Joy to the World the Savior Reigns!

 

Isn't interesting how so many people who don't know Christ personally can feel this way every year at Christmas time? While enthusiastically singing Isaac Watts song "Joy to the World" they are actually proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ! Imagine that, the answer to all of humanities ills come flowing from their lips each year, many never realize that those words explain God's gift to them.

For those of us who embrace Christ and have placed our heartfelt trust in Him for our salvation, the "magic" of Christmas is actually our reality all year long! In the gospels Jesus says that He gives us His life and peace, He answers prayer so our joy would be full, He fills us with God's love, and, He came to give us abundant life! This was so amazing to Peter that he wrote in 1 Peter 1:8 "believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."

So this Christmas season read the words of "Joy to the World" and sing them to God with new understanding and appreciation for what He has given us. Remember, while others wait all year for the "Magic" of Christmas, we have the reality of it every day of our lives... Sing it with all your heart, "Joy to the World the Lord has come!

Called to Fellowship

By John S Picarello

 

1 Corinthians 1:3-9 (KJV) 

3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

1. God is Faithful

I would like to look at two statements in the above passages from Paul's first letter to the Corinthian Church. The first statement from verse 8 involves the verb "confirm" which is in the future/active tense, literally "will confirm" you to the end or "until the end." The verb expressed here can be used to describe the work of confirming, establishing, guaranteeing, and stabilizing.

 

The apostle is assuring the Corinthians that Christ will continue His work of bringing God's people to maturity, and holiness right up until the end. Notice how these two passages from 1st Thessalonians confirm what Paul had written to the Corinthians:

 

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 (KJV)

12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: 13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (KJV)
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

 

The apostle is making the point that God is faithful to do what He has promised. If God said that we will be confirmed, established, and stabilized, and He guarantees it, we are obligated to believe Him. As believers we must be convinced that God is absolutely trustworthy in all He says. God's word is backed by God's own integrity, and we can therefore, trust our lives to every word He says. So how can we as believers come to trust God? Paul provides the answer in the 9th verse "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

 

 

2. God calls us to Fellowship

Fellowship with God is the secret to great faith, confidence for answers to prayer, seeing demonstrations of God's power. Personal experience alone with God and His word is the key that opens every locked door for a believer.

 

God calls us to an intimate fellowship with Him because it is the only way to build faith. Without knowing God faith is impossible. Faith is trust; we cannot confidently place all our trust in someone we do not know. Fellowship is how we grow in our relationship with God, the better we get to know Him the more we will trust Him. This is what Jesus was getting at in His guarantee to answer prayer in John's gospel:

 

John 15:7 (NKJV)
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." In this verse the verb "abide" means to remain, to dwell, and to continue with or in, this can only be accomplished through fellowship. The longer we continue to regularly spend time alone with God talking His word over with Him, and storing it in our hearts, the better we will come to know Him, and the stronger our trust in Him will grow.

 

Let's paraphrase 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 with a confidence that will be imparted to us as we fellowship with God. We will turn these passages into a prayer of thanksgiving like this:

 

3 Grace and peace always comes from you God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 We thank you God, always for Your grace which you have given to us by Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing we are enriched by You, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in us: 7 So that we come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm us unto the end, that we may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God you're faithful, by whom we were called unto the fellowship of Your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (Personalize it by praying I or me and my)

 

If we will continue to pursue personal intimacy with God though regular times of honest heart to heart fellowship, and to discuss His word with Him, learning how to turn it into our own prayers, our faith and trust in Him will grow by leaps and bounds.

 

Determine in your heart that this Thanksgiving season you will begin drawing closer to God through regular fellowship (He will in turn draw closer to you). Allow Him to dispel all your doubts, fears, and insecurities as you discuss them all with Him. Take His words with you; store His promises deep within your subconscious mind until your heart retains them. In a short time you will find that you will relax and be at peace trusting Him to confirm and establish you. Before long you will be in the habit of thanking Him continually for calling you into such a simple invigorating fellowship with Himself.

                   Ask for Anything you Want!

 

During our recent series on prayer, I had touched on God's willingness and His desire to answer prayer. This was such a notable aspect of God's character that the psalmist was inspired to write "Oh You that hears prayer, to You shall all flesh come." - Psalm 65:2

God hears and answers the prayers of all types of people. He has answered the sincere heartfelt prayers of saved and unsaved alike. John 3:16 tells us that God loves the world so much that He gave His only son... How could God love the world that much and not answer their sincerest heartfelt prayers in a time of need? He is not just the God of the Christians or the Jews only, He is the God of all flesh, Lord of heaven and earth.

The bible teaches us that God is holy and always has been, He has always required that sin be dealt with and atoned for. God has always been the judge of all the earth, He has always been merciful and just, He shows partiality to no one; and He has always heard and answered the prayers of any people, who came trusting Him to help them, and called on Him in all honesty and sincerity.

God has always saved people who called on Him in faith for salvation, He has always healed the sick who prayed in faith, and He has always provided countless blessings and provisions for those who have cried out to Him knowing that He would hear and answer them.

God even hears and answers the cry of the animals He's created:
Psalm 104:10-11 "He sends springs into the valleys... they give drink to every beast of the field"
Psalm 104:14 "He causes the grass to grow for the cattle"   
Psalm 104:21 "The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God" In verses 25 through 28 God provides food for all creatures that live in the sea, verse 27 says "These all wait upon you, that you may give them their food in due season."

God has always provided for all that He has created. Jesus taught the same things in Matthew 6:24-34. If we would learn to depend on God calling on Him for all we need, He will surely give us all that we ask for in faith.

                   How to Ask and Receive an Answer from God

Knowing that God delights to hear and answer prayer, let's look now at the simple directions given to us in the bible. If we will be patient, persistent, and honest with ourselves, we will find that it is actually quite easy to learn how to receive answers from God when we pray. This is true whether we are asking for ourselves or for others.

First, we must believe in our heart that God will hear us, and that God rewards those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Take some time to read the promises and the bible accounts of God answering the prayers of people. As you begin to think over and over about these things, asking God to help you, genuine faith will begin to fill your heart. You actually start to grow confident that God wants to answer you too. Do not try to rush this, just be patient.

Second, confess and stop practicing any known sins in your life. Here again we may ask God to help us, DO NOT BE AFRAID! God wants to help us get free of sin. Psalm 139:23-24 says "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." 

So simply spend some time with God and ask Him to show you the things that are wrong in your life. Write them down so you can see them and ask God to forgive you and help you not to practice those specific sins as part of your life (don't forget to destroy that paper when you're done praying).

Learn how helpful God is, and how He empowers us to cooperate with Him. Don't try bypassing this step, trust God, He wants to position you so that He can provide for you. Psalm 66:18 says "If I regard sin in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." So we can see that confession (admitting we have committed specific sins) and repentance (changing how we think and act) are pathways to answered prayer.

This process can be time consuming if you are not used to being this honest and thorough with God. We must practice this as part of our lifestyle in order to keep our conscience clean. God uses our conscience to speak to us and to guide us.

1 John 3:20-22 "for whenever our heart (conscience) condemns us, God is greater than our heart (conscience), and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart (conscience) does not condemn us, we have confidence (faith) before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

Third, and finally learn to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Remember He will use your conscience to guide you. We cannot have strong faith with a guilty conscience. Do your best not to do things that contradict the bible or that bothers your conscience. With some practice you will become quite sensitive to those things that displease God, and you will lose your desire for them.

                                     How to Obtain Faith

Faith begins where the will of God is known, obviously we cannot be confident if we're unsure that God is willing to give a certain thing. The bible is filled with promises and other passages that show us what God will or will not do. The idea is to find those promises or passages from the bible that addresses our particular need.

Read and think carefully though all those passages, ask God to help you understand them. One or more passages will usually resonate within your heart (capture your attention). Those are the ones you will use in your prayer for that particular need. The reason they captured your attention is that the Holy Spirit guided you to them. He helps you like this through the entire process until you can pray so God will answer.

The longer you meditate on those verses and talk them over with God, the more your confidence will grow until deep down in your heart you know that He's going to hear you.

Finally, you pray keeping alert for any instructions the Holy Spirit may give you. Your clean conscience will help you, you might sense the need to make some changes or adjustment to your request. God might require you to do something in order for Him to answer your prayer. Regardless of how He leads you, be patient and keep praying your request as specifically as you know how until one of two things happen.
1st. The answer comes (this is the easiest way), you will be filled with Joy knowing you prayed correctly.
2nd. You pray until you receive assurance from God that He has heard you and answered you. You might not see the answer for sometime after this, but you'll have God's faith and His settled peace in your heart that it's done.

Remember that it is God's sovereign choice as to when and how He will answer our prayers. We cannot demand a time frame in which we want the answer (unless He guides us to do that), nor can we dictate how we want Him to answer (again, only if He guides us to pray that way).

Learning how to pray like this will give you power and influence with God and people. Stay humble and remember that this is all made possible by God's amazing grace, and His willingness to hear and answer prayer.

Praying God's will on the Earth

1. Our Father which art in heaven

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, the first thing he taught them was to relate to God as their Father. John 1:12 states that we as covenant people are sons and daughters of God. We being born of God, together with the rest of the family of God, have been granted authority to establish His will on the earth through prayer and action.

In praying “Our Father,” We are declaring several things; first, that as our Father God is the head of His household, we as his children are completely dependent on Him for everything.  Second, the bigger picture, as creator of the heavens and the earth, God owns and exercises control over all that He has made (Psalm 24:1). His right to absolute authority over His creation is what we call the sovereignty of God.

Third, we are given His Holy Spirit to live within us, to teach and to guide us into all that God desires and has planned to do. No family can be successful without order and cooperation, God’s family (which is the model that all earthly families are to copy) recognizes His authority and cooperates with His Holy Spirit and His written word to see His plans established on the earth.

2. Hallowed be thy name

God’s name is holy, to lack reverence for His name is to disrespect Him personally (the 3^rd commandment requires reverence for His name). God also requires that we respect Him in the way we approach Him (Leviticus 10:3 And Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the Lord spoke, saying: 'By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.' "). 

God demonstrates the power and holiness of His name through His obedient children. Jesus throughout the gospels told his disciples that they were given authority to use his name to accomplish God’s will. The Great Commission tells of God’s power that flows through His covenant people, who go in the authority of the name of Jesus to make disciples of all nations.

The bible tells us that eventually at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father (Phil.2:10-11).

3. Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

This declares the destiny of all that is on the earth, this is also the purpose of the Great Commission. Here we are taught to ask God to establish His authority and dominion in those areas we are praying about (for ourselves or for others). God’s eternal purpose should be the basis of all our praying. When we pray we are actually asking Him to accomplish His will on earth as it is in heaven. We are invested with the privilege and authority through prayer; to reproduce on the earth what has already been produced in heaven, and to have things done on earth the way they are done in heaven.

It is for this reason that being thoroughly familiar with God’s written word and using it as the basis for all our praying is so vitally important (God’s word is His will). The Holy Spirit who inspired God’s word will use it to inspire and anoint our praying.

In conclusion; let us keep in mind that although prayer is the vehicle through which God supplies our every need, its primary purpose is to glorify Him by seeing His will accomplished on the earth. (Ephesians 1:11-12  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory).

The Restorative Power of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God
By John S. Picarello

I see change on the horizon, and it’s coming to the Church in this country. God has been at work preparing a new generation of forward thinking leaders in His Church. This change is transforming how leaders see society and the Church’s responsibility to effect change in all sectors of society through a rediscovery of the Great Commission.

This change has resulted in a shift from thinking within the context of a church structure in which building the local ministry is the focal point, to seeing the big picture of God’s kingdom, in which the Church is committed to proclaiming and demonstrating the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the earth, influencing all aspects of society.

We have also witnessed a growing disenchantment with elected officials and their inability to meet the many needs of society. More and more people are looking to the local Church for answers, and seeking out faith-based organizations for the help they need.

We have before us an amazing array of opportunities to demonstrate the superiority of God’s Kingdom over all others, by meeting these needs and influencing whole communities with the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ… this is effective evangelism.
This growing transformation has recaptured “Covenantal Thinking” and has made a return to the following truths a high priority.

I. Understanding that Matthew 28:19-20 refers to discipling all nations. The Great Commission passages of Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 as well as Acts 1go beyond the simple witnessing to individuals. Go into all the world covers all societies of all nations. To disciple nations means bringing God’s Kingdom influence to all who live there; from those residing in the highest seats of power to the masses living in every region. No sector of society would be left untouched by the transforming power of the gospel. 

This is nothing less than obeying what many call the Cultural Mandate found in Genesis 1:28, which Jesus restated in Matthew 28:19-20. God told Abraham in Genesis 22:17-18 that through his offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed. Galatians 3:29 says that if we belong to Christ, then we are Abraham’s offspring (we are God’s instruments of blessing to the nations).

II. Understanding that Ephesians 4:1-16 is the Church’s mentoring program for building itself up in order to better serve their communities. Leaders are beginning to see that God’s Kingdom extends beyond the local Church, and that their calling to equip the saints for the work of the ministry; includes the vast majority of believers being called to their particular vocations as their ministry. This means that every believer in every congregation is to be set apart and trained as ministers of the gospel. This would be complying with Exodus 19:5-6, Rev.1:5-6 both state that God’s covenant people are a Kingdom of priests.

III. Understanding the far reaching effects of God’s grace on humanity. Leaders are beginning to understand that a measure of God’s grace extends to all of humanity, this is what maintains a semblance of order and prevents complete chaos in the world. This grace is called common grace, and differs from saving grace.

Bishop Joseph Mattera has rightly noted that in Romans 13:1-7 Paul calls civic leaders God’s ministers (Greek - diakanos or deacons). If God calls unredeemed leaders His ministers then kingdom leaders know they can also partner with political and community leaders, even if they are not in full agreement when it comes to faith and core values.

IV. Understanding that a biblical worldview encompasses all of life. It is vital to know that the earth is the Lord’s and all who dwell upon it. Nothing belongs to the devil (Psalm 24:1)!  Genesis 1:31 says that “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good”… God cares about His creation. The material world is sacred to God (and should be to us) and it is to be cultivated as God had directed Adam in Genesis 2:15.

Prayer, healing, the gifts as well as the fruit of the Spirit are powerful and effective tools when we are cooperating with God, being salt and light to our communities. The Sermon on the Mount can be considered the Constitution of The Kingdom of God, guiding us in our loving God with all our heart mind soul and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

V. Understanding Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.The Church is awakening to the fact that as a result of Adam’s fall, sin has worked its way into the very fabric of society, causing  God dishonoring cultures to develop in all nations. The Great Commission calls for the principles of God’s Word to be reworked into every fabric of culture so that every nation and city begins to favor the gospel influence by basing civic laws on biblical precepts.

God has been restoring to the Church leaders who are concerned with politics and economics that glorify God and bring His blessings upon the nations. This in essence is the Great Commission…demonstrating the restorative power of the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Note: This article is based upon Bishop Joseph Mattera's "Kingdom Minded Leaders" December 2010  

Never Underestimate the Power of a Renewed Mind

By John S Picarello  

When speaking about a renewed mind, I’m referring to a mind that has been exposed to the truth of the Bible on any matter. In this article I’m speaking about the life transforming power of coming to know the truth as the Bible states it.

I of course am assuming that the reader understands my position that the Bible is the starting point from which to teach a person to think rightly as God has intended him/her to think.The mind can only be changed or renewed to think rightly, when it comes to know the truth about a particular thing, believing erroneous information can only perpetuate erroneous thinking. Knowing the truth on a particular matter liberates a person from the confusion produced by erroneous information. It also sets that person apart from those who do not know.

In Romans 12:1-2 the Apostle Paul encouraged the Roman believers to be transformed by the renewing of their minds (concerning the gospel of Christ). By renewing their minds they would be enabled to discern God’s purpose for their lives (something many people are still searching for today). The truth of God’s word is the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to effect this change and transformation in a person’s life. Jesus in John 17:17 prayed for people to be set apart and liberated by the truth, He also said that God’s word is truth.

In our current culture there has been a growing mindset which is opposed to the idea that anyone can actually come to “know” truth. Many in the Church have been infected with this mindset as well. This mindset is quite dangerous because the Bible is itself absolute truth inspired by God, and we must depend on the Holy Spirit to reveal its truth to us if we will have any hope for a renewed mind.

Confusion enters when believers fill their minds with something other than the scriptures, and adopts them as part of their core values. This introducing of error and/or half truths into the mind compromises the integrity of ones conscience and hampers it ability to discern truth. This error has caused many in the Church to think apart from the clear balanced wisdom of the scriptures, and begin questioning whether or not there are absolute truths that one can safely build a life on.

Keep in mind that to continue with erroneous thinking, leads to erroneous conclusions about God and life itself.The fact is there are absolute time tested truths that an individual and an entire society can safely build on for productive living, which not only contributes to the general well-being of a community, but also pleases God and causes His blessings to come upon such people.  

Solid Ground

Jesus plainly stated at the conclusion of His famous Sermon on the Mount; "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Matt 7:24-25

I have personally seen many people over the years apply this simple truth to daily living, and have watched God gradually transform their lives. The words of Jesus are available to any and all who believe that God’s word (all 66 books of the Bible) is absolute truth. Believe that God’s word is as powerful today as is was thousands of years ago and you too will receive His blessings.

God can transform any mind and change any life of any person who is willing to cooperate with Him. Simple cooperation with God begins by applying these biblical truths to daily living right where we are. God has designed us to become a vehicle of His blessings to humanity.

Wrong thinking is what’s behind most of the hurt and heartache in the world. People of every continent from every race suffer from the same basic problems. Guilt, inferiority, fear, loneliness, depression, the list is seemingly endless, and all humanity struggles with some doubt as to God’s willingness to empower them to change, and be free from whatever problems are binding them. This problem is what the Bible calls sin, we were all born with it as a part of our nature. 

Renewing the Mind
Jesus began His ministry with the words “Repent (change how you think), for the Kingdom is at hand” Matt.4:17. The word “gospel” simply means good news. Jesus only has good news for a lost and dying world. He came into to this world to save it! (John 3:16-17) The "good news" that Jesus was proclaiming was the joy imparting, burden freeing message that the glorious light of the kingdom of God was dawning on the earth!


Because God is eternal, His words are timeless; people need to know that today. People still have the same needs that the people had when Jesus first spoke those words. The power of God’s word is immeasurable. Jesus said that He only spoke the words His Father gave Him to speak, and again, that His words are spirit and life, and that they will never pass away. My prayer for people is that they would experience the presence and power of Jesus Christ by hearing, receiving, and practicing God’s powerful written word. 

The transformation begins by filling our minds with passages from the Bible that declares what God thinks of us. People automatically begin to change when they begin seeing themselves as God does:

“So God created man (people) in His own image” Genesis 1:27
“You have crowned him (people) with glory and honor” Psalm 8:5 “Amazingly and miraculously made” Psalms 139:14
A child of God and a friend of Christ, John 1:12, John 15:15
Chosen of God, holy and dearly loved Col. 3:12, 1 Thess. 1:4

These are but a few of the hundreds of passages in the Bible that will fill anyone with a renewed enthusiasm for life who believes them. The continued practice of applying the bible and a developing relationship with God will impart faith, hope for the future, love for God and people, and a new sense of liberty and dignity. 

Transformed Living
It helps to work at developing a positive mental attitude in everything.Any person can be change and experience a complete life transformation by allowing the words of the Bible to dominate their thinking. This is no mere emotional rush or self-improvement technique. It is not mind control or behavioral modification; it is a complete mental change resulting from a change of heart. This change of heart comes about only by embracing the gospel (good news), which reveals the curse breaking, sin cleansing power of the Cross of Jesus Christ.  

Finally, we have a picture of a renewed mind and a transformed life in Eph 4:22-24 “that you put off, concerning your former lifestyle, the old nature which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new nature which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” We see in these verses that it is our responsibility to cooperate with God by changing how we think which changes how we live.

We also see the transforming power that a relationship with God has from Col 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  Be renewed in your mind, allow God to place His dreams in your heart. Act on those God given dreams using your God given gifts & talents, and experience the power of a God given life designed to be a blessing. 

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God
By John S Picarello 

In the wake of the recent end-time prophecy debacle (Which was simply another false prophecy by Harold Camping) which left many people bewildered and many others disappointed, those who actually understand the scriptures must be ready to answer the obvious questions, and know how to handle the fallout. We are living in a time when much of the Church in this country has been distracted from proclaiming and demonstrating the Gospel of the Kingdom to a lost and hurting society.   

In order to demonstrate the gospel of the Kingdom the Church must first understand what the Bible says concerning it. This requires a return to the simple yet basic rules of Bible interpretation, which much of the Church in the west has abandoned. This is the reason for so many ridiculous ideas and end-time predictions of the last century.  

In recent years the church has been experiencing renewed interest in the cultural mandate of Genesis 1:28. This has led to a rediscovery of Kingdom Theology. Many are rediscovering the biblical emphasis on God’s sovereign rule over all creation and the church as God’s Kingdom representatives. The Church is God’s primary instrument of carrying out His Kingdom purposes on earth as it is in heaven.

God’s Kingdom order and purpose is seen on the earth as His Church advances His dominion in all sectors of society. Jesus Christ as Lord of all means that His Lordship extends over all society; politics, education, entertainment, the arts, as well as theology. As the Church disciples the nations as Jesus instructed, men and women of authority and influence will not only begin to walk in the blessing of Abraham, they will display it and bless many throughout their spheres of influence. 

The Church in the west is beginning to rediscover that the plan of redemption is to redeem all that was lost at the fall. The Kingdom of God advances on the earth as the Church seeks to bless and redeem every area of society, and to bring it back into agreement with God’s original intent.  Jesus brought a Kingdom mentality back into focus when He said to repent (change your mind) and to receive the Gospel of the Kingdom. Saying "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17), and again saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent (change your mind) and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15) He was declaring that Messiah’s new world order (New Covenant) has now begun.   

Renewed interest in the Gospel of the Kingdom

One reason for growing interest in the Gospel of the Kingdom is that for starters, it makes the most sense when we examine the Bible as a whole. First, the gospel of the kingdom presents Jesus as the only Lord and Redeemer of humanity (John 14:6 and 3:16).  Remember that to redeem means to buy back, and to restore.  This means that when Paul was committed to preaching the Cross, he understood that redemption was not just for personal salvation, but for reconciliation of all creation as stated in Colossians 1:12-20.

Second, the gospel of the kingdom restores an understanding of the Bible as a whole from Genesis through Revelation.  This enables us to see all the covenants in their proper settings as they relate to the original commission found in Genesis 1:28. To be fruitful and multiply, replenish the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over God’s created order brings us back in sync with God’s original intent for humanity.  This is the foundation on which we understand the entire biblical message. There can be no other way to interpret the other covenants of the bible consistently and coherently. The New Covenant itself is what that original commission of Genesis 1:28 was pointing to. At the Cross of Christ God redeems His created order and restores it to His original covenant of creation which explains His purpose for humanity.

Third, the gospel of the kingdom motivates, empowers and releases all obedient believers to serve in all sectors of society. Through the local church they are discipled and sent as the Lord’s kingdom ambassadors to conduct kingdom business. They demonstrate how to conduct the affairs of the earth as they are conducted in heaven. The kingdom of this world’s governmental seats of power, judicial positions, educational positions, down to architects, lawyers, CEO’s, even all aspects of entertainment and the arts will all gradually become occupied by the ambassadors of the Kingdom of God and of His Christ.

Realize that every person God has saved is a part of His church, and therefore His ambassador. Their gifts and talents are their calling to take their place in society and to work together with God in His plan of redemption.

Finally, having a basic understanding of the gospel of the Kingdom of God we can see John 3:16 in its proper light. We are not born again so we can go to heaven, we are born again to escape the darkness that blinds the eyes of every unsaved person  to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over all God’s created order, which includes all people (Psalm 24:1), this why one must confess Jesus as Lord in order to be saved (Rom. 10:9-10). As we come to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ over all the earth as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, we can begin cooperating with Him in the Kingdom business of redeeming the earth.

No one Knows the Day or the Hour
By John S Picarello  

The idea that the world may be soon coming to an end has always captured the imagination of authors and movie makers alike. There has certainly never been a shortage of end-time books, articles or of end-time prophets who write them, from antiquity to modern times every generation has had them. People have always been fascinated with the sensational graphic imaginations of those who are claiming to have a correct understanding of the “signs of the end-times.”

 

History records numerous failed predictions from the start of the “Great Tribulation” the coming of the “Antichrist” and “Armageddon” to the time of the “rapture.” Many have pointed to political events as well as natural disasters occurring in their days as signs of the end. They all have one thing in common, and that is that they've been wrong every time.

 

There’s a multitude of people today who are completely unaware that many of the current end-time prediction makers have made these same “date setting” predictions in the past. They have also had to revise their books and articles to keep pace with their changing predictions.

 

Most recent is the claim that the rapture will take place on Saturday May 21^st, and that the end of the world will follow in October. This is not the first time this person has claimed to have such knowledge. I personally have known him to make such predictions in the past that have obviously failed to come to pass.

 

What leads so many intelligent people to make such predictions, is the particular type of eschatology (doctrine of last things) they adhere to. We can say that this fairly modern system of eschatology (being less than 200 years old) is a merging of what is called “hyper-dispensationalism” with “pre-millennialism.” This produces a mindset which causes the individual who reads prophetic scriptures, to see Christ’s return in the light of the current events around them.

To allow modern events to guide one’s interpretation of the bible is generally unwise for the simple reason that, as the current events around the world changes so must the interpretation of those prophetic scriptures, hence the reason for so many failed predictions and much confusion.

 

Much of this confusion comes from how one reads the Olivet Discourse recorded in Matthew chapter 24, Mark chapter 13, and Luke chapter 21. For centuries many able Bible Expositors understood these chapters to be warnings of events that would take place in the lifetime of the early Apostles. Many scholars understand these to have taken place by A.D. 70, a view that is thoroughly supported by historical data and the writings of many who were there!

 

By adhering to the simple principles of bible interpretation (especially the first one which states that “the context always rules”), even the average reader could see that the events mentioned in the Olivet Discourse occurred within the lifetime of those disciples that Jesus was talking to. Jesus using plain language states in Matthew 24:34 says that “this generation will not pass away until all these things be fulfilled.”  Keep in mind that Jesus was answering His disciple’s questions when He warned them of the soon coming events. This is the plain understanding of the text when we do not lift the verses out of their original settings.

 

Most modern end-time predictors are dispensationalists, and they try to lift verses out of their original settings and have even tried changing the meanings of the words that Jesus used, so that the verses will make sense in modern settings. This can only be done by violating the basic rules of bible interpretation. Now many books have Jesus saying today what He never said in the Gospels... this is always a dangerous thing to do.   

 

When addressing the questions about the end in His own day, Jesus plainly stated in Matt.24:36 “But of that day and hour no man knows, not even the angels in heaven, but my Father only”. In Acts1:7 Jesus told His disciples that it was not for them to know the times or the seasons that the Father has placed under His own authority... but they were to be more concerned about being witnesses to a lost and hurting world.

 

Finally and quite simply, Jesus hasn't changed His mind on the subject. All end-time prophecy books, articles and/or declarations claiming to know the day the hour or the times and the seasons of the end, have built those predictions on the very things that Jesus said no one would know. They are also claiming to have knowledge that God the Father has reserved for Himself alone... enough said. Enjoy the weekend!

THE ENDURING POWER OF GOD’S WORD

By John S Picarello

Psalm 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10 -11).

Without doubt the Bible is a unique book. The Bible also known as the Word of God, has always been the most read, the most loved, and the most attacked piece of literature in human history.
No one with even a basic understanding of the scriptures would argue that the written word is the inspired Word of God. Many attacks have been leveled against the Word of God throughout history. Some of the most brilliant minds (misguided as they may have been) have attacked the credibility and authenticity of the scriptures, all to no avail.

      
With the passing of time their names as well as their criticisms have faded into the past and have been largely forgotten, while the Bible continues to be the most widely sold and widely read book throughout all history...its credibility intact.

The Sacred Scriptures

The Scriptures are divided into two parts, the Old and the New Testaments. The Bible contains sixty-six books, 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament. We are told that these writings are of Divine origin and were directly revealed to the writers by God Himself.

God has revealed His Word to His Apostles and prophets throughout history. Peter vouched for the truth of the word of God when he wrote; “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation, For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (2Peter 1:20-21). Jesus called all scriptures “truth” in His High Priestly prayer saying: “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17).

The scriptures clearly state that Almighty God is all knowing, all powerful and infinitely wise. We are also told that fools reject His words to their own destruction. We are instructed time and time again throughout the scriptures to think, speak, and practice God’s word in daily life. This enables us to walk in line with all that God is doing.

The Bible calls for complete cooperation on the part of all believers.

We are instructed to live by the word of God and stand against any and all contradictory influences. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”. This is to help us to think and to see clearly.

The Only Sure Foundation

Jesus said in Matthew 7:24 that those who listen to His words, and puts them into practice is like a wise builder who builds his house on the rock. The word picture is clear. Building a life according to the scriptures protects us and causes us to weather the storms of life more successfully than those who ignore the Word of God.

      
The Word of God is the only foundation on which people can rightly view the world. Paul instructed Timothy to depend upon the word of God when training people to live correctly; “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 mature, and thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16- 17).

God’s Word is Powerful

Seeing that God is all powerful and all knowing, it stands to reason that His word has the power to reveal the secrets of our hears as well; Psalm 119:130  says "The entrance of Your words gives light, it gives understanding to the simple." The word of God sheds light on what is on the inside of us, as seen in the following verse; “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart”(Heb. 4:12).

The productive power of God’s Word laid out in Isaiah 55: 10-11 is clearly seen throughout history. Whenever He speaks about those things He has planned to do, His word carries with it the power to bring those plans to pass. Not one single prophetic utterance from the scriptures has ever failed to come to pass exactly as God said it would, when He said it would, a careful examination of history proves this in every instance.

The Power of God’s Word in Creation

The Creative power in God’s word is also seen in the opening passages of the Bible.

God demonstrates His absolute authority over all His created order by speaking the universe into existence as He wills. By His Word and His Word alone were all things created: At least nine times in Genesis chapter one we are told “God said” and things came into being. This shows the Power of the words that come from God’s mouth.

David understood the wisdom and the power of God’s word over all creation and was inspired to write:

Psalm 33:4-6: “For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth. He loves righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”

In considering these truths taught in the Bible, the validity of its wisdom supported by history, and proved by over 30 years of my own experience, I will gladly continue to trust the scriptures as the supreme authority to guide my life, and to love God as the bible tells me to, as I continue living in the blessings He grants me by walking according to the enduring power His written word.

Some Thoughts on Prayer

Praying people are a help to the work of God, while prayerless people are a hindrance to it. The ministry of the Holy Spirit and prayer go hand in hand. The Holy Spirit never rests upon prayerless people. He never fills them or empowers them. E.M. Bounds goes on to say "There is nothing whatever in common between the Spirit of God and people who do not pray."

I agree that we must have the Holy Spirit's influence if we are to believe God and have faith to pray effectively for the advance of the Gospel.

HAVE FAITH IN GOD: is a simple command to those of us who are walking with God. It's a mystery to those who are not intimate with Him. The word of God is filled with promises that we can use in prayer if we believe them. 
To have faith that a promise will bring an answer when we pray, we must have faith in God who makes the promise. We can only have faith in Him if we know Him. This is exactly what Jesus meant in Mark 11:22. When we come to know a person of integrity, we come to trust that person. Trusting the person causes us to believe what they say... the same is true with God.

Intimacy with God is personal, and it takes time alone with Him to develop. No one falls in love with a person they are not familiar with, they must get to know them. As we spend much time alone with God our hearts and minds are influenced by His great love for us. His love continually draws us and fills us with great desire to dwell with Him in His Holy Presence.

When we know God intimately we will love Him with all our heart, and obeying His word becomes easy because it is now something we long to do for the one who has captured our heart (John 14:23-24). As we continue to keep (or walk in) His word, His truth continues to be revealed to us. The liberty that we come to experience from living like this is sometimes overwhelming.

In this kind of relationship with God a great capacity to believe what He says is formed within us by the Holy Spirit. When we read the word of God our hearts begin to respond in the affirmative to every promise we see. This is how simple faith in prayer is developed.

Continued exposure to intimacy in God's presence develops a hearing heart within us, and it becomes quite natural to believe we will receive what we ask for from the one who we've come to adore.

God can easily trust those who adore Him with great answers to prayer because they would not be asking for things He is not willing to give. This brings us back to the necessity of knowing Him intimately. When we delight ourselves in Him, He places His desires on our heart. When you are really in love with someone you come to share the same desires. All of this is made possible by the Holy Spirit working in the life of those who are drawing nearer to God in prayer.

What power and influence the Church would have in society if more  believers were intimately connecting with God. What answers from heaven would be received if all believers would learn to live a lifestyle of prayer and fasting when seeking God.

How rapidly the Gospel of Jesus Christ would advance and set people free from the corruption of sin in the world if more of us had the faith to Pray without ceasing!

Why I Believe in the Literal Resurrection of Jesus Christ

One major fact that separates Biblical Christianity from all the belief systems and religions in the world is that Jesus Christ is the only "Religious" Leader to ever die for the cause he proclaimed, and then come back from the dead to continue confirming his own teaching by performing miracles signs and wonders through those who follow Him! Common sense and the facts surrounding the resurrection of Christ and over 30 years of experience with Him have given me convincing proof to believe Christ is alive.  
Here are just a few facts: 

1. THE BIBLICAL RECORD 

JESUS APPEARS OVER A 40 DAY PERIOD
Acts 1:2-3
Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Spirit had given commands to the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom He also had shown himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen by them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 

JESUS APPEARS TO OTHERS
·   To Peter
·  To the Apostles
·  To over 500 at one time
·  To James then to all the Apostles
· Then to Paul    

2. THE HISTORICAL RECORD

EACH DISCIPLE PAID A TERRIBLE PRICE
No one pays the price these men paid to tell what they know is a lie.
All of them, with the exception of John, died a martyr's death:
Here are just a few:
Bartholomew was flayed to death with a whip in Armenia;
Thomas was pierced with a sword;
Peter was crucified upside down;
Andrew was crucified on a cross;
Luke was hanged by priests,
Mark was dragged to death in the streets of Alexandria.
Each of these men paid a price beyond human comprehension for their so called "lie."  

EACH DISCIPLE DIED ALONE
And yet, there does not exist one shred of solid evidence after 2,000 years of so many thoroughly - investigating critics. Search if you will, and you cannot discover one single record any where on the face of this earth where any one of these men ever wavered, ever changed their story, or ever recanted. They all went bravely to their terrible deaths telling the same story.

The only intelligent conclusion any rational individual can come to, is that there is no way these men could have been lying. They had to be telling what they honestly thought and what they experienced and saw was true. 

THE ONLY UNBIASED RATIONAL CONCLUSION
This is the plain common sense truth about biblical Christianity, once properly understood, that Christ’s resurrection is rooted in facts, He by the Holy Spirit comes to live in all of us who believe as the hope of glory.

I do not need to become a mystic nor do I need to adhere to some ancient myth to understand the basic truth of Christianity. With confidence I can now depend upon God’s written word as the only consistently reliable guide for life, and base all of my hope and my prayers soundly upon His promises!