Pastor Bob’s Blog

Have you ever thought about this? Our life circumstances right now are the direct result of decisions – large and small – we have made in our lives.

We decided whether to study or watch TV, whether to go into debt or wait until we had the cash, whether to use drugs and alcohol or stay clean, whether to go to church or stay home. We decided whether to eat healthy food or junk food, whether to exercise or just sit on the couch, whether to have sex before marriage or save ourselves for our future spouse. We make political decisions, financial decisions, family decisions, work decisions, time decisions, spiritual decisions.

Every day we make decisions. Some seem inconsequential. But each decision is important.

God gave us some guidance when He spoke to His people through Moses, as recorded in Deuteronomy 30:19 (NKJV): “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”

The Lord must have thought we needed some help. After giving the choice, He gave the answer: choose life!

We have that choice every moment of every day. Most people don’t even realize it, but those decisions either lead to life and blessing, or to death and cursing.

Jesus said this as recorded in John 6:63 (NKJV):“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life.”

Solomon, inspired by the Holy Spirit, put it this way in Proverbs 4:20: “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.”

When we think we can ignore the instructions – the commandments – the Lord gave us in the Bible, we choose death and cursing. When we think we’re so self-sufficient and smart, and don’t need any help from God, we choose death and cursing.

When we are humble enough to acknowledge that God is smarter than we are, and to do things His way instead of our own way, we choose life and blessing. When we acknowledge that even in the seemingly smallest decisions we need His direction, we choose life and blessing.

We can and should seek the Lord’s mercy and forgiveness, but can’t change the decisions we’ve already made. We can, though, change the way we make decisions in the future. The decisions we make will determine where we end up – in life or in death, in blessing or in cursing. He gave us a big hint: Choose life!

Does this sound like you? Something’s gone wrong. Terribly wrong. Maybe sickness has hit your body. Or maybe the bills have been piling up while the money has been leaking away. Or maybe hurt and strife have hit your family in a big way. And all you can do is think about the problem. It looms like a big monster in front of your eyes.

David had days like that. While he experienced the zenith of fellowship with the Lord, he also slipped into the depths of despair. Even his own son wanted to hunt him down, take his throne, and kill him. Here’s what David said, and it’s recorded in Psalm 121:1-2 (NKJV):

I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.

Here’s what David is telling us – or really what our Heavenly Father is telling us through David. Stop looking down. Stop putting all the focus on the problem. There isn’t a lot you can do by yourself anyway.

Just think about taking a walk. If you spend all your time looking down at your shoes, you won’t see what’s in the distance in front of you. All you’ll see is your shoe leather and the pavement right in front of you. You’ll miss seeing how the path ahead of you is bending. You’ll miss the beauty of the sunrise, and the scenery around you.

What would happen if you lifted up your eyes. Start looking up at the LORD, the same one who made heaven and earth. If He can put a complex planet together in a complex solar system in a complex galaxy in a complex universe, if He can make a human being in all our complexity, then He can take care of what looks like a mountain of trouble in your life.

Look up. Search His promises in the Bible. Spend some time worshiping. Get quiet and pray, just you and Him all alone. While you’re with Him, He’ll invite you to cast your care over on Him and carry it for you. He’ll show you the way out. Before you know it, what looked so big will begin to shrink in comparison to how awesome He is, and how faithful He is to perform His promises.

Look up! Remember – He loves you! And unlike any person you’ve ever known, He will always be faithful to His Word.

Look up!!

In chapter 13 of the gospel according to Mark, Jesus instructs disciples of all generations about the signs of His return.  In Mark 13:33, after describing the signs, He winds it all down to this:  ”Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.”

Why did He tell us to watch?  For at least two reasons.

First, Jesus wants us to watch so we will see and know the signs of the times.  We’re now seeing signs of what He referred to as the “beginnings of sorrows” in Mark 13:8 and Matthew 24:8: wars and rumors of wars, nations and kingdoms rising against each other, earthquakes, famines, and troubles.  The beginnings of sorrows will usher in a string of prophetic events culminating in Jesus’ return.

Disciples of Jesus should not be surprised by His return.  We’re supposed to watch so we will see.  In Matthew 24:37, Jesus says the coming of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah.  How is that significant?  Noah knew a flood was coming.  No one else even knew what a flood was.  But Noah knew because the Lord told him, and Noah prepared – despite the ridicule of his family and neighbors.  If Noah knew, so will we even as the rest of the world sits in darkness!

In fact, in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, the Apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit tells us that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.  But in verses 4-5 he tells us that day won’t overtake us as a thief because we are not in darkness, but are children of light.

We should not be surprised! In John 16:13, Jesus announces that when the Holy Spirit comes He will reveal things to come!  Every Spirit-filled believer should be turning inwardly to see what the Holy Spirit is revealing.

Why should we watch?  So we’ll see and recognize the signs of the times.

There’s a second reason for us to watch.  Jesus told us to watch – and pray! We must watch so we’re thoroughly equipped to pray to the Father, in the Name of Jesus, effectively and with great precision.

If we as members of the Body of Christ step up, keep our eyes open, and pray with power in these days, great things will happen in the earth.  Will you take your place?  Will you watch and pray?

I’ve started preaching a series on the prophecy the Lord spoke through me for 2010.  This past Sunday, I preached about the attitude we should have during the coming time of intense judgment.

Our attitude must be one rooted and grounded in love.  Love is our commandment.  Love is how people will know we’re the disciples of Jesus.  If we judge other people, we won’t be loving.

Jesus put it to us this way in Matthew 7:1-2 (NKJV):

Judge not that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

In the New Living Translation, verse 2 is translated like this: “Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.”

That’s really sobering.  If we don’t want judgment to be piled on us, we must refrain from judging others.  If we’re critical in judging others, then when it comes time, we’ll be judged critically.  If we exercise mercy, we’ll receive mercy.  James put it this way:

Judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.  Mercy triumphs over judgment.  James 2:13 (NKJV)

In fact, Jesus told us that even He didn’t come to judge (the same Greek word can be translated “condemn”), but to save.  (See John 3:17 and John 12:46-48.

That doesn’t mean we turn a blind eye to sin, or equate sin with righteousness.  After the last of the adulterous woman’s accusers dropped his stone and walked away, Jesus didn’t turn to the woman and say, “OK lady, go ahead and keep committing adultery.  It’s not a big deal.  Adultery is as good as being committed to your covenant of marriage.”  No, He gave her instruction in righteousness.  He told her to go and sin no more.  He didn’t do it to be judgmental.  He was loving, encouraging, and helping her to stay close to God and live in the Blessing instead of the Curse.  He was helping her avoid judgment.

We must also be absolutely brutal with ourselves about our motives when we see people whose life decisions will lead to judgment, and we’re prepared to say something to them, or to someone else about them.  Are we preparing to wag our finger in disapproval?  Or are we really trying to encourage them in their walk with the Lord?

And if someone’s conduct does lead to judgment, and they fall, are we poised to say, “I told you so?”  Are we at the ready to tear them down and preach at them?  Or will we step in and encourage them and help them to be restored.  Galatians 6:1-5 gives us our instructions – restore them gently, don’t be puffed up about our own righteousness, but examine our own work.

Here’s the bottom line.  If we act like Jesus, we’ll love.  If we act like Jesus, we’ll grow and develop and live in the fruit of the Spirit.  And if we act like Jesus – if we love instead of judge, minister instead of condemn – then as judgment rains down all around us, we’ll be kept safe.  If we really act like Jesus, we’ll win people to Jesus by the thousands, because they won’t be able to resist His love.

Let’s resolve to intensify our efforts to live the life of love this year.  Let’s be radical for Jesus.  Let’s love people instead of judging them.  When we do, we’ll unleash the power of God, and lives will be transformed – including our own!

What a weekend it was.  Court Street in Athens, Ohio, was filled with costumed revelers for the annual Halloween block party.

This year was different.  Sure, there were plenty of people who were drunk.  As always, we saw silly, offensive, and clever costumes.  Loud rock bands played at both ends of Court Street.  What was different?

402 people received Jesus!  In the midst of the revelry, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was offered in love, and 402 people responded.

How did it happen?  Riley Stephenson, Minister of Evangelism for Kenneth Copeland Ministries, trained and led teams from Abundant Life Church into the fray.  Danielle Dallas and Kelly Cates, two experienced members of Brother Riley’s soul winning team, dove in as well.  The Holy Spirit moved, and lives were changed forever.

This was a snatch and rescue mission.  Jude 23 (NLT) says this:  “Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. There are still others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful that you aren’t contaminated by their sins.”  That’s what Brother Riley and Sisters Danielle and Kelly helped us to do.  They trained us to overcome fear and live a “lifestyle of evangelism.”  The lives of those who prayed will never be the same.  We will never be the same.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that soul winning is only for the five-fold ministry, or for people who have a special calling.  If you’re a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, then you’re called to be a soul winner.  In Mark 16:15 (NLT), Jesus made it about as plain as He could:  “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere.”  That includes you.  It includes me.

If you want to know more about what to do, check out Brother Riley’s web site:  www.rileystephenson.com.  His site has lots of great materials.  Also, his YouTube channel (rileystephenson) is chock full of great videos, including a few from this last weekend’s Halloween.  Or contact us at Abundant Life Church.  We’ll hook you up with our new evangelism director, Lola Reardon.

Become a soul winner.  Someone’s eternal life is depending on it!

Yesterday I posted a blog about Kenneth Copeland Ministries’ 2009 Southwest Believers’ Convention and the New York Times article covering it.  I want to be sure that what I wrote is not misinterpreted.

I’m not condemning the Times or the religion professor who is quoted in the article.  That’s not an appropriate response from a true follower of Jesus Christ, and that’s not what my response was intended to be.

Matthew 5:44 (NKJV) says this:

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

As one who considers himself one of the Copelands’ spiritual sons, I consider an attack on the Copelands to be an attack on me.  What must be (and is) my response?  To love, to bless, and to pray.  And when a contrary thought pops up, it’s my job to cast it down, and to love, to bless, and to pray.

I pray for the Times reporter, for the religion professor, and for all those who have been so critical of Brother and Sister Copeland.  Will all of you who confess Jesus as Lord you join me?

My family and I made our annual trip to Fort Worth for Kenneth Copeland Ministries’ Southwest Believers’ Convention.  As always, we had an awesome time.  I highly recommend it for anyone who seeks a week of outstanding preaching and teaching, glorious praise and worship, and intense immersion in the Word of God.  We were also blessed to reconnect with old friends and to make new friends.

We were also blessed to learn that 2774 people gave their lives to the Lord Jesus as a result of the work of Riley Stephenson’s evangelism team, which swept the streets of Fort Worth during the week before and the week of the convention.  The Word of the Lord will not return to Him void, but will accomplish His purpose!  (Isaiah 55:11).

On Saturday, though, I read an online New York Times article about the convention.  Not surprisingly, it highlighted pictures of ushers carrying stacks of offering buckets and of a woman placing an offering on the steps of the platform, and included digs about the speakers’ preaching about prosperity and divine health, and the manifestation of health and prosperity in the speakers’ lives.  The article also quoted a religion professor from the University of California, who attended the convention to do “research” on Word of Faith preachers.  He gave his opinion that the preachers were irresponsible because they barely acknowledged the current economic downturn, and because they suggested that people continue to tithe and give while expecting a financial return from the Lord.

Let me flip open my Bible.  It says that the tithe is holy to the Lord.  (Leviticus 27:30, 32).  My Bible tells me that the Lord considers it robbery to withhold tithes and offerings.  (Malachi 3:8).  The Lord also invites us to test Him and His promise that He will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing for the tither, and that He will rebuke the devourer for the sake of the tither.  (Malachi 3:10-11).

Jesus Himself preached the hundredfold return on giving (Mark 10:29-30) and that the giver will receive “pressed down, shaken together, and running over.”  (Luke 6:38).

Obviously, the Times article didn’t include any such scripture references.

The Times article also missed the the theme of Brother Copeland’s messages during the convention: remaining clean of covetousness.  In an awesome series of teachings, Brother Copeland taught from Luke chapter 12 about covetousness, and about maintaining a right relationship with money and things.  Just like Abraham, we’re supposed to be blessed for the purpose of being a blessing!

I love to tithe and give.  It’s an honor to be able to tithe and give.  The day I stop tithing and giving will be the day I go home to be with the Lord.  And because the Blessing of Abraham has come upon me (Galatians 3:14), I can be like Isaac and thrive in famine.  (Read from Genesis chapter 26).  If I thrive, I can be a blessing to people who are hurting, and to ministries that are spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

We already have our hotel reservations to return to Fort Worth next year.  In the meantime, I plan to implement what I learned at this year’s convention.  I and my family will continue to tithe and give, and to be obedient to the Lord as He instructs us.  I’ll probably preach to Abundant Life Church in Athens some of the things I learned in the convention.  When next year’s comes along, the Lord will have provided more than enough for us to attend and to be a blessing to other people along the way.

I thank God for Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, and to the other speakers at each year’s Believers’ Convention.  My family and I are blessed to have heard them!

(If you want to see and hear the teachings from the conventions, you can find them online:  http://www.bvov.tv/kcm/ondemand/2009swbc.php.  Also, you can see the side and back of my bald head in the picture above).

This last week a really great couple moved to town.  They’d visited the church once, and I’d had the chance to be in touch with them by Facebook.  Wonderful folks.

One of the guys in the church stepped up and offered to help them move in.  His mom, who also is active at Abundant Life, made food for them.

People try to over-spiritualize love.  Jesus said that no one can have greater love than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  (John 15:13).  That may mean dying, but it doesn’t have to.  It could mean lifting couches instead of fishing.  Or making food instead of going shopping.

Doing something useful for someone else when you’d rather do something else is a great expression of love.  God’s love isn’t a squishy feeling two teenagers feel.  It’s something active.

Here’s the word the Lord gave me.  “Love isn’t love until it gives or does something for someone else.”  So go do something for someone or give something to someone.  Don’t do it with a frown.  Do it with a smile.  And when you’re doing it, don’t take the credit for being a do-gooder.  Give the Lord the credit.  Tell them God loves them.

I can guarantee you.  You’ll never have more fun than when you’re living the Love.

Janet and Craig Watson.

Today I received a Skype call from my dear friend, Craig Watson, the pastor of Eagle Christian Ministries in Durban, South Africa.  Cherie and I have a covenant relationship by divine appointment with Craig and his wife, Janet, and we are becoming closely knit together in the Spirit.  Craig and Janet have been in Athens and have ministered at Abundant Life Church.  Talking with Craig via Skype (a free computer to computer “telephone” call) with web cams was like being in the same room with him.

Craig shared with me that his greatest passion over the last many months has been to live in the presence of God.  For years he has enjoyed daily fellowship with the Lord.  Lately, though, he has been hungry for the Lord’s presence, and has begun to spend each Wednesday morning in prayer and fasting before God.  The result has been striking.  Craig has experienced wonderful times of fellowship and received extraordinary revelation and anointing from God.

To Craig’s flesh, taking Wednesday morning to seek God seemed like a big sacrifice.  In addition to pastoring, Craig and Janet operate an international logistics business that is thriving in famine.  Time is not something he possesses in excess.  But he made the quality decision to make time to seek God, and has reaped enormous rewards, both in the Spirit and in the natural.

Craig reflected, and I agree, that we’re not “professional preachers” delivering a joke, three points, and a story.  We shouldn’t preach just to preach.  Instead, we need to preach from a position squarely in the presence of God.  The presence of God and the anointing that accompanies His presence makes the difference between just a nice message and a rhema word from God that will change the lives of the hearers, open blind eyes, heal bodies, bring deliverance to the captives, and cause miracles to occur.  Like Moses, we should not preach or do anything unless the presence of the Lord goes with us.  (Exodus 33:15).

In your own life, seek the presence of God and let it transform you.  Make a quality decision to spend time in the Word of God, being quiet before the Lord, and hearing His voice.  In your marriage, your job, your health, and every other part of your life, seek first His kingdom – and His presence – and everything you need He will supply to you.  (Matthew 6:33).   And when He supplies it, it won’t be by small degrees.  It will be exceedingly above all you can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20) and according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

Seek His presence, and let Him transform you!

I’ve been preaching a series drawn from the church’s foundation scripture, John 10:10:  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  (NKJV)  Part of that abundant life is divine health.

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should not be afraid of the “Swine Flu.”  Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.  (Galatians 3:13 NKJV).  Every sickness and every plague is under the curse of the law.  (Deuteronomy 28:61 NKJV).  Logically, then, Christ has redeemed us from every sickness and plague – including the Swine Flu.  It’s part of why He came.  Isaiah, forseeing what Jesus would do, prophesied:

Yet it was our sickness he was bearing, our suffering that he endured.  We accounted him plagued, smitten and afflicted by God; But he was wounded because of our sins, crushed because of our iniquities.  He bore the chastisement that made us whole, and by his bruises we were healed.  (Isaiah 53:4-5 JPS).

Don’t be like Job.  A hedge was around him, but he lowered it by fear.  “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.”  (Job 3:25 NKJV).  We have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.  (2 Timothy 1:7).  So keep the faith hedge up.

I recommended to my congregation that they just turn off the TV and close the newspaper stories that sow seeds of fear about the Swine Flu.  Yes get your rest.  Yes drink plenty of water.  Yes get your exercise and eat right.  But spend more time reading the Word, meditating on it, and confessing it over yourself than you do fretting and worrying about Swine Flu.  Christ has redeemed you from it.  So at night, turn off your light, roll over, and fall asleep safe in the Lord.