chronicles 16:12). Uzziah was diseased in his forehead because his mind had turned against the ways of God and here we see Asa diseased in his feet because he was pursuing a direction contrary to God's desire. However, God's incredible mercy is still evident. As the psalmist said, \"I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me\"<\/span> (Psalms 119:75). God faithfully allowed this ailment in order to prompt Asa to turn back to Him.
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\r\nIf something has come into your life that you do not understand, I encourage you to stop for a moment. Consider that all things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose (see Romans 8:28). Could it be that God has allowed this circumstance in your life in order to stop you from making a foolish decision? If only Asa had turned to God and asked, \"Lord, why are my feet diseased?\" I am sure the Lord would have sent a prophet to him if he could not discern the answer for himself. He would have heard, \"You are walking on the wrong path! You are walking in the flesh. You started in the Spirit but now you are walking in your own strength!\"
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\r\n \"And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 16:13-14). Here we see a picture of what happens when you lose dependence on the Holy Spirit. You look good, you smell sweet, but in reality you are very, very dead. The Lord said to one of the churches in the book of Revelation, \"...Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead\"<\/span> (Revelation 3:1). The word dead means \"cut off from the enlivening influence of the Holy Spirit.\" It is that simple. You are now walking in the flesh. You have learned how to sing the songs, clap your hands, shout at the right time, get to church on time-yet you are cut off from the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit. That is exactly how Asa ended up!<\/span>
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RENEWING THE ALTAR<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n I believe at a significant point during Asa's reign he could have avoided the disease in his feet just by staying on the right path. \"And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God...But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them...And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord\" <\/span>(2 Chronicles 15:1-8).
\r\n
\r\nGod has been showing me one of the keys to not finishing poorly as Asa did. He renewed the altar of the Lord! The Bible describes the altar as the place where we lay our lives down as a living sacrifice for the purposes of God. It is where we agree that we should not live according to our thoughts, our way, or our will, but the Lord's.
\r\n
\r\n It is time to renew the altar. It is time to get back to that place where you once shunned all evil and embraced good-that altar! Where your heart burned when you read the Word of God because you knew it was your life and your hope-that altar! Remember when your eyes would fill with tears at the mention of Jesus' name? Remember when you considered that being a servant was the highest calling? Get back! Get back to the place where you once longed for new things to obey-where your heart's cry was, \"Lord, what would you have me do? I want to be at work in Your kingdom. It doesn't matter what it is-it doesn't have to be big-it can be a broom! Just let me glorify You!\"
\r\n
\r\nNotice also that before he renewed the altar of the Lord, Asa took courage and put away all the idols in the land. Today, if you have doubtful practices in your life, put them away. If you have embraced sin, erroneously believing that there will be no judgment for it, flee from it as quickly as you can. Walk in what is right and do not ever lose the fear of God. Do not get to the place where you cannot be corrected-where you fail because of success; where you falter because there has been a history of faithfulness. God is wonderful, loving, just, and kind, but you cannot mock Him. You cannot play games with a holy God-there must be honesty in the heart.
\r\n
\r\nPerhaps you have put away all the known idols in your life, yet you still find yourself with no passion for the things of God. If this is where you are today, your only hope is to come to God and say, \"Oh, Lord, help me to renew the altar. Bring me back to the place where I counted it a privilege to lay down my life. Bring me back to the place where I once longed for new things to obey!\" As you come to the Lord with an honest cry in your heart, He will answer you. He will see to it that you not only start well, but that you finish the race with your hands raised, with a crown of righteousness laid up for you, and your voice giving Him praise! Hallelujah!
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"},"131":{"sm_title":"What Will We Do When Jesus Knocks?","sm_id":"142","sm_desc":"December 12, 2010 - If we are truly Christians we are called to be given to the poor and afflicted. When the Son of God knocks on the door of your heart to put what you know about Him into practice, how will you respond? We are called to take everything God has given to us and use it for the betterment of human suffering. This doesn't make sense to the natural man who will choose self preservation and stay locked behind a closed door fellowship. If you reach out to the widow and the hungry in a time of famine, the treasure of Jesus Christ will be unlocked to you. When we turn our hearts away from helping the poor and needy, we rob ourselves of the presence of God. Jesus stands at the door and knocks and if you will open the door He will give you provision to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and touch the heart of a sin-sick world. Let your heart come into agreement with what God speaks for your life. If you have resisted this call Jesus is willing to knock again.","sm_jpg":"21503_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2011-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/12\/12s1\/20101212s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2010\/mp3g\/20101212S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"JXFqB3P5fWU","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22245_2011-09-carter-conlon-what-will-we-do-when-jesus-knocks.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"\"And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked...As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me\"<\/span> (Revelation 3:14-20).<\/span> <\/span>\r\n

While traces of each of the seven churches that Jesus addressed in Revelation can be found in every generation, the Laodicean condition appears to be the predominant one that we face as a testimony of Jesus Christ in the last days. The Laodicean church represents a self-focus that almost entirely excludes the genuine work of God from its profession of faith and practice. The apostle Paul called it a perversion of grace-a self-made, closed-door fellowship where sin remains unchallenged, selfishness is encouraged, and the call of God for the freedom and betterment of the poor and afflicted is shunned. <\/p>\r\n

Paul described it as a time when, \"...men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof...\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 3:2-5). In other words, there will be a spiritual authority in the last days that will resist the knocking of Jesus and the true call of Christ, closely resembling what Jesus Himself encountered during His life on earth<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" THE FIRST KNOCKING<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \r\n Think back for a moment to the first time Jesus knocked on the door of the very people who were supposed to be His own. Is it not interesting that when He was about to be born into the world, He was knocking vicariously through Joseph and Mary on the door of an inn in Bethlehem? However, the Scriptures tell us that Jesus came to His own, but they received Him not. <\/p>\r\n

During that time, everyone was required to return to his or her hometown in order to be numbered for taxation purposes. An inventory was taken, and people most likely gathered according to wealth, status and influence. Historians say that there was only one major inn in Bethlehem, so certainly those with the right connections reserved the best rooms. I can picture them bringing in a measurable supply of food, firewood and everything they needed, then shutting the door and saying, \"Well, at least we are prepared to ride out the storm that we seem to be in.\" Of course this meant that the poor outside would have to fend for themselves. <\/p>\r\n

I wonder if they were singing a song or perhaps reading a portion of Scripture when a soft knocking suddenly sounded on their door. No doubt there had been many knocks on the door during this time, but they had become quite accustomed to turning people away by this point. Wrong had become right. Unfortunately, if we as the church are not careful, this is exactly what happens. We start turning people away and somehow, with the illogical thinking of the human heart, we take wrong and make it right. <\/p>\r\n

Another knock at the door prompts the question, \"Well, who's at the door this time?\" <\/p>\r\n

\"Oh, it's a poor couple about to have a child, and they are asking if we have any room for them here.\"<\/p>\r\n

Each person there was possibly gazing at their plate of hot food, feeling the comfort of the fireplace, and thinking about the nice, cozy bed waiting for them upstairs. Somebody would have to give up their bed and a portion of food to feed the couple if they opened that door. Not to mention that this woman was about to deliver a baby, which would mean screaming, crying, and loss of sleep for everyone. <\/p>\r\n

How inconceivable that anybody called by the name of God could turn these people away-especially a woman in labor! How callous and coldhearted we can become when the preservation of self becomes our predominant thought. Can you imagine if someone had said, \"Well, tell them we'll pray for them! We will ask God to make a way!\" <\/p>\r\n

Similarly, if you and I are not careful, we will deceive ourselves to the point of concluding that thinking about something is the same as doing it. \"I am thinking about giving to the poor; I am thinking about abandoning my life to the purposes of God; I am thinking about it, so leave me alone!\" It does not mean we are cold to it, but it does not mean we are warmed to it, either. Yet remember in our opening Scripture that Jesus said to the lukewarm, \"I will spew you out of my mouth.\" In other words, \"I am going to stop confessing you before the Father. I am confessing you as My church, but if you stay in this condition rather than becoming what the church is supposed to be in the earth, I will cease to confess you before the Father.\" <\/p>\r\n

I wonder if some of them in that inn in Bethlehem went right back to their Bible study. \"Where were we before we were so rudely interrupted by this young couple? Oh, yes, here we are.\" <\/p>\r\n

\"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily...\"<\/span> (Isaiah 58:6-8). <\/p>\r\n

The tragedy of it all is that these people knew the Scriptures inside out. They could quote verses; they could argue it all theologically. However, when Jesus Himself came knocking at the door, they failed to take to heart what they had learned. <\/p>\r\n

Now some of them might have argued in their own defense, \"Well, it makes no sense to give to others in calamitous times like these. Surely God knows that we need a supply for ourselves! Why would He ask us to take everything He has given us and use it to alleviate human suffering?\" Yet throughout Scripture we see that the ways of God are not the ways of man. God took Elijah midway through a famine, and when he had run out of food and water, the Lord basically instructed him, \"Now go to a starving widow, for I have commanded her to feed you\" (see 1 Kings 17:9). The ways of God do not make sense to the natural man! The natural man is inclined to gather his supply-to hide it and lock himself behind closed doors, leaving God to deal with human need. But God says to us today, just as He said to Elijah, \"If you go to the widow-if you move toward the starving during the time of famine-not only will she be provided for, you will be provided for as well. I will unlock to you the resources of heaven.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" KNOCKING IN JERUSALEM<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord'\" <\/span>(Luke 13:34-35, NKJV). Jesus knocked in Bethlehem, and He knocked again in Revelation. But He also knocked in Jerusalem-the city of God, the very center of what was supposed to represent God in the earth. Jesus came and knocked on the door of their hearts, only to find them calloused to the point of becoming enraged when He healed somebody on the Sabbath day. <\/p>\r\n

Yet in this passage we see the incredible mercy of God. Jesus said, \"You shall not see Me again until...\" He knocked and they resisted, but He was still willing to come back and knock again. \"And I will come to you when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord'\" (see Luke 13:35). The word blessed in the original text conveys the meaning of speaking well of Jesus as He actually is; of letting one's life come into agreement with what He says is right. Jesus was not talking about merely quoting the phrase. Rather, He was referring to the heart that finally agrees, \"Jesus, Your words are right. Your direction for my life is the only one that I want, and I will do whatever You tell me to do. Oh, Lord, knock on the door of my heart again!\" <\/p>\r\n

Imagine if the people in Bethlehem had opened the door for Mary and Joseph that night-what a difference there would have been in that inn! Imagine the glory that would have come down-the angels who appeared on the mountainside would have appeared inside the inn-and the miraculous would have abounded. Everyone would have been awestruck had they only taken the time to let this poor couple inside. Oh, if you and I could only see that when we turn our hearts away from helping the poor and afflicted, we are actually robbing ourselves of the very presence of God!<\/p>\r\n

In the coming days, I believe there will be many people knocking, looking for help as calamitous times hit. Yes, it will be inconvenient to extend help; yes, it is going to cost us. So what will we do when Jesus knocks? <\/p>\r\n

It really all depends on our response to His knocking on our hearts today. We deceive ourselves in thinking that we will suddenly open the door and enter into the fullness of God's work, while we have been building up resistance to God all along. Once we have started locking the door in one area of our life, it becomes very easy to lock the door everywhere. We can even become religious in it-self-justified, growing in knowledge but not growing in grace.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" ONE DAY THE DOOR WILL BE SHUT<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \r\n \"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity\"<\/span> (Luke 13:24-27). <\/p>\r\n

What an incredible statement! Jesus was saying that a day is coming when the door will be shut, but this time we will not be shutting the door-it will be God. Just picture the day when the religious will be banging on the door of \"the ark\" one more time, crying, \"We studied the Bible, we sang your songs, we were in church every Sunday!\" But God will reply, \"None of it ever became part of you. You were hot for the truth but cold to its application.\" In other words, they loved the truth of God only until it brought them to the point of truly following Jesus-of being what He has called His people to be in the world. \r\n\t\tUnfortunately, this means that they will later find themselves locked out of the provision of God-locked out of the ability to see; locked out of the compassion of God simply because they refused to open the door at His knocking. <\/p>\r\n

Consider the parable Jesus told about those who will receive a reward at the end of their days: \"...come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me\"<\/span> (Matthew 25:34-36). Notice that the Lord will not be saying, \"Well done, Carter Conlon, you pastored a church of eight thousand in New York City! Enter thou into the joy of the Lord!\" Of course those things are great, but they do not really matter in the long term. It is not about what I do in ministry; it is about who I am as a Christian individually. I can be preaching from a pulpit yet closing the door of compassion in my heart. If any man sees his brother in need and shuts his bowels of compassion, how can he say the love of God dwells in him?<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\" WHAT IS GOD ASKING OF YOU<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \r\n Could it be that God is knocking on the door of your heart today? Did you feel it in the club you were in last night? Did you feel it as you were looking at pornography on the Internet? Is God asking you to leave a place where you should not be and come home? <\/p>\r\n

Perhaps the Lord is knocking and simply asking you to have an open heart-to be willing to be given for the sake of others. Sometimes just having the willingness is a victory in itself. In any case, no matter what the issue may be for you today, it is time to open the door. <\/p>\r\n

The way you open the door for the Lord is by coming into full agreement with Him. It is when you say, \"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Jesus, what You say is right, and where You lead is where I need to go. Let this be the pattern of my life. Do not let me justify wrong; do not let me call indifference holy; do not let me call selfishness godly. Do not allow me to hide from human need, for I know that You are willing and able to meet those needs through my life.\"<\/p>\r\n

As you heed His knocking and open wide the door of your heart, Jesus says to you, \"Now I am going to come in. You and I are going to sit down and dine together, and I will unfold a banquet before you. I am going to unlock to you a supernatural supply of strength and provision-and many lives will be touched in this generation for My name's sake!\" Hallelujah! <\/p>"},"132":{"sm_title":"Eating The Bread of Opposition","sm_id":"141","sm_desc":"May 15, 2011 \u2013 What exactly did Joshua mean when He said, \"don't be afraid of the opposition they are bread for us?\u201d In this message we learn that opposition nourishes and sustains us. Without opposition the church gets lazy, turns inward and seeks power without purpose which is a formula for spiritual delusion. Opposition causes us to turn to God and that is where we get fed. Opposition will ignite prayer meetings again and the church will be moved to divine compassion. Our enemies are bread for us because as we turn to God we will be nourished and sustained with the power and the provision of the Cross. There will be a church in this generation that will know the power of God because of the opposition it faces.","sm_jpg":"21849_jb_sermon_banner_2011.jpg","sm_date":"2011-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2011\/05\/15s1\/20110515s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2011\/mp3g\/20110515S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/22226_2011-08-carter-conlon-eating-the-bread-of-opposition.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not\"<\/span> (Numbers 14:5-9). \r\n

What an interesting statement-they are bread for us! What exactly did Joshua mean when he described the enemies of the Israelites in this way? \r\n\r\n

First of all, this statement was made in reference to everything that stood in direct opposition to the inheritance God had expressly promised the Israelites. Today you and I must understand that we, too, will not enter into the full life of Christ without opposition-there will always be forces from within and without trying to rob us of the blessings of God. As you know, we all have a fallen nature called the flesh that resists the things of God. It is the part of us that does not want to pray in the morning, does not want to read the Bible, does not want to respond with kindness when somebody says a nasty word to us. Then there are the forces from without opposing us as well, generally manifesting through other people.\r\n \r\n

That is exactly what was happening here. The children of Israel had come right to the border of the place of promise where they were to be a testimony in the earth. They had been delivered from captivity by the miracles of God; they had seen the seas part and their enemies vanquished. For many of us, that is our testimony as well. By the power of God, we have been freed from places we never could have escaped in our own strength, and now we have come to the border.\r\n

I believe that the church of Jesus Christ is on the edge of something incredibly profound. Although nobody knows the exact day or hour, we are clearly in the season of Christ's return, and I do not see it written anywhere in Scripture that His church is going out in defeat. There was a marvelous outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and I believe the glory of the latter temple will be even greater than the former. I see a people who lay hold of the full covenant of God in Jesus Christ-sustained by the Spirit of God, moved by the knowledge of God, speaking by the empowerment of God, loving with the tenderness of God. \r\n \r\n

However, we will first find ourselves in that valley of decision-standing just as the Israelites did on the edge of something incredible, wondering, \"Do I go in or do I stay where I am? Do I take the next step or do I settle for church attendance? Will I be able to face all that is opposing me?\" All the while, in our hearts we know God is beckoning us to something profoundly deeper in our generation.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

A SOURCE OF STRENGTH<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Think for a moment of all that opposes you today and stands in defiance of your inheritance in Christ. Perhaps it is the words that were spoken over your life when you were young. \"You're stupid!\" \"You'll never amount to anything.\" \"I am leaving because you are not worth staying for.\" No matter what was said, or the nature of the opposition that you are currently facing, just keep in mind that it is all simply trying to stop you at the border of this incredible life of Christ. \r\n \r\n \r\n

Joshua said to the people, \"Do not be afraid of them, for they are bread for us.\" In other words, the opposition will sustain us; it will nurture and feed us. Of course, this is contrary to the way the natural man thinks. We consider opposition to be an awful thing, larger than we are. It makes us feel like grasshoppers in its sight; it threatens and intimidates us. So how exactly does it feed us? \r\n \r\n

Remember when Jesus was ministering in Samaria and the disciples went to get food for Him? They returned to Jesus and encouraged Him to eat, but He replied, \"I have meat to eat that ye know not of\"<\/span> (John 4:32). Jesus was essentially saying, \"I have a source of strength that you are not aware of yet. You have not tasted it; you do not know what it is or how it can nurture you.\" The disciples then turned to one another and asked, \"Okay, who brought Him something to eat?\" But Jesus explained, \"My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work\"<\/span> (John 4:34). In other words, \"This is my meat; this is what feeds my life-facing all that stands in direct opposition to the will of God and conquering it in the power of God.\" \r\n

Jesus continued, \"Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest\"<\/span> (John 4:35). I do not know how many times I have heard Christians say that the harvest is coming-a great day is coming when many will come to Christ. But here Jesus was telling His disciples, \"Listen, lift up your eyes, the harvest is already here, ready to be harvested!\" \r\n

\"And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together\"<\/span> (John 4:36). He who goes out to harvest will receive wages, and these wages are the provision and strength of God. They will be given to the one who says, \"Lord, I give you the reins of my life. I am willing to do the work of God no matter what opposition I must face, for this is where my nourishment will be found. I understand that the work of God is not Jesus simply coming to enhance my career. Rather, it is that Jesus indwells me as His physical temple on the earth, and through me continues His work of bringing mankind to redemption.\" This is where the strength of God is found; there is no true strength in anything else. Today we have seminars and conferences on how to gain strength. If only we could understand that the strength of God is found in reaching the lost of this world and bringing them to the finished work of Christ on Calvary.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

A NECESSARY INGREDIENT<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Consider all that Jesus had to endure-the scorn, the beatings, the mock trial, the rejection of those He had walked with and even fed in the desert. Think of the cross; the violence and the fury of the opposition that Satan sent in attempts to destroy the work of God. Little did the enemy know that he was actually supplying the necessary ingredient to secure its success. According to the Scriptures, \"\u2026without shedding of blood is no remission\"<\/span> [of sin] (Hebrews 9:22). Those who oppose the work of God are bread for us! There had to be violence, there had to be a cross, there had to be a death. It says in 1 Corinthians 2:8 that if the rulers of this age had known what they were doing, they never would have crucified the Lord of glory! \r\n

Recall the time when Peter and John approached the gate of the temple called Beautiful and took a lame man by the hand-a man who had spent many years begging while the religious crowd simply passed him by. Nobody had a problem with his powerlessness until Peter and John lifted him up in the name of Jesus, and God miraculously healed him. \r\n

You would think that the temple officials would have rejoiced-\"This is awesome! This man used to be lame, but now he is among us praising God! Let's give God glory!\" Instead, they began to threaten Peter and John, forbidding them to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.\r\n \r\n

Beloved, do not be afraid of opposition. It is a necessary ingredient in our lives; it is bread for us. Peter and John were called before the council of religious leaders and threatened twice. Yet what was the result of this threat? \"And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is\"<\/span> (Acts 4:23-24). \r\n

We see here that opposition had ignited a prayer meeting! Instead of bowing to the threats, the disciples bent their knees to God and began to pray, \"And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus\"<\/span> (Acts 4:29-30). It was the healing of this lame man that brought all this trouble upon them, so they turned around and asked God to give them more boldness, more power, more healings! Opposition is bread-it sends us into the presence of God where all our strength is found. Without opposition the church gets lazy and turns inward, seeking power without purpose-a formula for spiritual delusion. \r\n

I thank God for this time we are living in and for the opposition we will have to face, for I believe it is going to spark prayer meetings again in the house of God. We will be driven to the presence and promises of God, saying, \"Lord, we ask for boldness to stand and speak in the power of the name of Jesus Christ. God Almighty, raise up hundreds and thousands of people in this generation. Touch those who are sick, release those who are in prison, give sight to those who are spiritually blind, heal those who have been bruised in heart. Let the kingdom of God come with power again to our generation!\"\r\n \r\n

\"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness\"<\/span> (Acts 4:31). The constant cry of my heart is, \"Lord, shake the place where we are! Do not let us settle for anything less than our full inheritance in Jesus Christ. Do not let us fall short of the calling of God on our lives.\" That must be your personal prayer as well as our collective prayer as the body of Jesus Christ. \"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common\" (Acts 4:32). Not only were they filled with the Spirit of God and given new courage, but opposition had also moved them to divine compassion. Suddenly there was a turning away from self and a focus on others. Generosity had come into each person's heart, for they were aware that God had been generous to them. \r\n

\"And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all\"<\/span> (Acts 4:33). Look at all that happened because of the opposition-a prayer meeting, new courage, divine compassion, and great power and great grace was upon them. Opposition is bread!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

GOD IS PREPARING A TABLE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n In Psalms 23:5 David said, \"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies\u2026\"<\/span> Where? Right in the middle of the opposition! Everyone around you will be wondering, \"Why can't we break this guy? Why is he still singing? Why do our threats just seem to make him happier?\" But you will be sitting at this table, and the only thing you will be able to say to your enemies is, \"Would you please pass the biscuits and butter?\" Hallelujah! \r\n

\"Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over\" <\/span>(Psalms 23:5). This is where the anointing is found. When you choose not to shrink back from all that God has promised you, He will anoint your head with oil in the presence of everything that attempts to silence your voice and kill your Christ. He will pour something of heaven upon you that cannot be studied nor procured in the flesh; it will come from God and God alone. Your cup will run over, and you will not be able to stop singing or speaking His name! \r\n

God will give you an understanding that does not come to the natural man, and you will be able to walk through the valley of the shadow of death knowing that all of this opposition is working to produce something that will sustain you. Think about the time when Samson went down to Timnath and a young lion roared against him (see Judges 14:6-9). Suddenly the Spirit of God came upon Samson, and he tore the lion in two with his bare hands. Passing by that way later, he found honey in the carcass of the lion, which he took for himself and for his parents, as well. A threat that should have killed an ordinary man turned out to be used for his nourishment!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR ENEMIES<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Perhaps you have been groaning in prayer for weeks, \"Oh, God, deliver me from this ornery boss! Take this person out of my life! Oh, Lord, get me out of this situation!\" But do you know what you are actually praying? You are saying in essence, \"Oh, God, take the bread out of my cupboard; take the drink out of my refrigerator! Take away my strength, take away my anointing, take away my cup!\" You have no idea what you are actually praying. If God were to give you everything you asked for, you would become a couch potato with a Bible on your lap. No! In His great wisdom, God is going to increase these challenging situations and turn you to Himself. \r\n \r\n

Now this may seem like an odd suggestion, but I encourage you to thank God for your enemies. Of course, that is not an easy thing to do, but you must realize that the Lord has allowed them in your life for a reason, knowing how spiritually lazy you would become otherwise. Remember, if the opposition drives you into the presence of God, it is bread for you!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Today you may find yourself surrounded by whole wheat enemies, seven-grain enemies, or perhaps some that are pita-but they are all feeding you. They are all sending you to a place of nourishment and strength in God, a place where you can say, \"Lord, if You are allowing this opposition in my life, then I am going to let it drive me into the prayer closet so that I can partake of this bread. If there are voices saying that I can't, then show them that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. If they are calling me weak, then empower my voice to speak in Your name. Whatever it is that comes against me, counter it with Your presence and Your power!\" Praise God!<\/p>"},"133":{"sm_title":"When Sin and Religion Become Friends","sm_id":"135","sm_desc":"October 17, 2010 - There is no deeper darkness than when sin and religion become friends. When we sit under the true preaching of God's Word and then embrace a lie, sin and religion become friends. It is that inner struggle that we all have to face from time to time when we come to a minimal understanding of the ways of God, and yet in our own heart we think we might know a better way than the one God has planned for us. There is incredible power in the deceptiveness of the human heart. God is calling us to be single focused and to agree with His truth so that our heart will not be veiled with the deceit of religion. When we turn, with all of our heart, to the Lord, the veil is lifted and our lives become a testimony of His goodness and power.","sm_jpg":"21289_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2011-07","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/10\/17s1\/20101017s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2010\/mp3g\/20101017S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21968_2011-07-carter-conlon-when-sin-and-religion-become-friends.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!\"<\/span><\/span>(Matthew 6:22-23).<\/span>
\r\n <\/span> \r\n

What did Jesus mean when He said, \"If the light that is in you be darkness?\" Taken in context, we see that He was speaking about the impossibility of serving two masters at the same time. He continued, <\/span>\"\u2026either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon\"<\/span> (Matthew 6:24).<\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Jesus used the example of money here, but He was illustrating a much deeper principle-a struggle that all of us face from time to time. It occurs when we come to even a minimal understanding of the ways of God, yet in our own hearts think we know a better way. For instance, when we believe we can secure a better future if we simply follow our own reasoning. Or when we believe we can achieve greater happiness if we don't take the pathway God has prescribed, but instead take an easier and more attractive one. In other words, it is the constant struggle between either serving God or serving ourselves as god. <\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is possible to have a clear vision of what is of true value, yet still choose to set our affections on something we know to be potentially harmful. It is possible to sit under the Word of God, to know what He is saying, but inside still wonder, \"How close can I get to the fence before I am outside? How close can I walk to the line before I am rejected? How much do I really need to obey God?\"<\/span>
\r\n

CHOOSING ANOTHER PATHWAY<\/span><\/span>
\r\n <\/strong>In the book of Ezekiel, a prophecy was given to the king of Tyrus; this is believed by many to actually refer to the fall of Satan and his subsequent corrupting of the human race. The Lord said through Ezekiel, \"You have been in Eden, the garden of God, and every precious stone was your covering. You had an anointing, and you were put in an appointed place. You walked in the presence of God-in holy places with an unhindered view of who God really is. You were perfect in your ways until the very ability which I gave you corrupted you\" (see Ezekiel 28:13-15). <\/span>
\r\n <\/p>\r\n

Satan was in the presence of God and had an unrestricted view of the perfect Light. The Scriptures seem to bear witness that there was a specific beauty about Satan. He was granted great gifts and was perhaps one of the finer created beings in heaven at that particular moment. However, these very gifts from God corrupted him, which we see occur in the human race over and over again. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

For example, people with brilliant minds become absolutely corrupted by that intellect, using the thought process to stray farther and farther away from the kingdom of God. <\/p>\r\n

Just as Satan had an unrestricted view of the Lord, we as children of God have the Holy Spirit within us, enabling us to understand the Scriptures and discern between right and wrong. So in another measure, we too have an unrestricted view of God. That means if we want truth, we can have it; if we want freedom, it can be ours; if we want life, it is promised. <\/p>\r\n

Even with the pureness of that Light before him, Satan chose another pathway, following his own reasoning. He began to chafe at what he considered to be narrowness, convinced that he knew a better way. He mistakenly believed that he could be his own god, create his own reality, and live by his own concept of right and wrong. That was his downfall.<\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Cast out of heaven, Satan then came down to Adam and Eve and sowed his own logic into the human race. \"Listen, God created you and put you in this garden tending these plants and naming a few animals, but don't you think you were created for more than this? If you just do it my way, you can become as gods, knowing what is good and evil. I know God says that certain things are good and certain things are evil, but you don't have to live in this narrow way.\"<\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

In his own mind, Satan had become god, the same danger you and I face today. He sowed into all of humanity this desire to be as God-to create our own concept of good and evil. An example of this would be when we refuse to forgive a person who has wronged us and conclude, \"It is fine that I have not forgiven him. I know what God says, but this person just does not deserve to be forgiven.\" Or when we steal in the workplace and say, \"They don't pay me enough, and last year I did not get that vacation I deserve, so this is good.\" All the while we are well aware that the Scripture says no thief will inherit the kingdom of God. <\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Beloved, there is no deeper darkness than when sin and religion become friends. There is incredible power in this deceptive state. The Bible tells us that Satan succeeded in taking one-third of the angels with him in his rebellion, and he is still at work today attempting to incite a similar rebellion among those who claim to be followers of Christ.<\/span>
\r\n

A COVERING OF RELIGION<\/span><\/span>
\r\n <\/strong><\/span><\/span>As the apostle Paul put it, <\/span>\"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness\"<\/span><\/span><\/span>(Romans 1:18). In other words, they hold the truth with a heart that is not surrendered. They read God's Word but will not obey it, even when it is plain and clear. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"\u2026they worshipped and s<\/span><\/span>erved the creature more than the Creator\u2026 and God gave them over to a reprobate mind\u2026\" <\/span><\/span>(Romans 1:25, 28). A reprobate mind means corrupt thinking, a crooked mind. You and I should always pray that we never reach such a point! Unfortunately, I have met people like this-sitting in the house of God with all kinds of practices that are very clearly prohibited in Scripture. Yet after years of refusing to obey God, it is almost as if their thinking cannot be straightened. They choose instead to worship the thoughts of their own hearts, and sin and religion eventually become friends, bringing them to a place where they begin to call evil good. <\/span>
\r\n <\/p>\r\n

There is no greater darkness than when that which is inwardly corrupt takes on a covering of religion. Jesus said to the Pharisees, <\/span>\"You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?\" <\/span>(Matthew 23:33). In other words, \"You have so covered yourselves in corruption and religion that you have bought yourselves a ticket to hell. How will you escape? How will you change? You have embraced this corrupted reasoning of Satan, covering death and decay with fine clothing and sweet religious words, but inwardly you hate God!\" <\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

At another point, Jesus also said to them, <\/span>\"You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning\u2026\"<\/span> (John 8:44). He basically told the Pharisees, \"I know that you are going to kill Me. I have come to you with words from God to bring you into freedom, but you have fallen for the deceptive strategy of Satan. Now you are entrenched in a wrong way of \r\n thinking, leaving you with two alternatives-either you will repent of your sin, or you will kill the voice that has been sent to draw you to the presence of God.\"<\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is amazing when sin and religion combine. That is what Jesus meant when He said, \"If the light that is in you be darkness-if you have sat under truth but embraced a lie-how deep that darkness is.\" It would be better to be the most overt, reprehensible sinner and know it; at least then you would have a chance to be redeemed. Unfortunately, many people reach a place where they sit in the house of God, having put on a covering of religion while embracing a wrong view of God and His ways.<\/span>
\r\n

KORAH'S REBELLION<\/span><\/span>
\r\n <\/strong><\/span><\/span>The Lord gives us another picture of this intertwining of sin and religion in the book of Numbers. As Moses was leading the people of God through the wilderness, a man named Korah succeeded in rousing two hundred and fifty of the Israelites to stand in opposition to divine order and God's leadership through Moses. <\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

As Korah assembled those in rebellion, <\/span>\"So they each took his own censer and put fire on it, and laid incense on it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting\u2026\"<\/span> (Numbers 16:18, NASB). There they stood, each holding a censer-a type of prayer and holy devotion to God-completely unaware that they were about to be burned by the presence of God. Notice that the Scripture says they were men of renown! How did they get to that state? <\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Recall that God supernaturally brought the children of Israel out from slavery in Egypt, and along with the deliverance imparted giftings and leadership ability. However, this led to an inner corruption, and all it took was for Satan to use that strategy once again and say, \"This is too narrow! Think of the glory that could be yours! You are meant to lead, you are not meant to follow!\"<\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Do you understand the power of your own heart to deceive you? Each of us has an inner capability to walk away from God and develop completely corrupted scriptural reasoning around it. Bear in mind that it was the most religious nation on earth that cried out for the death of the Son of God. They had the Scriptures and a revelation of God if they had wanted it. They chose, instead, to form a religion to cover their inner corruption. Jesus looked at the leaders and said, \"You appear righteous but you are full of death inside. You clean the outside of the cup, but inwardly there is simply decay\" (see Matthew 23:25). Just as they had a choice, today you and I must decide either to believe God and what He says, or to embrace ourselves as God, considering our own covering as sufficient.<\/span>
\r\n

IF YOUR EYE IS SINGLE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n <\/strong><\/span>\"In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not\"<\/span><\/span><\/span> (John 1:4-5). It is important to realize that the light shone in a religious darkness-that was the darkness that didn't comprehend it. Isn't it strange that the lepers comprehended it, the prostitutes responded to it, and even the dead could hear it? Yet religion has a certain death about it, making it almost impossible to hear the voice of God. <\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"\u2026if your eye be single, your whole body will be full of light\" <\/span><\/span><\/span>(Matthew 6:22). You will not be in darkness if you are singly focused, standing before God, saying, \"Lord, whatever You say is wrong, I will regard as wrong; and whatever You say is right, I will follow. By Your Spirit I will do what You ask me to, and wherever You lead me, I will follow.\" <\/span>
\r\n <\/p>\r\n

Paul spoke these words regarding Israel,<\/span>\"But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 3:14). Religion had blinded their minds, and they had created a system operating outside of truth.<\/span> <\/p>\r\n

\"But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away\"<\/span>
\r\n (2 Corinthians 3:15-16). Yes, a day is coming when Israel will turn to the Lord, but this is also a principle that applies to us today. When we turn to the Lord, the veil that hinders us from the fullness of life that God offers us is taken away. <\/span>\"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Here the meaning of \"liberty\" is generosity. As we are willing to surrender with an honest heart before God, we suddenly become aware of His incredible generosity. The Lord says, \"I am willing to give you a new heart and a new mind. I am willing to put love, joy, and longsuffering inside of you. I am willing to give you peace in the midst of the storm; strength in the midst of your weakness. I am willing to do what cannot be done apart from My strength within you.\"<\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

We are changed from glory to glory as we behold Him, and the veil of incomplete religion and deceptive reasoning of the human heart is taken away. Our hearts are changed, and the whole focus of our lives is to honor God and see fallen men brought to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is a miraculous life that we enter into. Religion is obnoxious and ultimately leads to death, but in Christ is life, joy and peace. <\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"If your eye be single, your whole body will be full of light.\"
\r\n In other words, every chain, every wall, every enemy, and every power of hell begins to be broken. You will be given strength that can come only from the Lord, and your body will be a declaration of His keeping power. Your whole body-everything you are, all that you say, whatever you touch, everything you do-will become an expression of God. Your entire body will be full of light if you choose to do things God's way. <\/span>
\r\n

WHAT IS GOD SPEAKING TO YOU?<\/span><\/span>
\r\n <\/strong><\/span>So now the question arises: What is God telling you to forsake, and what is He calling you to go toward? There is a distinct call to each of us, and this is where we will either cover sin with religion, or throw off that false garment and move toward a holy God, saying, \"Lord, I am going where you are calling me. I will not create a religion in my own heart that allows me to move in the direction of death, thinking it is life. I will walk the pathway that You have set before me.\"<\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Beloved, don't fall into the religious trap of becoming your own god and justifying wrong. Don't put off what God has called you to do, for the more you put it off, the greater the chance that you will make peace with it and eventually call it good. If you are under conviction, if you are reading your Bible and the Holy Spirit has His finger very clearly on an area of your life, don't harden your heart to His voice! Over time you will end up making peace with it-covering it and calling it holy, as is the habit of our fallen nature. <\/span>
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

I encourage you today to do what you know God says is right and to forsake all that you know to be wrong, no matter how difficult it may be. We all are going to need the strength of Christ to get through the coming days. We will need our inheritance in Christ, which God desires to give to us-but everything that is a reproach to God must be put away. As we make the choice to do things God's way, allowing no friendship between sin and religion in our lives, the absolute outworking of it will be joy and strength, direction in the storm, provision in famine, victory in the battle. Hallelujah!<\/span><\/p>"},"134":{"sm_title":"A Private Moment for Times Square Church","sm_id":"134","sm_desc":"May 1, 2011 - The wonderful thing about the church of Jesus Christ is that it never ends, it's always just the beginning. The question for Times Square Church is where do we go from here? The key is the power and strength of the New Covenant. We go right into the promises of God, and into the power of Jesus Christ. We are more determined than ever to carry on the legacy of Pastor David. We as a church are entering into a season where the Lord is calling us to something much greater than we've ever known. We are not to back down in unbelief, but to trust for the power of the Holy Spirit to make us all that God has called us to be so that God can be manifested through His church in these last days. God promises all the strength and courage that we need. It is time to possess our inheritance that we have in Jesus Christ.","sm_jpg":"21823_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2011-06","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2011\/05\/01s1\/20110501s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2011\/mp3g\/20110501S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"EtZVlU2LPMY","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21972_2011-06-carter-conlon-private-moment-for-times-square-church.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

It is our time to mourn and to celebrate the life of our beloved founding pastor, David Wilkerson. He passed away suddenly on April 27th in a motor vehicle accident. <\/p>

One of the hallmarks of Brother Dave's life and ministry is that people were radically transformed by the power of Almighty God. Not only transformed, but many went on into ministry and became great soul winners in their own right. \r\n <\/p>\r\n

Personally, I get tremendous comfort from the thought of Brother Dave dancing around the throne of God. I saw him dance on the platform one time, quite unexpectedly. I don't even know what provoked it, yet there was such a grace on him as he suddenly left his seat and started to dance all over the platform. My first thought was that this must have been what it looked like when King David danced behind the Ark as the presence of God was going into Jerusalem. I felt that I should join him, but I just could not bring myself to do it. It was not my moment, anyway, it was his.<\/p>

I remember when the Holy Spirit told me seventeen years ago on the platform of Times Square Church, \"Do not turn to the left hand or to the right of everything that you are going to learn here. And do not turn this church in any other direction but the one that you are going to be taught.\" I did not fully understand the instruction, for in those days I had absolutely no inclination of ever pastoring Times Square Church. I was actually quite surprised the day that Brother Dave told me I would be the next pastor. It was in 2001, and again we were worshiping. He leaned over to me and said, \"It's time now, you are ready.\" We were still in the middle of singing, so I asked, \"Ready for what?\" And he replied, \"You are ready to lead this church.\" And that was it. He was a man of few words, but when he said something, he meant it. <\/p>\r\n

You know, people can try to teach you things, and they can declare themselves to be something or other. However, when you get to stand next to a man and hear him worship for sixteen years, you really learn a lot about him. Brother Dave would be worshiping God about a foot away from my ear, crying out constantly for the presence of the Holy Spirit. He told me many times, \"Carter, if the Holy Spirit doesn't come, church is worthless and there is no point in meeting. If God's Holy Spirit ever leaves, let's just close the doors and move on.\" Most of the time while everyone was singing, he would be praying with his hands in the air, \"Oh, Holy Spirit, come. Oh, Holy Spirit, bless the people. Holy Spirit, give strength.\" I learned more about the heart of Pastor David in those moments than at any other time. <\/p>\r\n

He often told me, \"Carter, take the lowest seat in the house.\" As the Scripture says, if somebody more honorable than you shows up, you will not be embarrassed (see Luke 14:10). It is a good place to be, and that is exactly where Brother Dave would be found. Once in a convention he introduced me as his pastor, and how humbling and terrifying it was to hear those words come out of his mouth. How it showed the character of the man-a hundred times my superior, \u00a0yet willing to be under the authority of somebody he had actually trained in Christ. I remember the day he told me, \"You are my pastor now; you are free to speak into my life. You are free to help me; to govern me; to help judge and keep me safe.\" Of course I would never abuse that position. <\/p>\r\n

He started to encourage me about a year ago to sit in his seat during service. I told him, \"Not on your life, because if you show up\u2026\" So we had this standing joke between us, and I said, \"I will sit in your seat two weeks after your memorial service.\" He once told me, \"Oh, Carter, I am really afraid I am going to outlive you.\" I replied, \"Well, then you lose if you do! If I get to heaven first, I win!\" Well, I am not going to sit in his seat-we have actually wrapped it up and delivered it to the Wilkerson family. <\/p>\r\n

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?<\/span><\/span>
\r\n <\/span>\r\n Now having lost a great spiritual father to so many of us, where do we, as the church of Jesus Christ, find ourselves today? I believe that in the last chapter of Deuteronomy, the people of Israel who were led out of captivity by Moses found themselves in very much the same place as we are in today. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Moses had been used of God to stand against hell and call His people out of darkness. He didn't come in strength, he came in weakness. Likewise, Pastor David did not come to New York City in strength. As a matter of fact, Nicky Cruz said he was so skinny it wasn't worth beating him up! He did not come as an eloquent preacher, dazzling people with his words. He came in the demonstration of the Spirit and power of God. He stood on the street corner and began to preach to gangs. He went into hovels and dens, reaching out to young people in the city. <\/p>\r\n

He was a type in our generation of someone who laid hold of God and stood as Moses did before Pharaoh, saying, \"Let the people go!\"-people who many would deem as having no help, no hope, no future. Psychoanalysts who examined Nicky Cruz declared him to be \"unredeemable; too given to violence; too twisted; too inwardly damaged to ever be a functioning member of society.\" <\/p>\r\n

But David Wilkerson stood before him and said, \"Jesus loves you.\" It is as if those three words penetrated down the corridors of all the abuse, the witchcraft, and all that was keeping this young man in captivity. By the power of God, every door of darkness was unlocked right to the core of his heart, and Nicky Cruz went on to become one of the greatest evangelists of our generation. Let the world say about you what it will-but the power of God can set you free! <\/p>\r\n

Moses led the people as a faithful shepherd, and he constantly opened to them the provision of God for their hunger and their thirst. As they walked through their own personal wilderness, they saw God's miraculous provision literally falling out of heaven; daily water coming out of the toughest of places. <\/p>\r\n

Similarly, Brother Dave would open the Bible and constantly lead people to Jesus Christ-to the cross, to the power of the Holy Spirit, to the faith that God is always looking for in order to lift us out of mediocrity and into all that He intended for us. Brother Dave would open the Word and bring my mind and spirit into a dimension of God for which I am forever thankful. Through his preaching of the New Covenant, in particular, I was brought to a place of understanding that the whole Christian life is to be lived by accepting the sacrifice of God's Son for our atonement-accepting the Holy Spirit as the power of God to bring the promises of God to reality in our lives. <\/p>\r\n

He would remind us that we are not accepted by our works, for God does not even deal with us, He deals only with His Son. If Jesus is speaking our name at the throne, it does not matter what the devil throws at us. In order for the devil to condemn those in Christ, he has to be able to condemn the Son of God. Brother Dave brought us into this fullness of the understanding of the New Covenant. He told me many times, \"Carter, the New Covenant is the key not only to the church of Jesus Christ standing but actually being victorious in the last days.\" The New Covenant is the key! <\/p>\r\n

A VISION OF THE PROMISE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n <\/span> At the end of his life, the Lord brought Moses up to Mount Nebo to see all of the Promised Land with his own eyes-the places where the people would dwell, what kind of a victory they would have (see Deuteronomy 34:1-3). What an amazing similarity to the latter part of Brother Dave's ministry when the Lord brought him to the New Covenant. I remember when he first told me back in 1994, \"I have a promise of God that is yet to be fulfilled,\" and he showed me Psalms 25:14: <\/span>\"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.\"<\/span> He said God gave him that promise as a young minister, but he did not quite understand what it meant at the time. However, in the latter part of his ministry, the New Covenant was unlocked, and what incredible victory it has been for all of us. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord\u2026And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended\"<\/span> (Deuteronomy 34:5, 8).<\/p>\r\n

Brother Dave once told me, \"When I die, don't talk about me, just move on. You have the Holy Spirit-don't let a shrine to me ever be erected.\" He knew he was simply an ordinary man indwelt by an extraordinary God, and that what he had become was within the reach of all who choose to obey God. Moses died after seeing the vision of the Promised Land, and then there was a season of weeping-so it is appropriate for us to mourn. But I thank God there has always been a Comforter with us. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. <\/p>\r\n

OUR COMMISSION<\/span><\/span>
\r\n <\/span> So the question arises for us today as the Church-where do we go from here? I believe we are receiving the same commission that was given to Joshua (in the context of Joshua being every pastor, every leader, every elder, everybody in a leadership position, everybody who is leading somebody). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel\"<\/span> (Joshua 1:1-2). The land is the place of covenant-of freedom in Jesus Christ. It is the place of facing the giants, where those who are weak become strong. <\/p>\r\n

The Lord is calling us to something much greater than we have ever known before-to put away unbelief and go in and possess our inheritance in Jesus Christ. Our cry should be, \"Lord, this city cannot go to hell when there is still a body of believers and the testimony of God!\" We must refuse to look at the giants before us but rather stand and be a voice for righteousness and truth. <\/p>\r\n

\"Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses\u2026unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them\u2026Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it\"<\/span> (Joshua 1:3-11). <\/p>\r\n

In other words, prepare to move! That was the command that was given, and this is our commission today as well. Get ready to go on a journey; prepare the things that you are going to need. We are going to go in to possess all that the Lord has promised us-to begin to truly know the life of God.<\/p>\r\n

\"Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, The Lord your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land. Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; until the Lord have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the Lord your God giveth them\u2026\"<\/span> (Joshua 1:13-15). <\/p>\r\n

In other words, there are many of us who have found the truth of the New Covenant already. But we are going to go in and fight for those who have not yet entered into that rest. We are not going to settle in in our own personal victory and say, \"Well, this is good enough, I am enjoying where I am dwelling. Let everyone else find for themselves what I have found.\" No, that is not the attitude of the church. We are going to fight for each other in the Body of Christ first, until every person has found his inheritance-supernatural life in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\r\n

We are not going to quit until Pentecost comes again in the fullness of its power in our generation. Brother Dave died believing that in the last days there would be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit greater than the outpouring on the day of Pentecost-poured out on our sons and daughters, young and old. There would be an ability to see; supernatural strength and power. <\/p>\r\n

He told me that only the Holy Spirit will be able to get the church of Jesus Christ through to victory in these last days. You and I are going to face unprecedented darkness in our generation, but we have the power of the One who created the universe resident and willing to give us the strength we need-not only to possess an inheritance for ourselves but to see many more brought into freedom. We are going to pray and fast-trusting God for the supernatural; pressing through until the Holy Spirit touches us in full measure. There are wonderful days ahead of us. I believe the Lord will be glorified, and we are going to see God do wonders in this generation. <\/p>\r\n

\"And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go\u2026Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage\"<\/span> (Joshua 1:16, 18). So the question about where to go from here is answered in Joshua chapter 1-we go into the promises of God. The wonderful thing about the church of Jesus Christ is that it is never over. It is always just beginning. It is a kingdom where morning by morning new mercies we see. Thanks be to God. <\/p>\r\n

I am glad I got to talk with Brother Dave on the Monday before he passed away. I told him I loved him. I told him I respected him. I told him that whether I was an annoyance or not, I was coming down on Wednesday to sit with him all afternoon. I told him, \"You can talk to me if you want to, or you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to. But I am coming, and I am going to sit with you, and we are going to spend the afternoon together.\" And he said, \"Okay, that would be nice.\" <\/p>\r\n

I am going to miss my friend. But I am certain it would fill his heart with joy to know that until the day that we meet again, we are going to proclaim Jesus Christ.! <\/p>"},"135":{"sm_title":"Why is God's Strength Made Perfect in Our Weakness?","sm_id":"133","sm_desc":"January 23, 2011 - If God is not merciful to us we would never be able to occupy the place He has called us to. When we get in the presence of the Holy God and realize how different we are from Him we will begin to feel undone. It is in this place that we realize there is nothing in and of ourselves that we can bring to Him. God will give us revelation of His mercy and faithfulness. God will open our hearts and make us understand that it is not about our promises to Him, but rather His promises to us. It is not about what we can do for Him, but what He has already done for us. It is only by the mercy of God that we are able to stand in His presence. God wants to show His mercy to all of humanity. The ministry of the church here on earth is mercy. ","sm_jpg":"21604_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2011-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2011\/01\/23s1\/20110123s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2011\/mp3g\/20110123S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21829_2011-05-carter-conlon-why-is-gods-strength-made-perfect-in-our-weakness.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

How would you like it if I told you today that you are foolish, weak and base? Well, perhaps by the end of this message you will gladly welcome the thought!<\/p> \r\n

Consider the words of the apostle Paul: \"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence\" <\/span>(1 Corinthians 1:26?29).<\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

Paul could write these words because he understood the truth that God would allow no flesh to glory in His presence. Remember, Paul received many incredible revelations from the Lord. At one point he was even taken up to a place he referred to as the \"third heaven\" where he heard something so divine that he was not permitted to repeat it. Now knowledge can \"puff up,\" potentially causing one to become unteachable and no longer able to represent God. Lest that happen to Paul because of the abundance of revelation, he was given a thorn in the flesh-a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him. This so troubled him that he petitioned the Lord three times to take it away. The Lord's response was a profound statement to Paul, \"My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness\" <\/span>(2 Corinthians 12:9). <\/p>\r\n

\"\" ISAIAH'S VISION<\/span><\/span>
\r\nWhy is it that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness? I believe we will have a deeper understanding as we consider the story of Isaiah when he was about to be brought into ministry. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord\u2026\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:1). Uzziah was a king who died in pride, diseased in his mind. He had entered the temple and offered incense on the altar, although he was strictly forbidden to do so. Uzziah mistakenly thought he could be as God-doing whatever he pleased and suffering no consequences. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

The year King Uzziah dies represents the year that pride dies. It is when we finally realize we don't have any strength in ourselves-when our natural tendency to do our own thing, even in the name of God, dies-and we understand that we don't have the right to chart our own course in life. That is when we see the Lord!<\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

At the time Isaiah had his vision, it was likely that he was already, at least marginally, a prophet. However, God was about to commission him-just as I feel in my heart the Lord is about to commission us as His church. We are going into revival, and God is on the verge of commissioning us to represent Him in our generation. Many might argue, \"Oh, God, I have walked with You for so long, but I am so weak. I am not as smart as other people, I don't have a budget, and I don't have the pedigree of others. Don't I need to have it all together to be effective? How are You going to use me?\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

When we are tempted to look in dismay at our weaknesses, consider what followed in Isaiah's vision. \"\u2026I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:1). We must remember that the Lord truly is high and lifted up. That means He is above every name that is named, every kingdom that ever will be, every power, every principality, every circumstance, every trial-He is above it all! Nothing escapes His attention, and nothing is allowed to happen without His permission. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

\"...And his train filled the temple\u2026\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:1). What an incredible picture, especially in light of the story in Matthew 9:20-21: \"And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.\"<\/span> This woman had to press through the crowd to get to Jesus, but when she finally touched the hem of His garment, immediately she was healed. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

At that time His garment was only on one physical body, the man Jesus Christ. To touch it, you would have to travel miles and press through crowds. However, Isaiah said that the hem of His garment filled the temple. In other words, there was nowhere in the temple where you couldn't touch Him and be healed! <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

Consider now how you and I are the temple of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament church. The presence of Christ is within us, and what Isaiah saw is now a reality in the actual body of a New Testament believer-the hem of His garment fills the temple! That means there is no area of your mind, your body, your past, present or future that God can't touch. In other words, the healing of Jesus is in every part of you!<\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

\"\" IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:2). Notice that the seraphims were not looking where they were going, for they covered their faces with two of their wings. Secondly, they were not traveling in any amount of natural strength, for they covered their feet with two wings as well. They were flying by divine power. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

It is incredible to imagine that there are perhaps hundreds, maybe even thousands, of these created beings flying around the throne, yet they never crash into one another! Where God is, everything is in divine order. All that is created and remains in subjection to Him knows its course in life and moves together in harmony. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

Paul said, \"For in Him we live, and move and have our being\u2026\"<\/span> (Acts 17:28). We are not crashing into things; we know where we are going because He is the One leading us. We are not walking by sight nor by power, but by the Spirit of Almighty God. We don't have to see it with our eyes, nor do we have to achieve it with the strength of our own labor. God, by the Holy Spirit, has promised to carry us and make us into everything that He has ever promised we would be. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

\"\" FULL OF HIS GLORY<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:3). Holy-it was the only word they knew. Its meaning in Hebrew conveys the thought of being separate from all sin and death; without any equal; completely perfect; free from moral imperfections and all the failure of humanity. It also means that God is absolutely faithful to every one of His promises. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

Now how could the earth be full of His glory? It is clear that the heavens declare the glory of God, as does the order we find in nature, so there seems to be a partial fulfillment of the verse. But as we read today's newspapers and look around at society, how can we possibly conclude that the whole earth is full of His glory? <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

The truth of the statement lies simply in this: The church of Jesus Christ (you and I) is still here on earth. The glory of God abides in us, His temple, and there is a church of Jesus Christ all over the earth. That is why the earth is full of His glory. The main problem is that we don't know who we are in Christ. We don't truly understand Who is inside of us.We live so much of our lives trying to be what only God can make us, in our own strength, trying to go where only He can lead us. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

Holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory. It is important to know and believe this when we pray. We come to a throne that is above every other throne, a place of absolute and complete divine order, a place where healing flows. We come to a holy God who is absolutely faithful to all His promises, the One who has commissioned us to be His representatives on the earth until the day He takes His church home to be with Him forever. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

\"\" I AM UNDONE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:5). Isaiah came from perhaps the most religious, scholarly people on the face of the earth, yet he concluded that they were all unclean. \"We claim to be smart and learned, but we are ignorant. We claim to be strong, but we are weak. Now my eyes have seen the King, and I know all our boasting is worthless. We claim to know what God is like, how He feels, what He thinks, but it all falls short because my eyes have finally seen His glory!\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

By then Isaiah might have rightly wondered, \"What do I have to offer this kingdom? It is so far beyond me. This place is holy, operating in divine order with absolute truth and perfection. How in the world can I ever be part of this in my condition?\" However, it was actually at that point that Isaiah was about to be given the greatest revelation of all.<\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

\"Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:6-7). That coal speaks to me of the cross of Jesus Christ. He has come to touch us and take our iniquity away. I believe the \"great\" iniquity is human effort-the thought that we can add to the kingdom of God. However, the kingdom of God will not advance because of anything we promise to be or do for Him. It is about His promises to us. So don't tell God you are going to pray more and do better, because you won't be able to do so in your own strength. Instead, go into the prayer closet and bring God's promises back to Him. The Lord says, \"I have touched your lips; I have given you my redemption. Now come to Me, knowing who I am. I am above your weakness; I am above your frailty; I am above your circumstances.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

\"\" WHOM SHALL I SEND?<\/span><\/span>
\r\n The next thing Isaiah heard was the voice of the Lord asking, \"Whom shall I send?\" Now take into account that in this whole scene, Isaiah was the only one who didn't have it all together-the only one who was not operating in divine power; the only one completely undone. Yet when the Lord asked, \"Who will go?\" it was as if this little hand in the back row came up, exclaiming, \"I'll go!\" You would almost expect all of heaven to gasp. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

You see, Isaiah was the only one there who needed mercy, and he had come to the revelation that the kingdom of God is about mercy. Standing in the presence of God, he finally realized, \"I'm undone; I'm finished. We are all finished, and if God is not merciful to us, we are doomed.\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

Suddenly Isaiah was touched with the mercy and cleansing of God-with everything that Jesus did on the cross of Calvary. He had the incredible revelation that God wanted to show His people mercy. That is why he said, \"I'll go!\" Isaiah knew that the people needed to realize all of their righteousness was as filthy rags. They needed to understand that the only way they would ever get through was if God were to come and touch their lips and their lives.<\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

\"\" IT'S ALL ABOUT MERCY<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Judgment was coming, and Isaiah knew it. However, he was given a clear vision that the ministry of the church on earth is mercy. Mercy-that is our message when somebody asks the reason for the hope that we have. It is not because we have memorized verses or because we go to church. We stand by the mercy of God! <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

Once you grasp this truth, suddenly you will become an evangelist. You will be able to open your mouth because you understand that God has not chosen the strong but has chosen those who know they stand by mercy. It is the mercy of God that has given us hope, broken our sin, and made us brand-new creations in Christ Jesus. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

What did Isaiah have to do? No more than the prodigal son had to do as he returned home, only to find his father running to embrace him. God is the One who does the work in our hearts-it is just up to us not to resist it. When the seraphim came with the coal, Isaiah could have moved his head and said, \"Oh no, not me.\" It may have had an appearance of humility, but he actually would have been resisting the power of God. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

We must let the power of the cross touch us and allow the sacrifice of Calvary to become sufficient for our sin. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; there is nobody righteous. That is why the Christian life is a life lived in mercy. <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

Paul said that God allowed the weakness in his life to protect him from pride, assuring him that, \"My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is perfected in weakness.\" So if you feel weak today, you can give God praise for it. You can say, \"Lord, thank You for protecting me from spiritual pride and keeping me in a place where I can speak for You. I can go to anybody in the city and say to them, 'The Lord has been merciful to me. I am not the strongest of people in His kingdom, yet He has touched me. His healing is beginning to flow in my life and He is changing me sovereignly by His power.'\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

\"\" START SPEAKING!<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Why have you held back from opening your mouth and telling others about Jesus? Is it because you have been very aware of your weakness? Remember, it is that very weakness that God will use to bring glory to His own name. Of course I am not suggesting that our whole testimony is that we fall and fail. I am talking about the source of our strength coming from God because of our frailty.<\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n

Beloved, the time of being silent is over. It is not the Lord's will that any city should perish in its sin. Isaiah was given only roughly one in every ten souls that he spoke to, but was it not worth it for the one? Society in his time had become very opposed to truth. We may be living in a similar time today, and the Lord simply asks, \"Who will go? Who will start speaking? Who will not be ashamed or triumphed over? Who will understand that his strength is in God and not in himself?\"\r\n \r\n \r\n

In this late hour, God is commissioning His people. He is looking for those who are willing to say, \"Here am I, send me\"-those who will believe that, despite their own frailties, the Holy Spirit will guide and speak through them. Do you know how God gets glory? He sends you and uses you, perfecting His strength in your weakness. That is how He gets glory, and that is how His glory fills the earth! Hallelujah!<\/span><\/p>"},"136":{"sm_title":"Marvelous Kindness In A Strong City","sm_id":"132","sm_desc":"November 7, 2010 - Are you in a tight or distressful place? A place where you feel hemmed in? In this time of trial the devil will come at you with the lie that your life has no purpose. Don't give in to the voice of the enemy, because you have the power of God in you, and you don't have to believe those lies. Jesus Christ went through everything you are going through and His voice is the only voice that counts. God will never allow your enemies to triumph over you. Sometimes it is as simple as hearing a Word from God. There is a point when God quiets every voice and calls you to be silent before Him so He can calm the storm. When God speaks you will have peace in your inner man. You will hear Him say, \u201cPeace be still!\u201d Keep silent before Him and let Him renew your strength.","sm_jpg":"21372_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2011-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/11\/07s1\/20101107s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2010\/mp3g\/20101107S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21778_2011-04-carter-conlon_-marvelous-kindness-in-a-strong-city.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

If the Lord shows you a way out of your dilemma, are you willing to walk out-even if it is a simple solution? We often look for a complicated answer to our problems while God's solution is rather simple. Recall that in the midst of the storm, the disciples asked, <\/span>\"Do you not care that we are going to perish?\"<\/span> Jesus simply stood up and said, \"Peace, be still\" <\/span>(Mark 4:38-39). That was the answer to the whole problem and all that seemed to oppose and overwhelm them suddenly came to an end. However, they had to be willing to let Jesus speak. Many people don't get to the end of their struggle simply because they are not willing to let Him speak.<\/p>\r\n

\"Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shown me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord\" <\/span>(Psalms 31:21-24).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The psalmist David was anointed to be king. During this season of his life, however, he found himself in a strong city. By definition, this \"strong city\" was a place of distress-a place where he was hemmed in with a mountain of besiegers against him. It was a place well defended from both within and without. In other words, nobody could get in, but nobody could get out, either. David was essentially saying, \"I am in a city enclosed by walls so thick and defenses so strong that I don't know how to escape. I am overwhelmed by my circumstances and surrounded by people who all seem to have the upper hand. I feel like I am in danger of losing everything that God once promised me.\" Have you ever been in such a place?<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly\"<\/span> (Psalms 31:9). In other words, \"All I see is hopelessness before me. I don't know how I am ever going to get through this. I don't have strength left to fight anymore.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"For life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. I am a reproach among all mine enemies\u2026\"<\/span> (Psalms 31:10-11). Have you ever reacheda place where you begin to regret what your life has become? Where you can just feel hell laughing? Your enemies mock you, saying, \"Look at you! You are going to rule and reign with whom? Is the kingdom of God in such a deplorable condition that Jesus needs you to rule and reign with Him?\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"\u2026especially among my neighbors, and a fear to my acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me\" <\/span>(Psalms 31:11). You have the inner thought that you are supposed to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ. You should be bringing the sweet savor of God everywhere you go, yet in reality it seems as if you have little effect on your neighbors. They don't see anything in you that they would desire. In fact, people find so little of God that is attractive in your life that not only are they ignoring you, they are avoiding you.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Beloved, you must remember that all of this could merely be your perception, much of it having no basis in reality. You may actually be walking around with the strength of God in full measure and are simply not aware of it. Nevertheless, you have succumbed to an inner fear, to the voice of the enemy. Like the disciples, you find that your boat is suddenly full of water and the waves are overpowering you. Your human effort is not making headway because of the violent opposition against you. Have you forgotten that Jesus has never left you? He appears to be asleep, but He is not, for God never sleeps-He is just at rest inside of you. The Lord is carrying you; He has never forsaken you.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

DRAWN TO THE BEGINNING<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life\" <\/span>(Psalms 31:13). This is the devil's whole tactic-to get you to despair, to see no way out, to believe that your life is somehow a gross disappointment to the living God. He wants to get you to feel that there is no purpose to your life until the thought arises, \"Why bother living?\" Don't be fooled into thinking that Christians are immune to this. As a matter of fact, you become a greater target once you know Christ than before. The devil hates Christ, and he hates everyone who has Christ within them. \"What is the point of your life? Go to church, pray some prayers, go home to your apartment, sit there lonely-why bother living?\" If this inner accusation that your life is of no value is not dealt with, it is not a far step to the conclusion, \"I am better off dead than alive. There is no purpose in my living.\" I know there are many people fighting thoughts of suicide even at this very moment-thoughts they never believed they would ever entertain.\r\n

We must remember, however, that we are not going through something unique. We have a tendency to think that the people of the Bible were supermen and superwomen who didn't go through the struggles we face. But that is not the case, which is why God allowed people like King David to pen the words of Psalms 31.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Consider Paul's reminder as well: \"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it\" <\/span>(1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV). You are going through the very same thing that millions of people before you have. They made it through and are now part of that great balcony of witnesses in heaven who are looking down, saying, \"Don't give in to the lies and discouragement of the devil!\" The devil will try to convince you that you are the only one struggling-that God has somehow turned His face from you. However, you must understand that when you came to Christ, you became a target of hell's cannon. You are no longer fighting against flesh and blood-you are fighting spiritual wickedness in high places; principalities of the air. You are fighting in an entirely different arena from the one you were in before you came to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

EVEN JESUS FACED TEMPTATION<\/span><\/span>
\r\n How thankful we should be that we \"\u2026have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin\"<\/span> (Hebrews 4:15). Even Jesus experienced what we are going through. He was tested in all points like we are-with discouragement, temptations, doubts about being of any value to His heavenly Father, constant badgering by the powers of darkness. All this was to try to stop Him from going to the cross.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

It seems almost blasphemous to think that Jesus was tempted to give up, but remember His prayer in Gethsemane: \"O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me\"<\/span> (Matthew 26:39 NKJV). In fact, there were many points in His life that must have been potentially overwhelming. Consider when Jesus was left with twelve people at a table, one of whom was a devil, and the other eleven who would abandon Him in His hour of need. Or perhaps when society itself-His own creation that He had come to save-received Him not but instead described Him as having \"\u2026no form nor comeliness\u2026no beauty that we should desire him\"<\/span> (Isaiah 53:2). They looked at Him and thought, \"There is nothing kingly, nothing royal, nothing noble about Him. There is nothing in Him that any of us desire. Our religion has not brought us to a point where this is the kind of Messiah we would want to embrace.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Even in the temptation in the wilderness, Satan tried to short-circuit God's whole redemptive purpose by presenting Jesus with the thought, \"What is the point? These people don't appreciate it anyway. If all You want to do is rule and reign over them, why not just bow down to me and do it my way? Why not just be God without having to go through all the rejection, all the difficulty?\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

IT'S ABOUT THE HONOR OF GOD<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Undoubtedly Jesus was tested and tempted in all points as we are. How did He get through? \"In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth\"<\/span> (Psalms 31:1-5). Verse 5 was the verse that Christ spoke in the last moments of His life on the cross.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Into Your hand, O Lord-I must believe there is a divine purpose. I must believe that You will not leave Me in the grave. You will not allow My enemies to walk over the place of My death. You will not let hell itself sneer at My life.\" This is what must come into your heart, saint of God. Remember that this is about the honor of God; about His life within you. He will not let your enemies triumph over the testimony of Christ. Your life is not going to be irrelevant. Even if you feel like you are going down to the grave, He will raise you up.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

That is why Paul said, \"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he who raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you\"<\/span> (Romans 8:11). God will quicken your mortal body. It's not about your ability to make it through to the other side, it's about God's ability. If anybody's name suffers reproach in this, it's not your name, it's the name of Jesus Christ-and He will not allow His name to be triumphed over. Hallelujah!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Listen to what the prophet Isaiah said: \"Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins\" <\/span>(Isaiah 40:2). The Lord told Isaiah, \"Tell My people that I have won the victory. Her warfare is accomplished, the victory is not hers, it is Mine. I have pardoned her sin, and I have given her life in exchange for all of her sin and failure.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?\" <\/span>(Isaiah 40:27). Why do you say that God has forgotten you, that He is not fighting for you, that somehow He has turned from you? \"Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding\" <\/span>(Isaiah 40: 28). Have you not heard, do you not know Who it is that you are serving? Do you not know what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit of Almighty God?<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint\" <\/span>(Isaiah 40: 29-31). The Lord will quicken those who wait upon Him-who turn away from their own strength and allow Him to be God within them.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

KEEP SILENCE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n The next chapter in Isaiah begins with God speaking: \"Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength\" <\/span>(Isaiah 41:1). Sometimes it is just that simple-keep silence before God! Remember that in the boat the disciples were essentially saying, \"Do You not care that we are perishing? Our efforts have run out, our seamanship is not going to get us through. We know that You said we are going to the other side, but we don't see how we are going to get there.\" I am so thankful that the disciples finally stopped talking. Can you imagine if the Scripture recorded, \"Then Jesus stood in the boat, and the disciples continued, 'Well, we will row a little harder; we will do a little more.'\" Imagine if they hadn't had the sense to be quiet- if they had never allowed Jesus to stand up and say, \"Peace, be still,\" immediately calming the wind and the waves.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Beloved, there comes a point when God simply says, \"Quiet!\" to every voice, every devil, every lie-everything that is coming against your life. It is that simple. Recall that after Jesus rose from the grave, He appeared to His fearful disciples gathered in the upper room. Although they all felt like abject failures at that point, Jesus walked right through the door, and the first word out of His mouth was \"Peace.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

It was as if He was reminding them, \"I know your hearts are troubled; I know you are afraid. In My Father's house there are many mansions, and I go to prepare a place for you. Where I am you are coming also, but until that day, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Until that day, no weapon formed against you will prosper. Until that day, every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. You have the right to stand against these things. You have a righteousness that is not your own, it is given to you by Almighty God Himself. You have a strength, a cleanness, a power, a life that is not your own. It is all given to you by Jesus Christ. You have the right to stand against hell and say, 'Be quiet! Be quiet, Satan, and get behind me!'\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength\" <\/span>(Isaiah 41:1). Ever since the Lord put this word on my heart, I have been convinced that it is that simple. We may find ourselves in the midst of a strong city, but when we allow God to speak, He says, \"Keep silence. I am never going to let My people go down.\" To the wind, waves, airwaves-to everything that comes against us-the Lord simply says, \"Be quiet and let My people renew their strength.\" This is how He shows us His marvelous kindness in a strong city. As He silences all of these things, He also breaks the despair, the discouragement, the sense of worthlessness in our hearts. The Lord promises a new mind, a new spirit, a new life-and that is exactly what He will give us. The church of Jesus Christ is never going down. We are going over victoriously, in the strength of Almighty God! Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"137":{"sm_title":"The Mark of the Beast","sm_id":"127","sm_desc":"October 24, 2010 - How willing are we to allow God to unfold His plan in our life? Those who will be deceived into taking the mark of the beast will be unsatisfied with the things of God, and develop a false value system. As a result they will bring to God less than He requires of them. But those who choose to live for the will of God are promised His peace and strength. God will take us into His protective hand and nothing will harm us. God knows those who are His and we are sealed in the almighty hands of God. ","sm_jpg":"21313_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2011-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/10\/24s1\/20101024s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2010\/mp3g\/20101024S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21712_2011_03_carter_conlon-mark-of-the-beast.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six\"<\/span> (Revelation 13:15-18).<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

This passage of Scripture refers to an end-time event that will cause the entire world to spiral out of control. Whether triggered by a financial meltdown or a military confrontation-whatever its cause-it will result in men's hearts failing them and an emerging cry for a \r\n one-world government.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Scriptures tell us that a man known as the Antichrist will arise and lead this one-world government. While at first he will appear to be a peaceful man, ultimately it will be revealed that he is indwelt by Satan himself. He will cause people to receive a mark on their forehead or their right hand in order to be permitted to buy or sell. Many Christians have spent a lot of time over the years worrying about this mark. However, there is no need to be worried-and you will understand why by the end of this message.<\/p>\r\n

BACK TO THE BEGINNING<\/span><\/span>
\r\n In order to gain a better understanding of the days to come, it is necessary to go back to the beginning. Remember that Satan exalted himself against God and was subsequently deposed from his high-ranking position in heaven. Coming down into the Garden of Eden, he approached those whom God had created in His own image, Adam and Eve, and sowed in them that same seed of rebellion. This original sin remains in our fallen nature today-a desire to be our own god, living however we please without suffering any consequences.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Now regarding the number 666: Most biblical numerologists ascribe the number six to man, the number three to God, and seven to God's perfection. When man is indwelt in his body, soul, and spirit by Satan himself, we have what we might call a 666 trinity. Satan's rebellion will finally reach its climax and a man physically indwelt by Satan himself will go into the temple in Israel and declare himself to be God. That was Satan's goal from the beginning.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

At that point, Satan will finally have created an unholy trinity. All of humanity that agrees with the concept that man can be as God will not think twice about receiving a mark on the forehead or the hand. They will have already stood in agreement with this fallen theology long before the mark ever came.<\/p>\r\n

THE LAST DAYS<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Jesus described the last days as being just as \"the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark\u2026\"<\/span> (Matthew 24:38). Obviously eating, drinking and marriage are not bad things. However, the danger comes when there is a preoccupation with security, and pretending that all is well-convincing ourselves that there is no God, no judgment, no everlasting peril just ahead. <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Even if there is some acknowledgement of God, it comes with an inner contempt. \"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming?\" <\/span>(2 Peter 3:3-4). There is a scorning among those who walk after their own lusts and are not seeking the things of God. Their minds are not fixed on the things of heaven, and their hands are not reaching out to do the work of God. Therefore scoffing enters their hearts and they ask, \"Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation\" <\/span>(2 Peter 3:4). The same type of person sits here today and says, \"Oh, no! Not another message about the coming of Christ. They have been preaching that for 2,000 years.\" However, we must realize that the conclusion of the world as we know it is indeed very close, and there are multitudes in a place of decision. \"How deep am I going to go with God? How much am I going to let Him rule my life? How willing am I to let His plan become the plan of my life?\" <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Paul also said, \"That day shall not come, except there come a falling away first\" <\/span>(2 Thessalonians 2:3). In order to fall away, you must have been somewhere to fall away from. I believe this will be a falling away of people who sat in church but never really embraced the work of God. They didn't want to go to hell, but they didn't want to live for heaven, either. They wanted the cross for redemption but did not want the cross for a lifestyle. However, that type of experience will not keep them when the storm hits.<\/p>\r\n

WHEN DO YOU WANT YOUR INHERITANCE?<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Esau, son of Isaac, had access to the promise God gave to Abraham-the promise that he would be blessed to be a blessing in the earth-and we, as Abraham's spiritual descendants, have that same promise. One day Esau returned from hunting, tired and hungry, and asked his twin brother Jacob for some of the stew Jacob was cooking. Esau, the older of the two, had the right to a double portion of his father's inheritance, but he put his temporary, physical needs over his God-given blessing and sold his birthright to Jacob (see Genesis 25:27-34). It is almost inconceivable that he traded his birthright for a bowl of stew, choosing the temporal over the eternal.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Why will people fall away in the last days? Because even though they have been part of the family, they have never internally embraced what that meant, saying, \"God, You promised me life; You promised to make me much more than I could ever be in myself. You promised to lead me on a path of righteousness as a testimony to many, and then into eternity where I will rule and reign with You.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord has given us great and precious promises, yet we may not see the fulfillment of all of them on this side of eternity. Esau, however, like the prodigal son, insisted, \"I want my inheritance now! I don't want to wait until this physical life is over. I want satisfaction now; I want to be wealthy now; I want to rule now!\" So he sold off what was of eternal worth and headed in the wrong direction. \"For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things\" <\/span>(Philippians 3:18-19). Just as Paul said, many live every day focused on the things of this world.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Picture, for example, somebody inside the first-class passenger liner Titanic after it hit the iceberg. Everyone had fled the ship or was in the process of trying to flee. One poor, hapless soul was down on the second deck examining the cabins, excited about all that he saw. \"Wow! Look at this-gold faucets!\" Oh, the insanity of seeking comfort and security in a ship that is going down to the bottom of the ocean. Yet it is the same for Christians who are looking for fulfillment in the things of this world. Of course, I am not suggesting that you can't enjoy a walk in the park on a sunny day, or that we ought to walk around mournful all the time. Rather, it is our identity-who we are and what we are becoming-that should not be in the things of this world but in the things of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord said, \"And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste\u2026\" <\/span>(Malachi 1:3). Perhaps Esau professed, \"Yes, Abraham is my grandfather and the promise is mine!\" Yet God said that He hated the testimony and image of God that this man portrayed in the earth-this self-focused, carnal man who claimed to be in the lineage of God. You can say that the mark was on him because he owned neither the presence nor the promise of God.<\/p>\r\n

THE FIRST MARKED MAN<\/span><\/span>
\r\n The Bible tells us in Genesis 4:15 that the first marked man in the Bible was Cain, a man who willfully brought to God less than what He required of him. I cannot help but plead for people today who are willfully bringing to God less than He requires. There are things that they know God is asking of them, but they are not willing to obey. They are looking to be god of their own lives and somehow circumvent God's will and God's Word. They are trying to justify practices, relationships-trying to make what is wrong right.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

God put a mark on Cain, and he became an unsatisfied wanderer. In a sense he was relegated to a life of endless searching without ever finding that which satisfies. I cannot help but wonder why Christians run all over the world looking for Jesus, a practice that seems to have become more pronounced in the last two decades. Suddenly there is a new manifestation somewhere in the world and they are on the next flight over. Is it possible that there is a mark there? Is it possible that they are not bringing to God what He requires? Subsequently, since there is nothing where they are-no living relationship, no prayer life, no revelation-they must wander the world searching for satisfaction.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Jesus Himself said, \"If they say he is over here, he is in the desert, don't go there, don't believe it\" (Matthew 24:26, paraphrase). The Lord is everywhere-omnipresent. He is in the text of Scripture and if you are a believer, He is inside of you. You don't have to look very far for Him. He is right here!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

As you begin to do the work of God, the prophet Isaiah said you will ask, \"Lord, where are You?\" You will hear an inner voice saying, \"Here I am. What is it that you want Me to do? For we are walking in unison; you are walking in step with Me\"<\/span> (see Isaiah 58:9).<\/p>\r\n

WHOSE MARK WILL YOU HAVE?<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 9:3-6).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

God was about to judge His own city, Jerusalem-suddenly! However, the people were caught unaware-many had chosen to put off that day; most never believed. \"It's not possible that God would ever judge us-His own temple. Consider the history here; the prayers that have been prayed here. No, surely God would never do this!\" But when we start to believe that, we have substituted our own thoughts for the Word of God.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

However, the Lord had a man who was instructed, \"Go and set a mark upon the foreheads.\"<\/span> (Remember, the mark in Revelation was on the foreheads or right hands of the people.) In other words, set a mark upon those whose value system is in line with God's; set a mark upon those who feel what God feels, who are walking in a way that Christ Himself would walk if He were on these streets. Set a mark upon those whose value system is not so intertwined with this world that they don't understand the day in which we are living. Rather, they are aware of the peril ahead; they are concerned about the plight of the eternity of those who are vomiting in the streets in the evening.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Beloved, if there is a sighing in your heart, you can be thankful for that. It is not that you are morose, but rather there is an inner awareness that you do not belong here-this is not your home, your satisfaction is not here. God has set a mark on you!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Imagine the scenario for a moment: Satan sends a demonic horde into the world and says, \"Go down and convince these people they should receive a mark.\" I can see this devil coming back to his captain, saying, \"Well, I went down and tried to place a mark on this person, but there was no place to put it. There was already a covering there, and it took up the whole space! There wasn't even a corner where I could put a mark.\" Satan replies, \"Well, why didn't you write over the top of it?\" He explains, \"Because when I tried to do that, your pen wouldn't write there!\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The prophet Joel said that even though all of this darkness may come upon the earth, the Lord will be the help of His people (see Joel 3:16). You may hear a lot about the mark of the beast in our generation, but I want to remind you that you don't have to worry about any of these things. You are already marked-the space is taken and nothing else can be put there! <\/p>\r\n \r\n

Always remember that God knows those who are His. He has set a mark on them, and they are sealed in His hand. I don't know about you, but that settles it for me! Let hell throw what it may; let the devil send a flood out of his mouth; let society get as confused as it wants to get. But those who belong to Christ are sealed in the hand of Almighty God, and nothing-no flood, no fire, no army, no demonic power, no poverty, no trial-can take them out of His hand!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\"For I know whom I have believed\u2026\"<\/span> (2 Timothy 1:12). Paul was saying, \"I am intimately acquainted with Him-I know Him.\" I encourage you to continue spending quality time in the Word, meditating on the promises of God. Ask the Holy Spirit to make them so real that you can stand and say, \"I know in Whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to keep everything I have put into His hand until that day I am home with Him. God has set His mark on me, and I am persuaded that nothing that comes against me is going to stop His work in my life!\" Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"138":{"sm_title":"Ask Jesus Now For The Things That You Need","sm_id":"128","sm_desc":"November 14, 2010 - The time for seeking God is now. The Bible says ask, seek, knock and God Himself will answer you and give you what you need. The question is what are we asking for? We are called to be a testimony of Jesus Christ in the earth. The light and life of Christ is given to those who are given for the purposes of God. Ask for your heart to be broken for the lost. Ask for the strength to take up your cross and follow Jesus. We are to seek first His kingdom. Seek the heart and the will of God and He promises that all we need will be given to us and at the end of the day we will have joy!","sm_jpg":"21402_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2011-02","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/11\/14s1\/20101114s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2010\/mp3g\/20101114S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"V9sTinY1xVQ","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21668_2011_02_carter_conlon-ask-jesus-now-for-the-things-that-you-need.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened\"<\/span> (Matthew 7:7-8). Interestingly, near the end of His life on earth, Jesus also said, <\/span>\"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full\" <\/span>(John 16:24). Notice that Jesus was speaking to His disciples at the Last Supper, so to hear that they had asked nothing until this time must have been somewhat perplexing to them. After all, the very essence of discipling is a master\/student relationship-one of asking and receiving. When the disciples left their nets and began to follow Jesus, that was the basis of the relationship-they asked, and He answered and gave them what they needed. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

What Jesus was actually telling them, however, was that an unprecedented time of hardship was imminent. You and I know that Jesus was about to be taken captive and as a result, all the disciples would flee. He was essentially saying, \"You are going to be afraid, and a sense of loss and sorrow will try to fill your hearts. But I will be with you to give you an inner strength only available to those who are willing to do My work in the earth.\" You will see this thought very clearly presented to the disciples in portions of chapters 13 through 18 in the gospel of John. \"As you walk in the pathway that I have prescribed before you as My Body, you are going to have hope, vision, and joy. Up to this point you have not asked for what is really yours. But now, if you are willing to ask, you will receive all that you will need.\"
\r\n
\r\n \"\" LATER MAY BE TOO LATE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n In Matthew 25:4-8, Jesus gave an illustration of the day of Christ's return. The five wise virgins took oil in their lamps, but the five foolish virgins had no oil. When the crisis hit, the foolish said to the wise, \"You seem to see something that we don't see. You stand here saying, 'Behold the Bridegroom,' yet we see nothing but darkness and calamity. Give us some of your oil!\" Yet tragically they asked too late. <\/p>\r\n

Beloved, it is very hard to get the resources that Christ is willing to give once the calamity hits. Remember Noah's day! Before the floods came, God closed the door of the ark and sealed Noah and his family inside. Imagine when the rain started and people outside began banging on the door. They could not enter because the ark had been closed-the time of asking was over; the time of getting needed strength was past.
\r\n
\r\n \"\" THE KIND OF TESTIMONY JESUS REQUIRES<\/span><\/span>
\r\n In order to understand more specifically what Jesus was telling His disciples to ask for in our opening text, we need to know what kind of testimony He required them to have everywhere they went. Keep in mind that Matthew 7:7 comes at the end of a very long discourse that began in Matthew 5-when Jesus saw the multitudes and went up to a mountain. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them about what they were called to be in the earth. <\/p>\r\n

I will paraphrase some of the verses of Scripture, but I encourage you to study it in detail on your own, for as His followers, we have received the same calling. <\/p>\r\n

Let's begin in Matthew 5. We must recognize our need of God and long for His ways to be known in the earth. We must act with restraint even when it is within our power to do otherwise. He instructs us to hunger and thirst for inward purity, to be merciful, at peace with all men, and call others to peace with God and with each other. We are to endure persecution, even to the point of rejoicing because of it. <\/p>\r\n

We should be as salt-bringing flavor, creating thirst, promoting healing, and bringing preservation into the earth. We are to do things publicly that bring glory to God, but at the same time, do them without the motive of being seen. What a phenomenal thought-let your light so shine that people may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Yet elsewhere Jesus also said, \"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father, which is in heaven\" <\/span>(Matthew 6:1). <\/p>\r\n

We must shun sexual lust. Jesus said that if a man even looks upon a woman with a lustful eye, he has committed adultery in his heart. We should remain true to our marriage vows. I know there are some exceptional circumstances, but if your marriage is going through a rough spot, don't just walk out. Marriage is a covenant you made with another person before God, and Paul says it is the closest reflection on earth of the love of Christ for His church. Unfortunately, we are living in an hour when the divorce rate in the church is very high, and it brings no glory to God. <\/p>\r\n

We should bless and do good to our enemies. Remember that Peter came to Jesus and asked, \"How many times should I forgive-seven times?\" And Jesus answered, \"No, not seven times, but rather seventy times seven.\" That's four hundred and ninety times you should forgive somebody who does the same thing to you over and over again. <\/p>\r\n

We are to pray for God's will to be done, that supply will be given to do it, that we might be ambassadors of forgiveness, and that we might not be led astray. We are to acknowledge that God alone has the power to help us do this.<\/p>\r\n

We must be aware of the danger of seeking security in anything of this world and letting the fear of tomorrow's provision consume our lives. Yes, we are going into a worldwide economic storm, but the Lord tells us that we must seek first His kingdom, with the promise that all that we need will be given to us. <\/p>\r\n

We must be careful how we judge one another. While we are looking at a speck in our brother's eye, there might be a log in our own that we are unaware of. Jesus said that once we have dealt with what it is in our own heart, then we will see clearly. In other words, we will see our brother as Christ sees him, and we will deal tenderly. <\/p>\r\n

Lastly, in the final verse before we get into our opening text, Jesus says, \"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you\"<\/span> (Matthew 7:6). In other words, we must learn when to share truth and when to be quiet. When Jesus was brought before His accusers, He knew what was in their hearts and didn't answer them. If He had spoken divine truths, they would have just trampled it underfoot and made a mockery of the things of God.
\r\n
\r\n \"\" IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Jesus shared so much in that one teaching on the mountain that when He was finished, His disciples were probably thinking exactly what you are thinking now: \"How in the world am I ever going to do all these things? It's impossible! How do I love my enemies? How do I truly forgive those who have wronged me? How do I stop thinking and worrying about tomorrow"<\/p>\r\n

That is why Jesus then said, \"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.\" <\/span>He knew that we would need His resources in order to be all that He requires. Then Jesus went on to say something interesting, \"Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?\"<\/span> (Matthew 7:9?10). Of course, these are not just random examples. <\/p>\r\n

Previously, in Matthew 4, Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. He had been without food for forty days when Satan came to Him and said, \"...if You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread\"<\/span> (Matthew 4:3). In other words, \"If You are God's Son, must You go through hardship? Shouldn't it be easy? You shouldn't have to suffer and be deprived. Just command these stones to be turned into bread.\" <\/p>\r\n

But Jesus replied, \"...it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God\"<\/span> (Matthew 4:4). In other words, \"I have been sent on a mission by My Father, and I am going to fulfill it. It doesn't mean that I will always be comfortable. But I have a word from the Father that I am going to finish this journey in victory, and many are coming with Me.\" <\/p>\r\n

Many people in our generation have looked for an easy journey and attempted to use the power of God to turn every stone into bread-to make every hard place easy. But Jesus told His disciples, \"What man is there of you, if his son asks for bread, will he give him a stone?\" <\/span>In other words, God will give you what you need to get you through every difficulty you face. You don't have to figure a way out of your dilemma or try to use the power of God to make all the hard places easy. <\/p>\r\n

Jesus continued, \"...or if he ask for a fish, will he give him a serpent?\" <\/span>This is an incredible statement, for the Father sent His Son to become a fisher of my soul and of yours, and consequently to call us into His work to become fishers of men. This was the redemptive purpose of God in the earth, and it involved a cross-being rejected, enduring the ridicule and scorn of people who were opposing their own salvation. Yet the serpent had come to Jesus in the wilderness saying, \"Here are all the kingdoms of the world. All You have to do is bow before me and acknowledge that God's ways are not the only ways. Just bend your knee and circumvent the cross-go around the hardship and I will give it all to You right now.\"<\/p>\r\n

Now if you ask for a fish, the Father is not going to give you a serpent. In other words, you may be asking, \"Lord, I don't want to be just a light testimony of who You are in my generation. Will You make me a fisher of men just as the early church was?\" And unlike the serpents who are trying to tempt much of the church of this generation to go a different way, God is not going come to you and say, \"No, life is meant to be easy. You don't have to suffer for the cause of Christ.\" Instead, He will promise to see you through every difficulty that may arise as you walk with purpose in this generation, and He will see you through to a victorious end.
\r\n
\r\n \"\" THE KEY TO ALL THE RESOURCES<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Jesus then continued, \"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets\" <\/span>(Matthew 7:12). It is as if Jesus were saying to them, \"If I were hurting, I would want someone to comfort Me. If I were lost, I would want someone to give whatever they had to in order to get Me out.\" <\/p>\r\n

Whatever you want others to do for you, do for them. That is actually the key to unlocking all the resources that Jesus tells us to ask for. It is the key to enduring the scorn of those who oppose Him; the key to being kind to your enemies. It is the heart of God that says, \"I am not willing that any should perish,\" and it is what allows you to have your face slapped and not retaliate. It is the key to joy and love in the workplace despite the rudeness of others around you.<\/p>\r\n

The promise at the end of the Scripture says, \"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock\" <\/span>(Matthew 7:24?25). The house was founded upon the work of God in the earth. That's why Paul could be on a storm-battered ship, still standing and taking communion, and encouraging those who would have to swim to safety (see Acts 27). It was all about God's glory and other people, not about his own preservation. Paul could see what ordinary men could not see-the captain of the ship and the other merchant seamen could not see it. But Paul's eyes were opened and he was given incredible vision because he had chosen to be used for the glory of God and others. He was a type of those who will have oil in the last days.
\r\n
\r\n \"\" ASK NOW!<\/span><\/span>
\r\n I encourage you to study these three chapters in Matthew. I have read them over and over, and I believe they give a clear vision of what the Christian life is supposed to be. The more you study these chapters, the more convinced you will be that you cannot live this life yourself-you need the power of God. So the Lord says to you, \"Ask now!\" <\/p>\r\n

This is the time we must all ask the Lord, \"Please help us see anything we have embraced that displeases You. Help us to have the power to turn from things that we know are wrong, attitudes of heart that don't represent Christ, pursuits that are not of God but self-serving, indifference to the peril of those who are lost. Help us to love and forgive people as You do. Don't let us lose our zeal for doing Your work in the earth-for You promised that when the storm comes, we will not be shaken by it.\" <\/p>\r\n

I am certain the Holy Spirit has spoken to you about something that you need. So ask of Him! An incredible victory was won on the cross. When Jesus rose from the dead, the same Spirit that raised Him up will also quicken our mortal bodies. He will lift us, give us strength, cause us to be what we are not and bring us into the victory that was won for us. All things are possible now. You don't have to pray a prayer and then go buy seven books on how to do something. Simply ask-the promise is for everybody who wants the life of Christ.<\/p>\r\n

Beloved, don't put this off until tomorrow. There is a terrible storm coming, and it is going to happen suddenly, so don't get caught off guard. The last days on this planet are going to be horrendous days, deeper and darker than anything our natural minds can imagine. If you have the ears to hear, the Lord is saying to His church today, \"Ask Me now for the things you are going to need.\" <\/p>\r\n

Sometimes \"the ask\" is just a groan, \"Oh, God, I fall so far short.\" Yet the Lord says, \"But I don't fall short, and I am within you. We will walk together, and I will cause you to stand in the midst of the storm. I will give you supernatural vision to see the value of every soul and the strength you need to represent Me in this generation. From the inside out you will begin to change, and you will see how willing I am to be God to you.\" Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"139":{"sm_title":"A Word For Those Who Feel Like Quitting","sm_id":"123","sm_desc":"October 3, 2010 - You might say you started your walk with the Lord with such optimism and all of a sudden you are fighting wars within and wars without. You know the battle is fierce and in and of yourself you have no power to get through your situation. The enemy will roar in your ear with the lie that your circumstance is greater than your God. This message encourages us that if Christ is in us we will never be overpowered by the voice or strategy of the devil. God will take you through before He takes you out. He will give you supernatural strength and your testimony will be Jesus took me through. Never give up because God is on your side!","sm_jpg":"21208_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2011-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/10\/03s1\/20101003s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2010\/mp3g\/20101003S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21548_2011_01_carter_conlon_a-word-for-those-who-feel-like-quitting.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

If you feel like quitting, this word is for you. Beloved, you are so close to something in God-so close to the victory that your heart has longed for. This is not the time to quit! <\/p>\r\n

\"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 1:8-11).<\/p>\r\n

Paul was saying, \"I don't want you to be ignorant of this. We were on a divine commission from the Lord to bring life and liberty to people who needed to know there is a Savior. When we were involved in this, trouble came against us so suddenly and powerfully that we could not stand against it.\" <\/p>\r\n

\"\u2026pressed out of measure\u2026\" <\/span>(2 Corinthians 1:8) means the opposition was stronger than any resistance they could find within themselves. They didn't know how to handle it, which eventually brought them to a point where dying looked better than living. Have you ever reached that place?<\/p>\r\n

Many people today can probably testify, \"When I first came to Christ, I had such optimism. Things around me were changing for the better, and the future appeared to be full of great promise. I was given a new heart, a new mind, a new spirit. But suddenly, without warning, things seemed to grow dark-circumstances changed, and threatening voices from without and within grew so loud that I could hardly hear the promises of God. Now I am afraid to go on. I can hardly see hope ahead of me anymore.\"<\/p>\r\n SUDDEN OPPOSITION<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \r\n It is not uncommon to suddenly and inexplicably face violent opposition while serving Christ. However, it is important to remember that in reality, none of it can conquer you, no matter how it looks. It is like walking through a dark alley and being surrounded by vicious junkyard dogs-yet their chains stop them just short of being able to hurt you. \r\n

The devil's whole tactic is to convince you that the evil around you is going to overpower you. However, he really has no power to stop the work of God in your life, for he was defeated on Calvary. His reign, the law of sin and death, and all the power that he had was cancelled on Calvary. There is nothing he can do but stand on the shores and watch the people of God go through the seas of impossibility into every promise given in Christ Jesus. The only potential power the devil has is when we fall into agreement with his reasoning and embrace his threats. \"I don't think I will ever change. I don't think I can make it.\"<\/p>\r\n

In contrast, consider the words of Paul: \"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?\"<\/span> (Romans 8:31-32). Only someone who has come through everything that we must face today could write such words. Paul had to get to the point of understanding that these things were more powerful than he could ever hope to be. His only recourse was quitting and he finally realized that his only help was in God. <\/p>\r\n

\"As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, not angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord\" <\/span>(Romans 8:36-39). I am persuaded! It is easy to be persuaded when you're on the mountaintop, but being persuaded down in the valley is where you find the difference. <\/p>\r\n A SEASON OF MIRACLES<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied\u2026. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul\"<\/span> (Acts 19:5-6, 10-11). For at least two years in Ephesus, Paul had experienced unimpeded preaching and miracles. People were receiving the Word of God in unprecedented measure and Scripture says that even handkerchiefs were taken from Paul and placed on people who were deathly ill, and they were healed. <\/span>\r\n

\"And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious (magical) arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver\"<\/span> (Acts 19:18-19). There was no religious deception here-people were honest with God and put away their evil practices. They came to an understanding of the depth of Christ on Calvary-the depth of the forgiveness that was bought there. It was an incredible revival! I think most of us would have been happy to live during that time-to see the things that Paul and those who ministered with him saw. However, it soon became evident that it was time to move on. \"After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season\" <\/span>(Acts 19:21-22). After sending Timothy and Erastus on, I believe Paul took just a moment to relax and reflect on all the wonders God had done. Have you ever done that? Have you ever just put your feet up and thought about all the miracles that have happened in your life since you became a Christian? We can picture Paul doing that here-just sitting back for a bit to savor the moment.<\/p>\r\n

Then the next day, all hell broke out! Most commentators agree that this season was what Paul was referring to when he spoke the words of our opening text-\"\u2026pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life\u2026\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 1:8). A local silversmith began to stir up the other idol makers whose trade was in danger due to Paul's preaching, and they all became infuriated (their profit margin was being affected). It grew into an uproar in the arena, and the people shouted for two hours straight, \"Great is Diana of the Ephesians!\" Can you imagine being a Christian in the midst of that cacophony-a roar of voices trying to shout down the Word, claiming that something else is greater than the God that you serve? <\/p>\r\n

But that is the tactic of the devil. He was trying to convince Paul and his associates that there was a power greater than the God they were walking with, the one who had begun to manifest His glory. This uproar lasted for quite a while, and Paul was in the midst of it. We don't have all the details, we just know that it was violent and that society had suddenly turned. The turning point seemed to have been when their god of gold was touched-their god of income and prosperity. At that time this great revival turned inward and turned against the believers. <\/p>\r\n

Similarly, you and I are going to experience opposition from a kingdom that is being overthrown by the presence of God in us. We may know victory for a season, but keep in mind that we are standing for God in a world that is against the ways of God-a world filled with people who, in their own ignorance, are opposing their own salvation. Some of you go to a workplace where those around you tolerate the fact that you are a Christian, and some may even be interested in what you say. That is, until it begins to affect their livelihood-because you are walking honestly while they are not. Then suddenly all hell begins to break out around you. <\/p>\r\n

This world will profess tolerance toward us until their sense of well-being comes into question-until they realize the church is a force in the nation. Then we will find ourselves in the midst of this incredible war, \"Great is Diana of the Ephesians! Great is Dow Jones of the United States of America! Great are our corporations and our image of ourselves!\" <\/p>\r\n ENCOURAGE YOURSELF IN THE LORD<\/span><\/span>
\r\n I don't know what you are facing today or what kind of voice is coming against you, but I do know that you do not have to be overcome by it. You are not walking in a kingdom made by the hands of men but rather fashioned by the hand of God Himself. After the apostles witnessed Jesus feed the multitudes with the loaves and fishes, they got into their boat to cross to the other side. Suddenly a violent storm arose and it seemed the elements themselves were trying to throw off the testimony of what Christ had just done. Why did that storm come? The enemy knows that the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ is something he must oppose with everything he has. <\/span>\r\n

This was not a chance storm in the apostles' day and this same storm will come against every believer today. If you find yourself losing strength in a storm, you are a partaker of what others before you have gone through. Search the Scriptures and you will see that those who walked with God ended up facing all types of opposition. Daniel was thrown into a den of lions and Elijah had to flee from a wicked king. King David, mighty king of Israel, had a great anointing on his life and had won many victories in battle. Yet suddenly he found himself completely alone-the only ones who came near were those who were against him. But he did what you and I need to do in such seasons-he encouraged himself in the Lord. <\/p>\r\n

You must go back in your mind and remember how good God has been to you. David remembered how God's anointing had come upon him. He remembered victories in his life-fighting the lion and the bear and running into the valley to face Goliath. He also remembered picking up his harp and singing to King Saul, binding the devil so that he was no longer able to torment him. David thought about these things and encouraged himself in the Lord.
\r\n
\r\n David went into the closet of prayer, and God showed him a way through. That is why he could write, \"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me\"<\/span> (Psalms 23:4). God was saying, \"I am not going to take you out immediately; I am going to take you through. I am going to show you where strength is.\" With his few men, David pursued what was lost, and although the odds were overwhelmingly against him, everything was restored-\"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit\u2026\" <\/span>(Zechariah 4:6). David concluded, \"I will not get through this by reasoning or by figuring a way over or around. I will get through it just the way I started-by the supernatural power of Almighty God.\"<\/p>\r\n

When you get to the end, you will have a song, but that song will not be about how you figured it all out. That song will be, \"Jesus took me through, Jesus saved me, Jesus carried me, Jesus walked with me, Jesus defeated my enemies, Jesus took me over the finish line.\" You are more than a conqueror! There is no prison door that can hold you. There is no roaring voice that can drown out the voice of Almighty God, and no plan of hell formed against you can prosper. You are a child of God, and Jesus said, \"I am taking you through to the other side.\" Hallelujah! <\/p>\r\n BEACAUSE OF PRAYER<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Look again at Paul's words: <\/span>\"\u2026he will continue to deliver us. He will rescue us because you are helping by praying for us. As a result, many will give thanks to God because so many people's prayers for our safety have been answered\" <\/span>(2 Corinthians 1:10-11, NLT). Paul acknowledged that God would rescue them because people prayed, and as a result many would give thanks to God. I believe one of the greatest victories we will know in our time is simply the awareness that we are not walking this journey alone. It is not just about me, and it is not just about you, it is about the whole body of Christ. We spend so much of our time praying for ourselves, don't we? \"Lord, help me; Lord, bless me; Lord, keep me; Lord, why me?\" But the Lord says, \"Would you let Me expand your thinking a little bit?\" As you pray for those presently going through a tough season, when God brings them through, they will pray for you when your time comes. Then there will be great rejoicing, and many will give thanks to God. <\/span>\r\n

How are we going to get through the days ahead? How are we even going to get through the present time? We will get through because we are going to pray and believe the promises of God. We will get through because we are moving together as a body-nobody will be left behind. That was the cry of Moses, \"We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go\u2026 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind\"<\/span> (Exodus 10:9, 26). As the church-the Bride of Christ-we are going to make it to the other side. We are heading out of here-going home! <\/p>\r\n

Today you may feel \"pressed out of measure, above strength,\" as Paul wrote. People are facing serious battles. Some have lost children; some don't know where their next meal is coming from; some are fighting for their sanity; marriages are falling apart. I want you to know that we are standing with you-you are not alone. We are praying for God's grace and strength to be yours. You are not going to be overwhelmed; you are not going to go down-we are fighting this together, and we will walk in the victory Jesus has already secured for us. Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"140":{"sm_title":"Loneliness","sm_id":"122","sm_desc":"August 22, 2010 - We will all experience seasons of loneliness. Some of you may be wondering why you cannot get rid of this deep sense of loneliness. Is it possible that loneliness has deeper roots and a deeper purpose than you understand? Is it possible that we live trying to escape something that could truly have reason for being in our lives? This message suggests that loneliness is in your heart for a reason. God put an ache of loneliness in all humanity so we could find our way back to Him. But there is also something in the heart of God that is lonely for us. Is it possible that the loneliness in the human heart is in part God sharing with us His heart to have all people come back to Him? The next time you feel lonely consider that it is Christ in you trying to reach a lost and lonely generation.","sm_jpg":"20995_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2010-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/08\/22s1\/20100822s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2010\/mp3g\/20100822S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"IAfllQecUms","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21491_2010_12_carter_conlon_loneliness.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread. By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top\" <\/span>(Psalms 102:1?7).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We don't know what particular difficulty the writer was experiencing at the time he penned this psalm, but in it we find a common experience-a difficulty that we all face at some point in our lives: loneliness. <\/p>\r\n

Loneliness does not necessarily stem from the fact that someone is indeed alone. Millions of people live in the greater New York area, yet it can be one of the loneliest places on earth. Many people feel alone in their family setting or workplace, perhaps rejected because they have come to Christ while others have not. Even church can be a lonely place for some-even though they stand on their feet and sing praise to the Lord, they know that once service is over, they will be alone once again. They will walk out the door and ask themselves, \"Why can't I get rid of this deep sense of loneliness in my heart?\" <\/p>\r\n

If this sentiment is familiar to you, you are in good company. Even the psalmist said, \"I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top\" <\/span>(Psalms 102:7). In other words, \"I have the anointing of God. I know the purpose of life and why I am on the earth. Christ is everything to me and I live in a place where I have a higher view and see more than ordinary men, like a sparrow upon a housetop-yet I feel so alone.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n <\/p>\r\n LONELINESS IN THE SCRIPTURES<\/span><\/span>
\r\n\r\n\r\n Some of the greatest people in scriptural history struggled with loneliness. David, for example, was anointed to be king of Israel, and the Spirit of God had come upon him. He had God-given talents and abilities and had experienced victories that perhaps no one in his generation had seen. However, at a point in his journey, he found himself in a cave saying,<\/span> \"I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul\"<\/span> (Psalms 142:4). Nobody understood what he was going through, and in his opinion, nobody really cared to know. He could not find refuge in any of humanity around him. \r\n <\/span>\r\n

Or consider the apostle Paul, who likely had the greatest revelation of any writer in his generation. Listen to the words he wrote to Timothy in the last hours of his life: \"At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge\" <\/span>(2 Timothy 4:16). How lonely Paul must have been at that moment in his life-especially after his whole journey and all he had given for the churches. Finally, when he was called to answer before the judicial system of his time, not a single person stood with him! How tempted Paul must have been to become overwhelmed when everyone forsook him. Likewise, how tempted we are to throw in the towel when we feel alone.<\/p>\r\n \r\n <\/p>\r\n A DEEPER PURPOSE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n\r\n Given the prevalence of loneliness throughout the Scriptures and in our own lives, we should consider an important question today: Is it possible that loneliness has a purpose far deeper than we understand? We live in a society that has adopted a theological perspective that pursues to escape all hardship and sorrow. But is it possible that we are constantly trying to escape something that God has intentionally allowed in our lives? Although the Bible promises a day in heaven when there is no sorrow, no sighing, no loneliness and no tears, we are often like the prodigal son-we want our inheritance now. We want church to make us happy, with every message building up our self-image and allowing us to avoid all suffering. Tragically, this pursuit has left much of the Church ill-prepared for the days that we are all about to face. \r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/span>\r\n

Now think about this for a moment. <\/span>There was no loneliness in the human race until sin separated man from God in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were not lonely-they had fellowship with God and with each other. But when mankind sinned, loneliness entered the hearts of the human race. And loneliness, though not a sin in itself, does lead many people to sin. <\/p>\r\n

The Scriptures say we are enticed and drawn away by our own lusts-that is how sin gains a foundation in the human life. But for many people, it does not begin with lust-it begins with loneliness. People don't just start browsing pornographic sites because they are filled with lust, nor do they get into bad relationships or substance addictions because they necessarily wanted to. In many cases they are simply lonely, looking for something to satisfy the aching in their heart. And when people come to Christ, they often get the impression that all of this will be gone-that they will never be lonely again. Therefore they begin to wonder, \"Well, if I'm never supposed to be lonely again, why do I feel so alone? What's wrong with me?\" <\/p>\r\n

If you are lonely today and have given in to sin, or you are moving toward sin, you have made a wrong choice. You are becoming led by the lusts of your own fallen nature, and you will find yourself in a worse situation than you have ever been in before. <\/p>\r\n

I suggest to you that loneliness is in your heart for a reason-God put it there. After Cain sinned, he was sent as a vagabond in the land, yet God put a mark on him so that no man could hurt him. And when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, it seemed that loneliness was put into the human race by God Himself. He put it there because He wants you back to Himself again. You will never find anything to satisfy that ache in your heart. You were created by God, in His image, for fellowship with Him and ultimately for eternity with Him. Search for all the fame, wealth and popularity that you can-but that emptiness in your heart will never be satisfied until you are back in full relationship with God. Nevertheless, mankind incessantly circles this globe looking for some new relationship, some new thrill or activity to satisfy that ache in their heart put there by God Himself. <\/p>\r\n

David said, \"I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me; refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul\"<\/span> (Psalms 142:4). But then in verse 5 he said, \"I cried unto Thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.\" <\/span>David was lonely, but he said, \"God, I know that You are the only one who can satisfy this ache in my heart. I know that I'll never be complete until I am back in right relationship and full fellowship with You.\" <\/p>\r\n

The Lord wants us to come to understand that Jesus Christ is our only lasting strength and comfort in this world. Sometimes He causes everything to be stripped away until all that remains is a friend who sticks closer than a brother-until we finally stop looking to who is on the left and on the right. Thank God for people-but it is only a living relationship with God through Jesus Christ that will truly satisfy. <\/p>\r\n \r\n <\/p>\r\n SHARING GOD'S HEART<\/span><\/span>
\r\n God uses loneliness to draw us to a place where we become fully satisfied in Him, but I believe we should consider another purpose, as well. Is it possible that loneliness in the human heart is God's way of sharing with us the longing in His heart for people to return to Him? You can waste time focusing on yourself, trying to get rid of that feeling or you can consider another possibility. Christ may be manifesting His heart in you saying, \"I love you, I have embraced you, I have called you by My name. But just look away from yourself for a moment and see all the men and women around you, the teenagers on the street, that senior across the hall. I am lonely for them.\" \r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/span>\r\n

Paul said, \"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him\" <\/span>(2 Timothy 2:12). Our loneliness is in measure a part of sharing in the sufferings of Christ, for Jesus Himself experienced loneliness. When people believed in His name simply because they saw His miracles, the Scriptures say that Jesus could not commit Himself to man, for He knew what was in man. At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus groaned and was troubled at the people's unbelief, and He wept. When He was with His own disciples explaining how He must go to Jerusalem to be crucified, none of them understood but instead tried to convince Him not to go to the cross. When the people came to make Him a king, He walked away. It must have been lonely. <\/p>\r\n

You see, the only real lasting fellowship Jesus had was with His Father and the Holy Spirit. That's why He said, \"Father, if it be possible, take this cup from Me.\" There was nothing of this world that could satisfy Him. I believe even the thought of losing fellowship with the Father for a season was almost unbearable to Jesus. Hebrews 4:15 says, \"He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.\" <\/span>If He was not lonely, then this Scripture is not true. Jesus had to be tested in all points as we are, yet He did not sin. He did not try to escape the loneliness, but in spite of it allowed the hand of God to reach out through Him to others-to people whose pain would be eternal if He drew back. <\/p>\r\n

If God's people spend their days drawing back from humanity, refusing to partake in what it really means to be the Church of Jesus Christ in this world, how many people are going to suffer for all eternity? I thank God Jesus didn't draw back and say, \"Father, the only happiness I have is with You, and I am not willing to forsake it for anything.\" If that were the case, we would have no hope. <\/p>\r\n \r\n <\/p>\r\n FOR THE JOY<\/span><\/span>
\r\n\r\n \"...who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross\"<\/span> (Hebrews 12:2). It was for the joy-the joy of you and me being reconciled to God again. It was so that the longing and the loneliness in the heart of God would be satisfied. Did you know that God has a need that only you can meet? Have you ever considered that? Have you ever thought that God might be lonely? If that weren't the case, couldn't He have just written off all of humanity? God could have said, \"Well, I tried and it didn't work. Let me create another world with some other people.\" But no! When God came down into the Garden of Eden and yelled, \"Adam!\" He was like a father who had lost his child; like a husband who had lost his wife. There was a loneliness in the heart of God-a loneliness for every person throughout all time who would miss out on the great love and salvation of the Father.\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/span>\r\n

And now Jesus commissions His Church, \"As the Father has sent Me, now I send you into the world.\" So the question is, should we constantly try to escape all hardship? Should we live solely for our own happiness? Yes, happiness is a wonderful thing, and Christ had times of great joy in His own life. But as the Church of Jesus Christ, are we not still on a redemptive mission to bring people to the Savior? If we did not feel what is in the heart of God for humanity-if we could see a man crying on a bench and not be moved to speak to him-do we really share the heart of God? <\/p>\r\n

If you and I lived on a mountaintop all the time, we would be obnoxious to this world. We would simply come down with our million-dollar smiles and our list of things for people to do to get right with God. There would be absolutely nothing in us that truly represented the Christ who went to a cross. Nothing of that passionate love of Jesus that caused lepers to crawl through a crowd, blind men to cry out on the side of the road, prostitutes to fall at His feet and wash them with their tears. <\/p>\r\n

Yet in our day, in this American church age, can it be that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness has become our theology? Has society so infiltrated the church that we no longer resemble Christ but instead reject everything that could produce His character within us? How foolish it would be to try to throw away something in our lives that God is using to produce compassion in us! After all, lonely people are aware of other lonely people. Once someone has suffered and has had to be comforted by God alone, it is only natural that they become filled with compassion and start reaching out to the needs of others. <\/p>\r\n

For the joy set before us, we should be willing to endure the cross and despise its shame. It is for the joy of men, women and children being reconciled to God, the joy of knowing that the loneliness in our Father's heart is being satisfied. <\/p>\r\n \r\n <\/p>\r\n PUT IT TO WORK<\/span><\/span>
\r\n If you cannot put your finger on the reason for the loneliness in your life, it is likely that God, in His mercy, is sharing His heart with you. He said He would never fail you nor forsake you and He came to you when you reached out to Him. Yes, there is a day coming when there will be no more sorrow and no more tears, but until then, you are given the privilege of sharing the heart of Christ in this world. I am thankful that God doesn't just allow us to become aloof-distanced from the pain of humanity around us; distanced from the heart of God; singing songs but looking nothing like the Savior. \r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/span>\r\n

Don't keep looking for that \"perfect person\" to come into your life and take away the loneliness. True, he or she may dull it for a season, but it will come back again. Instead, take that loneliness in your heart and channel it in the right direction, saying, \"Lord, thank You for sharing Your heart with me, letting me know how You feel about people. As much as I may long for someone to come into my life, You long so much more for fallen men, women and children to return to You. Help me to focus on You and others rather than on myself.\" <\/p>\r\n

As you submit to the Lord, He will give you compassion to move toward people who have that same cry of loneliness in their hearts. They don't have the answer-but you do! Allow God to use you to represent the heart of Christ in this generation!<\/p>"},"141":{"sm_title":"Beware of Smiting the Rock","sm_id":"125","sm_desc":"June 27, 2010 - When we come to Christ we must by faith believe that our sins were paid in full by His precious Blood. The Bible says He was wounded for our transgressions and He was bruised for our iniquities. The sacrifice was made one time and we don't have to smite the Rock (Jesus) again. We don't have to keep going to an altar call for salvation every time we fail. Salvation leads us into the completeness of Christ and we are invited to come boldly the throne of grace when we are weak and struggling. It doesn't matter what your need is today, come to Jesus and begin to speak to Him. Don't wait until you are strong, come when your weak and pour out your heart to Him. You can walk in assurance and confidence because of the Blood. Come and speak to Jesus, He wants to hear your voice.","sm_jpg":"20478_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2010-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/06\/27s1\/20100627s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2010\/mp3g\/20100627S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"ayyryFXAN-4","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21533_2010_11_carter_conlon_beware-of-smiting-the-rock.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people chode [contended] with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! <\/p> \r\n

And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them. <\/p>\r\n

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him. <\/p>\r\n

And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them\" <\/span>(Numbers 20:1?12).<\/p>\r\n

Paul said that all these things happened to the children of Israel as examples for us, \"upon whom the ends of the world are come\"<\/span> (1 Corinthians 10:11). Therefore, there must be an illustration, a warning within these verses of Scripture that we would do well to heed. <\/p>\r\n

At the beginning of the fortieth year after the exodus from Egypt, the people of God were to inherit the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership. They were about to go in and possess a land that would abound but they were in a deplorable spiritual condition, full of unbelief and fighting with their leadership. There was no evidence of the blessing of God as far as they could see, and they declared that God had brought them into a place that appeared fruitless. And then, to top it off, they claimed to be dying of thirst! <\/p>\r\n

WHY SO SEVERE A JUDGMENT?<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Now consider all that Moses had endured with these people throughout the forty years in the wilderness-yet how faithful he remained. What was it about this action of smiting the rock that deserved so severe a judgment? We know he hit it in anger, but he had displayed anger before. When he came down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments in his hand and saw the people dancing around a golden calf, he took those tablets-which were the Word of God-and smashed them to pieces. Why had he not been judged for that? Why would God wait so long to judge him for a flash of temper?\r\n \r\n

And let's also consider Aaron, who would die because of this. \"Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there\"<\/span> (Numbers 20:24, 26). Aaron was the one who had fashioned the golden calf while Moses was up on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments. He even built an altar and worshiped the calf with the people. If he had to die for something, surely it should have been that!<\/p>\r\n

In Deuteronomy 3:25, Moses recounted to the people his further appeals to the Lord. \"I pray thee, let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.\"<\/span> Remember, it was Moses who previously stood between the wrath of God and a sinning people when the Lord told him, \"Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they\"<\/span> (see Deuteronomy 9:14). Yet as Moses stood in the breach, the Lord relented. Now he was coming to God on behalf of his own transgression, only to be told, \"Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter\"<\/span> (Deuteronomy 3:26). In other words, God said to Moses, \"This is the way it is going to be, so don't talk to Me about it anymore. You are not going into the Promised Land.\"<\/p>\r\n

Why was this such an offense to God? And what does it speak to us today? In order for us to understand the severity of God's action in this case, we need to see that this whole journey was a clear foreshadowing of a soon-coming Christ and His Church. <\/p>\r\n

a FORESHADOWING<\/span><\/span>
\r\n The plan of God from the beginning of time was to send His Son to die on a cross for a people who had sinned against Him and to regather to Himself a bride called His Church-you and me. \"Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink\"<\/span> (Exodus 17:6). This was a clear foreshadowing of Jesus at Calvary. The rock was smitten, just as Jesus was smitten on His way to the cross. \"\u2026they struck him on the face\"<\/span> (Luke 22:64). \"\u2026one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand\u2026\" <\/span>(John 18:22). \"\u2026they smote him with their hand\u2026\" (John 19:3). \"And they smote him on the head\"<\/span> (Mark 15:19). \r\n \r\n

Just as water poured forth from the rock when Moses struck it, John 19:34 says, \"But one of the soldiers with his spear pierced his side, and forthwith there came out blood and water.\"<\/span> The blood was for redemption, and the water for life. It was a perfect type of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the Father sending the Son, the Son being smitten, and out of that smiting, the Holy Spirit-the living water.
\r\n
\r\n Jesus said, \"If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive\u2026)\"<\/span> (John 7:37?39).<\/p>\r\n

What an incredible picture of the redemption of humanity! This was not just an ordinary rock, an ordinary circumstance, for everything in the Old Testament was leading to Calvary. Viewed in that way, suddenly the Scriptures unlock and you begin to understand that nothing is by chance. It's not happenstance that water poured out of His side, for He was the Rock. Paul said, \"And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ\"<\/span> (1 Corinthians 10:4). Notice how it all points to our redemption, to the Church of Jesus Christ, and to an eternal kingdom that is coming. Hallelujah! <\/p>\r\n

SMITTEN FOR US<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities\u2026\" <\/span>(Isaiah 53:4?5). The word \"iniquities\" refers to our failings, our suffering, our misery. Jesus was wounded to make a way for us through the veil, into the very presence of a holy God-never again to worry about our eternal destiny, but rather to be fully received as sons and daughters of God, fully cleansed as His righteousness.

\"\u2026the chastisement of our peace was upon him<\/span> [all that separated us from God's promises, His life, His strength, His victory]; and with his stripes we are healed\"<\/span> (Isaiah 53:5). We are healed! We may not look like it-some days we are an awful-looking mess-but we are healed from the penalty of sin and its power. When Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, He said, \"It is finished\"<\/span> (John 19:30). The devil's reign, the weakness of sin, the penalty-it is all finished. The Rock was smitten on Calvary, and as a result the power of God is given to us to become new creations in Christ Jesus. <\/p>\r\n

It is finished! We have a righteousness that is not our own-our perfection is in Christ. We didn't earn it, we don't deserve it-it is given to us by faith. If that doesn't make us shout, nothing will! <\/p>\r\n

IT'S TIME TO SPEAK TO THE ROCK<\/span><\/span>
\r\n The Lord specifically told Moses, \"\u2026speak ye unto the rock\u2026\" <\/span>(Numbers 20:8). He wasn't to strike it for it had already been smitten and now it was time to speak.\r\n \r\n

\"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it\"<\/span> (John 14:13?14). <\/p>\r\n

\"Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full\"<\/span> (John 16:23?24). <\/p>\r\n

The sacrifice was made once, and we don't have to smite the rock anymore. If you have responded to God's offer of salvation with a sincere heart-truly intending to walk with Him, turning away from a lifestyle of sin and receiving cleansing of His blood-that first smiting of the rock was sufficient. The life, the water that came from it, became yours and you never have to return to an altar for salvation.<\/p>\r\n

I observe people coming back for salvation every time they fail. They don't realize that when they first came to Christ, their sins were dealt with, and they were given a cleanness in Christ. If sins were imputed to those who belong to Jesus, they would be saved at one o'clock, lost at two o'clock, saved at three, lost at four-just hoping that they were on the right side of the clock when their heart finally stopped beating. But that is not the way it works. As a genuine believer in Christ, sin is not imputed to you. Yes, sin can affect your relationship with God, dulling your mind and causing you not to hear His voice. You might even start living in a certain way, but God will never let you go if you are a genuine believer in Him. There will be a conviction in your heart.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

OFFENDING THE WORK OF GOD<\/span><\/span>
\r\n When we ministers fail to lead the true church to the completeness of Christ's victory in spite of her present condition, we diminish the finality, the greatness, and the compassion of the cross of Jesus Christ. It was one sacrifice-one time. If I allow people to come to the altar for salvation every week, I offend the work of God. That's what Moses did. He was exasperated with the people, took that rod, and struck the rock again. Perhaps the dilemma Moses faced was that he just did not believe God could be that merciful. He came to a point where he had had enough and committed a very dangerous, grave offense. \r\n \r\n

Making people who are saved feel as if their sin is imputed to them is a type of diminishing the cross. God takes this so seriously that He said to Moses, \"Don't talk to me about this again; this is so grievous that you are not going in to the Promised Land\" (Deuteronomy 3:26?27, paraphrase). Moses went to heaven, of course, but he missed the Promised Land on earth. That's how seriously God takes this-how much mercy He wants to show His people. If you are a child of God and have trusted in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, God help me if I make you feel that the blood of that cross does not apply to you and you have to keep coming back to the altar over and over. <\/p>\r\n

I believe there will be a great harvest of souls in these last days with many coming in from camps that have been a mess. The Lord has been speaking to my heart, \"Be very careful that you do not condemn the righteous. Just because someone adheres to a practice or holds to a viewpoint you don't agree with doesn't mean that I have not received them. Be very careful that you don't smite the rock and make people who have walked with Me for years feel like their salvation has not been real. Be very careful, for you do not have a right to call common or unclean what I have cleansed.\"<\/p>\r\n \r\n

AN INCREDIBLE INVITATION<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need\"<\/span> (Hebrews 4:14?16). We are to come boldly, not only when we are strong, but especially in our time of need. \r\n

You may be afraid of the future; you may have had a view of what walking with God was supposed to be and it has not materialized for you. If you are wondering why you even bother to call yourself a Christian, the Lord says to you, \"The sacrifice still applies. Your sins are still forgiven-you don't have to come and be saved again. Come and just talk to Me!\" \r\n

Do you understand this incredible invitation? \"If you are thirsty, talk to Me! If you are hungry, talk to Me! If you are fearful, struggling, caught in a besetting sin, talk to Me! Don't wait until you are strong, come when you are weak. And come boldly, for I have invited you in. This is not a walk for the strong only, it is for all people-all races, all cultures, whether you are on top of the mountain, or underneath the mountain. Come with confidence-you are My child; you don't have to hide from Me. I was smitten for you, wounded for your transgressions, and bruised for your iniquities. All your failures have been laid upon Me, and with My stripes you are healed!\" <\/p>\r\n

This is hard for some people to hear. We think it is holy to hang our heads and walk around mournful because of our failings. The prodigal son thought it was holy when he came home with his mantra, \"I have sinned, I am not worthy, make me a slave in your house\" (Luke 15:18?19, paraphrase). However, the father did not even answer him but instead simply embraced him, put shoes on his feet, struck up the band and exclaimed, \"Let's have a celebration! Finally my son has come home!\" Oh, beloved, I see them coming from the north, south, east, west-broken, bruised, confused, beaten up by this world-but still sons and daughters of God. <\/p>\r\n

If you are struggling today, I invite you to talk to God. You have the right to go to Him just as you are-with all your struggles, frailties, feelings of condemnation, the whole deal-but above all, with a heart that wants Him. As you speak to Him about what is on your heart, He promises that water will come out of the rock. It's the power of the Holy Spirit-cleansing you, strengthening you, giving you faith where you have lost faith. Don't be afraid to talk to Him. Let Him touch you today. Hallelujah! <\/p>"},"142":{"sm_title":"Jesus Cares","sm_id":"119","sm_desc":"June 13, 2010 - We are living in a time when all the options of a safe and secure future are running out. The Church of Jesus Christ will never fully know the miracles of God's compassion until we run out of resources. We need a vision of our smallness combined with a vision of God's greatness. Jesus will wait until all human effort and reasoning are gone so we don't take credit for His miracles. A great touch of God is coming to those with a childlike faith who bring Jesus the little they have so He can multiply it.","sm_jpg":"20167_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2010-10","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/06\/13s1\/20100613s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2010\/mp3g\/20100613S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21221_2010_10_carter_conlon_jesus_cares.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"What is the greatest truth you have ever learned? What has given you the most comfort, the greatest revelation of God?\" If you asked me those questions today, I could boil down my answer to two words: Jesus cares. It is a great comfort to know that no matter where we are or what we're going through, the eyes of God are always on us, and His compassion never fails. His eyes observe us constantly throughout the day, and I am strengthened personally by knowing that Jesus cares, as evidenced throughout the Scriptures.<\/p>\r\n

EXAMINING OUR OWN RESOURCES<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Consider the miracle of provision recounted in John, chapter 6. There were five thousand men, plus women and children, so possibly at least ten thousand gathered on the mountain with Jesus and His disciples. At the end of the day, Jesus did not want to send the people away hungry because He had compassion on them. So He turned to Philip and asked, \"Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?\" <\/span>(John 6:5). He said this to test Philip, since He already knew what He was going to do.<\/p> \r\n

\r\n It seems we never fully know the miracles of God's compassion until we have run out of our resources. However, the disciples still had resources at this point, so the first thing Philip did, probably in conference with some of the other disciples, was to check the money bag and conclude that two hundred pennyworth of bread was insufficient to feed everyone in a crowd of this size (John 6:7). And even if they did have enough money, what bakery would have ten or fifteen thousand loaves of bread on hand? In the natural it was impossible. The crowd was too big, the need was too great! But\u2026Jesus cares!<\/p> \r\n

FAITH OF A CHILD<\/span><\/span>
\r\n All of a sudden a little boy ran out of the crowd. Andrew took him to Jesus and said, \"There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?\" <\/span>(John 6:9). This boy had probably been close enough to hear Jesus saying, \"The people are hungry, we have to feed them.\" And so he looked down at the little lunch basket in his hand. I can imagine him turning to his mother and father saying, \"Is it okay if I give these to Jesus?\" And the mother and father were probably thinking, \"Well, isn't this cute? He wants to take his lunch and give it to Jesus. Well, Jesus is probably hungry since He's been preaching to the people all day. He might appreciate these few loaves and a couple of fish for Himself.\" So they gave him permission.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n This little boy came up to where the disciples were-all the big players in the Kingdom of God who were willing to fight to the death and go to Jerusalem. The boy tapped Andrew on the leg, lifted his basket toward him, and said, \"Here!\" In his heart he may have thought, \"What a day this is going to be-Jesus and I are going to feed this crowd!\" Now Jesus knew what He was going to do, but the Bible says that He does not operate outside of faith. There must be somebody in the crowd who has faith, somebody willing to believe.<\/p> \r\n

\r\n That's the simplicity of being a child. No wonder Jesus said: \"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein\"<\/span> (Mark 10:15). In the original text, this means that a person may receive it intellectually yet still dwell outside the power of God. He will know about the kingdom and hear parables about it, but he won't live in the kingdom. Instead, the kingdom will elude him. We must all become as this little child, recognizing our own unworthiness but believing the simple truth: With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.<\/p> \r\n

RECOGNIZING OUR OWN UNWORTHINESS<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Isaiah had a similar revelation when he was drawn up to the throne of God. In the presence of a holy God, he saw his own unworthiness and lack of resources. Though he had already begun his prophetic ministry in Israel, his testimony at that point was, \"Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts\" <\/span>(Isaiah 6:5). He was saying, \"We have all fallen short of what I see here. I see Your glory and Your majesty Lord. I am standing in Your presence, and I don't have anything in comparison to You!\"<\/p> \r\n

\r\n Isaiah probably felt he had less than the little boy had for his lunch that day on the mountainside. Yet he began to hear the heart of God asking, \"Who will go for us?\"<\/span> (Isaiah 6:8). Despite knowing he had very little by way of natural resources, he cried, \"Here am I, send me!\" Isaiah believed with the Lord, all things were possible-if he put his little bit into the hands of God, the Lord in His compassion would multiply it to bless many. And didn't God do exactly that? Today we have been given an incredible vision through what the Lord showed the prophet Isaiah-not only of time past and time present, but into the future-into the coming of Christ in His eternal kingdom.<\/p> \r\n

IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM<\/span><\/span>
\r\n In Mark, chapter 4, the disciples were heading across the water when suddenly a storm arose. You can picture them rowing, chatting, and perhaps even encouraging one another. But the wind and waves continued to grow stronger until eventually water began to fill the boat. By that point, these seasoned sailors and fishermen were convinced they were about to go down. In the midst of their despair, they awakened Jesus in the back of the boat-not to pray, but actually to accuse Him: \"Do you not care that we perish?\"<\/span> (Mark 4:38, NKJV). Many of our prayers today are like that. How many even prayed that way this morning or last night? \"Lord, don't you know what I am going through? Aren't you aware of the turmoil in my family, the war in my heart, the demonic powers that seem to be pitted against me? Don't you care?\" Yet, in spite of our accusations, we know Jesus cares. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n When Jesus heard the cries of His disciples, He stood up in the boat and with His spoken word calmed the wind and the waves. Then He turned and said to them, \"Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?\"<\/span> (Mark 4:40). Why is it that we wait until the ship is going down before we cry out for the miracle? Is it just pride in the human heart? Why do we wait until there is no other option? Miracles could actually happen sooner if we simply believed and understood that there really is no option apart from God.<\/p>\r\n

WEEPING IN NAIN<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"And it came to pass the day after, that he [Jesus] went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him...\" <\/span>(Luke 7:11). \"Nain\" means a city of pleasantness and beauty. It was a place where many people desired to live because of the promising future it offered. It was a place where the widow, the poor, and the oppressed could find solutions to their problems.<\/p> \r\n

\r\n However, suddenly this city had turned into a place of hopelessness and despair. \"Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her\" <\/span>(Luke 7:12). This woman had no husband, and she was carrying her only son out of the city. That son was her hope-her provision, her safety, her future-but now he was gone. And she was not the only one who had lost hope, for it says that many others were coming out of the city with her.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Today our options for a safe and secure future are quickly running out. You know it, the unsaved know it, and even the skeptic knows it. We are soon going to find ourselves in a situation just like the people who were gathered in Nain.<\/p> \r\n

\r\n I think of all the single mothers who must be crying out to God today. Those who had put such hope in their sons and daughters, such hope in the city they live in, which once appeared to offer a promising future. But instead they see it swallowing their sons and daughters, and their hope is quickly diminishing. There is a deep cry within, and God hears it.<\/p> \r\n

\r\n \"And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not\"<\/span> (Luke 7:13). This mother did not see Him, He saw her. Thank God, Jesus cares! He could have passed by, and nobody would have even known. But He couldn't pass by because He cares! He hears the cry of the widow, for His own law says He is the husband to the widow. It would have been outside His character to have no compassion. So Jesus came and touched the casket, and those that bore it stood still. The Scripture says, \"Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 20:17, NKJV). Stop scurrying, stop worrying, stop fretting, stop wringing your hands about the future. Stand still and come face to face with the One who went to a cross and said, \"It is finished.\" <\/p>\r\n

The reign of sin, hell, death, poverty, and sickness is over. Then Jesus said, \"Young man, I say unto thee, Arise!\" <\/span>(Luke 7:14). This speaks to me of that deepest part of death that is trying to work in our lives-the deepest fear of the heart, the deepest struggles, the deepest places we go through when our resources have failed. And just as Jesus did in Nain, He will stop this parade of death in you-the parade of human effort and human reasoning. He will put His hand on that deep struggle and fear and say, \"Live!\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n The Scripture says that the young man then sat up and began to speak. The Greek word for \"speak\" is laleo<\/span>-a word that is also attributed to the speech of God. This is the same word used in Hebrews 1:2 where it says that God has \"in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.\"<\/span> We can infer from this that the boy got up and began to speak right things. His priorities were right, his conversation was right-he began to speak as an oracle of God.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n The Scripture says that after this, great fear came upon the people of Nain. This city of weeping, this city of no hope, this city where a parade of death and hopelessness was coming out to bury the dead-suddenly began to glorify God, and the report of this went throughout all the nations round about. <\/p>\r\n

ARISE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Just as Jesus spoke to the boy who was dead, today He says to us, \"Arise!\" Now that's our choice-we can choose to live, or we can choose to stay dead. We can choose to just say, \"There's no strength in me, there's no life in me, there's no hope in me. I am bankrupt in this area of my life.\" We can make the choice to stay there if we want. We can look in the money bag and conclude, \"No, the need is too great, and the resources in my life are too small,\" and thus settle for essentially living outside of the kingdom of God while on earth. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n But why should you do this? Why should you make your life available to go through the battle with darkness? What is the point if heaven is your ultimate goal? There is only one answer: Jesus cares. He cares about you, He cares about the city, He cares about the people who are going into a Christless eternity. He cares about the starving, and He cares about the dying children. Jesus cares! <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Beloved, if we could just rise up and understand this; if we had the courage to call out to the God who can do the impossible, what a difference our lives would make in this generation. We don't come to God in strength-we come with the little bit that we have, and ask Him to multiply it for His glory. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Are you willing to do that today? You can do as the disciples did-look around at the great need, check your pockets, see your meager resources. Or you can be like that little boy who said, \"I would like to give this to Jesus. I believe that we can feed this crowd.\" You will never know what God can do through your life until you make the step to let Him prove Himself to you. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n Today you may have an area of death so deep in your life that only God can resurrect it. That young man was dead, and so was his mother's hope. But Jesus gave life because He cared. Perhaps you are not struggling as deeply as others, but you have another struggle-you don't really believe that God can use you. You don't believe that simple faith is enough. You are always looking in the mirror; always looking in the drawer for some elusive degree that is never going to be there and would not make a difference anyway. All you really need is a heart of compassion, and God will give you everything else. <\/p>\r\n

WHOM WILL GOD USE?<\/span><\/span>
\r\n I believe a great touch of God is coming to reach our generation, but it is not going to come in the way many assume. It will not be through some great new shining man or woman of God. No! It will be through the sons and daughters, the widows-those with just a little bit of strength-no impressive resume, no big ministry, no PhD. We have gone that route and look at the mess this society has become. Give me a young man raised from the dead. Give me a child with faith in this generation. Give me somebody who knows he has no hope, who is willing to come to God and say, \"In my nothingness, touch me, Almighty God! Take my littleness and begin to feed thousands with it!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n That is the way it has been throughout Scripture, and that is the way it will be: the nobodies, the nothings, the prostitutes, the lepers, the lame, the blind-all coming to God. And one more time thousands will be fed the knowledge of God by those who have no strength.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n Jesus came and touched that casket in Nain and commanded the dead youth to come to life. But notice that the miracle was really done because of his mother. It says Jesus saw her and had compassion on her. God does the miraculous in us as His church. He heals us and gives us what we could never hope to possess. It is because He loves us, but also because He cares about others-those whom we will encounter in the future. If we can get hold of this truth and give God what little we have, He will bring us to life for the sake of the hopeless, the weeping and the hungry in our society. And it is all because He cares. Hallelujah!<\/p>"},"143":{"sm_title":"Give Me a Reason to Not Give Up","sm_id":"118","sm_desc":"April 25, 2010 - This message is for those who feel like giving up and have been wrestling with the following questions: Why does it seem like the unsaved are so much better off than I am? How come my walk is so narrow and strict while others in the body of Christ seem to be at liberty to enjoy a broader walk and are free to enjoy pleasures that I am deprived of? Your cry is God just give me one reason to go on with this journey. The reason is for the salvation of souls. Those who walk narrow will have something of God revealed through them so that many souls can be snatched out of the fires of hell. Judgment is coming and God wants you to be a testimony to every lost soul. Will you live your life for the betterment of others? You are going to heaven and God wants to use you to take some souls with you.","sm_jpg":"19457_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2010-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/04\/25s1\/20100425s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/sermon3a.tsc.nyc\/2010\/mp3g\/20100425S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/21079_201009-carter-conlon-give-me-a-reason-to-not-give-up.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Give me a reason not to give up!\" This is the deep cry in the hearts of many today. They don't need an extensive list of reasons-even one would suffice. If you have that cry in your heart, it's an honest cry, and I believe the Lord has an answer for you.<\/p>\r\n

\"Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped...Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning\" <\/span>(Psalms 73:1?2; 13?14).<\/p>\r\n

The psalmist begins by saying, \"God, I know You are good to Your people. I know You bless those who walk with clean hands and a pure heart. But as for me, I am ready to give up. I have tried to avoid evil and keep myself focused on the works of eternity. I have walked a narrow path when others, even those who claim to belong to the body of Christ, seem to walk a much broader path. But to what end? What influence has my life had on the ungodly? How have I affected this world, or even my own family?\"<\/p>\r\n

The psalmist continues, \"For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men\" <\/span>(Psalms 73:3?5). In other words, \"The ungodly seem to be enjoying pleasures that I have deprived myself of. They claim to be free, strong and happy, which is more than I can say about myself at the moment.\" Have you ever reached a place as a Christian where the unsaved look better off than you?<\/p>\r\n

\"Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches\"<\/span> (Psalms 73:7?12).<\/p>\r\n

You may desire to be a testimony in the workplace, while everyone around you seems to be at liberty to utter any vile thing they want. They speak with scorn about what you dearly hold as truth. They do everything that you would like to do in your flesh, and you would like to fight back but you feel the restraining hand of God telling you not to respond in kind.
\r\n <\/p>\r\n

\"\" WHAT IS THE POINT? <\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me\" <\/span>(Psalms 73:13?16).\r\n

You attend church on Sunday, and then go home to scornful people. They laugh about how simple and narrow your beliefs are while there is such a broad, wonderful world out there. Perhaps you wonder, \"Is it even worth it? My life doesn't appear to be making a difference, so what is the point of living a life separated unto God? Why can't I just numb my mind and watch meaningless television every night like everybody else? Why must my walk be so strict?\"<\/p>\r\n

Sometimes such thoughts begin to plague your mind after you have walked with God for a long time. You see the young lifting their hands, radiant and glowing for God, and you think, \"Oh, if they only knew what's ahead of them. If they only knew how tough it's going to get. But I dare not speak of it and offend this simple faith they seem to have.\" So you live with inner turmoil and pain.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" UNDERSTANDING WHAT LIES AHEAD<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n \"Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction\"<\/span> (Psalms 73:17?18). You come into the presence of God and suddenly see something that is not visible to the natural eye. You begin to understand what lies in store for the ungodly-that there is an end to all things, and it is coming soon. You realize that the lost have no idea what they are headed for-that they are sliding into a place of destruction. It's as if rain has caused the steep hill where they're walking to suddenly become slippery clay. And try as they may, they will not be able to escape the judgment that is coming.<\/p>\r\n

Beloved, don't ever lose sight of the fact that there is a heaven and a hell. The Bible describes hell as a place of torment where there is never?ending fire, gnashing of teeth, everlasting darkness, and endless hopelessness. It is the complete absence of God! Only the Holy Spirit can give us even a glimpse of what it is like to be apart from God for eternity. Remember that in this world, even the ungodly are surrounded by the presence of God. The heavens declare His glory, and the Holy Spirit is always whispering, even to the worst of sinners. This is why Paul said that every person from every tribe and nation will stand before God one day without excuse.<\/p>\r\n

\"How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors\" <\/span>(Psalms 73:19). What emptiness is coming their way, and how suddenly it will happen! \"The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?\"<\/span> (Isaiah 33:14).<\/p>\r\n

Dr. Karl Oppenheimer, who helped create the atomic bomb eventually used in World War II, was gravely afraid at the bomb's first testing. As a physicist, he knew that it had the potential to set the earth's atmosphere on fire. And if it did, it would create an irreversible chain of flames that could engulf much more than intended.<\/p>\r\n

The devices we have today are hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bomb! Isaiah, as well as Peter the apostle, both said that the heavens are going to be on fire. We look at our generation and see people grasping for nuclear weaponry for the sole purpose of destruction. What terror is coming in a moment of time? Do you realize that we all are living on borrowed time now?
\r\n <\/p>\r\n

\"\" THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n In light of this, there is a reason not to give up, no matter what lies ahead. In Luke 16, Jesus told a story: \"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day\" <\/span>(Luke 16:19). In an earlier passage we see where the psalmist said that the wicked seem to have more than their hearts could wish for; they indulge in the things of the world and claim that it satisfies them.<\/p>\r\n

\"And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: and moreover the dogs came and licked his sores\" <\/span>(Luke 16:20-21). Sometimes you may feel like Lazarus-poor and struggling, disciplined and kept on this narrow path. You are unable to enjoy any of the things others do; in fact, you're the victim of their verbal abuse and all that they plot against you.<\/p>\r\n

\"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.<\/p>\r\n

But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment\" <\/span>(Luke 16:22?28). <\/p>\r\n

On the other side, the rich man was in torment, and suddenly he needed the very person he had regarded as insignificant and unworthy of his attention. God had placed Lazarus before him and if he had listened to what God was trying to tell him through Lazarus, heaven instead of hell could have been his destiny. It's amazing that the rich man now knew it was this suffering man Lazarus who had the word that his family needed to hear.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" WHOM WOULD YOU SEND?<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n I wonder how many millions of people today are crying out in hell, \"Oh, God, send somebody to my family! Send that suffering man! Send somebody who represents the cross of Jesus Christ, somebody who is willing to endure the narrow place for the sake of others. Send somebody who understands that God so loved the world that He became a man, suffered, and went to the cross, so that they don't have to come to this place of eternal torment!\"<\/p>\r\n

If you were in hell this very moment, whom would you want to speak to your family? Would you want a smiling guy on television with his new positive view of how you can have God and the world at the same time? Personally, I would prefer to have that grandmother who walks with God and has trusted Him for her provision and strength. I would prefer the single mom who faithfully gets her four children to church every Sunday. I would be looking for somebody who knows suffering and can bring the reality of Christ to others. Somebody who is willing to be given for other people-who can stand in the midst of their pain and testify, \"It's been worth it all!\"<\/p>\r\n

\"\" THIS IS WHY WE ENDURE<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n Paul says in Philippians 1:29, \"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.\" <\/span>Why must we travel the narrow path? It's only for one reason-that the glory of God may be revealed through us. The glory means the full weight of God-the keeping and sustaining power of God. Something of God that is deeper than anything this world has to offer. How else does God speak to this generation? How else does He reveal His cross? Is it not through the lives of His people? \r\n Aren't you thankful that Jesus didn't come to the earth and just talk about the cross? He didn't open the Bible and talk about what it looks like, how it feels, and then suddenly vanish and go back to heaven. I am profoundly thankful that He went to the cross!<\/p>\r\n

The cry in the heart of this generation is, \"Don't tell<\/span> me about Jesus-show me Jesus! Too many people merely talk about Him but I want to see the One who went to a cross.\" <\/p>\r\n

This is why we suffer, why we are called to walk a narrower road than others. This is why we turn our face to the other side when it gets slapped. We have been left on earth for the sake of other people. Our names are already in the Lamb's Book of Life and we have our mansion in heaven, but this whole Christian life is not about us, it is about others. Therefore we endure.<\/p>\r\n

\"As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee\" <\/span>(Psalms 73:20?22). Oh, God, forgive us for how foolish we've been! Judgment is coming, and You have called us to be a testimony of Your mercy to the ungodly. Thank You one more time for bringing everything into focus, for letting us see the reason why our life is so narrow while others seem to be able to walk another way.<\/p>\r\n

\"Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory\" <\/span>(Psalms 73:24). Our prayer today should be, \"Guide us with Your counsel-let us not live according to our own way of thinking anymore!\" What an atrocious theological trap has been laid for this generation-the belief that knowing God means that everything must be going well. We all should have a big promotion and a beautiful house as evidence that God is with us. But that's a total lie. The gospel we preach must be able to be preached in prisons, in China, in Iraq, in Vietnam. We have to be able to go all over the world. If we have to modify what we preach, then it isn't the gospel. <\/p>\r\n

We must always remember the reason we are here today. We are to be visible demonstrations of the keeping power of Almighty God even through our suffering. When you study the theology of Paul, you will see that this was the very cornerstone of everything he preached, and it was the basis of all his revelation of Christ. Because he embraced suffering, he was given a vision of the keeping power of God, which became the catalyst for many to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" ONE REASON<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n You may have been thinking in your heart lately, \"Give me a reason not to give up!\" Well, how about your son or daughter? How about your grandson, your wife, the kids across the hall? How about the rich man who thinks his wealth is going to get him into heaven? How about the religionist who just goes to church but does not live for God? I want you to think of a reason, because the reason could be just one person. That's all it takes-one person, one reason why you will be given the grace to walk this path and finish this race. <\/p>\r\n

I know that as you think about it, the Lord will put before you at least one reason. Your family does not need to go to hell; your coworkers do not need to die in their sin. If you are willing to embrace the pathway that God has for you, you will be able to walk with your hands in the air and your heart aflame again. Your desire will be, \"God, let Your glory be seen in me. As I go through all my challenges, let my life be a testimony to others. When I open my mouth, let me speak of Your faithfulness.\"<\/p>\r\n

Beloved, do you believe that living for God is worth it, in spite of your hardship-in spite of the ridicule, the heartache, the discipline, the narrowness of it? Do you believe that the salvation of the lost makes living for God worth it all? It is a very narrow life, but it is a very fulfilling life, resulting in an eternal reward. You only go through difficult times for a short season of time, but in the end you will be in eternity rejoicing, counting it all worth it. Hallelujah! <\/p>"},"144":{"sm_title":"We Can't Escape the Hard Truths","sm_id":"116","sm_desc":"February 21, 2010 - You can resist and run from truth but you can never escape it. When we have a wrong view of success we will develop a wrong method to achieve it. We are not called to live the Christian life with a wrong focus of what we can get for ourselves. There are no big or small players in the church. We are all moving as one body and we are a small part to a large picture. If we serve God for personal gain and reputation we will end up pretending to be fully with the program, but in reality we have our own agenda. Pretending to be led of the Holy Spirit and to obey God is a very dangerous thing. God calls us to walk before Him with an honest and humble heart.","sm_jpg":"19135_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2010-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/02\/21s1\/20100221s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20100221S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/20608_2010_08_carter_conlon_we_cant_escape_the_hard_truths.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

In John 6:53, Jesus said to His disciples, \"Unless you eat of my flesh and drink of my blood you have no life in you\" (paraphrase). Although they had experienced His power and miracles, many of them were offended and said, \"This is a hard saying, who can hear this?\" The Scripture says that they turned back and walked with Him no more.<\/p>\r\n

The disciples who resisted the truth ran from it, but ultimately they could not escape it. Every one of them would die and eventually appear before God, only to find that Jesus meant what He said. It did not matter how often they went to the synagogue or how much they prayed. Without the life of Christ in them, they had no real life.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" WHAT ABOUT MERCY?<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n The early church was in its infancy, moving together as one body with one purpose in the earth. The Scripture says that as they were together praying, the place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost (see Acts 2). They were speaking the Word of God with boldness. People were selling their possessions and bringing the money for the apostles to distribute so that no one would be lacking. Those were exciting times!<\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Then we come to Acts 5:1?11 and the story of Ananias and Sapphira: \"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n As a young Christian, I used to be somewhat perplexed by the severity of the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira. After all, hadn't Peter done worse? They lied about the price of the land, but Peter had lied about knowing Jesus, which seems to be a much more severe offense. Peter had received forgiveness, and doesn't the Scripture say that those who have received mercy should be merciful? <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Yet here is Peter pronouncing their sentence of death, which in the natural doesn't make sense. We know that God is just and His judgments are right, so there must be something dangerous here for the individual believer and the church as a whole, a great truth which you and I need to understand today.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" PRETENDING TO BE WITH THE PROGRAM<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n I believe the key to understanding Acts 5 is this: Ananias and Sapphira were pretending to be with the program when, in fact, they were not. It is very dangerous to pretend to be fully obeying the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. I believe Peter received mercy for his actions because he was young in the Lord, and he acted out of fear. It was a momentary thing; he did not understand and was not yet formed in the power, strength and truth of God. Peter was not moving with the church as a body as Ananias and Sapphira were.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n In contrast, Ananias and Sapphira were not afraid-theirs was calculated deception. They deliberately deceived others, and they thought they could deceive God. When we begin to make excuses for what we know is wrong, we eventually get to the place where we think we can deceive God. We mistakenly believe that our deception does not matter to God, since we are part of the New Covenant. We believe that an incredible blanket of grace and mercy covers everything-and that is true-but it doesn't apply to the willful sinner. God was saying at that time, \"Before this church really gets going, I have to set the record straight-there is still a judgment of death on willful deception.\" <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n The irony is that Ananias and Sapphira could have chosen not to sell their land and still been part of the church. Or they could have said, \"Here is half,\" and it would have been fine. The real issue was that they pretended to be something they were not. <\/p>\r\n

\"\" WEAKNESS IN THE CAMP<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n Pretending to be righteous brings into the church the same weakness that Achan brought into the camp of Israel, a hard truth recounted in Joshua, chapter 7. As Joshua was leading the Israelites in to possess the Promised Land, he gave them specific instructions. \"And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it\" <\/span>(Joshua 6:18). In other words, do not embrace the fallen value system of the wicked; do not think it is going to offer you any security. We would be wise to heed these words today. This system offered no security to those outside the kingdom of God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n After a phenomenal victory over Jericho, Joshua led the Israelites forward to a small town called Ai. The scouting party sent by Joshua reported back that the men of Ai were few, so Joshua sent in only a few thousand men to attack the town. The Israelites suffered a resounding defeat at the hands of the small, defenseless city. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n The defeat was so severe that Joshua fell on his face and cried to the Lord, \"We would have been content to dwell on the other side of Jordan!\" These were words that Joshua probably never imagined he would say, for they were the very sort that caused the people to live for forty years in the wilderness. But God said, \"Joshua, get up off the ground, there is an accursed thing in the camp and it has brought this weakness that you see\" (Joshua 7:10, 13 paraphrase). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n In order to find out what the \"accursed thing in the camp\" was, they drew lots. This system in the Old Testament was divinely inspired by God, and the lot fell to a man named Achan. \"Now Joshua said to Achan, 'My son, I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.' <\/span><\/p>\r\n

And Achan answered Joshua and said, 'Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it'\" <\/span>(Joshua 7:19?21, NKJV).<\/p>\r\n

\"\" THE WRONG FOCUS<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n You have to wonder what was in Achan's heart. As in Acts, chapter 5, the Scripture in Joshua, chapter 7 talks about a time of power and supernatural provision. Achan had to have known that the God who gave them victory over Jericho would provide for them. Yet we can picture Achan as he clambered with the rest of the army into the ruins of a society that had lived apart from God and trusted in gold and silver. Suddenly his eye falls on a garment from Babylon, the likes of which were highly sought after in the commercial trade of that day. These garments often had golden threads interwoven in them, signifying the perishing society's view of success and prosperity. The threads formed images of men and cattle, with the cattle representing prosperity. When Achan saw the garment, he coveted it, and said, \"I want this for my life. I am not content to be just a little part of a larger body moving into the Promised Land. I want to be successful-I want to be noticed!\"<\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Jesus said, \"The light of the body is the eye\u2026if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness\"<\/span> (Matthew 6:22?23). The moment we look on something that God forbids, a flood of darkness comes along with it. Once Achan saw that garment, he also saw a wedge of gold only half a step away. Can you imagine trading the power of God for a pound of gold? Once we have a wrong view of success, we also will apply a wrong measure of how to achieve it. We are living in a world where everyone wants to stand out; everyone wants to be the big player. But in order to get there, we think we need a little more than everyone else. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Along with the wedge of gold, Achan saw about five pounds of silver coins. Note that he buried the silver deeper than the gold and the garment. In the silver coins, Achan saw something that he thought would bring him success and happiness, but he did not understand that the silver was a betrayal of God Himself. Interestingly, Judas sold out the Son of God for a handful of silver very close to the same measure as Achan found. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Achan failed to see that he was selling out the glory of God and in so doing, bringing weakness into the camp of Jesus Christ. Likewise, we are in a position of theological and practical weakness in our generation. Today many \"Achans\" are standing in pulpits, giving a wrong value system to the people of God while building up each man's individual image. Once this is done, there is an immediate movement to gold-money must be involved. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Achan's focus was on himself, his own security, and his own plans. He forgot he was only a small part of something much bigger than himself. This wrong focus led Achan and his whole house to ruin-sadly, he did not go alone. His sons, his daughters, his wife, and even his cattle all went into darkness with him. Likewise, when you as a Christian begin to focus on yourself, you are opening the door to destruction in your own home. Look away from your own needs and seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; God says that He will add them to you. <\/p>\r\n

\"\" A DOOR OF HOPE<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n The writer of Hebrews says, \"But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin\"<\/span> (Hebrews 3:13). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n In the Lord there is always hope. The Lord says, \"...I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her\"<\/span> (Hosea 2:14). He is talking about a bride who had given herself to other lovers. She was adorned with things that were not the righteousness of Christ-garments and jewelry that were given to her through these other pursuits. And in the Valley of Achor, which is where Achan and his family were put to death, the Lord said that He would speak comfortably to her. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Similarly, we are all going into the wilderness. Everything that this society has known and trusted in is about to perish; it is all going to crumble. But those who have an honest relationship with Christ will stand! He is going to open \"...a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt\" <\/span>(Hosea 2:15).<\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n God is saying, \"I will not let you go, because you are My church, My beloved Bride. I am going to bring you into a place of trouble where I will strip you of all garments, adornments, gold, and silver-the entire value system of a perishing society. In that place of trouble I will open a door, and bring you through it with a song in your heart and My name on your lips. You will no longer call Me Master, which implies restrictions on behavior and things given. You will call Me Ishi, which means husband. You will love Me with all your heart, and walk with Me in the coming days.\" <\/p>\r\n

\"\" DON'T WAIT TOO LONG<\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n Beloved, this is not the time to be running from the hard truths; instead, it is time to stand in the truth of God. The hour is late, the rains are coming. I feel almost like Noah just before the rain started. If you are in the wrong place, get out of there! If you are doing wrong things, trust God for the power to stop. Don't be found where you shouldn't be; don't be doing what you shouldn't be doing. Don't let your value system be intermingled with the system of this world. Put it all away, for it's time to get right with God. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Achan was too late. Joshua said, \"...My son, I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me\"<\/span> (Joshua 7:19, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Perhaps if he had come forward in the beginning, he would have escaped the judgment. But, instead, he had to be singled out from among three million people before he finally came clean.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Imagine standing before the throne of God one day and hearing Him say to you personally, \"Tell me, son, what did you do to have your name taken from My lips? I gave you every opportunity for freedom, every chance to walk in truth. Everything was there-the power, the covering, the cleansing, the anointing. Tell me, what did you do?\" What fearsome words on that day! As for Achan, I think at that point he knew that mercy was past. He had waited too long. <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n Beloved, don't wait too long. We live in one of the most perilous times in history. If ever there was a time to fully embrace the heart and will of God, it is now! If you are in a place where you should not be, do not play games with God. Get right with Him. The covenant is for honest and sincere people. God reveals hard truths and brings us into an awareness that we are in trouble because He dearly loves us. He is saying to us, \"Once you and I are in agreement about these things, I will open the door before you, and you will walk through that door with a song. You are going to love Me and know how much I love you. All you need to do is choose to walk through that door of hope, no matter how fearful it may seem. Trust that I will give you the strength, and you will never have to look to your own resources again. It will be My power that sustains you.\" Praise God! <\/p>"},"145":{"sm_title":"The Humble Will Be Lifted Up","sm_id":"112","sm_desc":"February 14, 2010 - The Bible says submit to God and resist the devil. Sometimes we can be an enemy to ourselves. This message speaks about what happens when we embrace the values of a fallen world and have thoughts and plans that do not line up with God. We must resist the temptation to be other than what God has called us to be. The question is, \u201chow do we humble ourselves\u201d? Humility says not my plans, not my strength or wisdom. We finally acknowledge that we cannot live this Christian life on our own. True humility comes when all self effort dies! His life must become our life, His plan becomes our plan. That's when the power of God comes upon us! Humble yourself and He will lift you up.","sm_jpg":"19088_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2010-07","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/02\/14s1\/20100214s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20100214S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/20517_2010_07_carter_conlon_the_humble_will_be_lifted_up.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

The Bible says that in the last days, everything that can be shaken will be shaken (see Hebrews 12:27). There is going to be a separating even within what has professed to be the church of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul describes it as a great falling away-not only in society, but for those who attend the house of God without fully embracing the life that Christ offers His people. Something will enter their heart and mind that will draw them away, which the apostle James addresses.<\/p>\r\n

\"From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. \r\n <\/span>\r\n

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. \r\n <\/span>\r\n

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up\"<\/span> (James 4:1-10).\r\n

Historians essentially agree that James was writing after the martyrdom of Stephen, the disciple killed by an enraged crowd who were offended when he challenged their spirituality. James, as head of the church in Jerusalem, was acutely aware of this intense persecution. \r\n

Why would James speak such strong words to a persecuted church, the first generation after the cross? Surely the church was full of people living for God. I believe that while James was addressing problems inherent in the early church, the Holy Spirit also was giving him an understanding of what would be found in humanity throughout all time. So what are these core issues? What depth of weakness is innate in every person, then and now, that could cause a falling away from God? \r\n

UNSURRENDERED DESIRES<\/span><\/span>
\r\n James points to unsurrendered desires that were keeping many troubled on the inside, and in conflict with others on the outside. He asks, \"Where are these conflicts among you coming from? Do they not originate from those desires in your heart that are not surrendered to the will of God-desires for personal gain and pleasure?\" (James 4:1, paraphrase) We see a wide range of selfishness displayed in the church even today. Pettiness or the desire to be greater than others leads to fighting that sometimes even splits churches.\r\n

EMBRACING THE WORLD<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"You lust and do not have, so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask\" (James 4: 2-3, paraphrase). You might be like that today-never satisfied, everything that supposedly would make you happy always just out of reach. Why? Jesus said that whoever comes to Him would never hunger or thirst. So why do you run from church to church, conference to conference, without finding satisfaction? Why do you fight and not obtain? Why do your prayers seem fruitless?\r\n

James exposes the reason: \"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts\"<\/span> (James 4:3). You are asking God to bless a plan that is not His. Instead, this plan is coming from the lust of your own heart. Maybe somebody claiming to speak for God told you some great thing would come into your life, so you are holding tenaciously to that promise. However, you are praying according to a wrong view, so your prayer is never answered. \r\n

Today, just as in the past, many are still embracing the core values of a fallen world. James' reference to the people as adulterers may seem harsh, but basically he is saying, \"You are still embracing the value system of this world. You have not transferred your heart into the kingdom of God; your thoughts are still not in line with His. In fact, you are not very different from the people in the world, you just have God attached to all of it.\" \r\n

RESIST THE DEVIL<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you\" <\/span>(James 4:7). Everybody likes to think of the devil as being out in the world, but nobody wants to believe that he might actually be in the church. However, according to Ezekiel 28:14, Satan had originally been the anointed cherub. He observed God's glory and when he saw that he was lower than God, he became offended and led a rebellion in heaven. He was then cast to the earth where he later entered the Garden of Eden. \r\n

Adam and Eve dwelt in Eden, quite content with all God had given them, and Satan approached them with the same lie he uses today: \"There is a lot more out there than what you have here. God has you in this little box tending this garden, naming animals, meeting with Him occasionally. But life is meant to be a whole lot more than that. Did you know that you could be as God? You can chart your own course; you can plot your own destiny. All you have to do is agree with me.\"\r\n

When Adam and Eve agreed, the nature of Satan was sown into the entire human race. So when James says, \"Resist the devil,\" understand that it is not necessarily an outside devil but an inside devil. That very nature that was sown into us makes us pursue something other than the will of God for our lives, seeking happiness other than where God has planted us-falling right into the same trap as Adam and Eve. Resist the temptation to be other than what God has called you to be-resist it strongly! \r\n

WHEN OUR FALLEN NATURE SPEAKS<\/span><\/span>
\r\n In Mark 8:31-33, Jesus plainly told His disciples, \"The Son of man is going to be delivered up to the priests, scribes, and Pharisees. I am going to be rejected and put to death, but I am going to be raised again from the dead on the third day.\" The Scripture says that Peter then took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. Although his exact words are not recorded, they were likely along the lines of, \"No! This is not for you, Lord. You don't need to do this. You're the Son of God-You have all power and authority!\" \r\n

It is always the natural man, the one to whom the preaching of the cross is foolishness, that concludes, \"No, it shouldn't have to be this way!\" The natural man does not understand it and does not accept that suffering might be part of the Christian life. The natural man puts it all away and says, \"That's not what the church is about or what we are destined for. No suffering or trials for us. It's just a golden highway all the way to heaven!\" \r\n

Peter was speaking from his fallen nature, and Jesus recognized the origin of this type of reasoning. The Scripture says that He turned and looked at all His disciples, not just Peter, and said, \"Get thee behind me, Satan, for you don't have any taste for the things that be of God, but the things that be of men\" (James 4:33, paraphrase). I believe that Jesus was looking right through His disciples, right back into the Garden of Eden, for He knew whose voice had been sown into fallen man. \r\n

HOW DO I HUMBLE MYSELF?<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble\u2026 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up\" <\/span>(James 4:5-6, 10). So now the question is, how do I humble myself? Do I adopt a humble posture, with my head hanging down, saying, \"I am just a lowly, miserable sinner?\" I have known people who have done that, while inwardly they thank God they are not like other people. \r\n

Peter was rebuked by Christ, but eventually he came to an important understanding. Remember, Peter was the one who told Jesus, \"Though everybody is offended, I won't be. Though everybody flees, I am with you. I am going to go with you right into Jerusalem, and if you die there, I will die there with you.\" He was full of zeal despite the fact that Jesus clearly told him he was just like every other man-a coward at heart. But Peter's pride would not let him hear it. He viewed himself as courageous and capable of getting to the end on his own-a false view, of course. Similarly, many people today are gripped with a false view of themselves that is far from the way God sees them. \r\n

After Peter denied Christ, the Scripture says that he fled, completely broken. As he wept, his self-image finally came crashing to the ground. In his despair he probably thought there was no hope of a future. \"I have been abandoned by God. I tried to serve Him but I couldn't do it. In my heart, I really wanted to do these things and truly believed I was able, only to find out that I am a dismal failure. Surely God is going to reject me.\" \r\n

Peter was now humbled in his own sight and in the sight of God. He also was humbled in the sight of his brethren because they had heard his boasts and knew that he had run, just as the rest of them had. Soon afterward, they all assembled together with the doors closed because of fear. Suddenly Jesus appeared in their midst and said to Peter and the rest, \"Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you\" <\/span>(John 20:21).\r\n

Jesus did not come to Peter with condemnation-He came to him with the true commission. Now Peter was ready to be used of God! Isn't that amazing? It is in our nothingness that God finally can use us. When we think we are something, we are actually very far from what God intended for us. But Jesus charged them, \"As my Father sent Me, not in My own strength, not in My own plans, not in My own wisdom, but in the strength and wisdom of Almighty God-even so now I send you.\" Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up!\r\n

WHO WILL DELIVER ME?<\/span><\/span>
\r\n The apostle Paul also learned what it meant to be humble before God. He was a man with incredible knowledge and likely the most brilliant theologian of the New Testament. Yet he knew that knowledge alone was not enough to bring him to the place that God desired for his life. \r\n

In Romans 7, Paul essentially says, \"I know what to do, and I actually delight in doing it in my inner man. But there's a force inside constantly dragging me in another direction so that I am not doing the things I know to do. And the things that I don't want to do, I find myself doing.\" Does this sound familiar? Paul asks, \"who shall deliver me from the body of this death?\" <\/span>(Romans 7:24) All of his knowledge could not deliver him. Everything that he knew to do, he was not able to! \r\n

It can become a source of despair when we read the Scriptures and conclude, \"Well, I know I should love others; I should love my wife as Christ loved the church. I should honor and respect my husband. I should be an example to my children. I should be the best employee on my job.\" We know all of these things, and deep inside we desire to do them. Yet, if we are honest, we eventually come to the point where we say, \"God, I can't do it. There is a law at work inside that keeps drawing me to speak and do things that I don't want to. I am unable to change by myself.\"\r\n

\"Who will deliver me?\" In the last verse Paul says, \"I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord\"<\/span> (Romans 7:25). Thanks be to God when I finally acknowledge that it is not possible for me to live this Christian life in my own strength. Now this is true humility! \r\n

TRUE HUMILITY<\/span><\/span>
\r\n The heart of this message can be summed up in one sentence: True humility comes when all self-effort dies, when we finally realize that we are not called to live this life on our own. Jesus said to Peter, \"When you were young, you dressed yourself, you went where you wanted to go, and you did what you wanted to do. But as you are growing older (now He is addressing humble Peter-the Peter that is being lifted up), you will stretch forth your hands, and you will be led into places that in the natural you cannot go and do not want to go.\" Thank God Peter humbled himself before the Lord. Thank God we have the history of this man being raised up out of brokenness and brought into the life of Christ-an example of a man who failed and out of that failure found the strength of God. \r\n

Today you may be tired of the struggle, tired of having no peace and no victory, tired of trying to find satisfaction. You get up and give it your best shot as Peter did, but then you fall on your face again. You study and gain more knowledge as Paul did, but find that this inner battle never goes away. \r\n

There is only one way out: all self-effort must die. This means that all toiling, every Plan B, all strategies are gone. You must finally come to God and admit, \"I can't do this. I never could do this-forgive me for thinking I could. Forgive me for wanting things for my life that are not of You. Help me to find and follow Your plan for my life.\" Rest assured, His plans are not that hard to find. He knows how to get you where He wants you to be-you don't have to figure it out. Just start loving Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself and you will just walk into the plan of God. \r\n

Beloved, in the coming days there is going to be a great falling away produced by hardship. You must hear this today, and you must have the courage to be humbled in the sight of God. Humble yourself, and you will see prison doors start to open. Your eyes will start to see truth, and the wounds of your heart will begin to be healed. You will soon see that smallness in yourself does not mean insignificance. You won't feel that you have to be standing before thousands to be appreciated in the sight of God. Rather, you will simply be content doing what God called you to do in the place He called you to be. \r\n

When we get to heaven, the reward is not going to be because we did some great thing. The reward will be because we humbled ourselves. We trusted God to live His life through us moment by moment, not walking in our own strength or zeal, but allowing the risen Christ to lift us up. That is how we will get to the end and hear, \"Well done, good and faithful servant!\" Hallelujah! <\/p>"},"146":{"sm_title":"A Perfect Heart and a Willing Mind","sm_id":"107","sm_desc":"January 24, 2010 - God has appointed us for a specific work to glorify His name. Wisdom and knowledge can become corrupt without the heart of God. Solomon prayed for the tools to do the job but never asked God for His heart. He set the stage and was responsible for a spiritual decline. If we don't have the heart and mind for truth we will lose focus of the plans and purposes of God. If you are bored with the things of God there is something terribly wrong. Get back to the prayer closet and ask God to help you. A perfect heart and a willing mind has a simple focus on the work of God to glorify His name, strengthen the church and save souls. ","sm_jpg":"18908_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2010-05","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/01\/24s1\/20100124s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20100124S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/19525_2010_05_carter_conlon_a_perfect_heart_and_a_willing_mind.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

The following verses are very precious to me. Within them are some great words of encouragement, as well as words of caution. I believe they speak something profound that could make the difference between success and failure in the Kingdom of God-determining whether we get to the end with a shout of glory or a sigh of regret. <\/p>\r\n

\"And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day. Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever. <\/p>\r\n

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it\"<\/span> (1 Chronicles 28:6?10). <\/p>\r\n

These words of King David recount a conversation he had with the Lord about his son Solomon. Solomon was set apart at a young age, appointed of God to a specific work and given sound spiritual instruction. \"Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit\u2026\" <\/span>(1 Chronicles 28:11?12). <\/p>\r\n

If you are born again of the Spirit of God, you too are set apart and appointed to a specific work that will glorify God's name in the earth. You have every advantage that Solomon had-you have the Word of God and understand the ways of God. Nothing is hidden from any seeking heart. Nobody can get to the end of this journey and say, \"I didn't know; it wasn't clear!\" If we didn't know, it was because we shut our minds to what God was speaking. <\/p>\r\n

Solomon knew what he had been called to do. His father had told him, \"Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it\"<\/span> (v. 10). Similarly, you and I know the calling we have been given-to be the temple of the living God in our generation. The Lord no longer dwells in temples made with physical hands, He lives in us! We are to be a testimony of the reality, the mercy and the power of God. <\/p>\r\n

We meet together to worship as a church body, but individually we are to be so alive in Christ that it becomes a living testimony to those living in darkness.<\/p>\r\n

ALL THE PROVISION WE NEED<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Solomon was given all the provision he needed to fulfill his calling. Verses 14 through 18 list all the things that David his father had provided for building the temple. The same holds true for us today. Our heavenly Father has supplied us with all the provision we need-there is nothing hindering, nothing lacking. Don't ever believe the lie of the devil that you can't become what God has called you to be. In Christ you have the full resource of the Godhead. Whatever He has spoken to you will happen, and whatever He has called you to be, you will be. Not by your might or power, but by the Holy Spirit living inside of you. <\/p>\r\n

In addition to all of this, Solomon was not alone! \"And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment\" <\/span>(1 Chronicles 28:21). We, too, are not alone-we are part of a body. Corporately we make up the house of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ is alive in each of us. We can come together, encourage one another, and realize that God's work moves forward as all of us fulfill our part in the testimony He has given us as His witnesses on earth. <\/p>\r\n

In verse 8, David tells Solomon that if he fully fulfills his calling, he will leave a complete and strong inheritance for those to follow. \"Now therefore\u2026keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you forever.\" <\/span>Unfortunately, however, Solomon left a divided kingdom and a weakened son. He set the stage for the spiritual decline of Israel and the eventual overpowering by its enemies. <\/p>\r\n

The Assyrians swallowed the North of Israel, and the South was eventually taken captive into Babylon. This is evidence that a nation doesn't go into captivity before the church. The church goes into captivity first, and then the nation follows. How tragic it would be for the Church today to leave a weak inheritance-with people emaciated and wondering where God is and how to find Him. <\/p>\r\n

THE KEY TO FINISHING WELL<\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever\" <\/span>(1 Chronicles 28:9). Solomon really had no excuse for leaving a weak inheritance, for he had been told precisely what was necessary to finish his course well: a perfect heart and a willing mind. Remember that at the beginning of his ministry, the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, \"...Ask what I shall give thee\" <\/span>(2 Chronicles 1:7). He could have asked for anything. Yet Solomon's response to God was evidence that he had not been listening carefully to what his father had told him. If only he had gone back for a moment and rethought some things. But he replied, \"I want wisdom and knowledge so I can come in and go out and judge the people.\" In other words, \"I want giftings.\" It's like the type of person who says to God, \"I would like discernment, I would like miracles, I would like compassion.\" They are all good things in themselves, but it is like asking for the tools to do the job without the heart to do it. Solomon could have said, \"Lord, I want a perfect heart and a willing mind as David my father has told me I need. And I would like wisdom and knowledge, also.\" And God would have given it all to him! <\/p>\r\n

In John 16:23, Jesus said, \"\u2026Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.\"<\/span> Realistically, we are in the same place Solomon was in. \"Ask! Ask what it is that you want, and I will give it to you.\" Incredible! Yet, many people today come into the house of God with a focus on how much they can accumulate-words, abilities, gifting. There is more Hebrew and Greek studied today than perhaps in any other generation. More tapes, more conferences, more knowledge-but people are moving farther away from the heart and mind of God every hour. So many of God's people are gathering and learning, yet remain of little or no influence in a society descending into ever-deepening darkness. Paul described the condition of the church in the last days as always learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth. In other words, never being brought to the place where all that knowledge is supposed to lead. <\/p>\r\n

A GLORIOUS BEGINNING<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Think back for a moment to the dedication of the temple in 2 Chronicles 7. The glory of God so filled the house that the priests could not even stand to minister. The goodness and mercy of God was revealed, the people sang, and the trumpets sounded. Do you remember the day you first found Christ and the glory filled your physical temple? Remember when you first understood that you didn't stand by works or merit, but that it was all by God's grace? Nobody had to crank up the band to get you to sing, for there was a shout in your soul!<\/p>\r\n

There was even a great sacrifice at the temple dedication. Solomon himself offered up 120,000 sheep to the Lord. Similarly, there was great sacrifice in those beginning years when you came to Christ. Remember the days when it didn't matter how far you had to drive or how long the prayer meeting was? You wanted to be where God was and do all He called you to do. <\/p>\r\n

Picture Solomon as he knelt before God upon the five-by-five foot bronze platform he built, with all the people gathered around. He spread out his hands toward heaven and prayed a prayer that literally brought down the presence of God. He prayed for God to respond to the prayers of all people who came into that temple. He asked Him to bring fresh rain in the times of drought, new provision in the times of famine, and an answer to the cry of every stranger who came in looking for hope. He prayed that every enemy rising against the people of God would be defeated, and that new strength would be given for every battle. If God's people made mistakes and tragically found themselves in the enemy's camp, Solomon requested that as they came and faced the temple, God would grant them freedom from their old captivities, carelessness and sin. Indeed, there was great wisdom in his prayer. Solomon seemed to understand that he was appealing to a God who was willing to supply new provision, new strength, and even new mercies for those captivated by old sin.<\/p>\r\n

SOLOMON'S END<\/span><\/span>
\r\n However, by the time Solomon got to the end of his days, he had become disheartened. He completely lost sight of what the temple was to be and all of the newness found in God. In the book of Ecclesiastes, we see where Solomon ended up theologically as he asks, \"Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new?\"<\/span> (Ecclesiastes 1:10) How he lost sight of what God wanted to miraculously do! <\/p>\r\n

In chapter 2 he said, \"For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil\" <\/span>(Ecclesiastes 2:21). Solomon considered it a great evil to labor for the benefit of those who had not worked for it themselves. Can you imagine any church that embraces this kind of theology? Don't we pray so that God might be glorified by releasing into the freedom of Christ other people who have not worked for it? Is it not all by the grace and goodness of God? What Solomon began to embrace was so far from the heart of God. <\/p>\r\n

\"So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive\"<\/span> (Ecclesiastes 4:1-2). They had no comforter! But that was what the temple was supposed to be about! It was to be a place of comfort for the oppressed, the hungry, the thirsty and the captive. Yet Solomon neglected the fact that there was One who was willing to lift all of the burdens and oppression. <\/p>\r\n

WARNING SIGNS<\/span><\/span>
\r\n What happened to Solomon to bring him to this point? There are a lot of theories, and I am going to add mine to the mix. Quite simply, I believe Solomon got bored with the work of God. He had been given charge of the presence of God in the earth and the house where He dwelt. But he was also given giftings and a brilliant mind. And so he got bored. One of the first signs that something is wrong would be if you are in church with hundreds of people coming to the saving knowledge of Christ at the altar, and you are looking at your watch, wondering if you are going to be the first to get out of the parking area. <\/p>\r\n

Yet quite often this is the dilemma of those given giftings as they walk with God. Solomon got bored, and Scripture tells us that at the end of twenty years-after he had built his house and the Lord's house-he began to build other houses, vineyards, and terraces. Then he planted gardens and raised farm animals. He just began to move as he pleased because he had this creative ability in him. Yet he didn't realize it was leading him farther and farther away from what he had been called to be. <\/p>\r\n

THE SIMPLICITY OF GOD'S WORK<\/span><\/span>
\r\n If you ever find yourself getting bored with the things of God, just stop. Stop everything and go back into the prayer closet. Ask one more time, \"God Almighty, please help me. Give me a perfect heart and a willing mind, so that no matter how you have gifted me or what you have put into my life, it will be sufficient. Don't let me get bored!\" <\/p>\r\n

Have you ever really considered that we are not called to be any more than what God has asked us to be? Our cry must be for a heart to embrace God's work; for a mind willing to accept and occupy the place He has given us in His body. The pathway He has laid for our lives must be sufficient for us-no Plan B, C or D necessary! That's what it means to have a perfect heart and a willing mind. Position, influence, pastoring, preaching-it really doesn't matter. Without the heart for truth or the mind to be taken where truth leads, we run the great risk of becoming as theologically dark as Solomon ended. Unfortunately, there are many churches in the world today where the people and even the pastors are bored to death. They drift into foolishness because they are bored with the simplicity of the work of God in Christ. That's why Paul said, \"But I fear, lest by any means\u2026your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ\" <\/span>(2 Corinthians 11:3). They turn from the simple focus of the work of God, the redemption of lost humanity, because it is no longer sufficient for them. <\/p>\r\n

In fact, this was the original sin-it's what happened to Adam and Eve. The devil came and said, \"Is this what life is about? Here you are looking after this garden, meeting with God periodically. Did God give you a mind just so you could trim plants and name animals? Do you not think life has more than this?\" And they bit into that fruit, believing the lie that what God made them to be was insufficient, and that what He had given them to do fell short of their capability. \"There must be more! My life must be destined for more than what God has given me to do!\" When they bit into the fruit, look at the inheritance that was left. Think about yourself when you were in sin and despair-that was the inheritance Adam and Eve left when they bit into the lie. <\/p>\r\n

The cry of my heart is that we never stray from the simplicity of the work of God in this temple, individually and collectively. I pray we never get to the point where we get bored with the work of God and start looking for something else to build. Or where we lose that singular focus and suddenly people are coming to Christ and we are no longer rejoicing. If one person responds and receives Christ, we should be dancing all over the place! If we are truly one in heart with God and one in mind with Christ, we will find ourselves among the angels rejoicing. <\/p>\r\n

ANOTHER CHANCE<\/span><\/span>
\r\n Maybe you feel that you have fallen short. You may say, \"Lord, I really don't have a right heart, and some of the things that Solomon eventually believed-I see the beginnings of them in my own heart.\" Don't be discouraged, for the beauty of this whole story is that God came more than one time to Solomon, and God will come more than one time to you. No matter where you are, or what you have done with what He gave you, He comes to you again today and says, \"Ask of me what you will!\" <\/p>\r\n

God is not concerned about what kind of mess you have made, or how deeply you have blown your testimony. He can make all things new. So ask of Him! Ask for a perfect heart and a willing mind, and expect Him to bring you through to the end with a shout of glory!<\/span> <\/p>"},"147":{"sm_title":"Breaking the Heart of Obedience","sm_id":"108","sm_desc":"January 10, 2010 - Have you ever asked yourself why do things have to change? We are all resistant to change especially when it involves what we perceive to be hardship or loss to ourselves or someone we love. There is nothing in us that wants to gravitate toward difficulty. In the western world we have formed a Christian theological perspective that avoids difficulty, which results in an anemic Christianity. When we get a word from the Lord that sometimes doesn't make sense to the natural mind, we must be careful to who and what we listen to. There are well meaning people all along our journey that will unknowingly try to break your heart of obedience. God call us to a radical obedience where we will go where you lead us no matter what the cost! When we learn to walk in the ways of God and follow the voice of God the miraculous is released in our lives. Are you willing to respond to the Lord with, \u201chere I am Lord, send me\u201d?","sm_jpg":"18829_jb_sermon_player.jpg","sm_date":"2010-04","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/01\/10s1\/20100110s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20100110S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/19387_2010_04_carter_conlon_breaking_the_heart_of_obedience.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"We are all resistant to change, aren't we? Especially when it involves moving from the comfortable into what we perceive to be hardship or loss to ourselves, or even to someone we love. Have you ever found yourself wondering, \"Why do things have to change? Why can't everything just stay the way it is?\" <\/span>\r\n

That was the cry of Peter in Matthew 17:4: <\/span>\"Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.\" <\/span>Peter was on the top of a mountain, seeing the Son of God transfigured in the presence of Moses and Elijah. On the other side of the mountain was a man with a lunatic son, begging for mercy and deliverance. Honestly, given a choice between the two, which one would we naturally gravitate toward? <\/span>\r\n

It would be wonderful if we could just live in a place of revelation. A place where the Scriptures are constantly unlocked and we understand the heart of God in a more profound way than ever before. We would not want things to change. This is the normal response of the human heart, for nothing in us naturally gravitates toward difficulty. In fact, in the western world today, we have even formed a Christian theological perspective that uses God to avoid every difficult place. It is an anemic Christianity that is depriving this world of the true influence of Christ. Now, contrast this with Paul, who was not someone who avoided the difficult places, nor tried to shield others from it. \r\n <\/span>\r\n

A LIVING EXAMPLE<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n \"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus\u2026endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things\" <\/span>(2 Timothy 2:1?7). In this Scripture, Paul is exhorting young Timothy, reminding him that the journey is not going to be easy. He is essentially telling him, \"Timothy, the husbandman that labors must first be partaker. There is no great strength in my preaching that Christ can bring you through the storm, if I have never gone through the storm myself. If I am simply living in an ivory tower somewhere, where is my authority to tell you of the power and deliverance of Christ? If you are going to tell others that they can get through the difficult days that we all have to face, you are going to have to go through them yourself.\" <\/span>\r\n

Having chosen to follow Christ to the end, Paul was a living example for those who were to come. Think for a moment how hypocritical it would be for a pastor today to exhort others to follow Christ's leading while he remains unwilling to do it himself. To stand in the pulpit and say, \"Now, go find the will of God, and obey what God tells you to do,\" while his heart is in another place. He builds a tabernacle and loves the revelation, the church, and the presence of God but God can no longer speak to him because of the condition of his heart.<\/span>\r\n

PHILIP<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n There are many examples in the Bible of people who radically obeyed God even when it led them to difficult places that did not make sense. <\/span>\r\n

We read in Acts 8, <\/span>\"Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city\" <\/span>(Acts 8:5-8). <\/span>\r\n

\"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John; who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost\u2026 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost\"<\/span> (Acts 8:14-15, 17). <\/span>\r\n

What an incredible story! Philip goes into a place where the people are demon possessed and there is very little knowledge of God. But suddenly miracles begin to abound, and people are getting healed and delivered. God's kingdom is moving with such incredible power that word even gets to the original apostles. Philip is now in a ministry that has the attention of the established authority of the church of his time. The apostles send Peter and John to join Philip, they lay hands on people, and many receive the Holy Ghost. The Book of Joel is being fulfilled right before their eyes! \r\n <\/span>\r\n

If Philip were part of some ministry today, he likely would be known as \"God's man of the hour\" in Samaria. He had a ministry that many preachers might aspire to-where God is doing something profound, miracles are happening every day, and the altars are filled with people coming to Christ and being touched by the Holy Spirit. What great thing could God have in store next? \r\n <\/span>\r\n

\"And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went\u2026\" <\/span>(Acts 8:26?27). <\/span>\r\n

Arise and go to the desert? As Philip was packing, you can imagine people he knew rushing in and saying, \"Isn't it marvelous what God is doing? The altars are filled and the Word of God has come! Joy is spreading throughout the whole city and incredible things are happening! By the way, Philip, why are you packing up? Where are you going?\" And he would have answered, \"I am not quite sure-into the desert. I don't know what's there, I just know that God has spoken to my heart and I am supposed to go.\" \r\n <\/span>\r\n

Can you imagine the incredulity of the people as they watch Philip head out with his small entourage into the desert? It doesn't make sense to the natural mind! But the interesting thing about this is that from the moment Philip obeys, the pen of God records his journey in intimate detail, while nothing more is spoken of the revival in Samaria. Isn't that amazing? This seems to speak something of heaven, where God's focus is not on the big players and the big ministries. Rather, there is something being recorded in heaven about your life and mine-about the little acts of obedience that are so important in the sight of God. Just as we see here in the Book of Acts that it is no longer about the miracles or the apostles, but about this man Philip who heads into the desert for the sake of one Ethiopian eunuch. \r\n <\/span>\r\n

This eunuch happens to be in a chariot, reading from the Book of Isaiah, with a question in his heart, \"Who is Isaiah writing about?\" Philip joins the chariot, leads the man to Christ, and baptizes him. This is the first record in the New Testament of the Gospel of Jesus Christ going into the continent of Africa. And it was because of the obedience of Philip, a man who was willing to leave the multitudes and all the accolades to follow God into an unknown place and future. How precious is this radical obedience in God's eyes that He chooses to record it and have people speak about it for years to come. <\/span>\r\n

ISAIAH<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n Or consider the prophet Isaiah who writes, <\/span>\"In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord\" <\/span>(Isaiah 6:1). It was a difficult year during which hardship had entered the nation. However, God called somebody out of the crowd and gave him a revelation. Isaiah was now able to hear the voice of God asking, <\/span>\"Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?\" <\/span>(Isaiah 6:8). It was not as if God had asked him directly; rather, Isaiah had begun to hear something in his heart. <\/span>\r\n

Stepping out of the crowd of angelic beings, Isaiah said, \"Here am I-as unworthy and untalented as I feel in the presence of a holy God, Lord, you have my life. Take me and use me for Your glory.\" The Lord essentially told Isaiah, \"You are going to go down to a people who are not going to listen to you. You are going to preach to them until they are spiritually deaf, dumb and blind because they are a society under judgment. But I am going to give you the purest word and revelation that this particular generation has ever had. They will reject it. But for your efforts I will give you a tenth; one in ten people you speak to will turn to God.\" \r\n <\/span>\r\n

Do you think Isaiah would have been wise to avoid it because it was a hard ministry, a difficult place? How poor would we be today if he had chosen not to go? We would not have the wonderful verse in the Book of Isaiah that says: \"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished\u2026\" <\/span>(Isaiah 40:1-2) Or the verse that tells us, \"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace\" <\/span>(Isaiah 9:6). \r\n

I dare say that if Isaiah had not accepted God's call, we wouldn't have that Word of God. Similarly, if you and I are not willing to go and be what Christ calls us to be in this generation, there will be many people around us who will be a lot poorer when this journey is over. Yes, we will make it to heaven, but we will have missed so much that could have been done, so much of God's heart that could have been conveyed. So much revelation of Christ that could have been realized by us and the people around us-if we had just been willing to make the journey and not avoid the hard places. \r\n

PAUL<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n\r\n Paul was undoubtedly a man of radical obedience in the hard places, and his journey is intimately recorded by the Holy Spirit. <\/span>\"And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.\" <\/span>(Acts 21:8?11) <\/span>\r\n

Agabus was not a false prophet. He was a well-meaning and compassionate man, who no doubt loved Paul dearly. But he saw hardship ahead for this beloved man of God. \r\n<\/span>\r\n

Often when we think of people going into hard places, there is something in our heart that just wants to say, \"Don't go there. Why suffer hardship? We are all going to heaven anyway, right?\" Even Luke, who wrote the Book of Acts, includes himself among those who began pleading with Paul.<\/span> \"And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done\"<\/span> (Acts 21:12?14). <\/span>\r\n

There will always be well-meaning people along the journey who speak out of the empathy of the human heart. Those who besought Paul not to go to Jerusalem did have the word from the Lord, but they did not have the complete picture. In Acts 21:13, Paul responds to them,<\/span> \"What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart?\"<\/span> Paul is saying, \"I have a heart to follow and obey God, and with all of your pleading, do you intend to break that heart in me?\" Can you imagine if they had succeeded and their argument had prevailed over the leading of God in Paul's life? How spiritually poverty-stricken we would be today! We would not have the great revelations that the Holy Spirit was able to give to Paul while he was in prison, while he was going through hardship and difficulty. <\/span>\r\n

TRUE REVELATION<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n That is where revelation comes. You never get true revelation from somebody who just lies in a hammock all day. Revelation comes from those who walk the pathway of God. It was given to the apostle Paul during his trials; to the apostle John, not when he was leaning on the breast of Jesus at the Last Supper, but when he was in prison on the Isle of Patmos for the sake of the testimony of Jesus Christ. Thank God for those who are willing to follow this journey. <\/span>\r\n

Unfortunately, however, we live in a generation that tends to avoid the hard places. That is why we are seeing a Christianity with very little voice in much of the church today. I believe that in the coming days, what is purported to be God's thing of the hour is going to be blown like chaff to the wind, void of any real substance. But those who are willing to go in their own frailty, struggles, trials, nothingness-to let God be everything, solely for the honor of God and for the souls of men-will have a genuine cry in their heart, \"Lord, here am I. Send me!\" <\/span>\r\n

THE HARDEST PLACE OF ALL<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n\r\n Now about the \"hard places.\" It does not automatically mean leaving home to minister in some remote tribe on the other side of the world. Sometimes the hardest place of all is right across the dinner table. Who will have the courage to humble himself and go to the other side of that table and reconcile wrong, whether he be the offender or the offended? Or the hardest place may be the apartment next door. Who will be willing to go across the hall and be kind to an irritating neighbor? <\/span>\r\n

Beloved, you won't really know the miraculous until you go into the hard places-but the question is, Are you willing? Are you willing to be led into places your flesh does not want to go? Or into areas of ministry that you are not familiar with, that leave you declaring, \"I have absolutely no qualification to do this?\" Well, take courage, for the Lord will answer you just as He did Moses, who was called to a difficult place and initially responded by insisting on his inadequacy. \"Who made your mouth?\" the Lord asked Moses. \"Who gave you life? Who created your voice? Who fashioned your heart? I am not looking for your abilities; I am looking for your willingness!\" \r\n<\/span>\r\n

You must resolve in your heart that you are not going to avoid the hard places. If you have the courage today to honestly say, as the old song goes, \"Where He leads me I will follow. I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way,\" it will set a course for your life that will truly bring honor and glory to God!<\/span><\/p>"},"148":{"sm_title":"Fear Not, Neither Be Dismayed","sm_id":"100","sm_desc":"February 7, 2010 - Fear and dismay is a common condition to all of us from time to time. We must recognize them for what they truly are and know that God has given us a remedy to defeat them so they will not take us down. Fear comes when we are opposed by something of superior strength to our own strength. Dismay comes when we look inside ourselves and come to the conclusion that we are not strong enough to fight the battle. God is faithful and He will not allow us to be tried above what we are able to bear. He will make a way of escape. We need a divine deliverance not human strength or human effort. We are delivered by the power of God! It will always be all of Him and none of us.","sm_jpg":"19042_jb_sermon_banner.jpg","sm_date":"2010-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2010\/02\/07s1\/20100207s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20100207S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/19164_20100207s1.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"\"And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed\"<\/span> (Deuteronomy 31:7-8).
\r\n
\r\n Fear and dismay! The devil will always come against the children of God with these two weapons. But if we recognize them for what they are and understand that God has given us a remedy to defeat them, they will never take us down.
\r\n
\r\n By definition, fear is anticipation that we may suffer harm or that things might go wrong. Dismay is discouragement. Fear comes when we are opposed by something of strength superior to our own. Dismay comes when we consider our own resources. We look inside ourselves and come to the conclusion that we are not strong enough to fight the battle that is before us. That is how the two work together. Fear is an opposing force coming against us, causing us to tremble just for a moment, and dismay comes when we realize that we are not strong enough to fight this force.
\r\n
\r\n Perhaps you are fighting a besetting sin that you believed you could defeat in your own strength. You thought that going to church, listening to some messages, and a little Bible reading was good enough. But suddenly you find yourself in a battle that is much stronger than you and try as you will, you cannot defeat it. Soon it produces dismay in your heart, and you don't know how you will ever get through. But take courage, for it happens to everybody from time to time. Despondency can even settle on the hearts of pastors in pulpits, who may be preaching faith but fighting an inner despair. <\/span>
\r\n
\r\n OPPOSITION TO OUR INHERITANCE<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n Did you know that you have an incredible inheritance in Christ? Freedom, victory, peace of mind, strength, soundness of heart-all these things are set before you to possess, just as the children of Israel had an incredible Promised Land set before them. When they sent in the twelve spies, they returned with the report that the land was everything God said it was. Despite this assurance, however, all but two of the spies focused on the giants in the land, concluding, \"We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.\" That's fear. It's how the devil always operates. There is always this roar of the enemy against everything that God has ever promised you. Even though there were the two other voices, Joshua and Caleb, the children of Israel gave in to the louder voices. Not the voice of truth, not the voice speaking for God, but the one in their hearts and ears that was louder at that moment.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nNumbers 14:1 says, <\/span>\"All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.\"<\/span> Fear had given way to dismay. The giants were there, they didn't have the resources to fight, and they concluded that they were destined for defeat. So all night they cried. Perhaps you have found yourself in a similar situation-crying at night, waking up brokenhearted, and wondering how you will get out of your battle. You thought if you tried hard enough, you would get the victory. But suddenly, you begin to realize that the more you try, the louder the voices that oppose you. <\/span>

\r\n A COMMON STRUGGLE<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n \"For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears\"<\/span> (2 Corinthians 7:5). Paul speaks here of battles and struggles, things coming against them and things inside of them. But he also writes in 1 Corinthians 10:13: <\/span>\"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man.\"<\/span> The devil will try to convince you that you are the only one fighting this battle-that everyone lives in victory except you.
\r\n
\r\n But Paul says the temptation that is taking you is common to man. Everyone has sudden fear that will try to grip his heart and mind. We all have times and seasons when we look inside ourselves and become dismayed at how little of the strength and character of God we find. <\/span>\"\u2026but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able to bear it\" <\/span>(1 Corinthians 10:13). God is faithful-He will not allow you to be tried beyond what you are able to bear. With the temptation, He will always make a way of escape. How did God bring Paul and his companions through in Macedonia? In 2 Corinthians 7:5-6, it was by the arrival of a man with a good report and a comforting word. Paul starts out saying, <\/span>\"\u2026flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus.\"<\/span> In your struggle, God's way of escape is not going to be by zapping you at an altar somewhere. It will be by a word. He will speak to you about your situation with good words that will bring comfort and cheer. <\/span>

\r\n GO DEEPER WITH GOD<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n Remember that Joshua was sent to accomplish a humanly impossible task. There was a land of promise that had been set apart for the people of God. Joshua and the people were to go in and conquer everything that would try to keep them from obtaining what was rightfully theirs. Similarly, the life of Christ and victory in every area is set apart as ours. We can see the promises before us in the Word of God, but we soon discover it is impossible for us to obtain these in our natural ability.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThe Bible shows us some key elements that are required before we are able to go in and possess this place of promise. <\/span>\"And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna anymore; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year\" <\/span>(Joshua 5:10-12).
\r\n
\r\nThe people ate of the old corn of the land and then manna they had faithfully received for many years suddenly stopped. Similarly, there are seasons in the Christian life when what used to satisfy no longer does. Perhaps you were once quite satisfied with going to church, reading your Bible a little, and memorizing a few Scriptures. Perhaps you thought, \"It just doesn't get any better than this!\" But suddenly the Bible goes dry, the worship songs are not doing it anymore, and there's a troubling in your spirit. It's like the old corn is gone, and the manna that used to sustain you, your small scoop from the Bible, no longer suffices.
\r\n
\r\nAt this point, you must consider that God might be leading you into something deeper than you have ever known. He often has to dry up the well and cause the manna to cease in order to get us to move from a certain place, lest we become comfortable and camp there. It might be a shallow place, an experience in God that isn't deep enough to take us into the fullness of our inheritance. Quite often the Lord's methods to get us to move forward are not pleasant. He creates a hunger, and suddenly we are in the middle of a fierce battle. We thought that our few minutes in the Scriptures were good enough, but we realize we cannot win the victory if our relationship with God remains shallow. <\/span>

\r\n CONQUER OR STARVE<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n When the manna ceased, the people had to move in to possess the Promised Land. Either they conquered the land or they starved to death-there was nothing in the middle. If you find yourself in that place today, thank God for it. It is here that the Lord will speak very simply to your heart.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nIn Isaiah 43:18-20, the Lord says to His people, <\/span>\"Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honor me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert,to give drink to my people, my chosen.\"<\/span> Essentially He is saying, \"What I am about to do in your life will bless many around you. I am going to give you drink in a dry land, where others are starving to death.\"
\r\n
\r\nOnce you understand that you are going through this battle because God is leading you into something new of Himself, fear and dismay will melt away. He will bring you to a new strength, a new supply, a new relationship, a new confidence in His promises and power. He has not failed you, and you are not the worst sinner on the face of the earth. Put away the lies of the devil. You are right where God wants you to be-in the hand of the Father-and nobody can take you out of the Father's hand!
\r\n
\r\n<\/span>\"This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise\"<\/span> (Isaiah 43:21). God has redeemed you, and He is going to bring you through by divine deliverance, not human effort. Your song of praise will be about Jesus, not about yourself.<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n AGREE WITH YOUR ADVERSARY<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n \"And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?\" (Joshua 5:13). Almost every scholar agrees that this is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. But he comes as a man with a sword drawn in his hand, leaving Joshua unable to determine if he is for them or against them. His sword is drawn, but his countenance says, \"This far and no farther.\"
\r\n
\r\n\r\nJesus said it this way in Matthew 5:25, <\/span>\"Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou are in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.\"<\/span> At certain times in your walk with God, He will become your adversary-not for evil, but for good. He knows that flesh cannot occupy the land of promise or take the glory for what is about to happen, so He will stand and tell you that this is where you stop. This is where you stop relying on yourself, where you drop your plans, and where self-image is thrown to the wind. You will not win this battle in your own strength. Jesus said you must agree with your adversary when you are in this situation-especially if it's God.<\/span>

TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n\r\n \"And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so\"<\/span> (Joshua 5:14-15).
\r\n
\r\n Jesus stood before Joshua saying, \"Loose your shoe from off your foot.\" In other words, <\/span>\"Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts\"<\/span> (Zechariah 4:6). God is telling him, \"I don't need your power, I don't need your might, and I don't want your strategies. Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground-a sacred place where God alone is to be glorified!\" Take off human effort and begin to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Give God the glory when He opens the door, and go through it in His strength!<\/span>

\r\n EXAMINE YOUR RESOURCES<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n Jesus said in Luke 14:31-32,<\/span> \"Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.\"<\/span> Without Christ and His power, you will make peace with your enemies and allow them to stay in the place that is rightfully yours. You have been given the victory in Christ, and every promise in the Word is yours, but you must be willing to ask yourself, \"Do I have the power to come against an enemy that is much stronger than I?\" And you must come to the conclusion that you do not have the ability in your own strength.
\r\n
\r\n He goes on to say in verse 33, <\/span>\"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.\"<\/span> In other words, \"If you don't forsake all you have-all your own efforts, strength, plans-then you can't follow me where I am going.\" You cannot, because it is a spiritual kingdom with spiritual battles. It requires a strength that is deeper and more powerful than anything you will ever have on your own. The sooner you get to the point of knowing you are nothing, the better off you are; nothing in yourself, but everything to the heart of God.<\/span>

A COMING SHOUT<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>\r\n
\r\n The Scripture says that Joshua fell on his face and worshiped God. There must have been such gratitude in his heart! He no longer had to figure out how to take down a powerful city with only pitchforks and sticks. He was so thankful God had finally showed up in the situation. I hope that's how you feel today, especially if you feel weak. God chooses the weakest to glorify His name, to show that it's not anything of us, it's all about Him.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nI believe God is going to have a church in this generation that stands in His strength and victory. Like the Israelites at Jericho, they will know how to keep quiet. They will not need to call anybody on the phone during their crisis. When fear and dismay overtake you, you need to follow God's instructions to Joshua: \"Be quiet and just do what I tell you to do. Walk around and let confidence build in your heart. Be still and know that I am God.\" And when the time comes, the Lord is going to put it in your heart to shout! What a shout that must have been on the seventh day when the Israelites knew it was God who had supernaturally brought down the walls. Victory was not gained in their own strength or their military plan, but simply by trusting God!
\r\n
\r\n\r\nIt's time to take off your shoes. It's time to get rid of your efforts and simply come to God in faith. All the promises of God belong to you: the new life, the new mind, the new heart. You do not have to be afraid of any voice; you do not have to fear or be dismayed, because it is not about you. It's about the Christ in you. Hallelujah!<\/span><\/p>"},"149":{"sm_title":"Coming Out of the Wilderness with Power ","sm_id":"96","sm_desc":"August 30, 2009 - In just a little while God in His mercy will lead His church into the wilderness. The wilderness is not a place to be avoided, but rather a place to be understood. There is something of God in this place. God Himself will allure us there to speak comfort and strengthen us. He will take away all things that we believe He has given us, when in reality He never did. In this place God will deal with all that has captivated our heart and would hinder His life from being lived through us. In the wilderness the natural becomes supernatural and we are brought back to a right perspective. When we get through this deep dealing of God we are enabled to make the choice to be poured out for Jesus so that others can be grafted into His power and lineage. The lesson learned from this experience is that the power of God is found in those who will be given for others!","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2009-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2009\/08\/30s1\/20090830s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20090830S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"vfL960M32UE","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/18733_0912_carter_conlon_coming_out_of_the_wilderness_with_power_part_2.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"In part one of <\/span>Coming Out of the Wilderness with Power<\/span>, we focused on the fact that God draws those He loves into the wilderness. We learned that the term \"wilderness experience\" does not mean an oasis or a place of leisure. Rather, by definition it is a remote environment devoid of all outward appeal, hope or comfort; a hostile place where few would willingly go. Most of us actually would resist going into a wilderness, yet that is exactly where God sent His Son.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In part two we want to focus on the actual \"wilderness experience\" of Jesus. We will see how He handled the temptations that came to Him in this inhospitable place and how His answers can instruct us. Remember, if you are a child of God, He will lead you into the wilderness from time to time in order to speak into your life. He does this so that an ever-increasing measure of His life will be revealed in you.
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" JESUS IS DIVINELY LED INTO THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness\"<\/span> (Luke 4:1). As we look at the life and ministry of Jesus, we first observe how He was baptized by John in the Jordan River and empowered by God. The Holy Spirit immediately led Him into the wilderness, a dry and barren place, where He was tempted by the devil. Here in this testing ground, the Father established that He must be the Son's only source of strength and victory over Satan. Jesus demonstrated for us that victory over the enemy will only be won by complete dependence on God and His Word. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Nobody wants to go into the wilderness to face the battles of loneliness, hunger, and temptations from the devil. But, beloved, it is in these desert places that God works His will and purposes in your life. Here He exposes obstinate sin which has refused to go, it has been covered over and never dealt with. But it is also where He delivers you and raises you up to be a mighty warrior for His kingdom. He will open His Word to you and give you life and a song in your heart in this wilderness. It is strange but true that in these tough places you receive divine strength and encouragement from God. As you allow the Lord to take you on this journey, life may not suddenly become any easier, but your perspective of the \"wilderness experience\" will be changed. You will embrace God's plan as the only plan for your life. You and I will be like the Shulamite, of whom Solomon wrote about, \"Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?<\/span>\" (Song of Solomon 8:5). <\/p>\r\n

God's ultimate goal is to have you come out of the wilderness with power, but be assured Satan will do everything possible to divert your focus from God and put it on your problems. As you encounter spiritual battles, one of your greatest temptations will be to trust in yourself and your own resources. This has been the devil's strategy since the Garden of Eden. A closer look at the temptations of Jesus will show you how God intends to bring deliverance into your life.<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n \"\" THE TEMPTATION OF COMMANDING<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n The Scriptures tell us Jesus was hungry after forty days of fasting and right at that point the devil came to Him with the first great temptation, saying, <\/span>\"If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread\" <\/span>(Luke 4:3). The devil craftily tried to provoke Jesus into supplying His own need rather than depending on His Father. In essence, Satan said to Him, \"If you are truly the Son of God, then why are you hungry? Why are you suffering? Why are you struggling in this place? Why don't you simply use the power of your words to command a better life for yourself? All you have to do is command the hard places to go away to make your life easier.\" <\/span><\/p>\r\n

If Jesus had yielded to this temptation to make a decision apart from God, He would never have been able to lay down His life for the sins of the world. He was committed to following His Father in everything, as the Scriptures declare in John 5:30, \"...I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.\" <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Jesus made a deliberate decision to rely on the Word in answering the devil, \"It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God\" <\/span>(Luke 4:4). In other words, \"Satan, I have not been sent into this world to look after myself or to command away my difficulties. I have been sent to redeem a people who have been lost to my Father. His heart passionately longs for them and there is only one way they can be brought home-I have chosen that way.\"<\/p>\r\n

The devil always offers a road of ease and selfishness. By choosing this path your heart will eventually harden. If you seek your own welfare, you will end up with no compassion for those who are lost and will ultimately push away and marginalize those who need God. He wants to set the prisoner free and He has chosen you to show others His delivering power. This is not a time to be \"commanding stones into bread\" but a time to be seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. God has promised He will provide everything you will ever need. If you look at the life of Jesus, you see He always had enough food to eat, clothing to wear, and a place to sleep, even if it was out in the open. The Father made it all available to Him because He chose to place His total dependence on God. Therefore He was able to say,<\/span> \"My meat (food) is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work\" <\/span>(John 4:34).
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" THE TEMPTATION OF RULING<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n Satan was undaunted by Christ's refusal to fall for his first temptation and tried another approach. <\/span>\"And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine\" <\/span>(Luke 4:5-7). The devil was saying to Jesus, \"If you give me your adoration, this whole world will be yours. You can rule over all the kingdoms of men immediately and not have to live as a servant under them. If the reason you have come to this world is about ruling and reigning, do it now!\" <\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is one of the most effective temptations of Satan. You can be sure that at the root of this appeal is the pride of life, that ever-longing quest to be recognized, appreciated and honored. This kind of temptation can only have power if you are afraid of rejection. It is always difficult for the human ego to give one's life to serving people and then get pushed away, unappreciated. The devil was moving to shortcut the ways of God and offer ruling now rather than later. This temptation was so inviting because it offered an opportunity to gain human honor-instantaneously. <\/p>\r\n

Jesus knew that the vast majority of people would ultimately refuse His message and turn away from Him. But He had embraced this direction from His Father and would not be deterred from it. Jesus understood that He would one day rule and reign with God and had no desire to undermine the perfect will of the Father. At the Last Supper, Jesus expressed the heart of a servant for this fallen world. Everybody who sat at the table with Him that night would fail Him and some would even betray Him. Still He bent and tenderly washed the feet that would run in every direction at the first sign of difficulty. Christ was saying to them, \"I have made the choice to be given for you and I will go the distance, although many of you will not initially understand it.\" <\/p>\r\n

Jesus faced that old adversary, the devil that day in the wilderness and with the authority of God upon Him and said to him,<\/span> \"Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve\" <\/span>(Luke 4:8).
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" THE TEMPTATION OF UNBELIEF<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone\"<\/span> (Luke 4:9-11). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Now Satan tried to position Christ at the top of the temple where He would have to believe the Father to protect Him physically or to draw back in unbelief. By this temptation, Satan thought he had put Jesus \"in check\" and could destroy Him. The temple was supposed to be a place where life came from, but it had become a house of greed and dead works. Satan had taken Jesus to the temple, where he knew men chose to serve a dead religion rather than the living God. Satan knows that one of the surest ways to cripple the church of Jesus Christ is to move them out of faith and into unbelief. For this reason the devil brought Jesus to the very heart of it all-the house of God! He knew the first generation of Israelites who came out of Egypt perished in the wilderness because of their hard hearts and unbelief. Jesus would have to believe God was able to keep Him on this journey to save fallen men or not. This is what Satan likes to do with people all the time, to get your back into a corner where there seems to be no alternatives. But beloved there is an alternative! It is called the Word of God. Hallelujah! The Bible declares Satan is a defeated foe and God has given us a great victory through His Son Jesus Christ.
\r\n
\r\n <\/span>\"\" GIVEN FOR LOST HUMANITY<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n Jesus knew where the power of God was and He was intent on being given for fallen humanity. He had rejected turning a stone to bread, ruling over the people now, and putting the Word of God to a foolish test. His mind was fixed on going to a cross and being poured out so that others might be grafted into the lineage of Almighty God. It was as if Satan came to Him and said, \"Do you really believe this is where the power of God is? Do you really believe there is a purpose to being given for fallen humanity? Do you really believe that God will sustain you on this pathway that you seem so intent on following?\" Jesus knew that being given for people is where the power of God is released; therefore, He was confident that God would sustain Him on this journey. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Jesus understood the nature of the temptation. He also knew that Satan wanted Him to have a margin of doubt on this road marked with suffering. Jesus knew He would die for the sins of the world and that God would raise Him up again on the third day. So He looked His enemy in the eye and answered him,<\/span> \"It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God\" <\/span>(Luke 4:12).
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" FAITH THAT UNLOCKS EVERY DOOR<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n If you really believe that the power of God is found by giving yourself for other people, then every locked door will be opened to you by God. Everything unlocks and opens when you are willing to walk this way. That is why Jesus looked at the devil and said, \"You will not put God to a foolish test. God cannot lie like man-He will do what He says. What is written in His Word is exactly what will happen.\" God's purposes are winning your neighbor, co-worker, family members and ordinary people found in the highways and the byways to His kingdom.<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n \"\" JESUS COMES OUT OF THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n The devil left the scene that day knowing Jesus could not be moved away from the plans of His Father. Jesus then arose, walked out of the wilderness, and headed to the very people God had sent Him to: the fallen, the destitute, the sick and the broken. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

When He arrived at the local synagogue, He openly declared His mission for everyone to hear: \"...He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day\u2026to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears\"<\/span> (Luke 4:16-21). <\/p>\r\n

In essence, Christ said, \"I did not come for myself. And the Spirit of God is not upon me to make hard places easy and this life effortless. The word is not in my mouth to satisfy my own desires and rule as a king. No, I have come for something much higher than this. I have come to be given for others.\" <\/p>\r\n

Jesus left their presence in the synagogue that day, with the Scribes and Pharisees in a uproar, because His words went against their teaching. <\/span>\"And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way\" <\/span>(Luke 4:28-30). Why do you think the crowd could not throw Him off the brow of the cliff? It is because Jesus had put His faith in His Father, to keep and protect Him. Jesus knew that the Word of God was more powerful than any temptation the devil could throw at Him. He stood on the Word as it is written,<\/span> \"For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone\" <\/span>(Psalm 91:11-12).
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" SO SEND I YOU<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n The desert is a place of testing and proving, believing and accepting God's plans for us. Out of that place comes power and purpose. Jesus paved the way by His own example of trusting in the Word of God and holding true to God's calling. We have the ability to walk in this power. We are called to reach the lost and to serve a selfish and backward generation, not on our terms but on God's. Not taking the easy way out, as Satan would try to tempt us to do. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Remember Jesus said, \"...As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you\" <\/span>(John 20:21). As followers of Jesus Christ, we are not called to live for ourselves. We are called to follow His example of total abandonment to the will of God without regard to self. Every time we stray from this understanding, God in His mercy will take us into a dry and barren place, where in desperation we will say, \"Oh, God, what are you trying to tell me?\" In that place God will show us His mercy, goodness and power. We will come out changed, with a greater understanding of the Father and a heart for the lost and dying. Hold fast to the Word of God and He will bring you out of the desert place with power!<\/p>"},"150":{"sm_title":"Coming Out of the Wilderness with Power ","sm_id":"95","sm_desc":"August 30, 2009 - In just a little while God in His mercy will lead His church into the wilderness. The wilderness is not a place to be avoided, but rather a place to be understood. There is something of God in this place. God Himself will allure us there to speak comfort and strengthen us. He will take away all things that we believe He has given us, when in reality He never did. In this place God will deal with all that has captivated our heart and would hinder His life from being lived through us. In the wilderness the natural becomes supernatural and we are brought back to a right perspective. When we get through this deep dealing of God we are enabled to make the choice to be poured out for Jesus so that others can be grafted into His power and lineage. The lesson learned from this experience is that the power of God is found in those who will be given for others!","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2009-11","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2009\/08\/30s1\/20090830s1.wmv","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20090830S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"vfL960M32UE","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1792_0911_carter_conlon_coming_out_of_the_wilderness_with_power.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"The term \"wilderness experience\" rarely, if ever, means a time or place of leisure. A wilderness certainly is no oasis. In fact, by definition it is a remote environment devoid of all outward appeal, hope or comfort. It is a hostile place where few would willingly go. Most of us actually would resist going into a wilderness, yet that is exactly where God sent His Son.
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" GOD LEADS HIS SON INTO THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n Before Jesus began His public ministry, John baptized Him in the Jordan River. As He came up out of the water, the voice of God spoke audibly from heaven saying,<\/span> \"Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased\" <\/span>(Luke 3:22). Simultaneously, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove, empowering Him for service. You might assume that Jesus would immediately go into public ministry, but this was not the case. <\/span>\"Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness\" <\/span>(Luke 4:1). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Jesus embraced this barren setting as a positive rather than a negative experience for Him. We need to look closely at the truth of His example, and consider whether we too will allow God to use our time spent in the wilderness as a means of knowing Him in a greater measure.
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" JESUS CONTINUALLY RETURNS TO THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying,'Thou art Christ the Son of God.' And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place\"<\/span> (Luke 4:40-42). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Jesus voluntarily returned again and again to the wilderness after healing the multitudes and bringing deliverance to the oppressed. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed\" <\/span>(Luke 5:15-16). <\/p>\r\n

When Jesus' fame spread abroad, He again headed for the sanctity of the wilderness. He understood the need to establish God as His sole source of strength. This would continually give God all the glory and honor.<\/p>\r\n

Many of us do not want to embrace what Jesus is clearly showing us-that the wilderness is not to be avoided, but rather should be accepted and understood. As a believer, ask yourself the question: Why did Jesus keep going back to such a harsh and uninviting place? Could it be that God was revealing something of His strength there? Was Jesus receiving a hidden treasure from God which the natural mind could not comprehend? <\/p>\r\n

I believe God wants to bring you to a place where you begin to understand why you go through hard times. In the Bible, there are many examples that illustrate what God can accomplish in the wilderness.<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n \"\" GOD LEADS HIS PEOPLE INTO THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n When Israel was held captive in Egypt, God said to Moses,<\/span> \"\u2026you must go straight to the king of Egypt and tell him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.'\" <\/span>(Exodus 3:18, NLT). Three days into the bone-dry countryside was far enough for them to be out of reach from everything which bound them or offered creature comforts. Little did they know that it would become a place of incredible worship and provision for them. Here they would witness God's might as He fought for them and gave them a great deliverance. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Pharaoh, who represents natural man, only saw a weak, beggarly people trapped in the desert, confused and directionless. He instructed his commanders to gather together the chariots and the weapons and go after them. \"They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has shut them in\"<\/span> (Exodus 14:3, NLT). Pharaoh wrongly interpreted what God was doing with His chosen people. He could not see God in the wilderness. In the end he and his immense host of horsemen were defeated in the Red Sea-and the Israelites triumphed! <\/p>\r\n

If you look only with your natural vision, the wilderness can seem an unlikely place to find God. And if you choose to avoid the wilderness, you will never know the supernatural pathways revealed there.<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n \"\" GOD DEALS WITH SIN IN THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n In the wilderness God gave His people the assurance their sins were forgiven. In the Old Testament on the Day of Atonement, the priest killed a goat as a sin offering and sprinkled its blood upon the Ark of the Covenant. The priest took a second goat, called the scapegoat, placed his hands upon its head and confessed the sins of the Israelites. A strong man was then selected to take the scapegoat, which now bore the sins of the people, and release it into a desolate area (Leviticus 16:15-22). In this desert place God dealt with the sins of the people. In the same way, God uses your wilderness experience to go after hidden or unacknowledged sins. In His mercy, He takes you there not to harm you, but to deliver you.<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n \"\" GOD REVEALS HIS PROVISION IN THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n In the wilderness, God displayed His awesome power to provide for His people.<\/span> \"And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat\" <\/span>(Exodus 16:15). Manna appeared in a place with no delis, grocery stores, fast-food joints or restaurants. The people had to depend on God for their daily sustenance. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

If ever you needed to lay hold of the truth that God provides for your every need, it is now! The Lord has promised to care for you, so allow Him to take you to a place where your only resource is Him. Remember, Jesus fed the multitudes on a hillside in a desolate area-and He will do the same for you.<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n \"\" GOD TRAINS DAVID FOR BATTLE IN THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n David, the youngest son of Jesse, was given the task of tending the family's sheep. While David watched the flocks grazing in the wilderness, God taught him to trust Him. When the sheep were attacked by a bear and a lion, God enabled David to deliver the lambs out of the mouths of the beasts. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Later, when David visited his brothers on the battlefield, he could not understand why they were letting an evil giant named Goliath belittle the armies of the living God. His brothers prided themselves on being men of stature with all the right training and experience, while David was looked down upon as a common herder. His brothers accused him of weakness, because he was not formally trained in the art of warfare as they were (1 Samuel 17:28). In essence, his older brother said, \"You don't have the armor we possess and you have not had the training we completed. All you have been doing is caring for animals in the wilderness.\" They could not comprehend that God was in the wilderness with David. They could not understand that in the wilderness, David found his strength and confidence in God. <\/p>\r\n

David picked up five stones and, with God as his source of strength, confronted and killed Goliath as his brothers looked on. To their amazement, they saw God use a common herder to defeat an enemy which had terrorized the entire army of Israel. You may not understand it now, but what God is teaching you in the wilderness will enable you to bring down your giants in the future.
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" GOD RAISES MIGHTY WARRIORS IN THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n King Saul's jealousy drove David into the wilderness, but there God raised up a small army of discarded men who were in debt, in distress, and discontented. Under David's leadership, God made these men into mighty warriors and what could have been a wasted time of frustration in his young life turned into triumph. God used David's time in the wilderness to produce steel in the lives of men who otherwise would have been powerless. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

As you read this message, try to grasp the full significance of every difficulty God allows in your life. Through them He will shape you into a mighty man or woman who knows how to trust Him in the dark days ahead. You are being made into a warrior for His kingdom. Your struggles are not wasted with God. In time, you will look back and know that without the wilderness experiences in your life, you could never have accomplished what He designed for you.
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" GOD USES THE WILDERNESS TO WIN BACK THE BACKSLIDER<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n In Hosea we see the pattern of how God deals with people when they have strayed from the truth and from His purposes. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now. For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal\"<\/span> (Hosea 2:5-8). <\/p>\r\n

The wife refered to in this passage of Scripture was diverted from her true source of provision and sought help elsewhere. Instead of seeking God, she had focused all her attention on this world-and that is Baal worship. God wants you to trust Him alone for all your needs and not seek answers in the powers and institutions of this day and age. There will be no lasting peace or joy if you trust in those systems and not in the Lord your God.<\/span>
\r\n
\r\n \"\" GOD USES THE WILDERNESS TO BREAK STRONGHOLDS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n \"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali\" <\/span>(Hosea 2:14-16).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God is saying, \"I am going to bring my bride into the wilderness and speak to her there. I will take her far away from the clamor and noise of the things which distracted her. There in the wilderness I will talk to her tenderly and give her vineyards in the Valley of Achor.\" <\/p>\r\n

The Valley of Achor was where Achan, a covetous man, was judged soon after Israel entered into Canaan. After the victory of Jericho, Achan was so overcome by the love of gold, silver, brass and clothing that he stole these things and hid them under his tent. His greed brought weakness into the entire camp of Israel and God's people were defeated by an insignificant army. Achan and all that pertained to him were removed from the camp and he was put to death. <\/p>\r\n

Achan is a type of captivating sin that can lead you astray from the purposes of God. However, God in His mercy will take you to a wilderness where the strongholds that have captivated your heart are dealt with. In your wilderness, He will say, \"These things have gripped you for far too long and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I will set you free.\"<\/p>\r\n

God does not lead you into the wilderness to harm you. He leads you there to completely depend on Him. The dry places will bring you into a deeper intimacy with Him and you will no longer view Him as being far away. You will come to know Him in closeness and confidence. Your relationship will be a different, more intimate one, and you will call Him husband instead of master. <\/p>\r\n

Through the hard times He will strengthen you by removing those areas which produce weakness. His desire is for the power of the Holy Spirit to flow through your life and the life of the church. God does this so His glory can be made known to the world. God knows that in the wilderness you will turn to Him, know His heart, and walk with Him as the bride of Christ.
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" GOD WILL OPEN THE WORD TO YOU IN THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n The Bible says,<\/span> \"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea\"<\/span> (Matthew 3:1). In the wilderness John was schooled by the Lord and the Word of God came into his heart. By the time he came out of the desert, he was anointed and empowered by God. Through the powerful preaching of this man, God was able to confront an entire backslidden, religious system, because John had heard the Word of God in the wilderness.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Psalm 74:14, the Scripture tells us that the spoils of victory (the crushing of the head of Leviathan) will be given as meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. In other words, the meat or food that will sustain you will be the knowledge and revelation that Satan is a defeated foe. His head was crushed when Christ defeated him on Calvary. And the Word of God says that the triumph of that victory will be given to those who have been drawn by God into the wilderness. It is a wisdom which will be revealed to those who do not shun the difficult places but embrace them.
\r\n <\/span>
\r\n \"\" GOD WILL HAVE A BRIDE COMING OUT OF THE WILDERNESS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n You and I are about to meet in the wilderness. We are about to meet with Christ there. Very soon the whole church is going into the wilderness; however, the true church will not stay there but will come out in the strength of God. Solomon saw this truth when he wrote, <\/span>\"Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?\"<\/span> (Song of Solomon 8:5). It will be a bride made up of people like you and me who have learned to lean on Christ for everything. This will be a testimony to all! There is a bride in this generation who will come out of the wilderness leaning upon her Beloved. Hallelujah!<\/span><\/p>"},"151":{"sm_title":"Starving the Work of Christ","sm_id":"1","sm_desc":"May 10, 2009 - We are living in a time in history where there is intensified pain. Most of this pain comes from family issues broken marriages the heart break of a wayward child and betrayals. There is a pathway of pain that God will allow us to go through so that we might be used to bring provision and life to others. If we are to represent Christ in our generation there will be an incredible personal cost. The key through this pain is forgiveness. When we withhold forgiveness from those who have hurt us we begin to starve the work of Christ. The same people who betrayed us will come back to us one day empty hurt and starving. Will you choose to forgive them and allow them to experience the mercy of God?","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2009-09","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2009\/05\/10s1\/20090510s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20090510S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1513_0909_carter_conlon_starving_the_work_of_christ.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"In the world today many people experience so much pain their goal is simply to make it through one day at a time. Life is mere existence, nothing more. Crippled by the cruelty of others, they cannot live as God fully intended and are cynical towards ever being truly healed. The unfortunate truth is that most of these wounds have occurred within the framework of the home. The place you expect to find unconditional love and support is instead the location of terrible memories. It is here where betrayals and bitter disappointments have marred the lives of many, allowing unforgiveness to take root. Statistics continue to prove that homes are some of the most violent places on earth. There needs to be healing for these troubled families. In the Word of God we find hope and promise for this. If you are one of the people I have described, then God desires to bring you healing and deliverance.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

REMEMBERING THE PAIN OF THE PAST<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n In the Old Testament, Joseph provides us with an example of someone who was deeply wounded by family members. His own brothers, gripped by hatred and jealousy, cast him into a pit to die. Later they seized an opportunity to sell him into slavery. He was then transported into Egypt where his suffering continued. There Joseph was falsely accused and imprisoned. After a number of years he was miraculously released and promoted to second in command over Egypt. In this position he controlled all the storehouses of grain. This placed him in a powerful situation to be a provider for the starving masses. During a time of prophesied drought, he met his brothers head-on as they came from Canaan to Egypt in search of food. Their sudden appearance evoked many raw emotions. Instantly their presence confronted him with the past grief of his early life.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Imagine for a moment all the painful memories which suddenly flooded his mind, taking him back to the time of his betrayal. Did he instantly remember the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, when on that day so long ago, he heard his own flesh and blood conspiring to kill him? Did a sense of outrage now wash over him at the remembrance of the cold and calculating words spoken as they bargained for his sale price? Did Joseph recall the tormenting fear and panic which paralyzed him when <\/span>\"they bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar\" <\/span>(Psalm 105:18, NLT)? Was he once more calling to mind his pleading glances which said, \"Help me, do something, I'm your brother!\" Did Joseph remember his astonished unbelief at their blank, unconcerned stares as not one of his brothers lifted a finger to halt his pain or agony? And now, these same hardened and pitiless men were standing before him with their hands outstretched, begging for food and pleading for their own safety and preservation. There they were, oblivious to the reality that this powerful Egyptian ruler before them was in fact the brother they had so despised. Joseph, having instantly recognized them, must have been standing on a precipice of great indecision. His mind raced; should he forgive them or not? Does he reach out in undeserved loving kindness or not? Does he repay their past indifferences by letting them suffer or does he give into their requests? \r\n \r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, \"Out, all of you!\" So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh's palace. \"I am Joseph!\" he said to his brothers. \"Is my father still alive?\" But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. \"Please, come closer,\" he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, \"I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. But don't be upset, and don't be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. So it was God who sent me here, not you! And He is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh-the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt. \"Now hurry back to my father and tell him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately! You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve. Then Joseph added, \"Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph\"<\/span> (Genesis 45:1-12, NLT). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

BURYING THE HURT<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\r\n Prior to the sudden arrival of his brothers in Egypt, Joseph had seemingly coped with his wounded past by burying the hurt. From a fleeting look at the exterior of his life it could seem as though Joseph was free from the ache of his past betrayals, until you study the names he chose for his children. On closer examination it appears that all he had done was internalize the pain. Look at his firstborn son, Manasseh, whose name means, \"I have forgotten my former pain\" and \"I have forgotten my father's house.\" And he named his second son Ephraim, which means, \"God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.\" In his mind Joseph had very successfully moved on with life. This could be the testimony of some of you today. You are now a Christian and believe you have moved on from what you endured in the past. You may even be experiencing a level of fruitfulness in the so-called \"land of your affliction.\" It is one thing to move forward and embrace the future, but until you forgive those in your past you can never truly experience all God has planned for your life.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

GOD'S WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\r\nGod may allow people and circumstances that have wounded you to continually cross your path until you get to the place of forgiveness. This can result in great anguish of soul as past grievances surface. But the true act of forgiveness is to completely release the other person and treat them as though the offense had never occurred. It will cause you to look beyond their faults, and enable you to speak into their lives. It does not mean God gives you amnesia but He does remove the pain. This can be difficult, especially in a case like Joseph's, for his brothers were still covering up their sin. He could have legitimately asked himself, \"Why do I owe them anything? They are still not being truthful. There is no genuine humility being evidenced by them. They have not recognized me; I could walk away right now and leave them to their own miserable fate.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But God's plans are always so much greater than ours. Isaiah the prophet said it this way, <\/span>\"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, \u2026and My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts\" <\/span>(Isaiah 55:8?9, NLT).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

STARVING THE WORK OF CHRIST<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\r\n These hardened but hungry men were standing before Joseph who had the power to send them away empty handed, or forgive and feed them. Joseph said to them<\/span> \"don't be upset, and don't be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives\"<\/span> (Genesis 45:5, NLT). This has always been the heart of God, to preserve life not destroy it. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

God knew these brothers were unstable, self-willed and angry. He knew they were cowards and betrayers, but He was not finished with them yet. The bigger picture was that through Judah, one of Joseph's brothers, would come the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God Himself would move all heaven and earth to ensure the lineage of Christ would be protected. God would not let His purpose of ultimately blessing the entire world through His Son be stopped or aborted. He knew Joseph would obey Him and that is why He sent him to Egypt in the first place. \r\n \r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

When you refuse to forgive other people, you starve the work of Christ, which is to forgive. They will remain hungry and impoverished, held captive to their sin. But when you release forgiveness you are freeing them to respond in like manner. You open their prison door and allow them to go free. Forgiveness is one of the keys of God's kingdom. The act of forgiveness is neither an option nor a feeling. It is a command. Matthew 5:23?24 says <\/span>\"\u2026if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.\" <\/span>You do not wait until you feel good before you respond; you make the choice regardless of what your feelings are dictating. \r\n \r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

When Joseph decided to forgive, he was in fact choosing God's way. By his obedience he was feeding the work of God rather than starving it. It is an amazing thing. The moment he forgave, the plan of God continued to unfold. As failed as these men were, God had chosen them as the founding fathers of the nation of Israel. He had not abandoned them and He will not abandon you or those who selfishly betrayed you. This is the awesome mercy of God! When you finally understand it, the mercy of God will become the song of your life.<\/span> \"It came even to pass, as 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 musick, and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord\"<\/span> (2 Chronicles 5:13).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

PREPARATION TO BE A PROVISION FOR OTHERS<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\r\n We do not know if Joseph had any inkling the day he forgave his brothers that the lineage of Christ was being preserved. We do not even know when Joseph fully understood that the things he suffered and went through were pre-ordained by God for his life. What we do understand is that it was a hard and harrowing journey over many years. Those whom God uses to provide for hurting and hungry people often travel a very painful road. \r\n \r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

God used those tough experiences to prepare Joseph to be used in that exact time and place. Psalm 105:19 says, <\/span>\"Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.\" <\/span>God used Joseph's trials to bring him to a place where he could be a means of provision for his family. Our trials are used by God to bring us to a place where we know we stand only by His mercy. Joseph must have known this as well. Had God not done such a deep work in his heart, he would have been unable to forgive his brothers. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the same way God has also been preparing you. Perhaps you received a promise He was going to use your life, and through you there was going to be provision made for others. Now that vision seems so far in your past and there has been so much pain and hurt inflicted throughout the years, you have lost hope of its fulfillment. You are happy just to survive in this world, and finally make it to heaven. But when God makes a promise to you, He does not back away from it because you go through hard times. He does not change His mind. The only thing that can take you away from the fulfillment of that promise is a failure to understand the methods of God's mercy, and continuing to live in unbelief. Whatever has happened in your life, God has allowed it for a purpose. This is the key to freedom. It will release you from the prison of pain you may be in.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE: FORGIVENESS<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\r\n Joseph's choice to forgive was not an easy one to make. The scripture says he wept so hard that all the house of Pharaoh heard it. His anguish came from the very core of his being. His brothers were afraid when they saw him weeping because they knew what they had done to him many years before. At that moment they may have thought, \"He is going to kill us; he is going to do with us what we did to him.\" Instead Joseph tells his brothers: \"God sent me before you to preserve you in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. It was not you that sent me here but God.\" Out of deep compassion, Joseph was now offering his brothers an olive branch of forgiveness and reconciliation. Through his suffering, the heart of God had been formed in Joseph. Love and mercy had been worked into him over time by the faithfulness of God. <\/p>\r\n

As I have already said, forgiveness is never easy. One of the hardest things you will ever have to do is forgive the people who have wounded you the most. But as you do, there will not be one obstruction the enemy has set before you that can stop you from fulfilling the will of God. He alone has placed this call on your life, and He alone will bring it to completion. As God was with Joseph, He is now with you and He will use your past hurts for His glory. Praise God!<\/p>"},"152":{"sm_title":"Preparing to Stand In the Coming Storm","sm_id":"50","sm_desc":"June 14, 2009 - There is a longing in the heart of God to give His church the resources that we need to be the people He has called us to be. The Bible says to keep asking and we will receive. But what are we asking for? This message makes an appeal to us to put away childish prayers that are self-focused and begin to ask for the power and provision we need to minister to fallen humanity. Ask God for a heart for this world and an awareness of how much He loves people. Those who are looking away from self and are given for the work of God will be given supernatural strength in the coming storm!","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2009-08","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2009\/06\/14s1\/20090614s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20090614S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1479_0908_carter_conlon_preparing_to_stand_in_the_coming_storm.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"Fear has the power to paralyze and God knows this. When caught in a storm unprepared people are susceptible to sudden panic. We see this when the disciples of Jesus were caught in the midst of a storm on the Sea of Galilee, and were seized with fear and dread. But, even though they did not recognize it that day, God had already provided a way for them to stand in the midst of it. Their provision was Jesus and with one command He silenced the tempest. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"\" GOD'S SUPERABUNDANT PROVISION<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n Through His Word, God has made every provision possible for us to stand strong in the midst of our storms. This provision is not a meager ration just for the time of adversity. It is a superabundant outpouring of all you will ever need to completely sustain you. Jesus Himself speaks about His provision to keep you in Matthew 7:7-12: <\/span>\"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.\"<\/span> <\/p>\r\n

We may not always understand how fully and lavishly God desires to give to us. We can be limited in our concept of God thinking that He carefully measures His goods to His children, as we do. I am a father of three children and I can remember many times saying, \"Son, those shoes are good enough, you can wear them for another semester at school.\" Or, \"Those pants are durable for another six months.\" <\/p>\r\n

All this careful reasoning goes right out the window when you become a grandfather. Let me share with you an example from my own experience. Last summer I was with my young grandson. The two of us were busy talking while eating chicken fingers and French fries. He looked out the window of the restaurant and pointed towards the strip mall across the street. He said, \"I want to go there Papa.\" Thinking he simply wanted to sit on the lawn tractors which were for sale outside the mall, I said, \"Sure let's go.\" Instead of heading towards the lawn mowers he led me inside to a department store. He knew exactly where he was going. Once inside, he went directly to a stainless steel basket filled with stuffed animals. Walking around the basket he exclaimed with dismay, \"Where is it?\" Until he saw what he was looking for and then squealed with delight, saying, \"There it is!\" With his tiny hands he reached into the basket, and pulled out a stuffed, polka-dotted fire dog. He immediately took his newly acquired treasure and placed it on the check-out counter. He had all the confidence in the world that I would pay for it, which I promptly did. <\/p>\r\n

With the new fire dog under his arm and me in tow we walked down the hall into another store. Again, he knew exactly where to go. He continued to lead the way to the farthest aisle. He stopped at a rack piled high with all kinds of plastic trucks. He dove headlong into the plethora of toys, pushing aside everything until he clutched what he was searching for. Then I heard the muffled voice of my grandson say, \"There it is! This is a really cool truck.\" And off to the check-out we went. He never once had any doubt that his Papa would pay for it. With his newly bought treasures safely stashed inside shopping bags, we headed for home. On arrival he excitedly retrieved his merchandise and placed them on the kitchen counter for all of us to admire.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" LEAVING CHILDISH THINGS<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n I thank God this is how he sees his grandfather, but there is so much more I want to give him during his lifetime than stuffed animals and plastic toy trucks. Over the years, I want to impart the things which truly matter and will continue to form his character. I want to take the knowledge and experience I have gained from God and instruct him, knowing it will help him understand his full purpose in life. As a godly Papa, it is a privilege to be able to give true and lasting gifts which will enable him to overcome the adversities he will face in this world. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

If I am going to pass on these things to him, he must continue to grow and mature as a man. At some point he will have to let go of these childish perspectives. There is a season, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:11, \"When I was a child, I spoke as a child. I understood as a child. I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away childish things.\" <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Likewise, you need to grasp how much God wants to give you. There is a longing and desire in the heart of God to bless his children and to give you the things you need. Your heavenly Father wants you to have complete confidence in Him, as my grandson had in me. He is not only willing to give to you, but He wants to give to you. He cannot do so if you remain immature in your thinking. There is a season as a new Christian where you ask only for the things you want. But there comes a season when you grow into maturity and you start asking for things that are much deeper, much more profound.<\/p>\r\n

Matthew 7:12 declares the depth of true spiritual maturity that is a key to unlock God's incredible generosity, \"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.\" <\/span>In other words, you do everything to others that you would want them to do for you. If you were in prison, or you were wounded, depressed, without clothing, food, or shelter; what would you want others to do for you? I would want someone to come to me and help me. I would want them to visit me, to speak a word of healing, to lift me out of my depression; I would want them to use their resources to give me clothing, food, and shelter. <\/p>\r\n

\"\" ASK! SEEK! KNOCK!<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n You may be asking yourself, \"Where am I going to find the resources and the strength to do all of these things?\" We now go back to the words of Jesus: Ask! Seek! Knock! You will be given everything you need. If you are afraid to go into the prisons to visit those incarcerated, ask Jesus, and He will give you courage and love which casts out all fear. If you do not know how to minister healing to the wounded, Jesus said, seek the healing that I have and I will give it to you in abundant measure. If you need wisdom to see people set free from oppression, just knock and He will open the Word to you. Jesus will generously give you all these gifts. When you are being led into a place of ministry where you do \r\n not have the natural ability to perform what He calls you to do, He proclaims, \"Come to me, everything you need can be found in me!\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"\" FALSE SPIRITUAL VOICES<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n Right after Jesus speaks of His provision for us, He warns in Matthew 7:15, <\/span>\"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.\" <\/span>There will be false spiritual voices which will arise to keep you in a continuous state of childish self-focus; always asking, as a child, for some new toy, or for some new thing. False prophets are not concerned with reaching out to others in the compassion of Christ. Their whole focus is themselves. Jesus tells His disciples, <\/span>\"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?\" <\/span>(Matthew 7:16). In other words, the compassionate fruit of Christ for people is not there. The message they preach always revolves around the gratification of self; how you can better yourself and have a wonderful destiny.
\r\n <\/span><\/p>\r\n

These false prophets claim to know the mind of God and have the ability to cause others to marvel at their wonderful works. But on closer examination you find that their words lack true power and authority to turn people from their sin. Regarding these false prophets the Scriptures declare, \"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity\"<\/span> (Matthew 7:21-23). The definition in the Greek for iniquity is: lawless, presumptuous; wicked, full of self assertion. This word is in opposition to and in absolute contempt for the will of God. This is an amazing thing that Jesus calls self-focus iniquity. The childish self-focus preached by these false prophets will keep you from entering into God's full purpose for your life. <\/p>\r\n \"\" THE TRUE TREASURE OF GOD<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n The will of God is not for you to accumulate the most toys before you die; to get to the highest rung on the ladder, to be the best looking, to have the nicest clothes or the biggest house. This is childishness. We are to live way beyond that. The treasure of God is fallen humanity. They are so important to Him, He left you and I here on the earth that we might be co-laborers with Him in the harvest. It is to compel people to come home to God. \r\n <\/p>\r\n

He does not expect us to do this in our own strength. He has given us His Word and His Holy Spirit to accomplish this calling. In Him there are no barriers. There are no limitations. There are no prison doors that can remain shut to all He wants to give and do in your life. When you choose to let go of the childish self-focus, God is able to take you to places you have not even dreamed of going. He will give you abilities you never thought would be possible in your life, and wisdom you never possessed before.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" STAND STRONG<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n Now the title of this message is 'Preparing to Stand in the Coming Storm.' If we continue reading in Matthew, chapter 7, Jesus says <\/span>\"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock\"<\/span> (Matthew 7:24-25). Those who are wise will be able to stand strong no matter how fierce the storm. Jesus was speaking to His disciples that when the focus is off yourself and placed on reaching out to others, you are touching the heart of God and your house will stand in the coming storm. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Then the Bible goes on to say, \"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it\" <\/span>(Matthew 7:26-27). Those who are self-focused are building upon the sand and are without a proper foundation. In the coming days of hard times, their gospel of accumulating worldly wealth will not be able to withstand the strong winds of adversity. The cry of the true church of Jesus Christ should be, \"God, I need your power, I need your wisdom, your compassion, and I need to hear your voice, now.\"<\/p>\r\n

\"\" SPIRITUAL MATURITY<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n The apostle Paul is a great example of a man who grew into full spiritual maturity, being completely sold out to the will of God. He was willing to let go of all worldly accomplishments for the sake of the true treasure of heaven, reaching men and women for Christ. In his life Paul was given first to the glory of God, but then he was totally given to the purpose of winning the lost. Because of his complete surrender to God, the heavens were open to him and he saw the exceeding riches and power of God for those who believe. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Paul wanted the church of his day to grasp this incredible revelation of the generosity of God. His prayer for them was, \"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power\"<\/span> (Ephesians 1:17-19). In essence, he was saying to the church at Ephesus, \"Oh that you could see what I see! That your eyes could be opened to all that is available to you who live a surrendered life.\"<\/p>\r\n

\"\" IT'S A TIME TO ASK<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\r\n It is time for the church of Jesus Christ to put away childish things. That season is gone. A terrible storm is coming to the whole world. It is time to say, \"God, make me a voice in the storm. Cause me to stand upon a rock. Put compassion in my heart. Give me love that is beyond anything I have ever known.\" It is time to pick up your Bible and say, \"God Almighty, send me into the harvest field!\" You have to be ready to go when He calls, and to do what He asks you to do. This is a miraculous life. It was never intended to be anything else but a miraculous life. Hallelujah!<\/span><\/p>"},"153":{"sm_title":"Say Goodbye to Captivity","sm_id":"49","sm_desc":"December 28, 2008 - Think of the thing you struggle with the most and by faith say goodbye to it. If we are called by God the powers of darkness know the potential we have in Christ. When we come to our red sea of impossibility God promises every enemy will be drowned behind us. There is a glory that will come upon a people who choose to get into the Word of God and simply declare the impossible possible. There will be a people in this last hour of time who have the testimony of Jesus Christ and a glory song that the world must reckon with. This day captivity will be broken and your song will be, \"only God can do this\"!! It is time to go forward into the miraculous!","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2009-03","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2008\/12\/28s1\/20081228s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20081228S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1299_0903_carter_conlon_say_goodbye_to_captivity.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Many Christians are held captive by their adverse circumstances or the things of this world, and maybe you are one of them. God wants to put a cry of deliverance in your heart. A cry which says, \"Lord, surely there is more for me in this Christian life than I am experiencing at present. I have been pouring myself out, but there has been no joy in it. I want to live for God, but every time I try to, I find myself serving the very things that hold me captive.\" <\/span><\/p>\r\n

God wants to bring you out of this captivity and to a place where you walk in freedom, knowing the plans and purposes of God for your life. You will be a person who will not be moved in the midst of calamity, uncertainty, confusion or darkness. By faith you will say goodbye to everything that holds you captive, just as God promised His people when He delivered them out of the strongholds of Egypt. <\/p>\r\n

AN INCREDIBLE PROMISE<\/span><\/em>
\r\n You remember the story of how the people of God first came to Egypt. During a time of severe drought, Jacob and seventy members of his household journeyed into the land. There they were reunited with Joseph, the son Jacob thought he had lost, who had become a powerful leader second only to Pharaoh. Joseph settled them in Goshen and was able to provide bountifully for his family. Now after the Israelites had lived in Egypt for a long time, a king came to the throne who did not remember the work and testimony of Joseph. This Pharaoh looked over the Israelite community, which had become a great nation, mightier than the Egyptians, and said to his people, \"come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land\"<\/span> (Exodus 1:10, NKJV). <\/p>\r\n

So the Egyptians set ruthless taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor, making their lives bitter with hard service. Their duties became more grueling as they were given inferior tools and insufficient materials to work with. Pharaoh kept them in servitude forcing them to build cities and monuments to himself. Life became so unbearable that a cry rose up in the heart of God's people. I believe God initiates such a cry during difficult times. He does this before He brings about a great deliverance. His deliverance of the Israelites came in the form of a man named Moses. By Moses' hand God brought plagues on all of Egypt until Pharaoh let the people go. <\/p>\r\n

The freed Israelites are now caught standing at the brink of the Red Sea with the host of the Egyptian army advancing in hot pursuit. \"And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever\"<\/span> (Exodus 14:13).<\/p>\r\n

What an incredible promise for this generation of people who had known only a life of captivity and hardship. As fear tried to ensnare them in a new bondage, this promise from God neutralized that powerful and paralyzing force. <\/p>\r\n

A PEOPLE LED BY THE SPIRIT<\/span><\/em>
\r\n If you were to stand as a spectator and view this unfolding drama at the Red Sea, you would have seen two extremely large groups of people headed in the same direction. Both would have appeared to be going after the things of God. However, on closer inspection you would have seen the first group, the Israelites, headed toward the place where all of God's promises are fulfilled; where the impossible becomes possible. They were being led and directed by the Spirit of God and He was acting on their behalf. \"The Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry ground; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left\" <\/span>(Exodus 14:21-22 NRSV). <\/p>\r\n

If you want a good illustration of how this phenomenon would have looked to the children of Israel, open your Bible to the middle. Hold it up before your face, close one eye, and look down the center. The rolling pages on each side represent the divided sea, and the center demonstrates where the Israelites walked to the other side on dry ground.\u00a0This graphic image has a strong spiritual connotation. When you start reading the Bible, and believe the promises God has made, you will watch Him perform the miraculous for you as He did for Israel. <\/p>\r\n

When you start walking with the Lord, in faith, He will go with you through every problem, no matter how difficult. Every book in the Bible will give you confidence to say the devil, \"You are not stopping me! I am going through to the other side of this book with God.\"<\/p>\r\n

When the Israelites reached the other side of the Red Sea they sang songs of victory: \"I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea\"<\/span> (Exodus 15:1). You, too, will sing songs of victory as God brings you through all of your difficulties. Hallelujah! <\/p>\r\n

Once the children of Israel were on the other side, God immediately led them into the desert on their way to the land of promise. This wilderness was an extremely tough place; there were no grocery stores or internet caf\u00e9s for high-speed web access; there was no take-out service or fast food delivery, except from heaven, of course, when manna rained down every day. Life had suddenly become difficult for them; there were new hardships on every side. But God was going to prove Himself faithful to them in every new trial. Given the choice, that is exactly where I would want to be, with God's people in His divine will, letting Him take me where I can never go in my own strength. I would rather let Him make me what I can never hope to become, so I can look back and say, \"Only God could have done this.\" <\/p>\r\n

If your life has suddenly taken a turn for the worse, believe that God will not fail you. All of us have been touched in some way or another by the present difficulties of our society. God will be faithful to you now as He was to the Israelites in the desert. You will be able to look back one day at how the Lord has led you and say, \"It was not by a committee or human design; it was not a ten-step program or self-help course that got me through. It was His divine power and His outstretched arm that delivered me.\"<\/p>\r\n

A SELF-SERVING PEOPLE<\/span><\/em>
\r\n Now there was a second large group coming up in the rear who knew they were pursuing God's people, rather than God and His promises. What a marked difference there was between these two groups! The Israelites were following God, while the Egyptians who had the shiny chariots, expensive uniforms and state-of-the-art weaponry, were following after them. They looked like they had prospered in everything they had put their hand to, but in actuality, their sole interest was to achieve their own personal objectives. Note what Pharaoh said, \"Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?\" <\/span>(Exodus 14:5). <\/p>\r\n

The Egyptians' pursuit of God's people was nothing less than self-serving; they wanted to harness the blessings of God for themselves, but the result was they drowned in the Red Sea. This is a powerful warning for those today who are also using God's people to pursue their selfish ambitions and their own prosperity. They, too, will drown in the pages of Scripture. The Word will not make sense to self-seekers; they will look only for the verses that substantiate their selfish desires. Listen to Paul's admonition, \"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition\"<\/span> (1 Timothy 6:9). <\/p>\r\n

The Bible tells us very clearly, \"If the light in you be darkness, how great is that darkness\" <\/span>(Matthew 6:23). Jesus spoke this in the context of having a focus on personal gain rather than on the Word and the righteousness of God. This is the reason why there is so much confusion and why so many people are not finding God. They have given up on the Bible and have turned to false prophets to interpret the Word for them. These counterfeit individuals are the glittery-eyed, silver-tongued ambassadors of Satan. They are standing in pulpits leading people farther and farther away from the truth of Christ. <\/p>\r\n

MAKE THE CHOICE TO GO WITH GOD<\/span><\/em>
\r\n Wherever you find yourself now make the choice to go with God, even though it may mean going into a desert with insurmountable difficulties. God is calling you in the midst of calamity, uncertainty, and great trial. Therefore stand on God's promises and walk under His leading. He is calling you not to be moved by any of these circumstances. Stand still, as the children of Israel did at the edge of the Red Sea, and see the salvation of God. You will be looking into a spiritual kingdom that is hidden from the multitude whose focus is on the things of this earth. Your choice to go God's way means you have exchanged the value system of this world for the value system of heaven. Your pursuits will not be the same as the world's; therefore, you cannot be shaken by what is going on all around you. Your life will become a testimony to the trustworthiness and power of God. <\/p>\r\n

Become a part of the people who refuse to be carried along with those who are moving steadily away from the purposes of Christ. Be the man or woman who says, \"The whole crowd might be going this way, but I am not going with them.\" You might be fearful, with your own heart telling you to give up because you can only go so far in following God. You may even have voices around you, enemies from hell, telling you, \"You think you can break free from the things that have held you captive? You have tried for years and years. What makes you think that freedom is going to come now?\" You need to take your accusers to the Word of God and show them what the promises of God are: \"For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, but he answered them not. Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets\"<\/span> (Psalms 18:38-42). This was David's testimony; God gave him the power to overcome every enemy that accused him and told him that he would fail. <\/p>\r\n

DO NOT LISTEN TO THE ENEMY<\/span><\/em>
\r\n Do not listen to the enemy when he tells you that this word is for somebody else but not for you. God is confirming it to you saying, \"I will give you my power if you will let my Word have a place in your heart. I will give you the power to overcome every enemy. You will beat them as small as dust and throw them into the streets. They will have no power to stand before you anymore.\" If you will listen to His voice, no bad news will be able to change the tenor of your life, the power and passion that is in your voice, and the clarity and direction in your steps. You can choose to stand on God's promises and go where He is leading. There is a glory that is going to come upon those whose minds are not saturated with the things of this world. Faith will come into your heart and you will declare the impossible, possible. <\/p>\r\n

MOVE TOWARD THE PURPOSES OF GOD<\/span><\/em>
\r\n Your pursuit will no longer be self-serving, but it will become a passion to reach the souls of men and women who are on their way to hell. Jesus said, \"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost\"<\/span> (Luke 19:10). The Gospel of Jesus Christ is about Calvary. It is about Jesus dying for you so you can stand with confidence, knowing your sins are forgiven. Others will see the change and ask you how they can have the same life. People will observe the glory of the Lord in you and will listen when you tell them that what God has done for you, He will also do for them. <\/p>\r\n

Beware of using Christ for your own objectives as you move forward in obedience to His call. You and I must be moving toward those dying around us. You cannot sit still and say, \"I know God, but I have absolutely no burden for those who are headed for outer darkness.\" God's burden has not changed and His mission is no different from what it was two thousand years ago. You must start following God's call to extend yourself, not in your own strength, but in the strength of Christ-doing what He tells you to do, speaking what He gives you to speak, reaching out in the manner that He directs. <\/p>\r\n

GET UP AND GET OUT<\/span><\/em>
\r\n Today if you are captivated by besetting sin, by the lies of the enemy; by the things of this world; by wounding of the heart; by struggles in your mind, by thoughts of depression and suicide; or by relationships and practices you cannot get out of - take a good look at them and say goodbye, because you are never going to see them again. By faith get up, put your feet in the water, take the first step and God will open the sea before you. It is not enough to get up and get out. You have to move to the other side of what God has for you, or your enemies will catch up to you again. Move to that testimony of Christ in your life, and say goodbye to captivity!<\/p>"},"154":{"sm_title":"When Lions Have Nothing More to Say","sm_id":"47","sm_desc":"October 19, 2008 - It's time to stand in prayer, unmoved by the roar of Satan's lies. The devil only needs one area of sin in our heart to take us down. We can shut the mouth of the lions when we don\u00ef\u00bf\u00bdt allow past betrayals, injustice, jealousy and anger keep us from moving forward in Christ. We must get to the point where the devil has nothing more to say to us concerning these areas of pain. We know we are of an excellent spirit when we can bless the hand that God has used to hammer out our character on the anvil. We must understand that we don't grow by having our battles go away. We grow by having our battles finish their intended purposes.","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2009-01","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2008\/10\/19s1\/20081019s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20081019S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1230_0901_carter_conlon_when_lions_have_nothing_more_to_say.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

\"Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?\" <\/p>\r\n

\"Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God\" <\/span>(Daniel 6:19-23).<\/p>\r\n

Daniel was approximately eighty years old when he had this experience in the lions' den. He had already faced extreme hardships and trials in his life, yet despite them he had proved himself to be a faithful servant of God. <\/p>\r\n

He was probably no older than fourteen when the armies of Babylon invaded and conquered Israel. The Babylonians then led many of the people away in chains. This systematic deportation of the people was violent and cruel. Daniel, who was a captive, would have had to overcome this trauma of pitiless brutality.<\/p>\r\n

BABYLONIAN RULE<\/span><\/em>
\r\n The Scriptures describe Daniel as a man with an excellent spirit who continued to trust God despite the things he endured. He was chosen to serve in the royal palace. This position required him to become a eunuch, which meant that he would never have a family of his own. This was a tragic loss to any Israelite whose core value was based on his lineage. Everything Daniel held sacred had been taken from him, and instead of becoming bitter and resentful, he remained unrelentingly faithful to God. In turn, God gave him favor and honor with this heathen king. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Daniel was brought into the inner court of the palace to serve, but there was a price attached to this privilege. Selected eunuchs were required to partake of the king's menu of wines and all manner of fine meats. This was intended to integrate those of other cultures into the Babylonian lifestyle and also cause them to conform to the king's ideals. Daniel did not want to defile himself with specialty foods, so he asked for a simple diet of vegetables. His appeal was granted and he overcame the incredible pressure to conform. Through his commitment to serve God, he was granted tremendous wisdom from heaven. <\/p>\r\n

Later, under the haughty reign of Belshazzar, a descendant of King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon became debauched. Living in a stupor of drunken arrogance, they were unaware of their own spiritual depravity and ignorance. King Belshazzar took the holy vessels of silver and gold, which had been seized from the temple in Jerusalem, and used them as he partied with his royal court. They had crossed the line and in that moment the judgments of God were pronounced. Out of nowhere a hand appeared writing in an unknown language on the wall, as the trembling king watched. Daniel was suddenly called upon to give the interpretation, \"God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians\" (Daniel 5:26-28). Historians tell us that very night the gates opened without resistance to the Medo-Persian army who marched in and conquered the city. King Belshazzar was slain and the great nation once called Babylon fell.<\/p>\r\n

MEDO-PERSIAN RULE<\/span><\/em>
\r\n Under Cyrus, also known as Darius, the new Persian king, Daniel was set in a place of influence over the whole realm. He was now eighty and you would think at this age it would have been a time of respite and reward for him. Was there not a point where he could just sit back and relax? There certainly would not be anything wrong with this. However, Daniel chose to continue to actively pursue God. Three times a day he went into his prayer closet, opened the windows of his room toward Jerusalem, and prayed. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

While Daniel was reading the book of Jeremiah the prophet, he discovered the captivity was to last only seventy years. From what the Word of God was declaring and the Holy Spirit was quickening in his heart, Daniel knew this time had expired, and the people would go free. His faith increased for his people and he stood on God's promises for their deliverance. Little did he know that this revelation was the center of a heavenly battle, because Satan does not want to see anyone go free. God knew this battle required somebody with more than just enthusiasm. He needed a man with a measure of confidence already worked in Him by God, somebody who could stand in faith without wavering. \"[God] sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none\"<\/span> (Ezekiel 22:30). <\/p>\r\n

There is a time as a young Christian you can go down into the valley and meet Goliath with a slingshot. But there comes a time to mature and know God in such a way that you simply stand in prayer, unmoved by any voices around you. The conspiracies of hell cannot stop you from going into the prayer closet. Many people in our generation who are \"standing in the gap\" are not in pulpits, but in their secret place of prayer. They are standing in the place that men do not see, but heaven records their faithfulness. Just when you think it might be time for you to put up your feet, relax, and perhaps enjoy the fruits of your labor, another trial comes. A trial which may be deeper than anything you have faced so far in your life. <\/p>\r\n

<\/span>Daniel was faced with such a trial. Wicked men had risen to power and had begun writing laws which moved against the people of God. They had a law passed forbidding anyone to pray to any god but Darius the king, for the next thirty days. If evil men are allowed to write laws they become emboldened. If there is nobody standing in the gap to seek God, more and more laws are written on the books which are against His will and ways. <\/p>\r\n

A TIME FOR INTERCESSORS<\/span><\/em>
\r\n If ever we lived in a time for intercessors, this is it. Intercessors who will discover what the Word of God says, and claim the promises for family members, co-workers, city officials, and government leaders. We need men and women who will take people to the throne of God and intercede for them. Daniel knew the time had come for the release of God's people. He was standing in one of the most pivotal gaps of all time and if he capitulated, King Darius would not have known there was a true God in heaven. Evil men would have succeeded and God's people would have remained in bondage. God was about to miraculously move on Darius' heart to have him sign a decree to set the Israelites free, and all hell was fighting against this proclamation. The only person stopping the plans of the enemy was an eighty-year-old man in the prayer closet. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

If we were looking for a man to fight, we probably would not choose someone this old. There are some battles that are not meant for a novice and this was one of them. The Lord needed someone with a history, someone who trusted Him. The devil wanted Daniel away from his place of intercession, so he caused him to be thrown into a lions' den. Now think about this for a moment. This den represented a place where Satan walked about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. It is a place where very few, if any, had been known to survive. It is a place where any one of those lions could have killed Daniel, \"And the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den\"<\/span> (Daniel 6:24). These lions can symbolize things that destroy you: there was the lion of bitterness and the lion of resentment, lions of betrayal, injustice, jealousy, despair, even the lion of anger toward God Himself. Any one of these lions could have taken him down. The devil does not need you to have twelve sins undealt with in your life to destroy you; he needs only one to bring you down. <\/p>\r\n

What the devil had not bargained for when it came to Daniel was the power of God's Word which Daniel had fully embraced. We see the end result of this kind of faith, \"My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me\"<\/span> (Daniel 6:22). In the original text, the term angel literally means \"the messenger.\" When the messenger came, Daniel received him, and it was this messenger who closed the mouths of the lions. From that moment those particular lions had nothing more to say to him. When you receive God's messenger, His Word, the devil immediately has nothing more to say to you. \"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord\"<\/span> (Isaiah 54:17). Hallelujah! <\/p>\r\n

It is natural that you and I would prefer not go through hardships. We would rather not have to endure the difficult days, the betrayals, and the unavoidable pain which comes from dealing with people. Nonetheless, God uses these times to work out His purposes in you. He has been preparing you for the day when you would stand in the prayer closet, without listening to those accusing and condemning lions. If you understand what God is doing, then you can be mightily used to intercede for this generation. <\/p>\r\n

King Darius had been friendly to Daniel, yet he ultimately was the one who had him thrown into the den of lions. The following day he came with a mournful voice asking Daniel if his God had been able to deliver him from that awful fate? Daniel could have easily retorted, \"You are a foolish man for listening to those voices which came to accuse, when all I had been doing was seeking God.\" Daniel could have said a lot of other things, too, if he had not had a right heart. But what came out of his mouth was, \"O king, live forever\"<\/span> (Daniel 6:21). This is an amazing response when you stop and consider it. Daniel had just endured the greatest trial of his life and yet his speech remained pure before God and this king. <\/p>\r\n

You know you have come to the place of victory, having an excellent spirit, when you bless the person whom God used in your trial. He used that person and that difficult situation to hammer out things in your character that are unlike Him. My prayer, is for you to comprehend that you do not grow by having your battles and trials simply disappear. You grow by having your battles finish their intended purpose. If you never grasp this vital truth, you will live your whole Christian experience trying to get out of the very things God is using to produce in you a faith in Him. God wants to take you to a place where you can stand in prayer against hell itself. God gives you insight through the life of Daniel, so you can have hope in the midst of your most severe trials. In the end Daniel most likely did not participate in the journey with those who left Babylon for Israel and Jerusalem, but in all probability he was the vessel God used to procure the release of His people. <\/p>\r\n

THE LAWS CHANGED<\/span><\/em>
\r\n Paul says in Romans 8:28, <\/span>\"We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.\"<\/span> You know this intellectually, but there must come a time in your life when you fully embrace the Word. When you do, you will be able to stand in faith as Daniel did and laws will change. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Now let me explain this. After Daniel was taken out of the lions' den, the king issued a decree; in other words, he changed the law. He said, \"Unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions<\/span>\" (Daniel 6:25-27). <\/p>\r\n

This heathen king received a revelation that many of us could use. He changed the laws that had been written by those who were against the things of God. There is one law I would like to see changed more than any other and it is the law of sin and death that is written over many people's lives. I want to see it changed and people set free. I want people to know their time of captivity is over, and they can leave their place of bondage forever. You and I must begin where Daniel began, praying daily and believing the promises of God! <\/p>

You have read this message today, but are you willing to receive it? Are you willing to say this is God's \"messenger\" for me? Have you been living in a place where the devil has been roaring at you, and all you have been doing is roaring back? God does not want you in a shouting match with your adversary. If you can hear what God is saying, He wants you to be quiet and confident and full of faith in Him. He will be the one to close the mouth of the roaring lion, just as He did for Daniel. Praise God!.<\/p>"},"155":{"sm_title":"The Shepherd Song","sm_id":"45","sm_desc":"September 28, 2008 - There is a great revelation of God coming to this generation. This revelation will not be given to the self indulgent and the self seeking. It will be given to the humble person who desires to live their life for the betterment of others. God will come in the midst of darkness and reveal Himself to the shepherds who are simply looking after their flock. Suddenly the heavens will be opened and by the grace of God we will begin to reach out to those who are hungry and hurting. Suddenly our ears will be opened to the worship of Heaven and we will sing a song of trust and confidence in God. A song that says, \"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will towards men.\" Our song is a living expression of trust in God.","sm_jpg":"","sm_date":"2008-12","length_sec":"","length_min":"","sm_asx":"https:\/\/media3.tsc.nyc\/2008\/09\/28s1\/20080928s1.mp4","sm_mp3":"https:\/\/media4.tsc.nyc\/mp3\/20080928S1.mp3","sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":"","sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1203_0812_carter_conlon_the_shepherd_song.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":"

Many refer to Luke 2:1-20 as \"the Christmas story\" and my letter to you today is based on this Bible passage.<\/p>\r\n

EVERYONE TO BE TAXED<\/span><\/em>
\r\n The days of Roman rule in Israel were marked by heavy taxation. They levied strict and severe taxes upon all the countries conquered. According to Zondervan's Encyclopedia, the Romans levied a multitude of taxes, including: land and real estate taxes; a poll tax; export and import taxes; crop taxes; income tax; taxes to use a road; taxes to enter certain towns; taxes on animals and vehicles; an assault tax; a sales tax; a servant tax; taxes on the transfer of property; and even an emergency tax. Most of the tax revenue was taken from the poor and the money went to support an opulent lifestyle in Rome, whose elite citizens thought it was beneath their dignity to work for a living.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One of the many Roman officials placed over a conquered nation was called a censor. The primary purpose of this position was to enforce the tax laws of Rome. This censor would come into a place like Galilee and would sell a franchise to the highest bidder, who would be responsible for collecting local taxes. Those who bought the franchises were mostly Jewish men called tax collectors. They were given a quota by the censor and then allowed to collect an open-ended commission for themselves. More often than not, they were bribed by the affluent and became very wealthy in their society. The rich would say, \"Look, I will give you a certain amount of money if you exempt me from paying all the taxes.\" You can understand why tax collectors in Jesus' day were hated by the general populous. <\/p>\r\n

CENSUS OF CAESAR AUGUSTUS<\/span><\/em>
\r\n The Roman Emperor, Augustus, decided to take a census of all the people in Israel. Ultimately the head count of the nation would ensure no one in his kingdom would escape taxation. Families were forced to leave their homes and head for the town of their birth, which was where the Jewish records were kept. Regardless of the difficult circumstances this presented, there were no exceptions to the rule. You can imagine how this became an inconvenience and personal hardship for many, even a severe loss of income. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Since Mary and Joseph were of the lineage of David they were required to make the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, which was about fifty to sixty miles away. These roads were often unprotected and notorious for gangs of thieves. Mary, who was pregnant and considered \"great with child,\" would have traveled slowly along this way. It was a long and arduous journey for the two of them. This was opposite to many who were moving at a faster pace to reach safety and secure better accommodations. On arrival, the inn at Bethlehem was considered \"the\" place to lodge. From what I have read, this was a famous place where many commercial travelers stopped to spend the night on their way to Egypt.<\/p>\r\n

THE INCONVENIENCE OF GREED<\/span><\/em>
\r\n If you were at this inn, you probably would have heard the guests grumbling and complaining about the nuisance the census had caused. Now at some point in all of the ongoing conversation the question may have been asked: \"Where is God in all of this? How could He let this happen to us?\" Meanwhile, Mary and Joseph had come to the inn, were knocking on the door, and were turned away. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Isn't it ironic how the whole of society ignores God until the hard times come and then everybody blames Him? Amazing, they wanted to know where God was, yet He was right there amongst them. These were people who were concerned only for themselves in a volatile and unstable society. They were trying desperately to protect their own lifestyle and financial greed. They were too caught up in their own self-centeredness to recognize this was not an ordinary young couple with a baby about to be born. This was God in the flesh. He was coming into the world and they could not see it.<\/p>\r\n

GOD GOES TO SHEPHERDS<\/span><\/em>
\r\n Since they refused to acknowledge Him, God went to those who were not caught up in the selfish uproar of their day. <\/span>\"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night and, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them\" <\/span>(Luke 2:8-9). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

These shepherds were not looking out for their own well being, but were caring for the sheep entrusted to them for safe keeping. It says in the Scripture angels appeared to the shepherds at night. Night in the scriptures often speaks of a time of crisis, a time of danger, and a time of death. <\/p>\r\n

True shepherds today are pastors and Christian workers, who give themselves to prayer and intercession. They possess the heart of God to help others through difficult times. A true shepherd can even be a mother or father who is kneeling beside their bed in intercession for the little ones God has given them. Or the person who says it is not right for the fatherless children to be left in the streets and forgotten.<\/p>\r\n

GOD IS IN A HUMBLE PLACE<\/span><\/em>
\r\n \"And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger\"<\/span> (Luke 2:12). Where is God in all of this? He is where He has always been, reaching out to the oppressed, healing the bruised in heart. He is opening prison doors and setting people free from areas of captivity. He is giving bread to the poor, to those who are without. He is being a father to the fatherless. This is where God is. He makes His way into the midst of all the turmoil and catastrophes of mankind bringing hope and healing. And that is exactly where God's people need to be, in the midst of human suffering reaching out with a helping hand and a word from God. The living God is in a humble place where the self-focused and proud never think to go.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The shepherds, who were faithfully tending their flocks at night, went to celebrate the birth of the Savior in a dirty and smelly manger. It is a type of the place where God's true shepherds minister. They go where nobody else wants to go. They take what they have, even if it is just a word of encouragement.<\/p>\r\n

GOD HAS A WORD FOR YOU<\/span><\/em>
\r\n If this describes your heart, then the Lord has given me a word for you. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord\" <\/span>(Luke 2:10-11). Suddenly, in a moment of time, clarity and understanding came to the shepherds as the heavens opened. What joy, celebration and purpose must have filled their lives on the hillside that night. The Savior had come and God had given them insight and revelation. <\/p>\r\n

In the same way, everything will begin to make sense to you about serving Christ. Suddenly, you know why you are a Christian, why you go to church, why you sing songs, why you read your bible, why the Holy Spirit was given to you. With understanding and clarity comes tremendous joy and purpose to your life as it did for the shepherds long ago. These are God's promises to you. <\/p>\r\n

\"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men\" <\/span>(Luke 2:13-14). Your heart will be open to the worship of heaven. This is worship far beyond anything you might sing in church. It is far deeper; it is the song that comes when you reach out to those impoverished and then see God provide. It is a song of confidence and trust that people can see in your life. They see a God who has given you purpose and a joy unspeakable, while they are caught up in fear of the future. In other words, the divine purpose of God, the depths and compassion of His love, will be made known to you and through you. There is hope for the future; it is about something that God wants to do now and extend into the hereafter. Hallelujah!<\/p>\r\n

THE SHEPHERD SONG<\/span><\/em>
\r\n \"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them\"<\/span> (Luke 2:20). Like the shepherds, yours will not be a song that is based on the circumstances of this world. It will be a song that I call, \"The Shepherd Song.\" You will be able to glorify and praise God for the things you have seen and heard, things that are hidden from the world around you; the things that were hidden from the self-centered people at the inn in Bethlehem. Think about it. While the crowds were grumbling into the night hours, just around the corner in a dirty stable the Son of God was born. There was glory all around and these people knew nothing about it. The shepherds, however, had seen and heard something so incredible from God they went back to what they had been called to do with praises and shouts of glory. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

As I observe this procession of shepherds, I sense something stirring in my spirit. I hear heaven opening and I see something wonderful happening. I see a song coming into the heart of fathers who are turning back to this generation and saying, \"I am going to heaven, but I am not leaving you behind. I do not care how many of you are standing on the street corner, or how tough you think you are, I am not leaving you behind.\" <\/p>\r\n

I hear a song coming to pastors in small-towns, some of whom have been struggling with 20, 30, or 40 people. Because they have been faithful, God is about to give them a new song. They have lived through a season where they have been portrayed as failures in the church world. They have gone to seminars over the last two decades where they have been told how to \"grow a church\" to ten thousand. But how can you do that when there are only three hundred people in your town? If you are the pastor of a small church, I want you to take courage. You are not a failure! You are about to sing a song you have never sung in your entire life. You are about to see something of God you have never seen before. I hear these shepherds, all over the country, beginning to sing, beginning to praise God. They are getting a vision from heaven that is hidden from the self-consumed and those whose theological focus was away from God's true purpose.<\/p>\r\n

SONGS IN A TIME OF CALAMITY<\/span><\/em>
\r\n In Isaiah 24:1-4, we read an account of a coming calamity. I cannot paint a more dismal day than what Isaiah saw. In the midst of these dark days Isaiah suddenly hears a new song in verses 14-16. In essence he was saying, \"In the midst of the darkness I hear songs of glory to the Righteous One.\" <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Beloved, we are in for a time of worship and praise in the coming days like you have never known in your entire life. We are going to know the glory of the Lord. We are going to know something of God which does not come in times of ease-it comes only in times of calamity. It is deeper-it is a song of trust. You will see God's faithful hand upon your children. You will begin to reach out in the Holy Spirit. The provision of God will begin to flow through you to others. You are going to live to see how the supernatural hand of God provides. It is going to be miraculous. It is awesome when there is no other way to explain it all except that God has done it.<\/p>\r\n

GOD'S PROVISION<\/span><\/em>
\r\n Many times I have watched God do what only He could do; I have seen His faithfulness. I was visiting a halfway house that was run completely by faith. The men who lived there were just out of jail and being prepared to go back into society. One cold fall day several of the men were standing at the window praying because they had absolutely no food in the house. I heard about them praying, \"Lord, we are hungry and would like something to eat today. If you could, we would like some groceries, even\u2026.\" And at that moment while praying they opened their eyes and saw a woman on the other side of the street carrying two shopping bags full of groceries. \"Lord, we would like some food, even like the food in those two shopping bags.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The lady had already walked by the halfway house but as soon as the men finished praying, she stopped, crossed over the street, came back to the house. She walked up to the porch, put the two bags down and walked away! And they watched this happen before their eyes! What kind of worship do you think took place that day? The Shepherd Song! They saw the provision of God and then glorified Him for His great provision. They understood not only were they to be recipients of this amazing blessing, but they were to also be givers as the Lord enabled them. <\/p>\r\n

You do not have to be afraid of the dark days ahead, in Psalm 46:1-4 we read \"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.\" <\/span>The river here stands for God's provision. You will not be listed among those who fail and faint because you will be kept supernaturally by the power of God. <\/p>\r\n

This Christmas season you may be in a place of worry and doubt about the future. You may question, \"Where is God? Where is Jesus as our financial markets crumble, jobs are lost and bills are due?\" Hold fast to The Shepherd Song, a song of trust, hope, deliverance and purpose. Step outside of yourself and see the mighty hand of God work and provide for your every need. Celebrate His miraculous birth, and His great salvation wrought on Calvary. Rejoice in His grace and love which covers a multitude of sins. Rejoice this Christmas in the Christ who is your hope.<\/p>\r\n

Several years ago the Lord gave me a song based on Psalm 46. I encourage you to read aloud the lyrics. <\/p>\r\n

I will trust in God, all of my days
\r\n Though the seas may roar,
\r\n And mountains leave their place
\r\n Hearts of men may fail,
\r\n Tears on every face.
\r\n Safely I will stand, In God's amazing grace.<\/p>\r\n

Chorus:
\r\n I will trust in God. I will trust in God
\r\n Come what may in Christ I say
\r\n I will trust in God
\r\n I will trust in God. I will trust in God
\r\n Come what may in Christ I say
\r\n I will trust in God.
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
"},"156":{"sm_title":"The Value of a Righteous Man","sm_id":"23","sm_desc":" ","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2007-07","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1160_508_070701_carter_conlon_the_value_of_a_righteous_man.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"157":{"sm_title":"Is Your Work Being Tried by Fire?","sm_id":"25","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2007-03","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1162_605_0703_carter_conlon_is_your_work_being_tried_by_fire.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"158":{"sm_title":"The Coming Revival of the Joshua Priesthood","sm_id":"24","sm_desc":" ","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2006-12","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1161_563_0612_sermon_newsletter_the_coming_revival_of_the_joshua_priesthood.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"159":{"sm_title":"Overcoming the Power of Spiritual Defeat","sm_id":"18","sm_desc":" ","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2006-11","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1144_403_061101_carter_conlon_overcoming_the_power_of_spiritual_defeat.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"160":{"sm_title":"Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself","sm_id":"22","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2006-10","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1159_494_0610_carter_conlon_loving_your_neighbor_as_yourself.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"161":{"sm_title":"There is a Song in Every Barren Womb","sm_id":"21","sm_desc":" ","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2006-09","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1158_459_0608_carter_conlon_there_is_a_song_in_every_barren_womb.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"162":{"sm_title":"Becoming Familiar with the Presence of God","sm_id":"19","sm_desc":" ","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2006-08","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1145_410_060714_carter_conlon_becoming_familiar_with_the_presence_of_god.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"163":{"sm_title":"Wisdom's Cry","sm_id":"11","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2006-07","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1137_276_0607_carter_conlon_wisdoms_cry_.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"164":{"sm_title":"The Resurrection of the Hidden Talent","sm_id":"17","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2006-06","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1143_399_0606_carter_conlon_the_resurrection_of_the_hidden_talent.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"165":{"sm_title":"You Will Survive the Place of Weeping","sm_id":"20","sm_desc":" ","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2006-05","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1146_424_0605_carter_conlon_you_will_survive_the_place_of_weeping.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"166":{"sm_title":"The Glorious Ministration of the Spirit","sm_id":"16","sm_desc":"","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2006-04","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1142_377_0604_carter_conlon_the_glorious_ministration_of_the_spirit.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"167":{"sm_title":"Escaping the Theology of Babylon","sm_id":"15","sm_desc":"

Can I link to the Times Square Church website?\nYes. Please fill out the authorization form<\/a>.<\/span><\/div>\n
May I post the audio WMA, MP3, or PDF sermon files on my website or webpage?\nYes. Authorization to post our sermons on a website is automatic once you complete the online posting authorization form<\/a> and agree with the terms of use.<\/span><\/div>\n
Can I make copies of the sermons?\nYou are welcome to make additional copies of the sermons for free distribution to friends. However, you must include the copyright information. All other unauthorized duplication or electronic transmission is a violation of copyright and other applicable laws. The sermons can be posted on you website by completing the posting authorization form<\/a>.<\/span><\/div>","sm_jpg":null,"sm_date":"2006-03","length_sec":null,"length_min":null,"sm_asx":null,"sm_mp3":null,"sm_exSource":"youtube","sm_exID":null,"sm_pdf":"https:\/\/sermons.tsc.nyc\/files\/1141_10_0603_carter_conlon_escaping_the_theology_of_babylon.pdf","sm_newsletter_text":""},"168":{"sm_title":"The Humble Will Soon Hear Your Song","sm_id":"14","sm_desc":"