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The Two Creations

The Two Creations
This message was first preached in Mwanza, Tanzania, East Africa I have put into a Word Processor to make it more readable and to add thoughts I did not have time to preach at that time.
I was listening to what your pastor was saying that you are building a new church building: (this is not the message for today); but I want share a few thoughts about that out of Haggai 1: 2-6, “This people say, the time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet saying, is it time for you, O you to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lay waste? Thus says the Lord of hosts: consider your ways, you have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe you, but there is none warm; he that earns wages earns it to put it into a bag with holes”.
What God was saying through Haggai was, that the people were living in houses, with ceilings in them; yet the house of God lay waste: God said, go up onto to the mountain, and get wood, and build my house, and I will take pleasure it; even if it is not as nice, as the one Solomon built.
Haggai 2: 15-19, “Consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. I smote you with blasting, mildew, and with hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you turned not to me, says the Lord, consider now from this day and upward, from the twenty fourth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider it. Is the seed yet in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree, has not brought forth, from this day I will bless you.
Your Bishop wants to build a big church, that many of the people around here who don’t even know Jesus, can be saved and brought into the church: you can hang onto your money, and God will blast it away, and you will remain poor; or you can use it for building God’s Kingdom, and God will bless you.
Picture
We will pretend we have a picture here: in the center we have a cross that goes from top to bottom of the picture; on the left of the cross is Adam the head, Old Creation, Old Man, Soul with Mind and Will, and the body; on the right we have the Jesus the head, New Creation, New Man, The Holy Spirit, and our born again spirit, we will refer to this picture from time to time.
Message
Old Creation
We will go to Genesis and Adam: God told Adam, be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it. God took a wife for Adam, right out of his side; Adam named his wife Eve. God operates very different from men: when God put the man and his wife, in the garden, He put their protection right inside them: Adam heard directly from God, and Eve from Adam; but He did not prevent their enemy Satan from tempting them: it was up to them, to use the protection God gave for their safety.
God’s plan for people and the earth is a lot like trees: a tree out in the open receives many winds of adversity from its youth up, therefore it can stand; but the trees of the forest, if you cut down the trees around it, will fall with the first strong wind; because it never had to stand alone before. God allowed Satan entrance into the garden, so God’s people could resist him and become strong, just as a weight lifter, uses resistance to become strong.
God told Adam and Eve, that they could eat of every tree, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan entered a serpent, and came to Eve and said, did God say you can’t eat of every tree? Satan got Eve first to doubt God; then look with her own eyes; make her own judgment; and then eat, then she spread her false gospel (taken from Satan) to Adam. Eve was deceived into thinking, this false gospel was true; but Adam knew it was false.
This is a great lesson for us, that every time we use our own judgment, we will end up in sin: we must always go by what God says; only God knows what is right and good. When Eve ate of that tree, the first part of the Old Creation Fell: Eve fell alone, and she could take no one else with her.
Adam now had a great decision to make: he could give his life to save Eve, or he could join her in her sin; Adam must have known it would be a very painful thing, for him to rescue her, so he decided to join her instead. When Adam fell because he was the head of the Old Creation, the whole creation fell with him; later God sent Jesus to rescue us all.
When man and creation fell, it brought about all the evil, we see on the earth today: thorns, mosquitoes, sin, sickness, disease, and men now have two more enemies: Satan was our enemy, but now we also have the world and the flesh as well.
New Creation
The head of the New Creation is Jesus: the second Adam. Just as Adam brought death into the world; so Jesus brought life into the world. When Jesus was in heaven, He was God; yet the Bible says, He put aside His Godhood for a time, so He could be our Savior. Jesus, if He was to be our Savior, needed first to become a man. 1 Corinthians 15: 21, “By man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead”; so if Jesus had not become a man, He could not have brought the resurrection, and we would all be lost.
Jesus had to operate through His whole life on earth, in the same way, and with the same conditions as Adam had: Paul says in Philippians 2 that Jesus was obedient unto death; even the death of the cross.
God told Adam, that the seed of the woman, would crush the Serpent’s head; and He told Moses, that the sins of the Fathers would be visited on the children; but never the seed of the mothers. Neither Eve, Mary, nor any other woman, can pass her sin on to her child; but men always pass their sin on to their children.
If Joseph had been the father of Jesus, He would have been a sinner just like us, and would have needed a savior just like us; but because, Mary was the mother, and God was his Father, therefore He could be our Savior.
All through the Old Testament, we read about the sons of God: Jesus was not the only son of God; but the only begotten Son of God. Jesus is not the only begotten today, because everyone who is born again is now a begotten son of God James 1: 18; but before Jesus arose from the dead, He was the only begotten of the Father
When Jesus was twelve years old, His parents took Him with them, to the temple. Jesus never sinned. Jesus I am sure talked often with His Father; I am sure God only told Him, what He needed for that day. I don’t believe Jesus yet knew His mission on earth, and when He saw that the temple worship, was not exactly what God had commanded; He probably thought His Father’s business for Him to do, was to straighten those doctors of the law out.
At twelve years old, Jesus probably kept the law perfectly, and understood the Old Testament better than anyone on earth; but God told Him to go submit yourself back to your parents. Jesus created His parents. Jesus never sinned and they did. Jesus’ teacher was God Himself; therefore what He did know was perfect. When God teaches us, He cannot teach anything that is not perfect; so what we receive from Him is perfect, though our thoughts may distort it.
Jesus continued to grow and develop, till He became the epitome of what could be produced in the Old Creation. Jesus had the greatest mind that has ever been in this earth. Jesus was likely the best carpenter this world had ever seen. Jesus knew more about God, (and what He knew was perfect) than anyone. Jesus had a very severe problem that had to be remedied: He was still in the Old Creation, and could not yet be the Savior of the world.
Jesus was just what Adam would have been, if he had not sinned; His work was first Adam’s work, but Adam could not do it after he sinned: so Jesus the second Adam was now doing his work. Jesus was now thirty years old; John was in the water baptizing, and as Jesus walked out to him to be baptized than John said, I need to be baptized by you; but Jesus said, let it be so now, for we need to fulfill all righteousness.
What I say next will probably blow your mind: when Jesus went under the water, He went under the greatest specimen this world ever produced, and came up with nothing, He said, the Son can do nothing, but what He sees His Father do. Jesus went down in the Old Creation, and came up figuratively, in the New Creation. Symbolically: Jesus had gone to the cross, which stripped Him of all He was and had. When Jesus arose from the water, the heavens were opened to Him; and God testified that, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
We see a type of this experience in 1 Samuel 15, where Samuel told Saul, go and destroy the Amalekites and destroy everything that breathes, good and bad. When we are baptized, we have many bad things to bury with our good things; Jesus only had good things to bury: typed as sheep. Everything in the Old Creation, no matter how good they may appear, (even if Jesus did them), they have to be buried under the water: only what is from the New Creation will ever be acceptable to God.
In Romans 7 Paul writes about a man who wants to serve God; that believes that the law of God is good; but each time he tries to do it he fails: when he would do good, he finds evil is present with him. We have several problems here: We have an evil nature, we received from Adam called sin or the flesh, and it is stronger than our mind. We agree with the law of God, with our minds and wills; but we can see by our picture at the beginning of this sermon, that they are still in the Old Creation, and nothing in the Old Creation is acceptable with God, till it goes through the cross; nor can it over power the law of sin and death.
Christians already have a spirit in the New Creation, and they ought to live in the New Creation, where there is love, joy, peace, victory and health; but instead they live in the Old Creation, and are subject to the law of sin and death: they get sickness, disease, and have little love, joy, peace, or contentment or victory in their lives; but the price they are going to pay now, is small compared to what they will pay in the bonfires of the tribulation, and finally enter heaven with almost no reward.
It is necessary that we go through a period of defeat, till we find that the victory can only be achieved, by walking in the Spirit, and the New Creation. When we were baptized, we testified that we buried our old life, and from here on we would walk in the New Creation; but most Christians don’t even know what their baptism even meant.
This sin nature received from Satan: Jesus took it and crucified it on the cross, but until we continually keep defeating it, by walking in the Spirit, till it is completely crucified, we will never be free from it. Galatians 5: 16, “Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh”. The only way we will be able to walk in the Spirit dependably, is to meet with Him in full surrender and commitment, before the everyday activities begin.
Back to Jesus: when He came up out of the water: he went down the greatest specimen this Old Creation could produce and backup with nothing; but if He was to please God, and rescue us, He had to walk in the New Creation. Jesus life from then on, He never did one thing out of His own mind: He only did what He saw His Father do.
Jesus’ new life had to be tested before He could go out on His ministry: two gospels say, He was driven of the spirit into the wilderness, and two say He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness: it looks like Satan was behind pushing, and the Spirit of God ahead, leading Him into the wilderness. Those of us who choose to walk the high ground: must have everything in our lives, tested as well: we must not allow one thing untested in our lives.
Was Jesus going to depend on what He learned before His baptism, or was He only going to do what He saw His Father do? Was He going to act as the son of man, or as the son of God? The Spirit of God descended on Him as a dove, and without measure, to enable Him; but as savior, He had to do everything by the Spirit, and as a man. Satan in every test said, “If you are the Son of God”? Jesus always referred to His Father and His Word; but He defeated Satan as a man, and passed every test.
The Bible says that, Jesus is our example, and that we should do as He did: Jesus never got His eyes off His Father, even in His greatest trials, and that is also where our victory is. If you think God is leading you to do any particular thing, but you do not see a parallel in Jesus’ life; you must check it out thoroughly, you may not be led of God in that thing. Jesus needed to meet with His Father and so do we, and He spent the whole night with His Father, at times.
I believe God showed me that for Jesus, every day was like a little baptism; at the end of the day, Jesus buried that day, and all the tools God used to work with, in His life that day, and in the morning He met with His Father for the new tools, and whatever He needed for that day: like Paul He forgot what was behind, and reached for that which was before: He pressed for the highest calling. Jesus never said, o well someday I will be like that, or will receive that, no! He always brought the future into the present, at its proper time. Jesus never quit achieving, until He had reached the very highest place.
With Jesus as our example: we need to also keep burying the past, at the end of every day, and meet with Jesus in the morning, and keep reaching for that which is before, even the highest call on our lives. Jesus never had any sin to bury; but we have both good and bad to bury: no matter how good, or how bad, make it right, then bury it, and move forward. When you bury your day, you are taking it to the cross: you are burning up the bad, and transferring the good, from the Old Creation, to the New Creation: you are taking up your cross, and following Jesus.
When Jesus died, He took our flesh nature, and crucified it on the cross; but to complete the process, we need to daily take self, and put it on the cross: little by little we destroy everything of the Old Creation that is not redeemable, and transform all that is redeemable, from the Old Creation, to the New Creation.
11 Corinthians 3: 18, “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”; there you see that to be changed, it is necessary to behold the glory of the Lord; which is done by meeting with God. When our change has been accomplished, and all has been transferred into the New Creation, then we as manifest Sons of God; can transfer the rest of the Old Creation, into the New Creation: very few Christians will ever achieve this place though, as I understand it.
Ephesians 4: 22- 24, “Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”. People who walk after their own desires, after laws and rules, or any created thing, are walking in the old man, and the Old Creation; but those walking according to what they received (usually early in the morning) from God, are walking in the new man, and the New Creation: they are walking in the Spirit. The old man always pleases self; but the new man always pleases God.
Romans 12: 2, “Be not conformed to this world; but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind”: this verse continues to show us that we should meet with God, then walk in the Spirit a much as possible all day long; and as we are doing this we are being transformed little by little, and our minds are being renewed. Those walking in the Old Creation, are living after the flesh, and are being conformed to this world.
More Scripture on this subject: Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; Jesus said, take up cross daily and follow me; He said, come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest: all these passages teach us some aspect of taking that which is in the Old Creation, and (through the cross), bringing it into the New Creation.
The more we walk after the New Creation, and the Spirit, the more our own spirit will get stronger, and as it gets stronger, it will more and more take predominance over the flesh, and bring forth victory in our lives: all these things will prepare us, to help more and more people, and to do the work God called us to do.
It is important to understand that Paul contrasts: Keeping the law, to walking in the Spirit; walking after the flesh, to walking in the Spirit; putting on the old man, to putting on the new man; walking in our mind and will, to walking in the Spirit; and Adam and the Old Creation, to Jesus and the New Creation: we have not the power in ourselves to do any of these things; we receive the power only as we meet with Jesus.
No place does the Bible say, as many as walk in the law of God, they are the Sons of God; but it says as many as walk in the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God. Jesus walked in the Spirit every day, each day building and preparing for the next day: now Jesus is getting close to His death on the cross. Jesus took His disciples and went into an upper room where they had a Seder supper, communion, and feet washing, and there Judas left to betray Him: all this prepared Him for the garden.
Jesus went into the garden, taking the eleven disciples that were left with Him; He positioned eight of His disciples; took three a little further; and then He went a stone throw further Himself (He could tolerate no unbelief at this time), and prayed earnestly, and with such a burden as to sweat as it were great drops of blood: preparation for the next tests required intensity and faith; the pastors of His church who so marveled at His great wisdom, twenty one years earlier were, now going to crucify Him. Jesus was going to have to take our sins (having known no sin) into His being. Jesus had enormous power, and could free Himself at anytime: would He use His power to save Himself, or to save us? Jesus would have face being forsaken by His Father. Jesus would have to descend into the mighty maelstrom of death, hell, and Satan, and wrest away its power; all these things put so much pressure on Jesus that we cannot even imagine it; but Jesus said, not my will but yours be done.
Just like Jesus took up His cross daily, right up to its finale culmination; so He wants us to take up our crosses, and follow to the culmination of our work on earth. The disciples failed to take up their crosses as Jesus had commanded, and so they were completely unprepared for the crucifixion: Jesus said, the spirit is ready indeed, but the flesh is weak.
Malachi 4: 1- 3, “Behold, the day comes, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yes all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch; but unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall, and you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day that I shall do this, says the Lord of Hosts”.
You notice it does not say that, all that are not born again or saved; but it says, all that do wickedly. There is in every person a fire burning, and this fire is burning in the Old Creation, and what it really is saying here is, that this fire is what we get rid of, when we take everything from the Old Creation in our lives, and bring it into the New Creation. Proverbs types this fire as sexual lusts and passions: they are a fire, even the fires of hell; James uses the tongue as the fire and also the rich man: whatever lusts and passions that are operating in your life, it must go through the cross, or you will burn out of control in that day.
11 Thessalonians 2: 7 says, that the restrainer will restrain, till He be taken out of the way; so we see the Holy Spirit is keeping our fires, in control until the judgment, then they will be turned loose, and all who have not gone through the cross, will burn out of control, so that the only safety is, in having gone through the cross; but it will be too late, once the tribulation has already started. Many of God’s People will stand outside saying, let me in; but because they didn’t come into union with Jesus, in the New Creation, their passions can only be burned out at that time.
The fires of passions work like this: a young man looks at a young woman and thinks, she is pretty, so he asks her out, and on the date, they begin touching, and it seems so right, they keep touching more and more breaking down their natural inhibitions, and then in about two months the girl finds out, she is pregnant: sin often seems innocent enough; but it is like a fire, and where it finds fuel, it will burn unless extinguished by some kind of fire retardant. We see that the fires of passion that burns in people’s lives are being restrained right now, and only once in a while it gets out of control; but in the day of fire, with the restrainer gone, all in the Old Creation will burn out of control, and Christians who didn’t go through the cross, will burn just like the world, wondering if they are even saved.
1 Corinthians 3: 11- 15, “other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ; now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble; every man’s work shall be manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work to see of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward; but if any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire”.
When a Christian builds his house, (which he will live in for eternity) out of gold, silver, precious stones: it is because he has met with God, and walked in the Spirit that day: those works will withstand fire; but wood (the best that man can do), hay, and stubble (outright evil works): those works must be burned in the fire, that the man may be saved, so as by fire.
Malachi 4: 2 says, that unto those who fear God’s Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings; Paul says in Romans 8: 2 “The law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”; In chapter 7 of Romans we see a Christian, bound by the law of sin and death; yet Paul says we have been made free from the law of sin and death. We can see that when a Christian operates in the Old Creation, he is subject to sin, sickness, disease, and every infirmity of Egypt even death; those who walk in the Spirit, escape the infirmities of Egypt, for the healing powers of the New Creation, over power all the infirmities of Egypt: when a Christian lives in the Spirit: he has peace, joy love, happiness (a name known only to himself) that carnal Christians cannot know, and they never need to go to Egypt for healing, for God meets all their needs.
Christians who walk in the Spirit, and overcome their enemies, will be the greatest threat to Satan’s kingdom in almost 2,000 years; but those who live after the flesh, are hardly a threat at all to Satan. Many of God’s people struggle with many prayers, to get a healing even once in a while, and I look at them, and sorrow fills my heart for them; for healing has been there for them all the time: they only need to learn how to walk in the Spirit, and overcome it; the gifts of the Spirit will pass away, when God is through with them in their lives, leaving them with no supernatural healing at all.
God’s people need to learn more than anything, how to get into the Spirit: meeting with God early in the morning; walking with Him all day; overcoming all their enemies; and bearing the Fruit of the Spirit: then when the gifts of the Spirit cease, they will be prepared to operate more and more in the fruit of the Spirit, which will last forever. 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3, indicate that all the gifts of the Spirit from tongues, to faith, to even laying down your life, can all operate without love (like those who flew a planes into the world trade towers), and may have no profit at all; but God’s love profits in all things.
Meeting with God in full surrender and commitment, causes a Christian to more and more move in the Fruit of the Spirit, check yourself: do you suffer long with people? Are you Kind no matter what people do to you? Do you brag about yourself? Are you proud? Do you do things improper, for a Christian? Do you think evil of another Christian? Check yourself with all the attributes of love in this chapter, and see how much of God’s love is working in your everyday life: are you preparing yourself for your work, and for the day of fire? Prepare yourself in love today, till virtually all you do is filled with love; then when the day is over bury it.
Every day God is arranging everything: who you meet, things that go wrong, things that go right, clouds, rain, wind, sunshine, and whatever the day may bring. Each day God prepares you for tomorrow, and in many such days He is preparing you for a life’s work. God never gives you too much or too little: everything is just right. I cannot tell what to do, I cannot even tell myself what to do: God alone knows both of us; but if you follow God’s plan only, and not man’s, you will be ready.
Malachi 4: 3 It says the wicked will be ashes under our feet; Daniel 2: 45, there is a Stone cut out of the mountain without hands, that will break in pieces the kingdoms of this world; Revelation 2: 26, 27 says, that Jesus will give the overcomers a rod that they will use to smash the nations to pieces with; 11Corinthians 10: 6, “Having in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your own obedience is fulfilled”; Psalm 149: 6- 9, “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all the saints. Praise the Lord. Here is a whole series of Scriptures, that show the authority of the ones who overcome, and take everything through the cross, till they become actual saints
Malachi 3: 1-3, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold He shall come says the Lord of Hosts, but who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appears? For He is like refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap; and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness”.
Here in Malachi it says that the Lord will suddenly come to His temple, and after he comes, there will be no more time to enter in. Revelation3: 12, “Him that overcomes shall I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out”: here we see that the temple is made up of the people of God who overcome: this is the first aspect of Jesus’ second coming. Jesus will come as differently in His second coming from what people expect, as He came in His first coming.
Jesus, as I believe God has shown me, will come in those who are prepared first; then comes the tribulation for 3.5 years, mainly to His unprepared people; then in the middle of the tribulation, for a special people, we will not speak about that here today; then 3.5 years of smashing the Nations to pieces; and finally for the rest of His people, at the end of the tribulation, and the final judgment of the nations, before the millennium.
Notice Malachi asks, who shall be able to stand when He appears? Luke 21: 36, “Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man”: this verse tells us who shall be able to stand when He appears. For those of us who meet with Jesus in the morning in surrender, commitment, and communion with Jesus: He has in a way already appeared and purified us, and He will finish it at His coming; for the rest of God’s people, He will purify them in the tribulation, not one grain will fall to the ground; but the ungodly shall perish, by the end of the tribulation.
When Jesus went to the cross, there were three crosses: Jesus was on the middle cross, and He represents all those who take up their crosses daily to follow Him: they voluntarily go to the cross; the next cross has thief on it, who accepts Jesus and is saved so as by fire: his whole life was basically wood, hay, and stubble; he had very little reward to take with him to heaven; how much better would it have been had he lived for God instead. The Saved thief represents all those who are saved so as by fire. The other cross had a lost thief on it, and he represents all the lost. The three crosses represent the judgment of the whole world.
The same judgment was upon all three: but Jesus’ cross saved, all who will believe; the saved thief saved only himself: he was a grain of wheat, which did not fall to the ground; and the lost thief went into everlasting fire. The crowd who cried “Crucify Him”! “Crucify Him”! They were a bonfire: like the day of fire.
Many of God’s people work hard in the church, but to be seen and approved of men: their works are mostly like beautiful pieces of wood: like this pulpit here (someone did a good job on it); but it is wood, and will burn in a fire, just like many of the works performed in the church; because they seek the approval of men, instead of God alone. Many sermons and prayers in the church, are said to be seen of and approved of by men: if you feel good when one says to you, that was a good prayer, or sermon you are seeking man’s approval, and it will most likely burn up.
Make sure you spend enough time with God; and that your works come out of that: do not do your works to be seen of men, or just because you are good at it; you are only making fuel for the day of fire. A people coming forth meeting with God; overcoming all evil in their lives; and are working to build the Kingdom of God: will be the greatest threat to Satan’s kingdom for nearly 2,000 years. Satan will attack with all he has to stop them: in their time with God, Satan will tell them they are too tired; will put distracting thoughts in their minds; he will set brother against brother; and a million other tricks.
One of the mighty weapons you have to bring down his strongholds, is to think of every good thing about Jesus you can think of: Creator, Lord, Master, God, King, Father, Brother, the way, the truth, the life, your wisdom, understanding, knowledge, health, strength, healer, and I am sure you can think of many more. Be very diligent and get as much out of the Old Creation, through the cross, and into the New Creation as you can; but the most important thing of all is, to develop as deep, and as intimate a relationship with God, as you can. You are very important to God; because God has called you to save the world.
Look at how Jesus inspired His Disciples, always putting the highest objectives before them: be you perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. I now present to you the highest objectives: save Mwanza, Tanzania, Africa, and the World. If you win this nation for Christ: this nation will become one of the great economies of the world; and you will export missionaries all over the world. God blesses people, who have as their highest goal, to use the things God gave them, to do the work of God; but if you get some money, and spend it on yourself: know this, you are more interested in yourself than God’s work; you will stay poor.
In America when Christians get more money they build bigger houses, buy better cars, and if they don’t have enough money, they will borrow till they are so in debt that they have little money or time available for God’s work, and for the rest of their lives; all our possessions should always be passing through our hands: what comes in should be used by blessing someone, or building God’s Kingdom. Galatians 6: 6-8, Paul says here that we are to share of our resources with each other, and the one who shares, is sowing to the Spirit, and shall reap life everlasting for it; but the one who uses his money on himself, is sowing to the flesh, and will reap corruption for it.
Revelation 2: 20-23, “You suffer that woman Jezebel which calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols, I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not, behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds, and I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the reins and hearts; and I will give to everyone of you, according to your works”.
We find in the church today that Jezebel is teaching in very many churches: saying that it is OK to have as many things of the world as you want. James 4: 4, “You adulterers and adulteresses, know you 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”. Jezebel will teach you that if you have a lot of money: go out and enjoy yourself, live it up: this teaching comes out of Hell. Jezebel also teaches you to put many things ahead of God, (though they don’t say it that way), and has many false prophets: I have so little time left that I can’t spend much on this; just know they follow signs, wonders, and all kinds of circumstances, rather than walking in the Spirit, which makes these things idols, and their teachings on these things are sacrificed to these idols.
Christians have read one verse about the rapture of the church, and have used this verse to teach an escape, out of the consequences for the life they are living, while the rest of the world is burning up in flames: they bend the scriptures trying to fit it to their interpretation of that one verse. When the Bible speaks of judgment it puts no difference between people or religions: it only says everyone is judged according their works. What we have here is a part of the church cast into the great tribulation and judged.
Revelation 3: 10, “Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the entire world, to try them that dwell upon the earth”. The people who keep God’s Word of patience, is another way to say, what we have been saying through this whole sermon; they are the ones who will take the rod of Jesus Christ, and in the second half of the tribulation smash the nations to pieces with it: they will trample Satan, and all his kingdom under their feet, and bring in God’s Kingdom, establishing peace on earth. I don’t know the details of the time to come; but God gave what we need to know for now, and many details will be filled in as we need them; basically we just need to trust God, and all is well.
I want to give a short invitation: Those who want to commit before everyone that they will get up tomorrow morning early enough to meet with God before their daily activities begin: just raise your hands or stand up; this commitment is for one day only but I hope you will continue on your own each day for the rest of your life. I thank all of you, may God richly bless the rest of your day.
Frank Overholt
http://www.thetrueword.us

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