Lessons On Spiritual Decline (Series 3)

Written By Zac Poonen

Consider the history of the church at Ephesus. Paul stayed there for three years, preaching night and day (Acts 20:31). That means that the Ephesian Christians listened to many hundreds of sermons from Paul's lips. They had seen extraordinary miracles wrought by the Lord in their midst (Acts 19:11). From their midst, the word of God had spread to all the surrounding parts of Asia Minor during a short period of two years. They had experienced revival (Acts 19:10, 19). They were the most privileged of all the churches in apostolic times. They were also undoubtedly the most spiritual church in Asia Minor at that time. (We can see that from Paul's letter to the Ephesians, where he had to correct no error in their midst, unlike the way he had to, in the other churches to which he wrote.)

But when Paul was leaving Ephesus, he warned the elders there that things would take a turn for the worse in the next generation, under the new leadership of the church. He told them that savage wolves would come into their midst and that from among their own midst would arise men speaking perverse things, drawing people after themselves, instead of drawing people to the Lord (Acts 20:29,30). As long as Paul was there, no wolf had dared to enter the flock at Ephesus. Paul was a faithful doorkeeper (See Mark 13:34), who had spiritual authority from the Lord, because he was anointed, because he feared God and because he sought the Lord's interests and not his own. But he also had enough spiritual discernment to know that the spiritual condition of the elders in Ephesus was bad - and so he knew that things would deteriorate once they took over the leadership of the church.

Paul did not give the elders a prophecy of what would definitely happen at Ephesus. No. It was only a warning. It did not have to happen like he predicted - if the elders would only judge themselves and repent. Jonah once prophesied destruction on Nineveh. But it did not happen as he predicted, because the people of Nineveh repented. The church at Ephesus also could have escaped the fate that Paul predicted. But alas, the new generation of leaders in Ephesus never took Paul's warning seriously and drifted away from the Lord.

By the end of the first century, the third generation had come into power. And then things became really bad. Their doctrines were still correct and they were zealous in Christian activity. They probably still had their all-night prayer meetings and their other special meetings. But their spiritual state was so bad that the Lord was about to remove His recognition of them as a church. What was their crime? They had lost their devotion to the Lord (Rev.2:4,5).

What does the history of the church at Ephesus teach us? Just this - that no doctrine is as important as a fervent devotion to the Lord Himself. There is one- and only one mark of true spirituality - that the life of Jesus is manifested increasingly in our behaviour. and this in turn can come only by an increasing personal devotion to the Lord Himself.

Paul was a godly man - a fervent and faithful apostle who was devoted to the Lord Jesus until the very end of his life. And he warned believers everywhere that Satan would try every means possible to turn them away from "simple devotion to Christ" (2 Cor.11:3).

Errors in doctrinal matters such as "baptism in water" and "baptism in the Holy Spirit", are not at all as dangerous as losing one's personal devotion to Christ. Yet many believers never seem to realise this.

We see that even Paul could serve God's purpose only in his own generation. Those who lived with him like Timothy, imbibed his spirit and lived in selfless devotion to Christ (Phil.2:19-21). But otherwise, Paul could not transmit his spirituality even to the second generation of believers in the churches he had founded.

We see a similar pattern being repeated in every movement that God has raised up - in every generation, since the first century.

..............…To be continued

Related Articles:

Lessons On Spiritual Decline (Series 1)

Lessons On Spiritual Decline (Series 2)

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http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/home_page.php

Lessons On Spiritual Decline (Series 2)

Written By Zac Poonen

The second watershed in Israel's history was when David became king of Israel.

Saul was the first king of Israel. He had started in great humility, but backslid so greatly that God removed the anointing from him. Saul's life is a picture of those movements that decline in the first generation itself - and there are many like that in Christendom too!

God told Saul through Samuel that He was now going to give the kingdom to "a man after God's own heart" (1 Sam.13:14). That was David. This made Saul extremely jealous of David. Saul hated David so much that he even wanted to kill him.

Those in Israel however, who recognised where God's anointing lay, joined David. Thus a small group gathered around David. But they were chased and persecuted and hunted by Saul all across the land and had to run for their lives. But God was with that small group.

Saul however continued to sit on the throne of Israel for many years - just like many Christian "leaders" rule their flock today, even though they have lost the anointing of God from their lives long, long ago.

But Saul still had a following of those who fawned on him - just like many Christian "leaders" have in their own groups. Such a following means nothing. Many dead denominations and even heathen religious leaders have a large following. But God is not with any of them.

The important question we need to ask ourselves always is this: "Do the grace and anointing of God rest upon me now?"

Church history has proved again and again that God has always done His greatest work in every generation through a small minority of His people who stand wholeheartedly for Him. As in Gideon's time, the victory in the battle with Satan is always won by a small group of a few wholehearted disciples (Judges 7).

Such a group (as in the case of David's group) is hated, misunderstood and persecuted by the established systems in Christendom, who have no understanding of what God is doing in their time.

But God took care of David and his little group. And the Bible records that "David served the purpose of God in his own generation and fell asleep" (Acts 13:36). Despite his faults, David was a man after God's own heart and gave Israel godly leadership during his lifetime. He was not perfect. But he was quick to humble himself and repent when even an ordinary prophet came to him and rebuked him for his sin (2 Sam.12).

But in spite of all of David's devotion to the Lord, and his humility and the anointing of God upon his life, he could yet serve God's purpose only in his own generation.

After his death, things began to decline very quickly. Solomon, his son, started well (1 Kings 3:3,5,10-14). The book of Proverbs shows us how wise Solomon was when he began. Proverbs is perhaps the finest book in the entire Old Testament. It is like a new-covenant book right in the middle of the Old Testament! And Solomon wrote it!!

But Solomon backslid very quickly and very badly - and ended disastrously. Initially, he had moved forward on the momentum he had received from his godly father. But he did not have enough of a passion after God, to continue for long in the same direction. He was led astray by wealth and by women (1 Kings 10:23; 11:1-9) - just like many Christian preachers in our time!

After Solomon died, his son Rehoboam (the third generation) took over. Then things became really bad. The younger generation joined hands with Rehoboam and took over the leadership of Israel, and Rehoboam despised the advice of the wiser, older men (1 Kings 12:6-15). This brought chaos into Israel and the kingdom soon split into two. All that Rehoboam could boast of now was that David was his grandfather. But he did not have any of David's spirit.

…………To be continued

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Lessons On Spiritual Decline (Series 1)

Lessons On Spiritual Decline (Series 3)

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Lessons On Spiritual Decline (Series 1)

Written By Zac Poonen

The history of Israel is given us at such length in the Bible to show us good examples in their history that we can follow and the mistakes that men made there that we should avoid. There is a significant starting point in the history of Israel as a nation:when they began as a nation in Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. Joshua was a godly man who gave excellent leadership to Israel. He was determined to follow the Lord with his whole family, even if the rest of Israel decided to forsake the Lord (Josh.24:15).

Only such a man, who is willing to stand alone if necessary, can provide godly leadership to any church today. During Joshua's lifetime, Israel went forward from one victory to another. But then Joshua died. And there we can see in what followed, what happens when a man whom God has raised up at a particular time for a particular purpose in a particular country finishes his earthly course and passes on.

Joshua's fellow-elders took over the leadership of Israel (Josh.24:31). These elders belonged to the next generation after Joshua. Joshua died when he was 110 years old and the new leaders were in their 60's and their 70's - for Joshua's own generation (except for Caleb) had all perished in the forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

During this time - when the second generation was in leadership - things were not as good as in Joshua's time. We read in Judges 1 that during this period, there were a few victories (v.1-21), but many defeats as well (v.22-36). A slow decline had started.

The second generation had no steam in themselves, but were surviving on the momentum that they had received from Joshua's leadership in the previous generation. Like a train-wagon that has been pushed by an engine, the second generation moved very fast initially, but gradually slowed down and finally came to a grinding halt!

By the time we come to Judges 2:11, things become really bad. Israel now does open evil in the sight of the Lord.

Thus we see how what started in a good way in one generation, gradually became evil by the time of the third generation.

…………To be continued

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Lessons On Spiritual Decline (Series 2)

Lessons On Spiritual Decline (Series 3)

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Leaving it Behind

Bible Says:  Mark 2:13-14 (ERV)

      Jesus went to the lake again. Many people followed him there. So Jesus taught them. Jesus was walking beside the lake, and he saw a man named Levi, son of Alphaeus. Levi was sitting at his place for collecting taxes. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Then Levi stood up and followed Jesus.

                      
KEY THOUGHT:
      Two exciting things happen in these two short verses. First, Jesus shows that the call to follow him should be offered to all kinds of different people: many we may think wouldn't follow him are actually open to his call. Second, the call to follow Jesus means we are willing to leave all of our bases of security behind and follow him. Levi was willing, are we?

 

TODAY'S PRAYER:
      Father, please increase my courage and open the hidden places in my heart that I have not fully offered to the Lordship of your Son and my Savior. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

When we Worship

      Ever wonder what we are supposed to do when we come to worship? Solomon has a suggestion.  

      "As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God." (Eccl. 5:1)

     "Keep your ears open and your mouth shut." Ouch! Sounds a little harsh, doesn't it? Particularly in our day of demanding our way in worship and demanding that we be allowed to express ourselves when we worship. Not very appealing to those who feel entitled to have things go and done our way . . . not only in worship but pretty much in
everything we do.

      Though the instruction may be difficult for some to swallow, it is certainly worth pondering. What if this became our initial attitude when we enter into a time of worship? What if we walked into the assembly hall next Sunday with this attitude? "Today I am going to keep my ears open and my mouth shut. I don't want to make any mindless offerings to God." What would be different?

      Obviously the singing would be different. Perhaps that is part of what the wise man had in mind when he said, "It is evil to make mindless offerings to God." I wonder how many times I have sung the words, "I surrender all" or, "I am mine no more" or, "Lord, take control" as mindless offerings to God? If we collectively chose to commit to enter the house of God with our ears open and our mouths shut, it might cause us to change some of our song selections altogether.

      A commitment to "keep my ears open and my mouth shut" would certainly demand that the words I speak would change. There would surely fewer "Tom thinks" and fewer "My opinions." Instead there would be more "The Lord says . . . " and "The Word of God says . . . " and "God says." That would change my preaching. That would change the commentary I offer.

      A commitment to "keep my ears open and my mouth shut" might produce a more reflective mood. Listen more. Talk less. Ears open. Mouth closed. More of God; less of me. Maybe that's what the wise man had in mind when he said, "Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God." (Eccl. 5:7)

      Maybe that's what the prophet had in mind when he said, "But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him." (Hab. 2:20)

      Here's a challenge for this week. In your private devotions, "Keep your ears open and your mouth shut." In your small worship gatherings, "Keep your ears open and your mouth shut." In your assembly next week, "Keep your ears open and your mouth shut." In all these settings, "Stand in awe of God." That will probably make the first part easier.

 

By Tom

GOD CLAIMS "YOU ARE MY PROPERTY"

Bible Says: Exodus 13:1,2

      "1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”

Make GOD your priority for he has made "YOU" HIS MOST WANTED.
you read the bible Exodus 13: 1-16

Sanctify ...
The first born time of the day to GOD
The first born desire of your mind to GOD
The first born sight of your eyes to GOD
The first born listening of your ears to GOD
The First born love of your heart to GOD
The first born activity of your hands to GOD
The first born walk of your feet to GOD

     My dear brother & sister, father, mother,you feel relationship is more important in this country you are right. But Today i ask one question do you have relation with god. or if you don't have relation with god i tel you onething those are reading this message please close your eyes one minute ask god i am a sinner person heal me and touch me and answer me my prayer. He definetly listen your prayer and his answer you prayer. Because you & me are his property.

Bible says Exodus 13: 17-22 
      God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea. In the same way God leads you & your family.

Scripture Study: Nehemiah 2:20, Ruth 4:6, Deuteronomy 24:4,7, Isaiah 44:24

Strength Made Perfect

Bible Says: II Corinthians 12:9
      "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

      When you run into an impossible situation, a situation you simply don't have the strength or the ability to handle, are you often tempted to simply give up and accept defeat? Don't! Instead shout, "Glory!" because the Word says God's strength is about to be made perfect in you. The word translated "strength" in this scripture is dunamis. It means "God's miracle-working power." Just think about that. When your human strength ends, God has promised that His miraculous power will bring you through!

      If you'll look in Acts 14, you can see that promise in action. The apostle Paul was stoned by a group of Jews, taken out of the city and left for dead. Paul's human strength had ended. He was absolutely powerless.

      But the disciples gathered around him and prayed, and the Lord raised him up and he went on his way. In other words, when Paul didn't have enough human strength to overcome, God's miracle-working power was sufficient for him. It enabled him to be an overcomer in spite of his weakness!

      So, if you are facing a crisis today. If you're sick and medicine has failed you. If your finances are out of control. If your family is falling apart. If bad habits have you hopelessly bound. If you've done absolutely all you know to do and you still haven't gotten results. Then rejoice! For when human strength ends, the power of God excels! Only believe! God's grace is sufficient for you!

Scripture Study: Acts 14:1-22

If Satan Can't Steal Your Joy

      Today the Lord has been speaking to me about joy. He said "If Satan can't steal your joy, he can't keep your goods." Does that sound familiar? I heard a message on this thirty something years ago by Dr Jerry Savelle of Crowley, Texas. It made a big impression on my life. I have given away many of His books by that title. I had not thought about it in a long time. Back when I first heard this message was a time when God was teaching me who I am in Him and the authority that He has given to me and to you and to all His kids.

      I fought a battle for years with depression. The Lord taught me how to choose His joy daily according to what the Word promises me and not what the circumstances tell me. Those days when I first battled with depression, I was to pick out several promises in the word of God and meditate on them continually. Read Phil 4:8, you'll see what I mean. It is what you allow your mind to dwell on that will create your actions. Make yourself dwell on the Word of God, and the Word of God will become your actions.

      If I have learned anything over the past 35 years, it would be that the devil is always TRYING to steal your joy so you will let go of your goods. Satan does not have any authority. Jesus bought it back when He spent three days in hell and became the victor over hell and the grave. We have the authority here on earth.

      In (Genesis 1:26) the Word says and God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. We are created in the image of God and he gave the earth to us with dominion over every thing. Satan lost his dominion when Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

      Our joy cannot be determined by what is going on all around us in the world. It has to be determined by the promises of God. I am not just happy on the days that something is manifested into my life and then unhappy all the other days. I am happy because of my relationship with the Father and because of His promises to me. I know that the things that are happening in the natural today are subject to change. They are temporal or temporary. The answer is already on the way. Didn't you ask God already? Stand on His promises. It is the only way.

      I may not have the money for a bill today, but I trust God. He will provide it according to His Word. He always has. I may not feel healed in my body, but I have joy because I know that it is promised to me. You take your joy from knowing that God is doing something according to His promises. You don't always know His timing, but it always comes.

      When you wake up in the morning, you decide whether you are going to be happy or not. It is your choice. It is a continual choice you have to make. When that wild driver runs up behind you, you have to choose your reaction. When that child disobeys you one more time, you have to choose your reaction. When the washing machine breaks down again, you have to choose your reaction. Give it to God. Ask Him for the need and leave it there. Thank Him for it. Take joy in knowing that it is on the way.

      (Deuteronomy 30:19) I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live: (Nehemiah 8:10) for the joy of the LORD is your strength. The joy of the Lord brings strength into your life. If do not choose joy the lack of it weakens you. You become vulnerable.

      Did you know that a lack of joy will open the door for the enemy to keep whatever it is he is trying to talk you out of. Joy is your strength. No joy.No strength. So, don't let the devil steal your joy and he can't keep your goods. Whatever they are. Remember the story about binding the strongman. If a man hears a burglar one day and runs down to the basement to work out on the exercise equipment, he has it all wrong. He should already be working out on the exercise equipment. When the burglar shows up then, he will already have his muscles built up.

      We need to practice joy. When the challenges show up, you will already have your muscles built up.

 

Scripture study: I Timothy: 1:15

Care Under Fire

Bible Says:- Mark: 1:13
      Jesus was in the desert 40 days. He was there with the wild animals. While Jesus was in the desert, he was tempted by Satan (the devil). Then angels came and helped Jesus.

      When you feel alone, abandoned, and under attack, where do you turn for help? Jesus trusted in his relationship with his Father. He was being led by the Spirit. However, this passage reminds us of a truth we often forget: God does send his angels to help his faithful servants in timesof trial. Jesus faced Satan in the wilderness and among the wild animals, but he was not alone. Angels attended to him. Do you believe God will bless you with the same support?

TODAY'S PRAYER:

      Father, I thank you that as your child, I will never have to face mytimes of temptation and trial alone. I thank you for your Holy Spirit that lives in me. Although I may not see them, I thank you for the angles I trust are sent to assist me. Most of all, dear God, I reply upon your promise to never abandon me. Please give me the faith to believe that I am never alone or abandoned as your child. In Jesus'name I pray. Amen.

Scripture study:- Psalms: 3:14

Let the World Know

Bible Says: John 17: 20,22-23
      "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. ...that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me."

      Over the years the Church has come up with all kinds of elaborate ways to evangelize the world. We get together and map out plans and strategies and raise money for it. But through it all, we rarely mention the plan that Jesus gave us.
      Most believers don't even realize that He gave us the key to winning the world, but He did. He prayed about it right before He went to the Cross. He asked the Father to bring us into a place of such oneness with each other and with Him that the world would know that He had been sent from God.
      If you and I and all the rest of the Body of Christ would get together and start loving each other, we'd evangelize the world so fast it would make your head swim. It's true. But until recently, we've been too busy scrapping with one another and getting our feelings hurt to give it much thought.

      But, praise God, it's beginning to dawn on some folks now that we need to stop that stuff. We need to start treating Jesus' command that we love one another as a command instead of an alternative. We need to drop our silly arguments and be unified by the Spirit of God.
      Do you want to take a step toward evangelizing the world today? Then start praying for oneness. Make up your mind that you're going to start loving your fellow believers instead of criticizing, complaining, and talking ugly about them.

      Start confessing that the Church of God is going to rise up together in faith and love as one glorious Body driven by the power of Jesus Himself. We are, you know. Jesus prayed that it would happen, and the Holy Spirit is already bringing it to pass. Satan would like to stop it, but he can't. It's far more powerful than he is--and it's going to blast a hole in his operation that's big enough to drive a train through. It's going to let the whole world know that Jesus truly is Lord!

Scripture Study: John 17:9-26.

Jesus is led and guided by the Holy Spirit

Bible Says: Mark 1:12
"Then the Spirit sent Jesus into the desert alone"

 

      From the beginning God created everything with in six days and seventh day he take rest. All are well known in the Bible "Genisis first chapter". Bible words says In ancient day, God spoke directly to adam, abraham , Issac, and so on. 
      Today's Holy Spirit is doing all the miracle. Do you have holy spirit in your life, without spritual life is running that life is totally waste. Many families dont have spritual. Today you & your family think where we are standing now, If you not have spritual in your personal life or family. In this moment turn to god ask him god recover my life. One beautiful word is there when ever you are praying alone within four wall "God will hear your prayer when "TRANSPARENCY MIND, HEART" before you & God. Then only he gives Holy Spirit. After received the Holy spirit some good & bad monemts happen ur life. I give you some key points. 
      In both good times and bad times. Just as Jesus goes to face temptation in the wilderness immediately after his baptism, we too find ourselves in powerful temptation struggles after a major spiritual experience, a depened spiritual commitment, or a special time of devotion. This does not mean the Holy Spirit has abandoned us. Instead, it means that the Spiritgoes with us to lead us through this time of trial, testing, andtemptation. The Spirit takes what Satan intended for our harm and turnsit into something that can strengthen our faith and mature us in our discipleship.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

      Father, give me the courage to believe that your Holy Spirit leads andguides me. Help me believe that I am not alone -- not in the good timesor in the tough times when I feel abandoned. Use all the events in my life to mature me ever more into the character, compassion, andcommitment of Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

God Promise: Haggai 2:19. From this day on I will Bless You.
Keep this verse in your mind and start a new life and see the diff before & after.

Where to find peace?

Where To find Peace? How to find peace?

Do u have problem in your family or work place. you are thinking like why am i live in this world. why all the problem comes me. Each and every persons life have same type of problem. Yor are also in the same manner. Don't worry my beloved Brother & sister one person heal you all your problem he will destroy you all your troubles, sorrow, disease. once he entered in your life what happen you know first he gives joy in your heart, peaceful mind, tremendous blessing and he give you whatever you lost in your life everything gives double the amount or double blessing. His name is jesus.

 

Bible Says: (John 16:33)

      "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world"

      We know that there is trouble in this world. We see it all around us.We hear of it all the time. We experience it in our own lives and inthe lives of those we love. There seems to be no place in this world where we can rest and be safe. Jesus said it, "In this world you willhave trouble." 
      Schools are filled with students and teachers who are having troubles with their families, with their jobs, with their schoolwork, and with each other. Children could once feel safe in school. Now, metaldetectors, security guards, and random searches give the impression ofsafety. Remember, Jesus said, "I have overcome the world." 
      Shopping centers have become places of caution. Ladies guard theirpurses. Children are always kept near. We regularly hear of purse-snatching, car-jacking, armed robberies, and senseless shootings inplaces where once we went about our business carefree and without reservation. Remember, Jesus said, "I have overcome the world." 
     Homes are troubled places. Husbands are restless and angry. Wives are discouraged and longing for attention. Husbands are tired and lonely. Wives have empty hearts and weary spirits. Children are longing forboundaries and love. Instead of being a safe haven from the world, ourhomes are often deadly battlegrounds. Remember, Jesus said, "I have overcome the world."

But, Jesus said ...   

      Churches are not immune. Battle lines are being drawn over tradition,style, technique, and opinion. Instead of places of refuge, churchesare too often places of turmoil and division while the lonely and weary come seeking peace and go away empty and disappointed. Remember, Jesus said, "I have overcome the world." War, Political conflict. Greed. Selfishness. Anger. Hatred. Rage. Lust.Death. Destruction. Sin. Remember, Jesus said, "I have overcome the world."

      There is trouble in the world. We know that. But, Jesus said, "I havetold you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this worldyou will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." This is the good news of the season. This is good news for all seasons.

      Jesus said, "I have overcome the world." Take heart. God bless you.