Sunday, November 27, 2011

Revelation 4 - Worship Transforms (notes)

Revelation 4 - Worship Transforms

The Lord Jesus Christ Wants us to know that if anyone has the answers to the problems in our world it is the believer or a member of the church. If we are going to experience Heaven on earth we must learn the truths in Revelation that transforms. Worship is a transformational principle.

Worship

  • Is something I can do anytime, anywhere, all the time whether I am in church or not. My wife plays worship kids CDs for our grandson all the time at home, in the car or here in her office. She did it when our children were little. One of the greatest parenting skills every parent can do is to create an atmosphere or worship at home.
  • Is what everyone of us can teach our children to do. This is one of the great Christian disciplines. Bringing God’s presence into our homes will invite God’s presence into our homes, into the hearts and minds of our children and their friends when they come over.

Revelation 4 :1

  • The Throne in Heaven
  • 1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in Heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
  • John is transported right into the presence of God here.

Man Has Tried

For thousands of years to look into the supernatural realm but has failed if God has not been the center of our worship.

Jesus Christ has to be the center of any worship experience.

In every generation since Jesus came people have been taking trips to heaven.

Little children, Muslim terrorists, are seeing Jesus today are being transformed.

Key To Revelation
Rev. 1:3

  • Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
  • If there is anything the church in our culture needs to practice is being in the Spirit. Paul said to walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

We Can Walk

  • Free of sin by walking in the Spirit. We don’t have to sin, we don’t have to fail or fall, even with all the evil around us we can stay in the Spirit.
  • When we worship God in the Spirit we can live in the spirit and live free of sin and failure. We will succeed in life, personally, in our family, in our job or business, in ministry.

John Is Transported to Heaven

Relation 4:2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in Heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.

Testimonies

  • Colton Burpo and Akiane Kramarik are two children who have been transported into God’s presence and both saw Jesus and He looked the same. One is a PK and the other the daughter of an atheist.
  • They both saw amazing colors (a rainbow) that they never saw on earth. There are colors in Heaven that we don’t have on earth. John saw those colors.

The Throne of God

  • Is filled with color, light, activity.
  • 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.
  • Some believe that the 24 elders are members of the church. A court in Heaven that carries out what God says. The church has been given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt. 16:18

Jesus Has Given

Us the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven to declare lawful and to declare unlawful on earth as it is in Heaven, in the court of the universe where the 24 elders of the church are. We need to stop living below the Heavenly standard of living that Jesus has provided for us to live in. Stop living like a pauper when you are a king.

Jesus Has Given Us The Keys To The Kingdom of Heaven

Mat. 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven.

God’s Throne Is Dazzling

5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. The throne of God is big, it is dazzling, it is bright with the glory of God (and all the amazing colors of a rainbow). and it is full of the holiness of God but it is also accessible to every child of God. It is full of sight and sounds that demonstrate that God is not wimpy or small but All Powerful and majestic and full of brilliance.

The seven lights are a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Seven is the number of completion so the Holy Spirit is the complete revelation of the awesomeness of God. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

The Sea of Glass

What is the sea of glass? Some say that the gold in Heaven is so pure that it looks like glass so this could be a huge courtyard in front of the throne of God where people can come and be before the throne of God and see the court of Heaven and the glory of God’s presence. But this isn’t all there is around the throne of God, read on.

The Sea of Glass

10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. They each had two wings spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the Spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.

The Glory of God

Ezekiel 1 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,

5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human,

6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.

The Presence of God

15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.

Worship Is What Heaven Is

If you read Ezekiel's account of the glory of God in the first chapter you see something very close to what John saw. The lion is the king of the animal kingdom on earth, the eagle the king of the bird kingdom. The ox is a worker, type of Jesus who has completed the work of redemption so we don’t have to work ourselves into heaven. The man is a type of humanity in God or God in humanity like Jesus the God-Man.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Worship Is Our Life

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being.”

Heaven, Worship & Authority

We talked about the court in Heaven and the power and authority they have in making decisions for what happens on earth but look at what they do when worship starts. They stop what they are doing and they cast their crowns before the throne of God and worship God. This means that it is not our position that we have that is important but our position in worship that is important.

We need to worship Jesus without being ashamed, inhibited or intimidated.

Heaven, Worship & Authority

We must be like the court of Heaven and cast our crowns before the throne of God and fall on our face before Him and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. The church must put worship as one of its highest priorities. We must put it above evangelism, outreach, feeding the hungry, praying for the sick or anything else. We must put the Word of God before us and read what Heaven is like and learn to worship like Jesus wants us to.

Revelation 4 - Worship Transforms

Revelation 4 - Worship Transforms this message was given on 11-27-11

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Revelation 3 - Love and Thanksgiving (notes)

Revelation 3 - Love and Thanksgiving

The Lord Jesus Christ

  • Desires to transform our church into a living example of the Kingdom of God in the world today.
  • Gives advice to the church at Philadelphia that he has the key of David. This implies that worship is a vital part of being a church after the heart of God.

The Philadelphia Church

  • Is the church of brotherly love. Jesus says that only God can open doors and no man can close the door that God opens. God had opened a door of ministry for this church and only God can close it. It is the same for us. On the other hand God closes doors that no man can open and if God closes a door, let’s not break it down we will only suffer for our rebellion.
  • Was a church that had lost its influence and strength and only Jesus could return it to its former power.

The Devil & The Church

  • Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it…”
  • The Devil always tries to get into the church. He does it with leaders who allow the people of God to put them into an unhealthy place. Pastors need to stay close to Jesus so that they never allow the church to elevate them to a place that is unhealthy.

How Satan Enters The Church:

When a leader thinks he is above God’s Law and thinks he can not be rebuked, removed or replaced.

Love - Rev. 3

  • 10 'You have kept My command to put up with anything that happens. So I will keep you from the time of suffering that is going to come to the whole world. It will test those who live on the earth.'
  • When the church walks in love Jesus promises to keep that church from the time of suffering that will hit the world.

The Blessing

  • Of holding on to Jesus. No one will be able to take away our crown.
  • Of overcoming. Jesus will make us pillars in the temple of God, we will always be in God’s presence. He will write the name of God on them and the name of the city of God on them. In Rome when someone received high national honor their names were engraved in public places on stone.

Views On The 7 Churches

  • Every church is a period in church history.
  • Jesus addressing people in the seven churches are people in every church in history.
  • Since the church is individual people Jesus is speaking to us as individuals and as a corporate group. Yes, Jesus mentions false teaching, false leaders in that time in history in Asia Minor but if you look at the church today there are similarities in the church today.

The Admonitions

That were given in the first century apply to the church today. Jesus is the head of the church and when He makes a statement, or a rebuke or a compliment to a church almost 2,000 years ago it can apply to the church today.

The Church of Laodicea

  • Jesus is revealed as a faithful witness and the ruler of God’s creation. Jesus knows what the church is doing, He is all knowing. This church was lukewarm, neither cold nor hot and that makes God sick.
  • If there is anything that gets to God it is when His people think they don’t need God, they are rich, powerful, popular, in, cool, etc.
  • When a believer (who is part of the church) gets to this point Jesus says, “you don’t realize how pitiful and miserable you have become. You are poor, blind and naked.

Jesus Recommends We

  1. Buy gold tried by fire. Jesus is pure gold, nothing is worth more than Him. When I come to Jesus and ask for help, I let Him know that I can not make it on my own, I get Him. Sometimes a church becomes successful and it takes its eyes off what is really important. Then you will be rich.
  2. Buy from Him white clothes to wear. This is when I clothe myself with His righteousness. It is not good works that justifies us but the blood of Jesus.
  3. Buy from Him healing lotion to put on your eyes to see.

We Are Most Vulnerable when we are most blessed. When we are in need we tend to put our trust in the Lord. This is why revivals usually start in very needy places with very needy people. The more need there is, the greater possibility for God to work. Example of Israel in Egypt. They called on God in their time of need and God heard.

The key: We must always be needy of Him. We must always realize how impossible life is without Jesus and call on Him and He will help us, regardless of how much money we have in the bank, or how popular we are or how powerful we think we are.

Sometimes The Church becomes like the church in Laodicea, rich (in our eyes but poor in God’s), powerful, self indulgent and popular. This is when we need Jesus the most. This is when we are most vulnerable. This is when we are ready for a fall.

The best medicine for this sickness is remembrance and thanksgiving. If we become powerful, rich and popular remember from where God has raised us up from and be thankful for the blessings of the Lord.

Revelation 3 - Love and Thanksgiving

Revelation 3 - Love and Thanksgiving this message was given on 11-20-11

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Revelation Transforms - Revelation 2-3 (notes)

Revelation Transforms The Church - Revelation 2-3

The Lord Jesus Christ

Desires to transform our church into a living example of Jesus Christ in this community. Just as we talked about the transformation of the believer into the image of Jesus from glory to glory, so is Jesus coming for a glorious church free from spots, wrinkles or any other disfigurement a Church holy and perfect.

Ephesians 5:25-27

What does a Transformed church look like?

  1. It looks like Jesus.
  2. It acts like Jesus.
  3. It is sacrificial like Jesus was.
  4. It is a servant church like Jesus.

The Word of God Was Given By Inspiration

2 Timothy 3 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the faith and correcting error, for re-setting the direction of a man’s life and training him in good living. The scriptures are the comprehensive equipment of the man of God and fit him fully for all branches of his work.

Keys To Revelation

  • Revelation is never something that is not found in scripture but something already in scripture. Revelation corrects erroneous concepts about God in every generation. In every generation satan steals the Word so God sends revival and in that outpouring the spirit of wisdom and revelation comes on the people of God to correct what the church has lost.
  • Revelation also equips the church to reach its generation.

Keys

People in any given period of time can also miss the truth God has for that time like the Jewish leaders in the time of Jesus Christ. JESUS was God, the greatest figure to ever walk the earth with the most powerful teachings ever spoken by anyone.

The World longs to see Jesus in us. We need to look like Jesus if we are going to win the lost and change the world. We will be transformed into His image as we behold in the Word the Glory of the Lord. As we are transformed by the renewing of our thinking the church is transformed by the teaching of the Word God.

Principles in Rev. 2

  1. The loveless church must return to her first love.
  2. The persecuted church must endure.
  3. The over tolerant church must not put up with evil but overcome evil with good.
  4. The compromised church must repent and turn back to pure devotion to Jesus Christ and to the pure teaching of the Word of God.

The Seven Churches

  1. To the pastor of the loveless church Jesus is revealed as the one who holds the leaders of the church in His right hand.
  2. To the pastor of the persecuted church Jesus is revealed as the eternal God to look beyond your current circumstances & see your eternal future. Poverty caused by persecution isn’t a sign of the spiritual condition of the church. You are rich, don’t fear, be faithful to the end and Jesus will give you the crown of life.
  3. To the pastor of the over tolerant church Jesus is revealed as the one who has a two edged sword who will correct sin or false teaching in the church. We need the Word to keep us pure and in line doctrinally. If we don’t turn from sin & false teaching God will come to us with His sword to discipline us.
  4. To the pastor of the compromised church Jesus is revealed as the one with fire blazing eyes as the one who sees through everything. The one with brazen feet means He went to hell for us so we don’t have to go to hell.

There Is A Process

  • In how God communicates with the church. The Lord speaks to the leader of the church, not a prophet or an elder or a mature member of the church.
  • Write down what you see, both the things which are now, and the things which are to be hereafter. Rev. 1:19

Jesus Promises Something to Every Church

Ephesian church 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Smyrna church

11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Pergamos Church

17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Church at Thyatira

26-29 To the one who is victorious, who carries out my work to the end, I will give authority over the nations, just as I myself have received authority from my Father, and I will give him the morning star. He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the potter’s vessels shall be broken to pieces. Let the listener hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.

A different part of Jesus Christ is revealed to every church.

The Sleeping church

1-3 Write this to the angel of the Church in Sardis: These are the words of Him who holds in His hand the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.

Conclusion

Personal testimony of Son Life.

Revival is God visiting a place with His power and His might and shattering the forces of evil and spreading His Goodness in that place. Revival is Jesus coming to His church and revealing to His church her condition and then saying I have something much better for you, here it is, take it, embrace it, receive it and run with it and I will show you what I can do when you trust Me, when you allow Me to be the Lord of your life and the head of My church.

Revelation Transforms - Revelation 2-3

Revelation Transforms - Revelation

2-3
this message was given on 11-13-11

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Revelation Transforms - Revelation 2 (notes)

Revelation Transforms - Revelation 2

We Have

  • The answer to every problem in the world because of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
  • The Word of God which reveals the answers to all the problems in society.
  • Revelation knowledge as a result of the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
  • A great inheritance in Jesus Christ. Eph. 1

Principles About Revelation:

  1. Jesus speaks and His Word unveils principles, ideas, future events and answers to problems.
  2. Jesus always reveals truths, insights and strategies to the church for the purpose God has for that particular time in history.
  3. Revelation is given to reveal a side of God the church has missed, lost or satan has stolen.

The Word of God Was Given By Inspiration

2 Timothy 3 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the faith and correcting error, for re-setting the direction of a man’s life and training him in good living. The scriptures are the comprehensive equipment of the man of God and fit him fully for all branches of his work.

Key To Revelation:

Go through the seven letters to the churches in Revelation and look for truth God has for us today. God’s Word is like a treasure chest with secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven for every generation.

Keys

  • People in any given period of time can also miss the truth God has for that time like the Jewish leaders in the time of Jesus Christ.
  • JESUS is God, the greatest figure to ever walk the earth with the most powerful teachings ever spoken by anyone.

The World Longs to see Jesus in us. We need to look like Jesus if we are going to win the lost and change the world. We will be transformed into His image as we behold in the Word the Glory of the Lord. Revelation reveals Jesus.

Principles in Rev. 2

  1. The loveless church must return to her first love.
  2. The persecuted church must endure.
  3. The over tolerant church must not put up with evil but overcome evil with good.
  4. The compromised church must repent and turn back to pure devotion to Jesus Christ and to the pure teaching of the Word of God.

The Seven Churches

  1. To the pastor of the loveless church Jesus is revealed as the one who holds the leaders of the church in His right hand.
  2. To the pastor of the persecuted church Jesus is revealed as the eternal God to look beyond your current circumstances & see your eternal future. Poverty caused by persecution isn’t a sign of the spiritual condition of the church. You are rich, don’t fear, be faithful to the end and Jesus will give you the crown of life.
  3. To the pastor of the overly tolerant church Jesus is revealed as the one who has a two edged sword who will correct sin or false teaching in the church. We need the Word to keep us pure and in line doctrinally. If we don’t turn from sin & false teaching God will come to us with His sword and discipline us.
  4. To the pastor of the compromised church Jesus is revealed as the one with fire blazing eyes. The one who sees through everything. The one with brazen feet, means He went to hell for us so we don’t have to go to hell.

There Is A Process

In how God communicates with the church. The Lord speaks to the leader of the church, not a prophet or an elder or a mature member of the church.

Write down what you see, both the things which are now, and the things which are to be hereafter. Rev. 1:19

Jesus promises something to every church

  • Ephesian church
  • 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
  • Smyrna church
  • 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
  • Pergamos Church
  • 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
  • Church at Thyatira
  • 26-29 To the one who is victorious, who carries out my work to the end, I will give authority over the nations, just as I myself have received authority from my Father, and I will give him the morning star. He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the potter’s vessels shall be broken to pieces. Let the listener hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.

Revelation Transforms - Revelation 2

Revelation Transforms - Revelation

2
this message was given on 11-6-11