Bethel Church LJ Podcast

The Invisible Realm

We are all subject to someone. If we are not submitted in relationship to the Lord, we are submitted in relationship, or we are captive to the enemy of our souls. The only way to truly be free is by tying yourself and submitting yourself to the Lord. The kingdom of God is a little different than the way we work. Servitude to the Lord is freedom in the natural realm, freedom without the Lord is servitude in the natural realm but your serving the devil. Jesus used a parable to describe what we are talking about.

Matthew 7:24–27 (ESV) Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

God Can't Be Outside My Box

Revelation 3:14-22(ESV

¹⁴ “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.

¹⁵ “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. ¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. ²¹ The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

 

A Second Chance God

Perhaps you are here today, and you’ve failed to follow through in the past on something God has called you or even your family to.

 Perhaps God, in His providence, has brought you here today to reveal to you that He is a God of the second chance. As he gave the descendants of Saul another opportunity, in the same way, He is giving us another opportunity to surrender to God's will and call for our lives.

Perhaps today, like Esther, who heard God’s invitation through her uncle Mordecai, you too hear His voice speaking to you through this morning's message. As did Esther, will you also submit to God's call and let Him use you in a way that will make an eternal impact that will not only be a blessing to you but also impact the people around you whom He cares for?

Jim Elliott wrote:

He is no fool who gives, what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.

For when you die the things of life you cannot take with you. But if you give your life to God. You will gain something you cannot lose, you will gain rewards in heaven, you will gain eternal life, you will also have the opportunity to gain those around you who will come to know God and again you are setting up yourself not treasures on earth were moth and rust corrupt, but treasures in heaven were moth and rust can never corrupt.

 

 

 

The Fruit Of The Spirit Part 1

The fruit of the Spirit is the direct result of the life of Christ ministered to the believer by the Spirit. For spiritual fruit is the outcome of the life of unbroken and full communion with Christ.

One important thing to address to us as Pentecostals. Many look to the baptism in the Holy Spirit as a means to produce the fruit of the Spirit, and express great disappointment if it is not immediately forthcoming after that experience. Yet the declared purpose and result of the Pentecostal Baptism is not fruit but power for service and witnessing. Consistent with this purpose, God uses the believer in the supernatural manifestation gifts of the Spirit.

Holiness however is the evidence of a life of walking with Christ in unbroken communion, and may or may not have any immediate connection with a Pentecostal Baptism. The immediate divine purpose at Pentecost was power, not fruit. Fruit and Holiness by obedience to Christ and His word, they result from a life of communion with God.

The Effects Of Reading God's Word

Our text contains three different readings of the Word to the people, each producing a different result. First, the people were convicted and repented for disobeying God’s Word.

In the 2nd reading, we find the Israelites beginning to do things in keeping with the prescriptions of God’s Word. And finally, in the 3rd reading, we see the Israelites removing behaviors, that is, they stopped doing things that were out of line with God’s teaching as found in His Word.

 

Fight The Good Fight Of Faith

God is calling upon you to stand up and fight — giving your concentrated efforts to stand firm for what you believe. Fight in a manner that is noble, admirable, and worthy of the reward that awaits you. And remember — the greater reward usually requires a greater fight. Keep this in mind as you press forward to be first-class in your determination to overcome every obstacle and resistance along the way. Stay in the fight until you can shout, “The fight is finished and victory obtained!”

The Ministry Of The Holy Spirit- He Leads....I Follow

James 4:5-6

Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us^[b]? ⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

He desires intimacy,  Lover of your soul,  He gets sadden,  Surrender to his lead

The Holy Spirit is not passively present but actively works within us to guide, teach, to convict you. Let us stay unified in this body by following the same lead, the leading of the Holy Spirit.

 

Occupy The Land

In the beginning of the Israelite conquest of Canaan, the land was occupied by other people groups. God sent the Israelites in, not to dwell in the same land as these people groups, but to displace these people groups and to possess and occupy the land. The true measure of fulfilling the will of God for the Israelites was not to just move into the land, but to occupy it. The idea that we brought out today is that the human heart is the land that is meant to be fully possessed by God.

How do we do that? We must be purposeful in pursuing the possessor.

Be purposeful about letting Him occupy your house, and the enemy will be pushed out. Light displaces the darkness; the two cannot occupy together.

Sending Apostles And Prophets To Die

 Ultimately, it’s about being faithful and obedient to do what God has called us to do. Whatever he has called you to, wherever he has sent you, it’s not always about the outward results but the faithfulness to follow through with his assignment. Are you following His will for your life? do you know him, have you surrender to him, are you living for him, are you where He wants you to be? Then rest assured, you will stand before Him one day, and you will hear Him say,

Mt 25:23 (ESV) His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

 

Joseph's Miraculous Destiny

 Often, as we are traversing through life, we find ourselves in difficult situations. I, like you, simply want to be free of the pressure these circumstances exact. What we can learn from studying Joseph’s life is that we have to trust God and His leadership through these events. We don’t know what or why, but we do know Who – The Lord.

Perhaps, like Joseph, like Peter, we might be in more than just a tough spot that we need to wriggle out of. Maybe, just maybe, we might be in the midst of a miraculous pathway towards our ultimate God-given destiny. However, without submitting to God’s plan, we might find ourselves sinking in the storm and without realizing it, if left to ourselves, take ourselves out off the road to the fulfillment of our life’s call and purpose.