All posts by AOCM

My name is Pastor Tony Catron I graduate from K.S.U. with a degree in electronic/electrical engineering. While doing that I became a Junior Deacon and also a musician in my dad's ministry in Cleveland, Ohio. Years later, my career took me to Michigan where I worked as a Electrical/Electronic Engineer. While in Michigan I became a Minister, then later went to Seminary training at Birmingham Bible Institute and became an Elder at a large Pentecostal church in Michigan called LLCC. I was called to the ministry by God. So I headed up an outreach ministry based on the End Times, dealing with restoration in people lives. Then my dad called me back to Ohio to help him Pastor his church. During that time, God changed my outreach ministry, turning it into a full-time restoration ministry. He gave me the name Ark of Covenant Ministries and the rest is history.
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Giving back to Jesus!

We’re going to be talking about a particular subject that is dealing with life. I will be talking to you about some important things that a lot of us go through; a lot of us deal with; and that is ourselves. How many know themselves? When you know yourself, you don’t know yourself. That wasn’t a trap that was just to let you know that when you say “I know myself,” no, you don’t, you don’t know yourself. Because in certain situations you change who you really are. The thing is, is this, most people don’t know themselves, but they say they know themselves. That is the average feeling for everybody, “I know myself.” You think you know yourself, because you think you have seen yourself do certain things and react a certain way. So you know yourself. But do you know that every thing that comes in your life, always takes a different choice of mindset; a different action? See, we always think that we have the answers for everything. But the thing is is this, we don’t know ourselves and since we don’t know ourselves, then we need to figure out who we are. The only way to figure out who we are is to find out what others think. No! It doesn’t matter what others think because people will put you in a box, seal that box and ship it off to somewhere else. But, you want someone who really knows you. And in order for somebody to know you, they have to have a relationship with you. If you’ve got that relationship that means you spend time with them.

Its so funny, when a guy meets a girl, ABC of relationships. When a guys meets a girl, the guy looks at the girl and the girl looks at the guy. The one thing the guys looks for is how she looks. The girl looks at “hmmm….I wonder what he’s like?” So, the girl begins to explore while the guy has already found because they are looking at what they want. That’s why when a girl and guy get into a relationship, she wants to spend time. Everything is based upon time. When a guy says ok “I’m sitting down, your sitting down, we’re both watching TV,” or “We’re both going to eat dinner,” that is considered time for them. We want to spend time, not just any kind of time, but quality time. Why? Because women value moments of time. Men do sometimes, but women value it all the time, that is how they measure it up. The quality of time is not just quality, but quality of quality time. They remember the little things like, you stroked my finger. Guys go like why are you stroking my finger? Is there something wrong with you? Now, I’m getting to a point, because women value quality time, men value quantity of time. In other words, men look for time spent over a period of time, women look for that quality time in that time frame. I want everything. If you could put it in that little space, I want it all. They want all they can get within that time frame. “Look into my eyes.” If I am stroking your hair and shoulders and looking away from you, am I giving you quality time? No. But the point is, you build up a relationship over a period of time, not in 5 seconds. So that means you have to add something into that before that quality can be made.

This is the same thing Christ is asking for. You can’t get Christ in 5 seconds. You cannot know who He is in 5 seconds. How do you find out who He is? Over time. But you have to spend quality time. The thing is is that when you give Him quality time, He gives you quantity and quality. Quantity and quality. Remember that. The price of that time that you spend with Christ is priceless. My wife always comes to me and says “Honey, I have to spend time with Jesus.” Alright, but you saw Him yesterday I say. She wanted not just to fall on her knees and say “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, I love You, I love You” and walk out, she wants to spend that time where she is meditating on Him and she can see. And that is what we all should be trying to strive for, that quality time with Him. First of all, you’ve got to get time. I’ve never seen anyone…anyone who says they spend time with Jesus, and they walk into a prayer room, sit down for 5 minutes, get up and walk away saying “I just got through spending quality time with Jesus!” Have you ever seen someone do that? If you did they didn’t spend anytime with Jesus. That was time with themselves. They probably were sleeping half that time. So we need to realize that we need to spend that quality time with Him.

Quality time is important for one thing, and I’ll say this: if you have Him inside, you’re able to give back. You’re able to express yourself wholeheartedly. Which leads me to what we’re talking about today. We have to give back to Him. When God gives you something, He wants it back. He just doesn’t want it back any kind of way, He wants it back with quality and quantity. When you give somebody quality time, they are the only ones on your mind. How many of you when you go to take a math test, think about English? If you do I don’t want to see your grades. If you have a math test, your mind should be focused on the math. If you are in love with this person, your mind should be focused on who? That person. If you are going to spend quality time with that person your mind should be spent where? That time frame. This is not a strange language. The point is you have to spend that time, you have to give that time back to that individual. You cannot take from, take from. You know there are givers and takers in the world? A person that is a taker, no matter what will always have their hand out. But you never give back. You have to be able to give back. Never always have your hand out, but never always have your hand clinched. You have to be able to do both, and learn how to do both. Learn who you are in relationship with. Teach yourself how to love that individual and that individual alone. We have to learn how. Teach ourselves how to appreciate the quality of time that we spend with that individual. Have you ever heard of the 3 step program with anyone caught on drugs or alcohol? There is a program. You can’t just tell someone whose been drinking for the last 40 years “alright, just say these words, and believe these words, and you’ll be free from alcohol!” As a Pastor, I’ve been invited to a lot of different programs. I was invited to an alcoholics anonymous program to sit in and observe the whole group. As I did, it starts off like this “My name is John. Its been 4 days 7 weeks and 5 hours since I’ve been free from alcohol.” Then everyone else goes very monotone “Hi, John.” The next person goes “My name is Mary. Its been 1 year and 8 months since I haven’t drank some alcohol.” Then everyone else says “Yay, Mary.” Now if that doesn’t make you want to back and drink I don’t know what will. That mindset was so dry. If you were freed from something, wouldn’t you be jumping and shouting? That is why those programs don’t help anybody. It reminds you, because the whole time you’re confessing that you don’t drink beer anymore, you’re thinking about beer. “I stopped smoking last week.” And the whole time you can’t wait to get in your car and catch a buzz. This is the problem that we’re dealing with.

What does this have to do with a relationship? Well it has a lot to do with a relationship. Because if you are still bound by a previous relationship…and you haven’t let go of that, you still will be bound. Saying you are free from a relationship doesn’t make you free. So, the thing that we have to realize is you must first deal with you. Love you, forgive you, deal with you. I tell this to everyone: we are our own worst enemy. Nobody can do anything to us unless we allow it. So when we allow people to do things to us whose fault is it? Ours. So we must forgive who? Ourselves for being stupid, right? We have to forgive ourselves because we make mistakes. Wounds don’t heal until we forgive ourselves. But don’t let your mistake become your crutch. We allow the mistake to become our crutch, then we’ll always be leaning on that crutch. Well, why couldn’t you do this? “Because this (crutch) happened. Because this (crutch) happened. Because, you see what they’ve done to me? You see how they treat me? You see where they take me to? You see how nobody loves me anymore?” You can’t live for nobody. There is only one Person you can live for. You know who that is? Christ. You have to get you together. The first person you need to do is you. The next thing you need to do is figure out all the things that hold you. The past will never let you go as long as you have it in your pocket.

We tend to want to hold onto things because you know why? We’ve built a relationship with it. We’ve spent time with it. We’ve nurtured it. We’ve given it all the love and attention that we thought it needed. Oh my gosh, is that where that love and relationship comes in? When you nurture something, that means you give it all your focus and attention. And when you do that what happens to that thing? Does it every go away? You build a strong relationship. And to tell yourself that you have to let that go hurts, because its gotten you through the cold times, through the winter time, through the heart aches and pains. It was there for you. You stroked it and made it feel good and gave it a pedestal in your life, and when you gave it a pedestal in your life, it did what? It took over your life. Relationships are important. Building up time, but with whom and with what you build up time with. Because whatever binds you to this life, believe me you’ve built up a relationship with that thing. See, we build up relationships with people, but we build relationships with things, or situations; with everything that shouldn’t be. And then we wonder why we can’t get something in our lives. You know why they call things habits? You nurtured it you stroked it.

Why do we do the things we do? What do you do every morning when you get up that is a ritual to you? We do something every morning and we don’t even think about it; we do it automatically. The same way that you do what you do in the morning, other people think about doing evil like that in the morning. Thinking about how they will set someone up today. Who will I mess with today. I’m gonna jack somebody up. You know why they are like that? Because they’ve built up a relationship with that habit. So its nurtured into their system, its who they are. The Bible says “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” Proverbs 23:7. You act according to what you think, because you make that determination. When you think you are something, the Bible says, you are nothing, Galatians 6:3. You begin to plan your life. You plan your life based upon who? Whatever your name is verse 1 paragraph 6. According to yourself. You begin to conduct your life in that direction. That you think is correct. That you feel is correct. That you understand…the way that YOU… The point is is this, so a man thinketh so is he. You think you’re something, and you begin to gravitate to yourself, because if it isn’t about you… How many know that this world isn’t about you? So if you think yourself something there are a million other people thinking the exact same thing. So if everyone thinks themselves to be something, then is anyone gonna help each other? No. Why? Because you need to help me. Your beliefs aren’t based upon Christ, its based on you. If you feel then its your will.  Words are powerful. When you throw them out there, they can kill, they can cause someone to be broken and bound; you can belittle someone so bad, they will go out and shoot themselves. Playing the dozens.

We don’t realize how we allow ourselves, to take over other peoples personalities or mindsets by focusing on us. Some may say but you’ve got to build yourself up, you have to be strong. Does your strength lie at the mercy of hurting somebody? Do you need somebody to be hurt before you feel good? Do you have to take from them before you realize who you are? Do you need somebody else to validate who you are? Some people do. I’m not who I am until I’m validated by you all. Some people need that to validate their self worth. Do you believe you’re somebody?

Most people can’t accept the idea of being alone. Most people don’t want to be alone. Anything that would associate them being alone, they tend to steer away from that. When you make a decision, you don’t want to be alone, when you do something, you don’t want to be alone. You want someone that will give you support in what you do. So we try to always surround ourselves with someone who needs, because we want them to need us. We want someone around so that we can feel like someone needs me. Someone desires me, I’m not who I want to be, I’m trying to get to where I want to be something. I need somebody to need me. I don’t feel good about myself, because I don’t think someone else feels good about myself. You ever find yourself sometimes always trying to ask questions to someone so they can relate back to you what they think of you? We really don’t want the truth, but we want the truth. “What do you think about so and so? How do you feel about so and so? Do you like my daughter?” We know we have those qualities in ourselves sometimes, because if you like that quality then you must like me.

How many of you have true friends? Would they give their life for you? If not, then they aren’t you friend. Are you sure they will stand by you? If someone has a gun pointed straight at your head, will they take a bullet for you? Can you say for sure? There is One who already took a bullet for you, and died upon the cross for you. They got in front of bullet for you, and said They’d take it, and you never met Him. Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for a friend. So no you don’t have any friends, I don’t have any friends. I have associates, but not friends. Scarcely will someone lay down their life for you without being prompted or paid. Do you want someone who will come every once and a while and says he’ll be your friend or do you want someone you can call at the drop of a pin and they are there? That is what the Lord did. He said “My friend is in trouble. I will stop what I’m doing and come down and die for you.”

It took me some years to learn this, because I was stuck on me. When I graduated from the university, I thought I was “it.” I had the sports car. I took care of what I possessed and took pride in what I owned. That is who I was. Key word was. It was a task, not to be perfect. Who was I fighting against? Me. I set myself up for failure; for fault, not even realizing. The point is, I had to learn how not to be me. Me always gets in the way. I’m always tripping over me. I had to learn how to get me out of the way first before I could love or serve God. Even though my intention was to serve Him. What I wanted to do, He didn’t want me to do. I ran away from the Lord for 25 years, because it didn’t come the way I wanted it to come. I gave up, and surrendered. A lot of people say surrender, but its surrender with conditions. We are constantly doing things to make us look good so that people will accept us. My whole heart was into me, and it was the hardest thing in the world to let me go. When I let me go and said Lord here I am…mold me. Do you want to be molded? You want Him to put you on a potters will, and shape you the way He wants? That means you have to do one thing: give up/surrender. Totally. Totally means everything, nothing left. When you surrender, its like being in the military. When you throw your hands up, you won’t contest anything. Surrender means no contest. No contesting, no talk back, whining or excuses. We have to be real. Lord if you say go, I will go. Inside we question God and say “why did You allow this,” or “Why me?” And He says because I told you to. Don’t question it. Don’t say you’re My child when you are disobedient and can’t do what I say. Why do I have to beg you, prod you, slap you, cause sickness to come upon you because you can’t do what I tell you to do? Why can’t you just do it? Because it goes against what you want. Its easy just go ahead and do it.

If we aren’t obedient to our Father in Heaven, He will chasten those whom He loves. He won’t kill us, He’s trying to make us, not break us. Some say “well He’s God and He won’t do anything to us.” He doesn’t disciple us the way we want to be disciplined, He does it His way so we can heal.

Luke 12: 1-15

In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Your value is not based on the things you own. You may own a Lamborghini Countach. You may live in Signature of Solon. You may have your own private jet. It doesn’t tell you who you are. They don’t make you who you are. Don’t let anyone judge you according to what you wear, what you buy, what you look like, or where you live at.

Luke 12: 16-39

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?  And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

Verse 34 is very important. Where you put your trust, there will your heart be. So when the Lord comes back…will He find you doing or just talking about it? Anybody can say they’re a child of God.

Luke 12:40-49

Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

It’s an awesome thing to stand before the presence of an awesome God. Its even more awesome to stand in the presence of a God that you’ve been obedient to. Its an awesome thing to be obedient. We’ve covered a lot of scriptures and talked about a lot of things. But I don’t want you to get everything. I just want you to get what was for you. A word for you today to know about you. This is the most important thing I want you to get: Its a powerful thing when you’re obedient to the Will of God. Surrender and don’t contest. Your arms are too short to box with God. We cannot fight God. If you are suppose to be a servant of God, what does a servant do when the master asks him? Obey, whether it fits your schedule or not. He said you are to love Him. Did He say that we can love Him our way? No. Because our way might be off the wall. Love me. How do you love the Lord? With your whole heart…in truth. I may get down on my knees and call Him multiple times, that is my way. Your way may be to raise your hands, but you are talking to Him. As long as you do it in spirit and truth, from your whole heart. Obedience is better than sacrifice 1 Samuel 15:22. So if you are told to do something whether you want to or not, if God wants to see it of you, just do it. We have to get us out of the way to stop questioning.

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Tell Me What’s Going On?

Tell Me What’s Going on in this age?

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

When the people in this world or even in the House of God despise you because you choose not to indulge yourself in the sexual behavior of today, don’t allow those things to bother you. Because whom God has given His Holy Spirit to, they are holy and they have the power of the Holy Ghost to endure all these sexual behaviors. It is so easy these days to get caught up in some form or another of sexual depravity. It is so easy to get caught up in someone else’s sin. Those who are the Children of God have to be very careful whom they talk to, who they hang around with, whom they associate with, what they look at, where they go, and whom they listen to. Because Satan is trying his best to lure the Children of God into a snare. If you look at it, a snare does not kill the creature; its like when you have a snare to catch a rabbit or deer, it does not kill the creature, it holds the creature at bay. It keeps them from running away, from moving from their spot, so that when the hunter comes, he can capture it. So the snare delays your walk in Christ. And what men and women of the Church don’t understand is that Satan is not trying to kill you, he just wants to catch you up to put a snare or stumbling block in your way, because if he can put a snare around you, he’ll keep you from pursuing your growth and understanding in the knowledge of God. So don’t count it all strange when you enter into diverse temptations. Those are diverse snares. But when you overcome those diverse temptations, you will have the ability to go through to help someone else to come out of those snares in their life. You will become a living witness of the Word.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-11

But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet,

Sometimes, we have to know how to keep our mouths shut. Sometimes, we need to be quiet, so that we can hear what another individual is saying. Because a lot of times, their heart is speaking concerning an issue. Not their mouth. That is the problem with the Children of God today. They open their ears to someone telling them mess, but close their ears to someone telling the truth. The Children of God today would rather hear a lie about a thing than to hear the actual truth.

Its good to be quiet, because a lot of times when God is trying to talk to us, we can’t hear Him because we’re over talking Him! It’s what we call reasoning out God. In other words, we’ll reason something out 1st before we hear the Word of God. So we need to study to be quiet. Be abased in every situation. Some of us can’t get along with anyone on our jobs because we don’t know how to keep our mouths quiet. We’re mad at other employees because they said something to us we didn’t like. So now we have to get revenge. So we open our mouths and express ourselves. Most of the time the Children of God will tell someone they’re mad with “I’m saved,” as though that gives them license to speak and condemn someone. You don’t need to utilize salvation to attack someone. God never put us down on this Earth to attack our fellow man. As a matter of fact, He speaks against that all the time. In His statement to Peter, after he’d cut off the ear of the High Priest’s assistant, He said to Peter, put the blade away. If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.

Your mouth is like a sword. It will cut people up, it will kill people. It takes no hostages. God said with a kind word have a drawn thee. Ain’t no kindness gone to come outta your flesh. There is no kindness that will come out of your flesh. You need to study on how to keep silent, how to keep quiet. It’s important that you hear the end of a matter before you speak. When you speak, make sure you speak from the Word of God, and not from your mind.

 

1 Thessalonians 4: 11

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

We can’t be about someone else’s business. We are always up in side of some else’s mind and business. Ain’t got nothing to do with you. One of the first words that comes out of our mouth is “I just gave my opinion.” But no one asked your opinion. Keep you mouth quiet, mind your own business. The next word people may say is “Well I feel, I know better.” When a person says out of their mouth “I feel,” then its not God’s will, its that individuals will. Your feeling is based on your thought, how you want things to be. Then you begin to judge others according to your understanding, and not God’s understanding according to His word. Study to be quiet.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:12-14

That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

 

You can’t be worried about the dead. Let the dead take care of themselves. If they died in Christ, they are a raised in their dead. If they died without Christ, they will be raised without Him and go to Hell.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:15-16

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

If they died in Him, the will be raised in Him. So why are you worried about what the dead are doing? Keep quiet, study to be quiet. Don’t go out asking off the wall questions or off the wall things. You are bringing up mess to hold others from the truth. Study to be quiet.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

 

Its so important that we be not concerned about the things going on around us because we are liable to get caught up with those things, and we’ll be like the 5 virgins who were not wise, and be left behind, because we are so entangled with the things of this world and life. I tell you brothers and sisters in Christ, don’t allow your family members to get you caught in your past. Don’t allow, yourself to be hung up with what someone has done to you in the past. Even if its not in the past and happening now, don’t allow that to lock your growth in Christ, and turn your walk off. You can’t allow old mess to become new mess in your walk. You can’t allow old mess to become new mess in your walk in Christ.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:3-4

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

 

You are aware of the light, and know what is going on in this world. There is nothing going on in this world that should surprise, upset or cause you to turn back. So there shouldn’t be anything of this life that should catch you unaware.

1 Thessalonians 5:5-8

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Now if you look at that correlation. A helmet protects your head, which is where your thoughts and brain are at. The helmet is the hope of salvation. In your mind, your goal and your one hope is in Christ. That is your protection because in Christ you are a new creature, old things are passed away. Let that be your helmet so when other things come against you, you know the truth. When other lies come at you, you know the truth. When anything exalts itself against the Word of God you know the truth.

1 Thessalonians 5:9

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

For God has not appointed the Children of God who worship and love Him to receive the damnation that is coming upon this world.

1 Thessalonians 5:10-11

Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

 

The Church today is guilty of attacking their brothers and sister, what the Bible calls biting and devouring one another. If you are busy attacking your brothers and sisters in Christ, not only have you become a hindrance to the Word of God being spread, your hindering someone else’s salvation. This is abomination to God. “I don’t like this,” and “I don’t like that.” Study to be quiet. We don’t need to hear your opinion, everything is not going to go your way, but God’s way. You have to study to be quiet.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:12

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

 

To know them that labor among you. We have an 8 weeks course, about knowing them that labour among you. Who is over you? Do you have someone that has the best interest of God over you, or do you have someone over because your friend likes them, or you hear someone else speak highly of them? Do you know them? This is personal, reason being is because your life depends on it. You have to know them that labour among you whether brothers or sisters, the Bishops, Pastors and Ministers. Because if they are wrong and lead you down the wrong track, you cannot do what God has purposed you to do. Sometimes, we go years being in a particular ministry or belief system, only to find out that late in your life, they’ve been teaching you wrong. If you aren’t getting the truth the unmitigated Word, then its time for you to leave that ministry, or call to question of your leaders, “What is going on? I don’t feel I’m getting fed.” If they are true leaders of God, then they will find out what will meet your needs. If they say this is all we have for you, then you need to leave. Go where you can grow. Ask God to lead and guide you to the right place, so you can grow to your potential in Him.

 

1 Thessalonias 5:13-14

And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

This 14 verse is an awesome verse.

1 Thessalonians 5:15-28

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. 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. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Those from the 18th to the 28th verse, you need to read that and reread it over, and get an understanding. Christ doesn’t want us to quench the Spirit. Don’t halt the spirit God has placed in you. Don’t keep it from trying to perceive or stop it. Don’t quench the spirit of someone else. Prophecy comes to you from the prophet of God to warn, encourage, enlighten and guide you. Don’t say anything without proving all things. Hold fast to the things that are good. Don’t allow things that aren’t good for you to come into your life and hold fast to that. Sometimes you have to let it go. If they aren’t good for your growth and soul, you have to let your friends go. If its a lifestyle you’re trying to become accustom to, if its causing you not to pray, or spend time with your Lord and Saviour, or come to church its got to go. It also says abstain from all appearance from evil. If you know it doesn’t look good, why are you hanging around it, why are you even near it? “But everyone else in my job is going and I’m a part of that job.” Well i’m sorry. If they are going to be partying and drinking then, you shouldn’t be there because its evil. Anyone who sees you will associate you with that. You have to be in oneness with Jesus. Those who aren’t are against Him, so you have to be in oneness. You want to be presented before God blameless.

Its very important that we love and spend time with God, sometime during our lives. Its very important that we spend sometime. Its just like if you have a relationship with your wife or husband, they know time builds relationship. As you build a relationship, trust is built. They know that you can go here or there and you won’t be influenced by your surroundings, and the love won’t be lost. Spending time, builds character, builds trust. So its very important that you spend time with you husband your wife, and with your Lord and Saviour and also with the Body of Christ. The Bible says fail not to assemble yourself together. You draw strength in numbers. Someone may be going through something that you can help them with, and vice versa. Its very important to remember, study to keep quiet, listen first.

James 1:19

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

 

 

 

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Let’s Walk in Righteousness not Deception

1 Peter 4:1-3

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

 

When you were in the world you did the things of the world. You partied, drank until you were drunk, you lied, you cheated, you stole, you sexually messed around, you took drugs…you’ve done some abominable things. But when you gave your life and heart to Christ and were forgiven for all those things, let’s not go back again recapturing our sinful lives and sinful ways. This is where some of us get confused. We think its OK to relive some of the things we did in the world because “its not that bad.” It doesn’t take a big situation that will pull you back in the world, its the little things, the little foxes that destroy the vine. Most people will wait for some big catastrophe, “my momma died, my best friend died” and then your dragged back into the bar drinking. No. It doesn’t take all that, its the little things that eat slowly at your Salvation, the little foxes. As those little things begin to add up, it takes a toll on your Christian walk. Now I tell you we need to pray every time when we enter into diverse situations, bringing it up to the Lord so those things don’t stay behind us but in front of us, so the Lord can heal us from those wounds and errors.

1 Peter 4:4

Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

The people whom you use to hang out with, your boys, girls, friends, neighbors, relatives, and now you don’t run around anymore, you don’t hang out with them, you don’t party with them. For guys, you’re not looking at women like you use to or hit on women like you use to. For women, you don’t hit on men like you use to, you don’t dress sexually like you use to. You have stopped all those things that are of the flesh. Now your friends are looking at you like “what is wrong with so and so?” You know how you loved to party, you know you loved that bottle, you were best friends with that bottle. You don’t want to hang out at the club, or pub. They think it strange to the point where they being to speak evil of you to the point where they say, “Oh you think you better than us…you think you perfect.” People make excuses for themselves instead of realizing the truth.

1 Peter 4:5-7

Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

 

In other words, when God comes to judge you, He will judge you for what you are doing now, not for the past because that has been forgiven you. Men will judge your actions, what you say, how you do or how you act, when you don’t act as you use to. But God will judge your spirit according to His will of righteousness. The world doesn’t understand. Men and women don’t understand why you aren’t like other men, women, or teenagers, or other young adults. All the while they are judging the individuals talking about “that’s the lifestyle you’re living that hard lifestyle.” Its funny to me that some want to live on the verge of that lifestyle, and talk about those who live totally in that lifestyle. Whether you are a little in the world or a lot of the world, the key point is that you’re in the world. Growing up, my parents use to tell me a black pot can’t call a kettle black, because you’re both in the fire and both black. You can’t look at me and say your sinning, when you are in sin yourself. Know you not that the Children of God will judge the world? How can you judge the world when you’re looking through the glasses of the world, walking in the shoes of the world?

1 Peter 4:8-10

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

 

Now it says the manifold grace of God, the diversity or variety of God’s grace.

1 Peter 4:11

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Most people minister out of their flesh and not to God’s Glory.

1 Peter 4:12-14

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

 

1 John 2:14-15

I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

 

Ok, what does it mean by love the world? Have not affections for this world. Some people say that I love America and I love this place. This is the sort of love depicting here, that you care so much for this world. That means the people of this world, the lifestyle of this world. People who make plans and desires, and have hope and faith in things of this world. Because of that, you aren’t worthy to go back with the Lord.

1 John 2:16

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

The 15-16 verses describe love not the world.

 

1 John 2:17-18

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

 

1 Timothy 4:1-3

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

 

Forbidding to marry. People would rather live together than get married. Living together with options, with the chance to changing their minds. Satan has made evil good and good evil.

 

1 Thessalonians 2:1-4

For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

 

Paul was letting them know and expound to them. They were “off the chain,” walking after their deception and in their sins and not after the truth. Paul was not being decietful in telling them their sins, he was corrected them about this.

Luke 8:16-17

No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

 

For those who claim to be the Children of God, and your walk is truth, if it is not truth, Luke 8:17 says that nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest. If you are walking in sin of deception it will be revealed.

 

Romans 8:14-22

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

This is walking in righteousness. If you ware walking in righteousness and your walk is true, the manifestation of God’s glory will be revealed in your life and the surroundings because if not, as it says in Luke 8:17, it will be revealed. The Lord tells us every work that a Child of God does will be tried by fire, whether its works of gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. If it burns up, your walk wasn’t in righteousness, it was in vain.

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The Great Delusion

2 Thess. 2:9-12
A little back ground on Thessalonians, the Church was founded in Thessalonica about A.D. 51 on Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (Acts 17:1-9). Since Paul’s first letter, the seeds of false doctrine had been sown among the Thessalonians, causing them to waver in their faith. Paul removes these destructive seeds and again plants the seeds of truth. He begins by commending believers on their faithfulness in the midst of persecution and encouraging them that present suffering would be repaid with future glory. So in the midst of persecution, and trials; stressful situations, just stay faithful. In this day and time, there are so many different forms of teaching, different Bibles, and different persuasive things to keep you from hearing, living, speaking the truth, from what you first heard when you got saved. Now, as time will have it, there are a lot of influences in our lives that may challenge our very faith in what we believe concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Question what is Delusion?
De·lu·sion: noun
An idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument, typically a symptom of mental disorder.”The delusion of being watched”
synonyms: misapprehension, misconception, misunderstanding, mistake, error, misinterpretation, misconstruction, misbelief;
Pay attention to the fact that a delusion is the symptom of mental disorder. I hope your eyes have been opened by the meaning of the word delusion, and made things clearer of what this sermon will be talking about.
In this 21st century, this world is openly accepting the things of a demonic nature more than ever, which is totally against the Word of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For example: accepting gay and lesbian lifestyles, in so much that our government is making laws for them to the point were they are getting a so called marriage license. Approving abortions, the rise of open devil worship, even opening satanic temples in major cities and countries around the world. The agenda for the elites of the world and their worship of Satan and the spread of the teaching of a one world government under Satan is the theme totally dominating the 21st century. Today even teenage promiscuity has run rampant through the world. Young teenagers running around like packs of dogs trying to impregnate any woman can, when they don’t know how to take care of themselves, let alone a child. Now the so called leaders of our society are keeping your mind preoccupied with TV, cell phones, tablets, gaming systems, sports, special interest news; For example, a people’s cat or dog or animals are make big headlines. Also the things that are plaguing our society and world. Also voting demagogue as in this country, arguing about whether you’re Democratic or republican when it doesn’t even matter because both are controlled by the same people. The World is attacking and Killing the true Christians who are remaining faithful to the Word of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Mean while what is the great delusion in the church? Well the first is this the Roman Catholic claiming to be the real Apostolic church which is a lie from the pits of hell. If you look at history they say the Roman Catholic Church was founded on Peter, that he visited and established the first Church in Rome. That is what the Vatican is siting on right now. Well that is a complete lie, because in actuality a lot of historians who have studied the Bible say there is not Scripture relating that Peter had ever been to Rome. The Roman Catholic Church has come up with their own histories to say that Peter came to Rome, he was run out of Rome, and before leaving he established the church. Now as far a I know Paul had established churches well before Peter did. The Church was first established in Antioch. Most people will not hear that statement or argument. They will say, “Well the Pope said,” but he has no ground to say anything. The Roman Catholic Church adopted by Pontius Maximus to take on the Babylonian Priesthood, which is the Pagan priesthood. Before they’d ever gotten to your area, you were already worshiping pagan gods. How is God going to allow His apostle to sit there and establish a church in a pagan structure? Not going to happen. The Catholic people like to take the statement “Well the Lord spoke to Peter and said upon this rock will I build my church.” But the Catholic Church was already established under the Roman government, a pagan government. It was never a church, it was established as a form of control for the people, and to bring money into the government. The Catholic Church was never a Christian Church. Constantine established the structure of the Roman Catholic Church to make sure it would flourish and bring in control of the populous. In the Babylonian Preiesthood, they had priests, popes, nuns, and these individuals were used to make sure that the people were bound to the government. You’d confess your faults to the priest, he kept record to hold against you when there was a matter of government approval that they wanted to pass down. They will hold what they had written in your confession, against you. It was never established to be a Christian Apostolic Church, based on the doctrine of the Apostles.
Another point of delusion is the Sabbath. The Sabbath is on Sunday, which is not true, it has never been on a Sunday. The Bible says 6 days shall you work and on the 7th you shall rest. As far as I know the 7th day is not Sunday, not to me as Pastor Catron. When you look at the truth of what happened, if you understand that if you change the day of the Lord and everyone goes with it to a Sunday, whomever changed it to that day says this: it gives me the power or divine authority to change God’s Word. That means you have all power of that day, God never said it, you did. So the Pope has established Sunday worship. How? Well the empire Constantine, to satisfy his pagan citizens who worshiped on Sunday or sun god worship, as he considered himself to be the spiritual leader of the nation, got with the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and decided to make Sunday the national day of worship, not just for people who believe in Catholicism, but also pagans who could also worship with them, so that they could get more converts into the Catholic Church, that would help their financial pockets. The Pagans were still at home whether in their own place of worship or in the Catholic Church because it contains idol worship, deity worship and emperor worship. Catholicism means in general; they took different religious beliefs. Now, in this day and age, the Catholic Church is claiming to be the first Church established by Christ after He left. Did they forget about Paul and Timothy and go straight to Peter? There were bones found in Jerusalem in a sarcophagus with an inscription Simon Bar Jonah, stating that these were in fact Peter’s bones. The Roman Catholic Church later found a tomb with bones in it, under the Vatican, with no inscription, and tried to base their entire claim that these unknown bones were Peters, when they had been found in Jerusalem initially. Pope Benedict was embarrassed because they could not explain away that Peter’s tomb was found in Jerusalem. But the tomb under the Vatican which had no inscription was presumed to be Peters’. The purpose of it was to declare that they were God’s chosen Church, and its all one big lie. Knowing that the foundation of the Catholic Church is based on paganism, always has and always was. That is why they changed the day of Saturday worship to Sunday worship, because that gives the Pope divine authority over man to set himself up as the Vicar of Christ, here on Earth, giving him false authority over the church. Some have fallen for this belief that it’s right, when its all from the pits of hell. This is not to say that there are not believers who have been drawn in to that false faith because the Lord said in His word, I have sheep that are not of this fold. (John 10:16) We’re not to attack individuals of the Catholic Church, but we’re to expound to them clearly the true Word of God, but not to sit back and allow the Roman Catholic Church to dictate to the true people of God how they worship, where and who. We are to stand firm. The Bible tells us that we must be faithful, in spite of the circumstances we’re dealing with, just as the Thessalonials of Thessolnica had a seed that caused them to loose faith, believing in other things. Just like Paul, who had to go reignite the truth again, but he did not attack them, but commended them for being faithful. Commend the church who has been deceived greatly, commend them in believing, but expound on who God really is.
That great deception has spread worldwide in a lot of the Christian Churches, who are still worshiping on Sunday.
Ephesians 5:6-8

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Jeremiah 6:16

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls…

The Bible says a great delusion. There are some people whom you can tell the truth to and show the truth too, but they will still not believe. When we look at the word delusion, the Lord will send a strong delusion on them because their soul is bent for hell. Whether family members, saints or friends, you have to let them go. You can’t make them believe something they don’t want to see. The Bible says everyone is right in their own eyes, and there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12). So you can’t waste your time trying to witness to someone who doesn’t want to hear or receive the truth. That word is hid from those who are lost. You can’t fix them. If they don’t want to hear, shake off the very dust of your feet as a testimony against them, and move to the next. Finally my brothers and sisters, stand strong in the Lord and the power of his might. Remain faithful and obedient unto death. Amen.
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We Wrestle Not against Flesh and Blood

Ephesians 6:5-8

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

 

Emphasis on verse 8, Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Whether you are a slave or free, your’ll receive the same of the Lord. He is no respect of persons in that respect. A lot of people feel they can’t serve Christ if they are a slave or beholding to someone. But know that under the oppression of whomever or whatever it may be, if you are a true Child of God, you are still to do His will. By doing so, you’ll receive of the Lord, whether you be bonded to someone or free on your own. Doesn’t make a difference.

Ephesians 6:9-11

And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

 

Can someone say “Whole Armour?” Put on the whole armour of God, not just part of it, all of it. Put on all those things to be fully armored. Because Satan is not coming just to cut off your head, but anything he can get a hold to, whether it be your legs or arms…anyway he can. If he can strike you at your finances, in your body, he will. If he could strike at you by attacking your loved ones, he will. If he could strike at you at your job, he will. Know this, you must be prepared at all times when you go into battle. You have to have on all of your protective gear. In the military, they give you cavalier vests/armored vests, reinforced knee pads, reinforced elbow pads. They give you special helmets before you go into battle. All for the purpose of protecting you against any form of an attack. So as a Child of God, your amour is what it says in Galatians 5.

 

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 

So you have to put on your armor. First of all love. Sometimes its a hard thing to put on love, but put on love so when you come against that foe, they won’t know how to act. People seem to wait for you to be combative, so they can justify their attack on you. They want you to be afraid. Our President John F. Kennedy said this one thing that is very important and I hope that we catch this: “The only thing to fear is fear itself.” Now I hope you got that. The only thing to fear is fear itself. Let me break that down for you. Sometimes people don’t understand what they’re afraid about. They have been indirectly or directly taught to fear this thing, that situation, or this type of problem, not understanding that there was nothing to fear in the first place. In other words, people are being trained to fear and don’t realize it, so when they get older that fear comes out in them. It manifests itself in many different forms and ways, when you least expect it. That is why you have to be prepared to love in spite of. When somebody treats you wrong, you have to love them still. If someone talks about you, you have to love them still. I know its hard, we all have been through, when somebody just hurt you to the very fiber of your being. We want to lash out in revenge, hoping that taking revenge will resolve that issue. But I’m here to tell you revenge doesn’t resolve anything, it just opens another door that Satan can come into to destroy you.

The next armament is joy. I know some will say, how can you feel joy when someone has their foot on your neck? How can you feel joy when they are trying their best to destroy you? How can you feel joy when someone has taken all that you have? How can you feel joy when someone has taken your loved one? Taken your home, taken your livelihood? How can you feel joy? The Bible tells us in the mist of confusion and mess, God will calm that water. In the midst of trouble, He said cast your cares upon Me for I care for you. The joy you have to feel is, trouble don’t last always and neither does pain or hardship. So be confident that God has your back. Its a good thing when God has your back. We think that men have our backs, but we need not trust in men. Put your trust in God. When God has your back, He has your back.

The next thing is peace. What is peace? Freedom from disturbance, quiet and tranquility. When you look at the action of peace, it calms down everything about you and around you; the Word of God says peace be still (Mark 4:39). What comes along with peace is having faith. The only thing that would cause you to get agitated is when you don’t have peace; is when something has disturbed your faith. Does that mean you have no faith in whom you serve; in Christ that He would deliver you? When you’re going through a situation in your life, does that mean you have no faith to deliver you? It brings in fear, not having enough faith; causes you to doubt what you believe.

The next bit of armour is long-suffering. Some of you all can’t hold out for one minute without complaining. You can’t even fast for even 1 hour, notwithstanding one day. You can’t endure anything. Do you have endurance? Can you endure the stress and heartache of going through? Knowing after a while it will all be over? It reminds me of an old song they use to sing: After a while the troubles shall be over, after a while my Savior shall come. The race is not to the swift nor to the strong. The Bible says its to the one that endureth to the end. Long-suffering. Do you have on that armour of long-suffering. Can you stay with it without complaining or whining? Can you endure? That’s a heavy thing.

Another is gentleness. How many of you are gentle? How many of you have that quiet gentle spirit? How many have a gentle nature? Most people have the eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth type of mentality. He hit me, I’ll hit him harder, if he hurts my family, I will hurt his, if he steals from me, I will take from him. We don’t have a gentle spirit. Another thing is goodness. When you say the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want, He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul. It says toward the latter part of that, yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall not fear. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Did you head goodness mentioned? Goodness has to be a part of a Child of God’s life, without any doubt, it has to be a part. When you think about the goodness of Jesus and all the things He’s done for us, yet we sill complain about the little things. Its a shame that we sit up there and complain about the little things. The Word of God tells us how long halt you between two opinions. If God be God serve Him, if he be mammon, serve him. I think some of us are caught between that making up our mind stage. Faith is the strongest armor because without faith its impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Faith in what He does, what He says, faith in what He tells us to do and where He tells us to go. The Bible tells us if we have the faith of a grain of a mustard seed, its like a little tiny bead. To say that someone doesn’t even have faith that size its an indictment on them.

Meekness, I think meekness goes right along with gentleness. A quiet, gentle and easily imposed on submissive, yielding, obedient, compliant, humble spirit. Many people in the Church don’t have humble spirits, they aren’t too meek, and quick to jump down your throat. I tell people, you’d better leave people alone, because you’ll make that Peter spirit come out quickly.

Temperance is the last. Temperance is a moderate or voluntary self restraint to refrain from doing. How many people of God have temperance as an amour? How many can say I know where to stop, I know where the line is and I’m not going to cross that line? You’ve got to know when to say no. Then you’ve got to know when to go. Temperance is an important piece of amour on the Child of God on the battlefield of this world, because you will deal with some folks who cause you to loose your temperance. There is a time and season for everything under the sun. You have to know when you should do or not do.

Ephesians 6:12

 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

That is an awesome statement. Reason being is because people think they are fighting against people. Democrats are fighting against Republicans and vice versa. They are fighting against spiritual entities behind the people. Demons and imps sent by Satan to control this world. It says against spiritual wickedness in high places. Did you know one level of demons controls a lower level of demons that controls another level of demons on you? The more successful you are in halting Satan’s growth, the more of a target you are to Satan. Being a Child of God, you are already on the radar if you are true. If you are a Charlatan, they don’t pay attention. They only want those people effective against them to make sure that the effect they have doesn’t cause their power to wane.

The term wrestle against flesh and blood…why do we fight and argue. The Word of God says in James 4:2-3 from whence come wars and fighting among you? Come they not hence even of your lust that war in your members? Ye lust and have not, ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain. Ye fight and war yet ye have not because ye ask not. Ye ask an receive not because ye ask amiss. In other words your fighting against yourself, against the church because you want what they have. You never asked the Lord if you could have that, if it would edify your soul. We want it because it appeals to our flesh and will do anything to obtain it. You see these different leaders around the country fighting against one another because of jealously. You have these number of members. I want the same number of members, a nice edifice, I, I, I. When did God come in? When did He leave. When it became your ministry, when you conduct service according to your will. That is when the Holy Ghost leaves the place. Then the word Ichabod is written upon that ministry meaning the presence or Spirit of God has left that place. You never want that to be on your ministry, because once the presence of God has left your ministry, it is dead. The whole purpose is to do His will, and when He writes Ichabod on you He will never ever visit again. So you never want to hear Ichabod being pronounced on your location.

James 4:4

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

 

So, you hear a lot of people say I’m concerned about what will happen to this world, and all the things pertaining to loving this world. If you are in the House of God and love the world more than the Church, you are an enemy, so you might as well either get correction or get out.

James 4:5-6

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

So can you humble yourself? There are quite a few reasons or excuses people use to justify their general disenchantment and disgust for each other. So I’ve listed some of the more common misunderstood emotions:

 

  1. Hurt-The Lord said cast your cares of Him. When you are hurting, it will cause you to have regret and anguish. That will cause you to mistreat someone, it would even cause you to hurt someone because you are hurt.
  2. Lying-What’s so big about lying? A lie hurts everybody involved. Most people don’t realize, when you tell one, you have to tell another to keep the first from being discovered. Who is the father of a lie? Satan. So you are doing Satan’s will.
  3. Hatred- It has caused people to go war. Families and friends not to speak for years. People to be killed.
  4. Fear- We talked about earlier. When a person is afraid, they will do anything to keep the fear from getting out of control.
  5. Rejection- Rejection has become a big problem in our society today. More youth are committing suicide because they are rejected by their peer group. They want to belong to some group of people that would befriend them and say good things about them. Kids sometimes can be so cruel. You have to feel good and confident about yourself. But those emotions have caused people to be disenchanted with each other.
  6. Anger- People have been so angry that they have hunted others down just to get rid of them. A lot of times people loose focus, and that is what causes people to become disgusted with other people and loose faith and hope in people.
  7. Confused- People in the Church are confused, but they don’t know what part they play. They know they are supposed to do something, because they never took the time to ask God. They want someone to tell them what to do, and when you tell them they get upset. Confusion is running rampant all through the Church. We need to understand that we can’t be confused when doing the work of God. That is one thing you need to take care of. If you don’t what will windup happening is you will lead someone astray, which will bring in contention between individuals. So you must be very careful how you walk in your Christian walk.

 

You can’t allow these 7 things to cause you not to deal with your fellow man correctly. These have caused us to fight against flesh and blood. Attack the spirit, by the Spirit. That Spirit in you should be the Spirit of God. So its very important that you allow the Holy Ghost to lead and guide you to all truth and understanding concerning your walk. Know this there is no man, woman or child or creature made of flesh and blood coming after you. It is spiritual wickedness attacking you. It uses whomever and whatever to attack the Child of God to slip up or fail. So I tell you again how long halt you between two opinions? If you are a Child of God, act like one. You are to be the salt of the earth, so put on that shield, and whole amour of God so that you may be able to stand against the whiles of the Devil. Everything is not going to be to how you like it or want it to be. Remember God is trying to make you. First he needs to break you down, so He can build you up His way.

Know this, Satan will use whomever or bring up situations around your life, he will bring people into your life that mean no good for you or anything you do for the Lord, so as to destroy God’s purpose for you in ministry. So I say again, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers and darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.