1/1/2022  New Beginnings

 

In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.  The earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the waters.  Then God said “Let there be …” (Gen. 1:1-3)

January 1^st is the first day of the first month of a new year.  God began creating all things on the first, the first day of creation.  A new beginning for all things! 

At the end of six “days”, all things were good (Gen. 1:31). 

God is before anything was formed, everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 90:2).  The Hebrew word used for everlasting is olawm (H5769) which is eternal, everlasting, always was (hidden parameters or unknown to us) (H5956).  He always was, is, and always will be.  We also need to remember that a day with the Lord is “as” a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8, Psalm 90:4).  ‘Yom’ (H3117) the Hebrew word for day, can mean a day (sunrise to sunset) or represent a non-specific amount of time.  The Greek word ‘Hos’ (G5613) is a comparative word, not saying that it is but is “like”.  Man, on the other hand, has a beginning (Gen. 1:26-28) and because of Adam and Eve being disobedient to the Word of the Lord we have an end “…and to dust you shall return (Gen. 3:1-19).  Because we are temporal, finite (have a beginning and an end) and God is infinite (no beginning, no end).  Who can truly say how long a day is with God.

I mention this to put things in perspective.  Man was created an eternal being, but through disobedience was given so many years to live on earth.  We know early man lived long.  Adam was 930 years old when he died (Gen. 5:5).  Presumably that was after he was booted out of Eden.  Noah live 950 years including the flood time (Gen. 9:29) and Methuselah lived 969 (Gen. 5: 27).  Moses lived 120 years (Deut. 34:7).  David became king of Israel at age 30 (2 Sam. 5:4) and died after reigning forty years (1 Chron. 29:28), so he was seventy years old when He died.  A whole lot less than Adam or Methuselah.  Basically, the farther man got from Eden, the shorter the lifespan. 

Unfortunately, man kept bouncing in and out of his relationship with Father Until God decided it was time make His appearance through Jesus. 

Jesus ushered in another “new beginning”.  Not only was He getting Israel (His 1^st love) back on the right track, but He was opening the door for the Gentiles to join in with eternal life so all would have the opportunity of life. 

Think about it. In the beginning, man lived in the blessings of God but, by and large, rejected that relationship.  Here, Jesus is again offering man the blessings of the Father, though He was going to Israel first.  Why?  Israel was originally intended to be God’s example of His love to the world, but, as a whole, they couldn’t keep their act together.  So through Jesus, Father was offering them that opportunity again (if you will).  Though the first Christians were Jews, too many rejected Him.  So the door was also now opened to the Gentiles.

Jesus offered eternal life to all who would receive Him and follow His lead.  His example.  Live in His love!  Now, understand any of those who sought and loved the Lord, (even before Jesus) were given the opportunity for life.

The new beginnings in the “New Testament” the disciples weren’t just bringing people into the “Way” (Jesus’) but helping them to live in the “Way”.  The Way?  Abiding in the love of Jesus Christ.  Learning how to love our brothers AND our neighbors.  The Jews knew ‘what to do’ and too many felt that ‘knowing’ was sufficient but knowing isn’t necessarily putting it into practice, nor does ‘just’ knowing get us into heaven.  Read the gospels.  Therein are the examples.

Jesus focused on faith and then putting that faith into action.  How many times did Jesus say “believe and you shall receive.” (Mark 11:24)  How many times did Jesus say “Just believe” (1 Thess. 2:13)?  The centurion believed Jesus could heal his servant just by speaking the word – even though they weren’t at his house (Matt. 8:5-10).  Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that they knew what to do, but their hearts were far from Him (Matt. 23:27-31).  The ‘religious’ of the Jews put on a good show but they only desired to better themselves!

Living in God’s love was not new.  Read Hebrews chapter eleven – God’s “hall of faith”.

So Jesus started a movement intended to draw people closer to Father.  To reconnect in a relationship Adam and Eve enjoyed in the beginning.  He could do this because Jesus IS Emmanuel, God is with us (Matt. 1:23).  His whole ministry was built on building that relationship with the Creator of all things.  Christianity was to be the ‘new’ banner carrier for eternal salvation.  Christianity was to show the world how to love as God loves.      

But, alas.  Just as the Jews, the Christian church eventually became ‘comfortable’ in what we had.  Somewhere between those early disciples and today, we’ve lost the fire, not for evangelism but for establishing new converts so that their house is built upon the rock – and not sinking sand (Matt. 7:24-27)’.  PTL!  (Praise The Lord), Over the centuries, Christians have become comfortable in their ‘sand castles   But what did they do after the salvation experience?  Did they get those ‘new souls’ into a grounded church where they could get nurtured in the love of God and grow strong, knowledgeable and faithful?  How many took the time to nurture any of these new souls, themselves?  How many churches are truly equipped to get souls off on the right foot?  Read some church history.  Over the years, some kings who “got saved” commanded that their subjects do likewise.  Not a personal relationship but personal obedience to the king’s decree.  There were a number of reasons why souls didn’t get grounded in Christ over the centuries.

Paul reminds us that we should do that which edifies the church (1 Corinth. 14:26).  Paul had to remind the Corinthians to always speak the truth in love that we may grow more Christ-like.  We are all members of one body (Christ is our head), building each other up in love that all might be edified.  We learn to put off those things we used to do and be renewed in the spirit of our mind.  Put on the new man, growing in righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:15-32) and be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving one another.  After all, Christ has forgiven us!  Right?

Look at the church today!  Has the church become a series of ‘closed’ social clubs?  Where is the focus?  Getting bodies into the church so we can boast about how ‘big’ our church is?  So we can brag about how much money we bring in?  So we can show off all the programs we have?  Look at us!  Ain’t we great?  Don’t get me wrong.  There’s nothing wrong with programs, people like to feel involved; offerings, there are expenses in operating a church; and a full church is necessary to the other two to work!  As long as souls are being nurtured and growing in God’s love, we are on the right track.  That’s “agape” love.  Doing things because they are the right thing to do. Doing things to help others whether we get recognized or not.  Doing things because we ‘really’ care about the growth in others. 

Just like the Jews of 2000 years ago, today’s church – despite the good things it does – has fallen off the track.  And just like the Jews, it’s because our hearts have wandered off.  Oooh!  Those mega-churches are doing everything right!  Those poor, ‘little’ churches should be doing better, where their …..?

Whether we realize it or not, Father has just closed out a ‘training period’ for His people.  That is, He has been raising up a cadre of Godly men and women who have, or still are learning to abide in God’s love.  Brothers and sisters who will be going out just as the early disciples did.  Not just winning souls for Christ, but helping them to live ‘in’ Him and not just ‘for’ Him. 

Jan. 1, 2015 began that seven year training period for those servants and now we are entering a second seven year period where what Father has been teaching will be put to use.  This “Spiritual Explosion” will be growing over the next several years moving into full bloom by mid-term of this season.

If we have been watching, parts of Africa and Asia have already seen early rumblings of the explosion and over the next several years it will spread out world-wide.  Have you been listening?  Many evangelists, prophets and ministers have also been talking about the “revival” here in the US.   All of Africa and Asia, along with Europe, the Americas and Australia will also be impacted. 

Will all these places become Christian over-night.  Sadly no, but the impact of God’s movement will be felt and the world will know God has and is moving!

This season we are just starting isn’t “just” a revival.  Father is going to impact lives, perhaps, as never before.  Jesus promised the disciples that they would to the works He did and greater (John 14:12).  I’m not sure exactly what different we can do other than heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out devils, but we can be rest assured there will be more of it.  Africa is an indication.

Will everyone give their heart to Jesus.  Jesus knows it won’t be so.  It wasn’t true in His day and even today, too many people are stuck in their own ruts.  Some will hear the word and it will go in one ear and out the other.  Because of a sand based foundation, some will endure for a while, but when trouble comes (and it will) they will turn away.  Others will get so wrapped up in their own thing, they will forget what Father has done for them and slip back into the ways of the world.  But Father is raising up those who will help those who truly desire Him to stand fast and resist anything and everything the enemy throws at them and stay true to our heavenly Father. (Matt. 13:1-23).

Who will be like the woman who would settle even for the crumbs falling from the master’s table (Matt. 15:22-28).  And yet I tell you that God’s sons and daughters will not have to settle for the crumbs.  Who will be like the Centurion who felt he was not worthy that Jesus should come to his home.  All Jesus would have to do is say the word and the soldier’s servant would be healed (Matt. 8:5-10)!

Jesus (and His early disciples) impressed upon us that as we believe, we will receive.  If we knock, the door will be opened (Matt. 7:7-8) and the indwelling Holy Ghost (John 14:17) will guide us and help us to say what is needed to be said (Luke 12:11-12).

Some reading this will come to realize that everyone has a part to take in this explosion.  Some bigger than others, but even if our ministry is ‘just’ one other person, we all have a part.

Who will be ready and willing to take part in this Spiritual Explosion?  Father will certainly enable us.

Amen