Next week I’m starting a new blog series entitled: "Ten Challenges Facing African Americans & What You Can Do." Trust me, I will hold no punches and exercise my 1st Amendment right.
Will I offend some, YES…
Will I spark debate…YES
Will you disagree…MAYBE
Will you engage…I HOPE SO
Will I cuss…STAY TUNED 😀
Will you comment…I PRAY THAT YOU DO
Stay tuned…Spread the word…Can’t wait till Monday…
Yesterday I ended the series "Gametime" with the message, "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire" (Nehemiah 6:1-5). I confess, this is now my favorite message so far. Personally, I believe this series was more than just a teaching series where I speak and the audience takes notes, no – it was more "prophetic."
By "prophetic" two elements must be involved: truth spoken with power. A word becomes "prophetic" when becomes so powerful that it it’s hearers are compelled to prompt action. A prophetic word is like a proverbial rock in your shoe, it bothers you and you can’t ignore it. A prophetic word "stays" with you until you decide to do something about. I’ve heard sermons that left me feeling good, but, didn’t prompt me to action. I’ve heard so-called "deep" sermons that left me saying, "huh." However, I’ve heard very few sermons that bothered me so much that I had to do something about it. That’s a prophetic word!
When a prophetic word is spoken listeners receive a "Rhema Word." When
a person receives a "Rhema" word, the Holy Spirit gives special
illumination to the hearer with specific application. This begins a person’s transformation.
"Gametime" was all about discovering God’s Will and getting involved in it! I taught on:
1. God’s Providential Will (things He’s going to do regardless of us – like sending Jesus)
2. God’s Moral Will (things He clearly told us "to-do" & "not-to-do"
THINK OF THESE TWO AS HIS DIVINE GUARDRAILS
3. Within His Providential & Moral Will, you’ll find His personal will for your life.
Last Sunday I gave a biblical shortcut for those who need to know God’s will in a hurry. Click here if you want to know too!
That’s all for now…stay tuned more to come later today!!!
At Mars Hill, I often brag on our members because we have some of the most sincere people on this side of heaven. Additionally, they are some of the smartest people I’ve ever met. Often, I receive emails on various topics that get my attention. This week I received an email from a member who asked, "Can the people in heaven see us?" Man, what a profound question!
Hebrews 12:1 states, "Therefore, since we are
surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…
"Some understand the
"cloud of witnesses" as being people looking down on us from Heaven.
That is not the correct interpretation. Hebrews chapter 11 records many people
whom God commended for their faith. It is these people who are the "cloud
of witnesses." They are "witnesses" not in that they are
watching us, but rather in that they have set an example for us…they are
witnesses for Christ, and God, and truth.
Hebrews 12:1 continues, "…let
us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and
let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
The Bible does not specifically say whether people can look down on us who are
still on the earth. It is highly likely that they cannot. Why?
1) They would
sometimes witness us sinning.
2) They would sometimes see things that would
cause them grief.
3) People in heaven are so occupied with worshipping God
and enjoying the glories of Heaven that they truly have no interest in what is
happening here on earth.
The very fact that they are free from sin, in heaven,
and in God’s presence is enough for them to be happy. While it is possible that
God allows people in heaven to look down upon their loved ones, the Bible gives
us no reason to believe this actually occurs.
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