A look at the church of Ephesus--Part 2

 In our last Bible study, we had seen how God used the Apostle Paul to raise up a church in Ephesus. Ephesus was a city where the false God Diana was worshiped. That cult had a large following and its temple seated anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 people. It took Paul three years to establish the church and as a result of his efforts, there was revival.

How revival started in Ephesus.

Before we address how revival started in the city of Ephesus, we will see a series of events that occurred prior to that event. Let’s look at some points—

1. Paul spent some time ministering to twelve men. He made sure they were equipped and ready for the challenge. ( Acts 19:1-7)
2. Paul preached the gospel in the synagogues. He was not afraid to stand up to his beliefs. Unfortunately, many rejected his witness. (Acts 19:8-9)
3. Another door of opportunity opened up for Paul. Tyrannus had a place for Paul to teach the gospel unto others. This, in turn, allowed his students to preach the word and reach many in his surroundings.
4. God confirmed his miracles with signs and wonders (Acts 19:12)
5. An unsaved group of men tried to take upon themselves the casting of demons. The results were disastrous. (Acts 19:14-16)
6. This incident caused the church to examine themselves by the Holy Spirit. The church had allowed the mixture to creep in. They repented and burned all the books that had to do with curious arts such as Magic, Sorcery, and the Occult. (Acts 19:19)
7. The result was the growth of the word of God and souls coming to the kingdom

The backlash

As a result of these events, souls started to get saved and the temple was getting empty. Idolatry was big business and the silversmith industry was getting clobbered. No longer were the idols of Diana being sold. Demetrius led a mob with false accusations to kill Paul and stop this revival, but it backfired. (Acts 19:24-41)

Entering into God’s rest

The church of Ephesus, eventually, prevailed. They went on to exercise great influence on their city. They passed the test and God gave them rest to do his work in that area. Many believers have the mistaken idea that they need to suffer constant attacks from the enemy. It gives them a sense of comfort and assurance of their salvation. Yes, Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy but he can depart from you for a season.

Let’s look at the following points. First, the devil departed from Jesus for a season. (Luke 4:13). Would we conclude that there was something wrong with Jesus because the devil departed from him? No, Jesus passed his testings in the wilderness! The second point to consider is Acts 9:31. The churches had rest for a season. Passing your testings in life will cause Satan to depart from you for a season.

That is why it is so important to pray for those over us. God wants us to lead a quiet and peaceable life. (I Tim 2:1-3). Friends, there are times of rest that God gives us for our benefit. When we pray for those above us, it can influence our leader’s heart and give the church favor.

The third point is pleasing God. You can have a church in the midst of people who hate you. When you start looking to please God and be obedient to his calling, your enemies will be at peace with you. The fear of God will be prevalent and uncommon favor will follow.(Prov 16:7) 

One final point is understanding the word from a military point of view. The word of God calls us soldiers. (2 Tim 2:3) I was in the military myself and understood the importance of rest. Soldiers need time to rest. A much-needed rest will help them to enjoy the fruits of their labors. It will refresh them for the next battle to come.

End result

The end result of God’s rest is victory. The church of Ephesus was so influential that many ministries wanted to get it's stamp of approval. A stamp of approval would mean that they would expand to other areas, but it was not that easy.  The leadership at Ephesus had the gift of discernment. They knew whether the Apostles were sent or not. (Rev 2:1-3)

Another notable achievement with this church was following correct doctrine. The correct doctrine was very important. Discerning the false doctrines of its day–the Nicolaitanes caused the Lord to be pleased with their work. (Rev 2:6) All these achievements would make for a happy ending, but the Lord is not through. He noticed that they had fallen from their first love. In our next study, we will see how the Lord deals with this shortcoming.

Reprint courtesy of the Christian Corner community church.  

 

 

Cave survival 101

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4)

 Life inside the cave

Are you in a cave? Believe it or not, you can benefit from your cave experience. Let’s look at the  Apostle John’s life. Living in a society that was hostile to the Lord, he went through great persecutions. Emperor Domitian demanded the people to worship him. Many Christians refused, preferring to worship the Lord instead. Since John had a leadership position in the church, the Emperor wanted to make an example of him. 

Tradition says that they took him to the Roman Coliseum, where they poured hot boiling oil on the Apostle John. Domitian, himself, was there wanting to make an example of him. Upon seeing that God preserved John, it caused many in the multitude to turn to Christ.

This event was too much for the Emperor to bear. He sent John to the isle of Patmos, where he would face an uncertain fate, but God had other plans. His protection was upon John and he found refuge in a cave.

It was in that cave that God met with him. He entered into a new dimension with revelation insights. A new level in which his message would resonate for generations to come. God gave him a series of messages for the 7 churches as well as insights for future events. For the sake of our study, we are going to define John’s cave as the cave of Banishment.

The Apostle John passed the test of his cave. Eventually, he was set free to preach the word again. (Rev 10:11) John was restored and got back everything that Satan had stolen from him. He lived a long life and died a natural death.

The Prophet Elijah

Elijah was a man with human frailties, just like all of us, but he prayed and received supernatural answers. He actually shut the heavens over the land so there would be no rain for three and a half years! (James 5:17–TPT)

When we think of the prophet Elijah, we think of power. Let’s look at some of his miracles…

• Prophesied a drought over Israel (I Kings 17:1,7)
• Elijah revives the widow’s son ( I Kings 17:17-24)
• Elijah confronts the false prophets, puts them to shame, and prays fire from heaven. (I Kings 18:20-40)

These and more miracles were accomplished by the hand of the Prophet Elijah. The miracle of Mount Carmel was unique. It was there that God manifested himself by fire. The false prophets were put to shame and killed by Elijah. Like Emperor Domitian, Jezebel hardened her heart.  She put a death sentence on Elijah!

Elijah, upon hearing about this, ran away. This mighty man of God was afraid and hid in a cave. His human nature took over causing him to be depressed. We will call this the cave of depression. It was at this time that God spoke to Elijah. He confronted him and gave some instructions to follow.

Among those instructions, there would be a change of command in his life. Elisha was going to over Elijah’s ministry. God had other plans for Elijah. He was going to take him up to heaven with a chariot of fire. Glory! What a beautiful illustration of the rapture of the church. He went from the cave of depression into glory!

The cave of victory

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:  He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.  And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. (Matt 27:57-60)

Finally, we see another cave. This cave was Jesus’ burial site. It was sealed with a stone. Soldiers were guarding the body of Jesus. (Matt 27:63-65) It was a crucial and challenging time for his disciples. The work of the Lord seemed to suffer a setback, but God had other plans. Resurrection day came and Jesus rose from the dead. Glory!

In life, we will face testings and challenges. There will be caves in which we may have to dwell in. (Spiritually or naturally) The good news is that God wants you to pass the test. He wants you to rise above the circumstances and walk in victory. If you are in a cave, it is time to learn from your experience and come out. You are more than a conqueror!

Prayer-Dear Lord, Forgive me for complaining about my situation. Help me to learn and understand concerning my cave experiences in life. You have a plan for me. Use me for your glory. Help me to impact others in the years to come.  In Jesus’ name–Amen!

Reprint courtesy of the Christian corner community church. 

 

Pastor's thoughts

     
                     
                    

                           Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
                                                                       (Ps 26:2)


     Greetings. The word for today is Examine. When was the last time you had a heart examination before the Lord? If truth be told, we cannot judge ourselves entirely without the help of the Holy Spirit. He is our independent counsel and will tell us the truth about ourselves. As we analyze Ps 26:2, we see the word examine comes from the Hebrew word "Bachan", which is associated as Gold tried in the fire.

When Gold is tried in the fire, the impurities rise up and it is purified. When being examined by God, you will be like gold and tried in the fire. Usually, it is done when we are going thru trials and testings. It is at this point, God will allow those fiery trials to bring out whatever impurities lie in our minds and heart. The second thing he does is to try our reins, The word "reins" comes from the Hebrew word "Kilyah," which means the seat of emotions. This is where our soul is located (The mind, will, and emotions) It is at this point that the Holy Spirit will point out the pollution that has been set in our mind and how it affects our decision-making process.

Brethren, that is why mind renewal is so important. The word says that we have the mind of Christ, but it does us no good if we don't take his promises and apply it to ourselves. The word Christ is associated with lifting burdens and destroying yokes. As we renew our minds with the word, the fire will bypass us and we will pass inspection. As we take on his mind, we will think clearly and avoid deception in our lives.

The word says that we will have what we say. On this day, take some time and meditate in his word. Make mind renewal a priority and you will have the clarity to make good choices, have discernment, and avoid the traps of the enemy. Remember, you have the mind of Christ! Take what's yours and go onward to victory.

Confession---Dear Lord, I thank you for speaking to me. Forgive me for allowing my mind and heart to become polluted with the affairs of this world. Lord, try and examine my heart and mind. Help me to find any hidden motives or things that are not aligned with your will. I take the mind of Christ. I cast my cares and burdens to you. I declare that yokes are being destroyed in my life and family. I have the mind of Christ. I am more than a conqueror. Thank you for giving me the victory in Jesus name...amen.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Pastor's notes---02/24/2015

                                                                     

                             
                                 A door from heaven is here--Will you open that door today?
                                         Image courtesy of nattavut at FreeDigitalPhotos.net



                                                         Days of Heaven on Earth

                      Many Christians think that the Christian life is a hard one, filled with tribulations and problems with no end. While I do not want to diminish the fact that we will face difficulties and challenges, we need to see the other side of the coin. Yes, we know that the more we get closer to God, the more the enemy fights us. Sad to say, we sound like we have more confidence in the devil than God. We need to rejoice in what God has done for us through Christ.
                     Yes, friends, the devil is real. He is out to steal the word from our hearts and strike us with many afflictions but God has the last word. He knows the end from the beginning and he says that we are more than conquerors--Case closed! ( Rom 8:37) You can enjoy God's rest from problems, get refreshed and move on to the next trial, knowing that we can have victory in Christ.
                                    Everywhere I go, I hear talks of pessimism on how America is going down the drain. God has to show us, time after time, that if we pray, we can see results.Who can remember the famous Y2K episode? I know many well-known ministries who were selling food for the end times. Many were prophesying that we were going to go through hard times. What happened? The year 2,000 came and we survived--Praise God! Back in the 60's, there was talk of America going down. What happened? We had a tremendous move of God among the hippies and now some are preaching the gospel. We, as a body, need to stop being influenced by fear and moved more by the faith of God.
                       The word commands us to pray for our leaders. Why? That it may be quiet and peaceful with us! That shows me that we can influence the decisions that our leaders make through prayer. God does not want his word hindered and he will remove those in power who do so. (Ps 105:14) The realm of prayer is so powerful that it can change the course of destiny in a person or nation. So, stop fearing. Start seeking the Lord in prayer so that we can pray for our nation and loved ones.
                    I will end with one of my favorite verses. In Deut 11:21, God wants us to sample heaven. I like to go to the supermarkets, especially when they are giving free food samples. I get a sample of what's to come if  I buy the product. We can sample a little of heaven to make our day and you know what? It is free! We can see our days multiplied and have fun in the process. Life does not have to be all doom and gloom. We can rejoice in our toughest trial because in the end, we knows who wins. Glory to God, you are a winner and it is time to act like one. God bless.

Prayer--Heavenly Father, Thank you for your word. Teach me more about prayer. Forgive me for fearing and worrying about the future. Teach me to pray for those in authority. Teach me how to pray for this nation and my loved ones. Thank you, Lord, because I am the head and not the tail. I am more than a conqueror and I am sampling heaven in my life today because I am your child, In Jesus name, Amen.

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