Directions From The Counselor of Wonder

Directions From The Counselor of Wonder Matthew 2.19-23 Joseph moved the Holy Family to Egypt. He also moved them back at the appropriate time to Israel. Joseph played a key role in the early years of the life of the Word becoming flesh. He was the protector and provider for the family. He led them according to his heart and the direction he received in the dreams he had. Joseph sets an example for all of us who are fathers on earth. He listened to the LORD and obeyed Him fully. He put the LORD and his family first. My Dad was like that. His example stays in my heart today. I have wonderful memories of him, sitting next to him in church, being in his Sunday School Class, serving as a Sunday School Teacher when he was Superintendent… and much more! Working with him, learning how to garden from him, laughing, singing, being together, going to Mets Games together, 1986. How we need the direction of God’s Spirit in our lives today. We have an Everlasting Father Who is the Wonderful Counselor! We have His Word for spiritual direction. We need His Spirit for what steps to take, our present and our future. Way too many people, God’s people, lean on their own understanding and end up settling for less than what God has for them. God’s people have been pragmatic when they should have been prophetic. Too often we have been about our comfort rather than God’s Kingdom. More concerned about monetary investments than the advancement of God’s Kingdom! With hearts that have not been refined or purified we follow our own desires, then wonder why we are in a mess! Pastor Mauricio and I yesterday afternoon. We have more than enough. Way better than most of the Pastors in the world. Yesterday early morning… Too many have floundered. As I look back on my life I am thankful for that guiding Hand of God, the direction of the Holy Spirit and the godly people who spoke into my life in times of major decisions. God has provided wise counselors to this very day, at 65 years old and on Medicare! As I interact with and observe those who lost all for the sake of knowing Christ my heart is filled with joy. I have learned from them. Blessed is the person who has nothing but Jesus! Fritz Chrysler, “The person who has everything and Christ is not a bit richer than the person who only has Christ.” * God Gives us the Direction We Need vs.19-20 When we need it. He does not lay the whole plan of our life out for us. One step at a time. A good man’s steps are ordered by the LORD. The life of following Jesus is a walk. We never see Jesus running, rushing or making haste, on the contrary! He does gives clues, visions and dreams. While we wait and work. Waiting does not mean inactivity. On the contrary it means watching and working. There is a great deal of work to be done. Sometimes, the vision or Dream is not for the immediate fulfillment. Habakkuk illustrates that. Habakkuk 2.1 I will stand at my watch
    and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
    and what answer I am to give to this complaint. The Lord’s Answer 2 Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation
    and make it plain on tablets
    so that a herald may run with it. 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
    it speaks of the end
    and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
    it[c] will certainly come
    and will not delay. Sometimes we can not get going fast enough. Joseph showed us that last week. This dream to return was not a matter of immediacy due to an emergency. He did not leave in the middle of the night. The LORD shows us the way. Genesis 12.1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” Many times it is this way as we follow the LORD. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes. God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus.” -Oswald Chambers * Obeying the LORD is the Key to Living an Abundant Life v.21 He got up and left. It doesn’t seem like this was the middle of the night. Three times so far Joseph obeyed the dreams given. Matthew 1.24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the LORD had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. Matthew 2.14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And this time v.21 * God Works In A Mysterious Way vs.22-23 He brought them back to Israel He brought me back to Long Island. He brings us back some times. He is desiring the church be brought back to the manger, back to the simplicity of His birth, Back to the meaning of it, Back to the Son of a man Who had no place to lay His Head even at His birth! Some of you listening by livestream, God is calling you back to the church, to be part of His Kingdom. He brought them back home to Nazareth. Their hometown but not the most desirable place in Israel. The Father, the Everlasting Father, the Waiting Father is desiring to bring all people to His Home. Jesus was called a Nazarene. Isaiah 9.1-7 Galilee of the Gentiles by the Sea Nathaniel would ask, “Nazareth, can anything good come from Nazareth?” Not a compliment “Come and see,” said Philip. John 1.46 That is what we need to be doing! Inviting people to come to Jesus. Psalm 34.8 O taste and see that the LORD is good. As God deals with our lives it so important to follow His direction fully. Obedience to the LORD does more than we can ever dream of or envision! ❤️ There is peace and joy and blessing in following Jesus. It is the only way to have abundant life.

Warnings From The Wonderful Counselor

Warnings From The Wonderful Counselor Isaiah 9.6-7 Matthew 2.1-12 Joseph Magi 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. 13 When they had gone, an angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the LORD had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” We hear and see warnings every day. Hess Truck small parts, not for children under 3 years old Warnings= A Divine Command To teach from Heaven Admonished, instructed God warns us through His Word Proverbs, Hebrews He warns us through other’s lives, their examples God warns us through dreams * These warnings came from the LORD. We may take certain warnings of man very seriously. Covid Protocol So strict, unbending We should all the more with the LORD’s warnings. I have found in my ministry people argue, debate, get angry at times when I have warned them. Neither Joseph nor the wisemen did that. They did what God instructed them. Joseph was a wise man. Few have heeded the warnings. Don’t be like them. Submit to the LORD’s will Submit to His Word Submit to His Plan for you. We spend the first half of life wrestling with God, wanting to work for Him, our way, according to our dreams. In the second half we submit to His will, His dreams and visions… the dreams and visions of Christmas. We need to remember: Jesus was born in obscurity. Jesus discouraged news about Him spreading. No self advertising. Jesus humbled Himself continually. He had one purpose: to do the will of His Father in Heaven. He told His disciples. Luke 10.20 “do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.” Luke 17.10 “when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” * Ignore the warnings of the LORD at your own peril, Listen to them and live, a full abundant life He is not trying to make life hard, on the contrary He is trying to spare you the consequences of grief and pain by making poor choices. Proverbs 3.1-17 The first nine chapters of Proverbs are full of warnings. Immerse yourself in the Proverbs Live and learn Warnings: Bees in backyard in Bellmore. Tried to drown them… didn’t work Waited for my father. He knew what he was doing. Our Father in Heaven always does. Listen to Him, listen to the warnings. Wait. Jesus, Everlasting Father, Counselor of Wonder… if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father! This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him. Bees with Tony a two summers ago. Night, warnings Taking down the tree in my Mom’s backyard… Tristan and I… all the others fled! Missed the warnings… first day of deer season… at Camp Taconic. Prayer Retreat. He keeps us in our ignorance but expects us to use our heads. You will understand what Jesus was talking about when He said in John 10.10 I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. I have come that they might have life and that more abundantly. I have come that they might have life to the full. The warnings of God are to enhance our lives, to make them full, abundant, more and better than we have ever dreamed of. * Be wise and listen to and heed every warning! Proverbs 3.7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. Joseph could’ve said, “I just got set up here in business in the local guild. I’m getting to finally make a living and now I have to move to another country?” There is no record of Joseph or his name’s sake ever complaining about “inconveniences” that took place in his life. We do well to suffer quietly, when we are going through it. Share with your closest spiritual friends. Don’t broadcast or out on the social media your deep pain. Quietly, submissively bear it as Jesus did. If we are following Jesus there will be unexpected places and situations His leadership brings us to. Psalm 23 tells us that. Death’s Valley A Table prepared in the presence of my enemies God warned the Magi, the wisemen not to go back to Herod but to return to their own country bypassing Jerusalem, another route. -v.12 Following Jesus in your travels, where you are going to live My parents… moving upstate in 1973. Praying, deep praying. Found a church first, then work, then property. So when I came here, back to Long Island in 1984, I has their example. Mine was all wrapped up in one! But I remember asking Dr. Mucci for another week for praying.I wanted to be sure. My kids all around me. Grandkids all around me. God warned Joseph in a dream to get out of Bethlehem. an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. Immediate Obedience Undaunted Faith Total Surrender No doubt the Hand of God was in the census. It is what brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. God spoke to Joseph in a dream in Nazareth, now in Bethlehem. My dream, “You’re going the wrong way!” Letter. “I was going the wrong way.” January 2000 Missionary Robert Collins in the DR. Told me he had a similar dream and wrote a letter too. Same response. Your old men will dream dreams. Listen to the warnings of the elderly. Listen to their advice. Imitate their lives. Heed the warnings! Listen to the LORD. They will keep you from disaster.

The Counselor of Wonder Speaks To Joseph

The Counselor of Wonder Speaks To Joseph Isaiah 9.6-7 Matthew 1.18-25 Try to imagine, if you will, the dilemma of the Joseph was faced with. He was in love with Mary. They were in the betrothal stage. They had made plans for the rest of their lives together. They were looking forward to a happy future, a simple life in Nazareth. At this point would be considered legally husband and wife. Although the marriage had not yet been consummated, if Joseph had died during that period Merry would be referred to as a widow who is a virgin. To break this agreement would require a divorce. It seems that Mary had told Joseph that she was pregnant and about her vision, her visitation, the Annunciation that she would be the mother of the Christ, the Messiah. When asked how this would be the angel of the LORD said to her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her so that the child would be the Son of God. It could be she never got to tell him anything but, “Joseph, I am pregnant.” Or maybe he saw she was. Perhaps she told him the whole story. Whatever was said or not said we know this Joseph was not buying it. One thing he knew for sure. Mary was pregnant and he was not the baby’s father! Joseph we are told in the scripture this morning had in mind to divorce her quietly. He was thinking about this when he had a dream. All dreams that are from God are in perfect alignment with His Word. God never contradicts His Word either in prophecy, dreams, and or visions. There is perfect harmony between the Word of God and the way that He manifests Himself and direction and warning and encouragement in dreams visions and words of wisdom and knowledge. We are told that Jesus would be called the Counselor of Wonder. What God said through the angel in Joseph’s dream was wonderful counsel. * Do not be Afraid Afraid: to put to flight by terrorizing, to scare away To be struck with fear, seized with alarm, startled with strange sights or occurrences A man who finds out his wife or fiancé is expecting a child that is not his is devastated. Fear is part of this dilemma. Anger and betrayal are as well. She has broken the relationship. How could things be right again. How could he ever trust her? Hosea the prophet had that problem with his wife. Homer had children by someone else. It was a lesson in spiritual adultery for the nation of Israel and the message from God through Hosea. In fact the direction God gave Hosea is a very strange message: Hosea 1. 2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” 3 So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. Talk about fear! One of the 365 times this phrase is in the Bible in one form or another Now Joseph…Calls him by name, full name Speaks of wonders He was doing with Mary and now Joseph. Mary’s response to her unplanned, unwed pregnancy was, “I am the LORD’s servant. May it be to me as you have said. Only the servants knew. Wine at a wedding and things God is doing in your life that no one else understands! Fear not, Joseph, son of David… David committed adultery with Bathsheba. He was forgiven. The greater sin was having her husband Uriah killed. Matthew 1.6 David became king. 6-11 David had Solomon (Uriah’s wife was the mother), Fear not, Joseph, Fear is perhaps one of the worst prisons emotionally and mentally that a person can live in. Jesus Christ has come to set us free from fear. That is why throughout the Bible all the New Testament you will find these words do not be afraid, fear not. Always is because the Lord is with us. As He was with Joseph so He will be with us. He will speak to us. He will come to us. The way may not be easy. But it’s possible because of Jesus. That’s what Immanuel means, “God with us.” Fear paralyzes us. Joseph was moving away from God’s Plan. God was patient with him. He is patient with us. Fear makes mountains out of molehills. It enlarges problems. Fear is an insult to God, His character and His Word. * You Are Part Of God’s Plan Every day! Even the Quiet Ones. Psalm 139.16 You are here not by chance. His hand formed you and made you the person you are. He compares you to no one else. You are one of a kind you like nothing it is Grace can’t give you he is allowed you to be here at this time in history to fulfill his special purpose for this generation you are God servant in God‘s plan and God‘s perfect time. Roy Lessin I believe so why should I worry or fret? I know Who holds the future. I know Who holds my hand. I know just as sure as I’m singing this song I’ma part of His Almighty Plan. In times where you are saying, “Where are you, LORD?” You are still part of His plan. In this time when Joseph thought the worse, God was bringing about the best. True this couple lived with people drawing wrong conclusions. The amazing thing is they did not care about anything but doing what God wanted. There will be times, if you walk closely to the LORD, when you will have to walk a lonely road. People often misunderstand what God is doing in some else’s life. It gets more painful when they assume and even gossip. Being falsely accused puts you in the company of Jesus. Obey the LORD no matter what. * Joseph Obeyed Matthew 1. 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. The way of worry free obedience is the way of peace of heart and mind. Do not worry. Psalm 37.8 Do not fret—it only causes harm. It will eat at your soul and body. It will rob you of joy. You will never be able to enjoy the present. It will rob you of sweet sleep. You will be full of guilt. I know I should not worry. Go over the things you know are true. Look back over your life. All of your worry has been vain. God is all powerful. God is on my side. Go is in control. * God Took Care of Him, Baby Jesus and Mary He always does for those who trust in Him. A virgin pledged... God saw that His Son would be cared for as He grew in a family. He is a God of incredible details. He takes care of His people. He is always preparing a place for us! Egypt, Church of the Holy Family Old Cairo God spoke again in a dream to Joseph Matthew 2.19 After Herod died, an angel of the LORD appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. The LORD used dreams, dreams that Jospeh had, to reveal His plan to him. Today, primarily, He speaks to us through His Word and when needed confirms it with a dream or vision. Sometimes He speaks to us through a dream for a specific purpose. Father and daughter… going the wrong way. Father and son in DR. God is at to work in your life greater ways than you could imagine or even dream of. The wisest thing you can do is trust Him. Let the Counselor of Wonder be your guide. Get into His Word like never before. Pray about everything. Rest in Him.

Dreams and Visions of Advent

Dreams and Visions Acts 2.1-21 V.17 in the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams. You may think that I’m picking a strange section of scripture to begin Advent. This message is an overview, a preview, an introduction to our theme throughout December, The Dreams and Visions of Christmas/Advent. I’m not talking about “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”, nor am I speaking about the “visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.” What is Advent? Over the month of December we are going to be looking at the dreams and the visions of the Christmas story. Before we get into that next week I want to talk to you this morning about dreams and visions according to God‘s Word. We are in a time where we have the whole counsel of God in the old and the New Testament’s. In the first book of the Bible and the last book of the Bible we have dreams and visions and all in between. Does God speak today through dreams and visions? I believe He does. But we need to test the spirits just like we read last week from I Thessalonians 5. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil. Dreams and visions cannot be completely understood immediately all the time. The LORD spoke to Habakkuk the prophet, Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2.2-3 I do not believe that Dreams and Visions ought to sought after. As we are seeking God, seeking to be filled with His Spirit they do come from time to time. Having said that I have known some godly people that have said they had neither a dream or a vision. Yet whole works of God contain. It is indicated that since the Day of Pentecost they would be happening. * God spoke to Mary, Joseph and the Wisemen through visions and dreams. He also spoke through the prophets about Christ’s Coming. We will be talking about that during Advent. These were dreams and visions of information, warning and direction. We need that and we get that from God’s Word, the Logos. John 1.1 There is another word for word. It is rhema. It can come in two ways. From our reading the logos, a specific passage takes on special meaning. Someone speaks a Word of Wisdom, or a prophecy. From a dream, vision or prophecy. Helen Wilke. The rhema word can happen when you’re reading a particular passage of Scripture, perhaps one you have seen many times before, and you see it in a new light and see how it applies to your life personally. * We must test these. Psalm 105. 17  and He sent a man before them—     Joseph, sold as a slave. 18  They bruised his feet with shackles,     his neck was put in irons, 19  till what he foretold came to pass, till the Word of God proved him true. The Word of God is true. Wait. I John 4.1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. * Many times dreams and visions come when we are going about our lives. * We must be discerning but also not be closed to God speaking to us. * God often using His Written Word with A Vision or Dream He did so with Nehemiah and Haiti He did so with my coming here. Spanish speaking people moving into the area. Ron Posey’s word… three directly involved, others a hand in. Pastor Mauricio’s vision… Elisha’s vision, Belgium Block statement He did so with Joseph and Mary. Saturate yourself with His Word. Marinate in it. Dwell in it. Continue in it! God is speaking in these last days. We are in an epoch time. Things are happening that have never happened before. the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, Habakkuk 2.3 * We are in an appointed time. We are seeing things happen we have not seen until now in our lifetime. Through God’s Word, through Him speaking to us in unusual ways, we can be like the Men of Issachar, men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take. I Chronicles 12.32 The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread. Because of fears that the new variant has the potential to be more resistant to the protection offered by vaccines, there are growing concerns around the world that the pandemic and associated lockdown restrictions will persist for far longer than hoped. God is at work in our lives. I do not think we are understanding fully Christ in us. He resides in us by His Spirit. He is with us. He is in us. He is our Hope of Glory. * In these last days let’s be open to His Holy Spirit. * Let’s remember that He is able to do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine. * Be discerning. Joseph got in trouble for telling his dreams, of course God used it. * Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Devoted To Prayer

Being Devoted To Prayer Acts 2.42-47 Colossians 4.2 Luke 18.1-8 Revelation 16.15 Prayer= addresses to / conversations with God, places devoted to prayer/ synagogue and outside if there was no synagogue Prayer is conversation with the LORD God Almighty. Missionary and evangelist E. Stanley Jones wrote, “The first thing in prayer is to get God. If you get Him, everything else follows. Allow God to get at you, to invade you, to take possession of you. He then pours His very prayers through you. They are His prayers—God-inspired, and hence, God answered. “Prayer’s like the fastening of the cup to the wounded side of a pine tree to allow the resin to pour into it. You are now nestling up into the side of God—the wounded side, if you will—and you allow His grace to fill you up. You are taking in the very life of God.” Devoted= regular and continually, persist, constantly diligent, committed, dedicated, persevere Colossians 4.2 “devoted” to adhere to one, be his adherent, constant to one, to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing, to continue all the time in a place, to persevere and not to faint, to show one's self courageous for, to be in constant readiness for one, wait on constantly So important being devoted to prayer is that Jesus ruthlessly cast out everyone who bought and sold in the temple, and said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations…. But you have made it a ‘den of thieves’ ” (Mark 11:17). We need to be on our guard for those things that can enter our temples and take the place of prayer. The devil has an arsenal full of stuff… everything from bitterness to busyness. He told His disciples the parable of the widow, the friend at midnight and the unjust judge to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He calls us to faithful, persistent, importune, persevering prayer. Romans 12.12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. If you pray only when you have a great need in your life then you are not devoted to prayer. We are to pray always and not give up. What do we need to be devoted to prayer? * Faith Believing prayer makes a difference Believe God answers prayer. Believe that God is able to anything. Believing we receive answers Matthew 21.22 We are to pray from our hearts and have our hearts and mind in prayer. It is not just a recitation. It is communion with Almighty God. The early church depended upon it. They were devoted to it. Faith is believing what God says He will do. * Persistence the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people. Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees. Praying for people who need the LORD. They may not feel they do. Praying for people who are addicted. This is very hard. Why we need a fresh move of God’s Spirit today. Lunch with the District Superintendent this week, spoke about the move of God in the 1970’s, how people were delivered from drug addiction instantly. Praying with faith can be so challenging. Not because we do not need it but because we are Laodecian times. Feeling we are rich and have need of nothing. Wealth management. Praying for one another. James 5.16 offered in faith Being devoted to prayer… * Importunity persistence, especially to the point of annoyance. Widow Luke 18.1-8 Friend at midnight Luke 11.5-8 Keep on asking, seeking, knocking Matthew 7.7-8 Inconveniencing ourselves and others. shameless audacity Grayson in Haiti, “Mommy,Mommy, Mommy…” Kimberly mimicking him. We do not inconvenience God but it may look like it. He Who watches over Israel neither slumbers or sleeps. We can call on Him any time and any place. Luke 11.9-10 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. * Perseverance Persistence: Firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. Perseverance: Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. Both terms imply that strength and tenacity are needed. Praying always and not giving up. The widow The friend at midnight Jacob, “I will not let You go until You bless me.” Genesis 32.26 We are in demanding times. We need to be devoted to prayer, right up to the end. * It is a spiritual battle for most. Ephesians 6.10-18 Spirit led prayers, Spirit filled prayers are needed for us to be devoted to prayer. Romans 8.26-27 * We need the LORD to open our eyes to the needs all around us. * To be devoted to prayer we must abide in Christ * There is nothing like the joy of answered prayer! Let’s pray. We have a personal account of the genesis of "I Need Thee Every Hour": Hawks writes, "One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks during a bright June morning [in 1872]. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me -- 'I Need Thee Every Hour. . . .'"

The Apostles Teaching

The Apostles’ Teaching Acts 2.42-47 Revelation 2.1-7, 13.8-10 We are looking at the things the church in its infancy were devoted to. In His addresses/letters to the seven churches in Asia the LORD commended the good as well as rebuke that which was wrong. The Ephesian Church had forsaken their first love. - Revelation 2.1-7 first= in time and place and rank. In the beginning, out of their love for Christ they their priorities in good order- correct order- their motive and actions were on target. We know they were strong witnesses- they held to the truth. the Word of the LORD spread widely and grew in power. Acts 19.20 What happened?! that Christ told them this! Simply could have been their heart was not as affectionate for Him as in the beginning. The beginnings of love… joy, thrill, just wanting to be around the person What were the early days of  our church like? No building, Main Street Memorial Building, Smith Street What brought us together in 1945 by the efforts of the Bellmore and Patchogue Churches. You had on the south shore Patchogue Bellmore and East Rockaway that was it as far as the Church of the Nazarene was concerned. These folks had concern for the lost and started this church from that heart. They were devoted. Sunday then was a full day of meetings. They held our services the beginnings of at 3 PM in the afternoon, every Sunday. Wonderful! 76 years later, what has happened? 3 Spanish Speaking Churches have begun, one Haitian Church and the rebuilding of a church down in Haiti, joining in with Peniel in Columbia Our congregation has survived and thrived in a Pandemic. Spiritually. What is holding us together today? The Apostles Teaching The Fellowship The Breaking of Bread Prayer What happened in Ephesus? Perhaps other issues became more important than witnessing- spreading the Word. It could be that they had become bitter and angry- perhaps they had gotten caught up in getting rich quick schemes? Paul wrote to Timothy about those who think godliness is a means to financial gain (I Timothy 6.5) Did they lose the fellowship? Did they stop breaking bread together? Did they stop praying? Maybe they were doing all of them but without passion. Maybe they had let some of them slip out of being “devoted to” The height from which they fell - Love is the highest place a church can come to. You cannot improve on love! They lost their first love.. Perhaps God's Word and prayer wasn't as important as it once was- maybe they stopped teaching about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit- we have all seen that happen. * When a loss of first love happens the Apostles Teaching, the Word of God loses it authority in a life. Acts 6. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word. We are in a time now that “calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” Revelation 13.10b Difficult times are coming in the end for the people of God. We are told here of extreme terror. Some places in the world have seen that. Coptic Christians in Egypt… time will tell what is happening in Afghanistan with the church. If China invades Taiwan the church there will suffer greatly. Like In the times of the prophets. Jeremiah Elijah under Ahab. There is a need today to patiently persevere in the Word. Pastors need to be faithful to the Word. God’s people need to be devoted to the Word * What was the Apostles Teaching? It was the Word. What was the Word? It is the Logos. John 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. With great power the apostles continue to testify to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus and much grace was with them all. Acts 4.33 The apostles teaching was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, crucified and risen and coming again! I Corinthians 2.2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The early church was devoted to this. Devoted= regular and continually, persist, constantly diligent, committed, dedicated, persevere We are in a time now that “calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” Revelation 13.10b Patient Endurance= steadfastness, constancy in the face of the greatest trials Deliberate and loyal Faithfulness= conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it Revelation 10.9a He who has an ear let him hear… The Spirit is speaking to the church today, right now. The time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. There is also a time of persecution coming to the Christians here in the United States. We have seen it around the world. We need to be prepared for it here. The best preparation we can make is found here in the scripture this morning. Be devoted to the Apostles Teaching. Read your Bible. Hebrews 10.25 Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing but let us encourage each other and all the more as we see the Day approaching. Jesus said, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. John 8.31 Study God’s Word by yourself. Meditate on it. Remain in His Word. Abide in it. Continue in it. Listen to the online Bible Studies. If you are not up at 6:30am, listen later. Be a Berean! Acts 17.11 Now the Berean were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Jesus gave them a solution Remember- Repent- do the things you did at first. Be a lover of God and His Word. Be devoted to the Apostles Teaching.

The Mystery of God

The Mystery of God Revelation 10.1-7 Psalm 92.1-2, 59.16-17 Call to Worship  Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” 5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as He announced to His servants the prophets.” God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform, He sets his footsteps on the sea, and rides upon the storm. There are mysteries in life and there are mysteries in the Bible. In the Word of God… · The ultimate conversion of the Jewish people is called a mystery (Romans 11:25) 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. They are close. They are spiritually blind. They will come. God promised it. He never fails. · The church is called a mystery (Ephesians 3:3-11) The Gentiles coming in 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. The fullness of the Gentiles is called a mystery (Romans 11:25) One day the last Gentile will come. At that time God will turn His attention to Israel for their salvation and all Israel will be saved. · The living presence of Jesus in the believer is called the mystery of God (Colossians 1:27-2:3) I Timothy 3. 16 Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh,     was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels,     was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world,     was taken up in glory. God in us. We becoming godly. Change in our hearts and minds. It is all about Him and what He has done. · The Gospel itself is called the mystery of Christ (Colossians 4:3) 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. That is a good prayer for us to pray for those suffering for the Gospel, for all of us. SunRay this week. * There are mysteries around the Second Coming. I Corinthians 15. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory?     Where, O death, is your sting?” The mysteries of life… When I Don’t Understand When I don’t understand, There is One Who does, Fills me with His presence, Til I am lost in His love. When I don’t understand, He gives me Grace each day, Places His Hand upon me, Leads me in His way. When I don’t understand, I trust in His Word, Looking to His promises Made by my LORD. God gives us somethings to know, others we do not know. Sometimes life doesn’t make sense. We need to have the Eternal Perspective. In Life… * Why do the innocent suffer? * Why are people who seem to have faith not healed. * Why does Christ wait for His Return? * Why do lose people at a young age? * If God knows who is going to heaven why do we just get there? * Why does God not answer me? * Why does He stand afar off in times of trouble? * Why can’t we just simple get along on earth? * Why do the wicked prosper? We need that heavenly perspective. I believe that many times we are disappointed because we have set our affections on things below rather than think above. I Corinthians 13. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. Matthew 11.6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me. -Jesus to John the Baptist. Right now we are to reflect His Glory to a lost world. The glory of God was in the temple. The lamp stand was a symbol of light. Living holy lives is a way of bringing His Kingdom to earth. Sometimes there are no answers that seem to satisfy… Christ will come. O LORD haste the Day when this faith shall be sight. Jesus cried out “My God my God why have You abandoned Me? “It was the last blow for the Man of sorrows. Live by faith. -Fenelon