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Straight From The Pulpit
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Pastor Larry Gatlin, S. Oregon
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Happy New Year
Strombolis Family.
Everything is looking a bit grim in the world
we are physically living in today. But isn't good to know that we are not bound
by this natural realm, but we are citizens of a much greater Kingdom, "The
Kingdom of God."
As we proceed on into 2010 there some areas
that we must begin to develop and grow in. This month I want to take some time
to explore and examine some crucial areas for 2010.
First, we are entering into a season of
heightened spiritual awareness and conflict. I believe we will begin to
experience times of great resistance in the Spirit, but at the same time as we
walk in the Spirit we will see some awesome Breakthroughs. It will be important
for us to position ourselves through greater times of prayer, fasting, and The
Word of God. For many years I have spent a great deal of time reading the whole
Bible through in a year. About seven years ago the Lord spoke to my heart about
spending a greater amount of time in reading and studying the New Testament.
But this year the Lord has spoke to my heart, through my wonderful wife Janice
and encouraged me to read the whole Word through again.
Get into the Word
this year, it will guide you through some battles that await you.
Heb 4:11-13 NKJV For the word of God is
living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Second: We must walk with a broken and contrite heart. A heart that is
wholly given to perusing the Lord. It is a heart that God says He will not
deny. Why? Because it is a heart that aligns with His. A heart that is longing
to be with Him and like Him. It is a heart that puts the things of God above their
own desires and wants. Oh, I'm not one of those who teaches that it is more
spiritual to be poor. I just believe that we must always put God first. I'm
certain you all remember Matt. 6:33, "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God
and these things shall be added unto you." The key to contrite and
broken heart (Ps. 51:17) is to seek the Kingdom of God.
Third: We must be ready to take
our commitment to the Lord to a higher level. Aim at nothing and you'll hit it
every time. I don't how many times I have heard that old adage. But it is true.
We must set our sights on the Kingdom of God, going after it, living it, and
growing in it.
Eph 2:6-10 NIV “And God raised us up
with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in
order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his
grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you
have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us
to do.”
Fourth, we all know that there is a great
need for leadership in the Church today. Leadership that is faithful to the
call of God, faithful to follow God, faithful to lead. Most often we see
leadership as the Fivefold ministries found in Eph. 4:11. Or the appointment of
Deacons and elders as we read in Acts. But in the times we are living in we
must be ready to step up and lead from every level of the Body of Christ. I
heard a historian once say that the difference between the German army and the
American army was that when a German officer was wounded or killed in battle
there were no non-commissioned personnel to step up and lead. But when an
American officer met the same fate a sergeant, corporal, or even a private
would step up and take the leadership position. We are at a point and time in
the Body of Christ where we must all be willing to step up and lead. Oh, I still
believe in the Five Fold ministry and its importance to the Body of Christ. But
there must be many leaders arise.
Now having said that, all who are called to
the Five Fold ministry must step up and be the leaders that God has called them
to be. It will require that we all depend upon the Holy Spirit. We must heed
Eph. 1:17, 18.
Eph 1:17-23 NKJ “That
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the
spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding
being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are
the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the
exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the
working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from
the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all
principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things
under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is
His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Fifth: Never forget the past.
In fact learn from it. But we must never try to continue to live in the past.
We have a great and glorious future and we
must learn to live in vision and the future the Lord has for us. God has some
awesome things ahead for those who will walk in all that Father has for His Church.
There are things that God is going to bring
change in. But many will miss what He is doing because they are not willing to
change. I'm not talking about change for the sake of change. But change that is
brought about by what God wants to accomplish in our lives.
Matt 9:16-17 NIV "No one sews a patch of un-shrunk cloth on an old
garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither
do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the
wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into
new wineskins, and both are preserved."
We must be flexible like New Wineskins. Old
wine skins are dry and cracked and would burst if New Wine was placed in them.
I heard an evangelist who told of a process that will allow old wine skins to
become soft and flexible again. It requires that oil be used and rubbed in to
the old skins. Once they are re-conditioned they can be filled again.
We must allow the Holy Spirit to be rubbed
into our lives which will allow us to become tender and flexible again.
Sixth: Finally, there are
some amazing Kingdom Secrets and Mysteries that God has hidden in His Word for
those who'll search them out. Proverbs 25:2-3
Ø It is the glory of God
to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
Ø As the heavens are
high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable (NIV).
In this New Year I challenge all of you to
search out all that God has for you. Search out the Word and allow Him to
reveal everything He desires to show you.
Pastor
Larry
