Rekindling Your Spiritual Flame

Doesn't come easily to a lot of people because we live in a get it done quickly and get it done easy society that prejob technology but the problem is that the best things in life require perseverance in an age of instant card online music and on-demand viewing can get almost anything we want when we want, but true Christian joy and peace. Well, those are little harder to comply hello and welcome to this Wednesday. Addition of Destin for victory with pastor Paul Shepherd wherever you are and how they may be listening. Thanks for spending part of your day with us pastor Paul takes us today to the book of Revelation, and to a letter written to the church in Ephesus. As you follow along, you'll see that this body of believers had a lot in common with many modern churches, maybe even your own stay with us here or visit pastor Paul.net any time to listen to Destin for victory on demand reminder. You can also download and subscribe to the podcast at Google podcast or whatever you enjoy your podcast must join Pastor Paul for today's Destin for victory message rekindling your spiritual flame.

I want to continue our examination of the early part of the book of the Revelation in the last message we look at the fact that Jesus is the one who loves us. We talked about the fact that nobody loves you like Jesus.

I don't care how well loved.

You think ER by anybody else there. Love doesn't compare to the love of the Lord. He's the one who freed us from our sins by his blood, we talked about the fact that since we were sinners by nature and nurture. He has now made us righteous by nature and by nurture.

He is the one we are told in verse five of Revelation. One is the one who is made us a kingdom and priests.

We talked about being a royal priesthood, to God. He's the one in verse seven, who is coming again, and we affirm the fact that Jesus is not going to leave us in this world. Thank God, but he is coming again, and we comb through the rest of the chapter and just noted those things that show us who Jesus is and what I called high definition now as we move into Revelation chapter 2 I want us to notice that God gave words to John to pass on the seven churches that existed in Asia minor at the time of his writing to our best knowledge. John was on the island of Patmos somewhere between the year A.D. 90 and 95. Somewhere during that period is when he received this revelation and after he returned from his exile on the island of Patmos. The Lord told him to go and to give these messages to those seven existing churches, but these were words, not just to those churches. These are words by way of divine inspiration for the church down through the ages.

So when we look at the seven letters written to seven existing churches at that time in the early history of the church. We can learn lessons that applied to our lives here and now everything that God says in his word. You will find an appropriate application for your own life things written before hand or written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

So we're not doing any damage to our walk with God. When we take these messages to those churches as though they were messages to us because indeed, by way of inspiration.

They are to do is comb through this first letter with you and just make sure we get the just of what God had to say to the church at Ephesus and to the church today.

He says to the angel of the church in Ephesus is now just the sidebar. The word angel here could also be translated messenger messenger it's written to the messenger of the church. What's that about all of the letters were written to the angel of the church or the messenger of the church.

No doubt it is a reference to the senior pastor we would call in today's church culture or teaching elder in certain churches. The one that God uses to deliver his word to that congregation to lead them and feed them. God said through Jeremiah way back in Jeremiah 3. He said I will give my people shepherds after my own heart who will lead and feed the people with knowledge and understanding and so this has reference to those who would speak to those congregations.

He said John these words give them to the messenger, who will in turn share them with the church. They are called the seven stars. He said these are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, were told in the last verse of Revelation. One. The stars are the angels, or the messenger of the church and the lampstands are the churches themselves. So God calls me a scholar here in the Bible. Just thought you want to know that Goldman star not supposed to be big and I'm not supposed to be completed because he cannot get a start down that he wants to knock down so you're at the were about me.

I will stay humble you know Abernathy had people say what we got to pray to the Lord of keep the pastor humble well that's fine you can play along those lines, but trust me I know the price of getting conceited in the things of God. I've seen a few folk go in the wrong direction and I'll see what God does stars and start tripping so I'm good.

Pray for me that I may stay humble if you care to, but believe me, that is not a particular temptation I'm facing. Tony said the Lord of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden candlesticks. In fact, when John Simon chapter 1 he said when I turned to see the Lord.

I saw him walking among these lampstands. I want to let you know that God is clear that God is walking among the churches not only Van but among churches. Now I want to let you know, God knows very well that the church belongs to him. Sometimes we manhandle the things of God.

We are the charge by organization. But God the church to be an organism, a living body, and it is his body, the Bible says that the charge is the body of Christ. So we exist for his purposes and he is walking among the golden lampstand and then the next word just helps you understand that the next phrase because it says I know your deeds, God says to the church. I know exactly what is going on among you.

Please understand that the charge belongs to the Lord, which is why we can act any old kind away in the family of God you can't be anyone you want. You can do anything you want to cancel any conditions you want because we are the organization we belong to the organism which is the body of Christ is the head. The one that has dominion over all that we say and do. He says I know your deeds, if you have any doubt about that. Just look at the early church, and you see that God was very, very concerned about what happened among his people when they were giving with extraordinary generosity – The QNX Before you see verses that explain that the church was given with unusual generosity because they are in the opening days of the church. Many people are being disowned because they were forsaking the traditional Jewish lifestyle and they were now following what the Bible called the way the church was originally called the way in those early days and many people are being disowned by their families and the church pulled their resources together and said will do whatever it takes to take care of one another and so people were selling property and giving the money to the apostles and say listen doing this what you need to do in order to take care of the needs of people extraordinary generosity broke out in the early church and God was pleased with it because it was coming from parts that were right before him. But if you've ever read. Acts chapter 5 you find out that there was a couple in the church that wanted to sell property like the Noid, but their hearts were not as generous yet they wanted to appear to be like every body else coming up next. The rest of today's message rekindling your spiritual flame with pastor Paul Shepherd, senior pastor, destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. If you've never stop by our website pastor Paul.net. I invite you to do it when you have some time to find all of pastor Paul's recent messages on demand plus a host of great resources that are online store, including books and DVD messages from Pastor Paul pastor Paul.net is a great place to learn more about the ministry and all the great things friends like you are doing through your prayers and financial support and be sure to watch the selected video clips by subscribing to pastor Paul on YouTube for more details and links to all of his social media sites.

Be sure to visit pastor Paul.net you can fool some people all the time and all people.

Some of the time, but in acts chapter 5 reminded that we can't fool God.

Any of the time is basketball with the rest of today's message rekindling your spiritual flame what you read in acts chapter 5 is that Ananias and Sophia sold some property but they held back some of the money now. It was their property and sell it in the first place because God never forces people to give. It is always your privilege to worship through giving and you will be blessed as you do it, but God does not force people to give so they didn't have to sell their property and once they sold it they didn't have to give it, but they Charles to attempt to get a part and like they were giving all they held back part of it and it was an offense to God now that God is so given the charge that he sees how much we gear up and he sees the heart out of which we give it which means someone could get what seems if somebody else to be a generous amount and God looks at your heart, and says that's not acceptable to me. I don't like was going on on the inside, and God is so Solberg and Beasley early days of the church that God decided sovereignly. He would make an example of Ananias and Sophia going to relax. Chapter 5 what happens. You see, the Lord send the apostle Peter to the house.

Peter shows up and runs in Ananias listen to master something. Did you sell your property and then give all the proceeds of the work that God is doing among us, and I said yes I did and listen to what Peter said after that Peter said you have not just to men you have lied to God. Listen, God will go to the next level when we realize that God is intimately on where details of our lives thought he could get on people but you know you're dealing with God, not people to men does about us when you get all wrong folks all you want, he said you have a lie to God. Now he was not just because of his stinginess he was because of his hypocrisy because of his desire to put be what he knew he was not willing to be all say listen listen when he first won the apostles, he should've said no we got 50,000 for this and I'm giving y'all half and I will keep the other half.

But no, he pretended like the 25 was all that he got and that's what God judge and Peter said because you lied to God, the Lord is not please and Ananias dropped day you can fool around and God's church. This is straight people and God starts and get away with it and we need to understand this is the house of God judge for his standing as if God was getting stands in full article dropping through down the centuries, including today's church, God is get the phone call may, we will have to build another facility.

But God judges the heart and their hearts were not right in the Bible says Ananias dropped dead on the spot. Meanwhile, it says a little while later the fire comes in. I always think about coming in with bags from Nordstrom and Macy's say that but that's the picture she come in and he asked the same questions you have the opportunity to repent, and she chooses a lie. She says we gave it all.

And Peter said you have been lied to men.

You lied to God, and the same man that just buried your husband are on their way back right in your Bible, you can't play with holy things for God been to be a hypocrite not well be, but God have mercy on me, willing to let you teach me and walk with me and let me become the person you want me to be in the house of God.

He said I know your works.

I know what's going on. They look at what he says here he first complements and I love that pattern you see the pattern in most of the letters to the seven churches that there is a commendation, but there is also a word of admonishment, God commands them for what he can commend them for, and then he admonishes them to call them up to a higher place so here when he commands them. Look at what he says. He says I know your hard work and your perseverance. I know you can't tolerate wicked men that you've tested those who claim to be apostles but are not and have found them. I know that you persevered and have endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary.

Then in verse six. He also says and you hate the practices of the Nicollet Athens which I also hate all the wonderful things I love that about God when he is going to chastise us or admonish us. He first gives us a word up as something to be a firm he will affirm you. I love that about God is an evenhanded parent, not just to get all was well with your peers affirming what he loves about what you're doing. I love that about God. He commands you with the left before a picture with the right. He says you're working no persevering to heaven and you haven't grown weary is something we are constantly told in the pages of the word of God that we have got to be people how to persevere.

These are days when perseverance doesn't come easily to a lot of people because we live in a get it done quick get it done easy society technology is a blessing and a curse. At the same time. It is a blessing because it allows us to do things efficiently and quickly and conveniently that feature of technology.

But the problem is when you get cell convenience and life. It is so easy to get so much done. You lose appreciation for the fact that the best things in life often require perseverance that something that happened quick in your life that something that happen easily in your life balance. Some things are going to have to date down and persevere and we have to develop in our day because we are so convenience me. Just think about again beating ourselves up over it, but we do need to recognize the way in handicaps of we are so used to being the as I told you many times before we complain about things that 5060 70 years ago your grandparents or great-grandparents never dreamed of when they said they were taken a trip will be a long trip. Now when we say were taken a trip we can do it as easily as our budgets will we can just get on the computer make a reservation building have to talk to anybody make a reservation get on the plane you show up at the airport get on a plane of vehicle that God has blessed man would be happy to build that will actually fly there. Plus thousand feet and the miles high and instead of saying, Lord, that I'm up here traveling at 500 miles an hour to get there quickly go see my family in a matter of a few hours. Lord, thank you that you've given me in this kind of wisdom know what we don't know y'all better bring me some peanuts and some you don't think that I paid for this ticket, set up here and you get when you're gone so quickly, but instead we ignore the same bat speed of travel that convenience of travel receipts all cramped up.

Never ride in the stagecoach. We are so blessed we take it for granted. Go to the grocery store I told you before go to and mad because you can't park right up next to the building mad at you five minutes, listen to yourself.

You know what you do know found a parking space out all my goodness, you had to walk two minutes before you got in the building and then you get in there and you get the cart and you go up and down the aisles and send Lord thank you for this wonderful convenience. Thank you that I can just pull things off the shelf, put it in this dark and will pay for it will feed my family and do what I needed to know we will believe what they want me to pay you to grow box that I put your choosing that by that particular item and then you go to your pilot and then God.

If we to the counter area and there are more than three people ahead of us how tall I know y'all better get some things that three of the class policy yeah well that's a bad dog and you're talking because it's going take you a few minutes to check your food and get out of the place I'm telling you folks, we had better learn to be grateful for technology, but we also learn to acknowledge that there are some things in life. You're not going to get easily or quickly and got these people because they have learned how to persevere when they put their heads down. Trust God and they go through you know spiritual maturity doesn't happen overnight are no shortcuts, no easy buttons. It takes patience, perseverance, and a lot of hard work to become all we can be in Christ would be encouraged. He who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Hold onto that promise today this message rekindling your spiritual flame as part of Pastor Paul Sheppard's teaching series you've got mail the seven part series offer some keen insight into the letters written to seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 and three. That's you've got mail. Look for it online@pastorpaul.net and someone 07. King David writes then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. If you need prayer today. The destined for Victor ministry team would like to pray for you from the homepage of Pastor Paul.net use the contact feature to let us know how we can pray for you and why you're there the website. Be sure to ask for Pastor Paul's monthly letter of encouragement. Yours, at no cost or obligation in here something else. A booklet from Pastor Paul called traits of a virtuous woman.

This is a great companion guide to Pastor Paul's message from earlier this month, in praise of godly women.

That's the booklet traits of a virtuous woman from Pastor Paul based on Proverbs 31 our gift to you by request for your generous gift to Destin for victory.

Call 855-339-5500 to give over the phone or mail your gift to Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538. You can also make a safe and secure donation from our website. Pastor Paul.net thanks in advance for helping keep Destin for victory on the air while they said well since were saved by grace which is unmerited favor. Then God doesn't mind if we continue to live in sin, because his grace will just keep on covering all we know is that given God a lot of sin to cover Pastor Paul is talking about one of the first New Testament churches, but it's a problem we still face today when grace becomes disgrace on tomorrow's Destin for victory. I hope you join us. Until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in Christ, you are destined for victory