Cleansed to Serve, Part 7

Calvary Temple

Cleansed to Serve, Part 7

October 30, 2002 • Pastor Star R. Scott

Some exciting things are going on in Africa, so we encourage you to continue to pray. We were spending quite a bit of time yesterday discussing some of the land that's available to us. There are about two-and-a-half acres that right now seem to be the prime location in what's really one of the only suburbs of Nairobi. It's an exciting venture. As we were talking yesterday, I was sharing with Tony, though--Ron's coming home in a few weeks, as some of you may know--that we're being prayerful, because we all know Ron. He's over there wheelin' and dealin'. I told them to send word to him today that I'm not interested in a good deal. I want a miracle. Any of us can whip up a good deal. I want it to be God. Don't you? We want it to be God. We're not looking for a good deal; we're looking for a miracle. It takes time and waiting on the presence of God to see His hand. So be prayerful, and let's believe God. This is prime land. Everything about it is good. There's no reason in the natural why we shouldn't do it. It's a lot of money. It's far more money than we were expecting to spend at this particular time, but Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). We're looking to see what He does, so be prayerful. We're excited about that.

Let's go on into our study. Look just a moment back into your notes, as we were preparing our hearts to hear from Father. We've seen in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4, verse 3, of course, that the Lord speaks to us and lets us know that holiness isn't something that's extraordinary. It's not something that's for super-saints, extraordinary Christians. Holiness is normative Christianity. First Peter tells us, "Be ye holy, for the Lord is holy." That's a declaration to all of us. Thessalonians says, "This is the will of God, even your sanctification [or holiness]."...

Cleansed to Serve, Part 1

October 16, 2002 • Pastor Star R. Scott

Hallelujah! Amen. It's good to be home and excited about what God's doing in our midst. I believe I have a word from the Lord for us as I've been meditating on the mind of the Spirit in these last weeks and just wanting to hear what God is saying. He's obviously doing a work in our midst. There are things that are taking place in the realm of the spirit that are beyond my comprehension and your comprehension. I find myself in a place where I've been poured out like water and cast down and broken to dust, and I believe I'm at a place where I can hear the voice of the Lord for the day we're coming into. I think it's a work that's being done to prepare us for the hours that are ahead. I look back through the trials that we've been through, the different steps that have been taken in these last months and as I survey where we were--"we" being myself, speaking of myself--and understand that so many things that we can do, we do in our own strength. When you've done something for 35, 40 years, you can do it on autopilot. I believe the Lord needed to speak a fresh word to us, and in the process there was a breaking that had to take place. I believe I've heard from God as I continue to sort out all of the trials, the turmoil, all that's been going on. I believe that I'm hearing a word for us in the day that we're going into, and I don't think we have a lot of days left to be about Father's business. Many of the things He's given us as a people blessed in this nation, the material things--we all know the trial they become--but so many things that we take for granted are treasures that we don't know possess our lives. Thank God for the chastening of the Lord, amen? It's grievous for the moment, but works in us the peaceable fruit of righteousness...

Cleansed to Serve, Part 2

October 20, 2002 • Pastor Star R. Scott

One of the exciting things of the miracle of new birth is how God brings people like us together. We don't have a whole bunch in common; a few of us do, spattered throughout. But He make us one in His lordship and one in purpose for the eternal kingdom of God. It never ceases to amaze me how that transformation can take place, and the focal point of His lordship becomes the real reason for our being. That's the great indicator of regeneration in our lives. As always, the Lord is doing some quick things in our midst. Tony and Karen will be arriving home on Tuesday. They've pretty much worn themselves out, and we're going to bring them home for about six weeks. So, be prayerful for their travel. Ron and Tera will be arriving about five weeks behind them. They'll have about a ten-day overlap here at home, and they'll be staying probably through the first of the year. Things are going great in Nairobi; the ministry is continuing to grow. Some of you have been able to see the picture in the foyer of Nimrod and his wife. They're doing a good job over there. Things are going wide open, and the growth is amazing. There's some land, again, that's available. It's proven to be totally clear (which means there are probably only 15 titles to it that are still out!). We're looking at the possibility of buying this land. They say it's an ideal site there in Nairobi. So, be prayerful about that. This is something that's very risky if we don't have the mind of the Spirit; because you can't believe anything that's said, and you can't believe anything that's written. If we don't have the mind of the Lord in this thing, we'll end up putting out a lot of money that we'll eventually lose. So, be prayerful. I've been told that Ron is sure that the land is clear. I'm not yet sure in my spirit, so we're not doing anything. I want you to pray, and let's believe God and see what the Spirit of the Lord says to us in that particular area...

Cleansed to Serve, Part 3

October 20, 2002 • Pastor Star R. Scott

Praise God. It's interesting, as the Spirit of the Lord is speaking to us and talking about the preparation that He expects in our hearts. It's easy, at a time like this, to say, "Well, man, I've been doing my best, and I seem to be doing well. In fact, I seem to be doing better than I have in a long time." Then this message is coming of our preparation, the things that are expected of us. Listen to what the word of the Lord says, "http://...be ye holy; for [What?] I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). Are you that holy yet? Then we've got a little ways to go, don't we? The word of the Lord is to a church that's being prepared for His coming, that He might present to Himself, holy, unblamable, and unreprovable in His sight. Isn't it great to be a part of that preparation? The bride being cleansed and being made ready, praise God, and we're part of that--called, chosen from before the foundations of the world. So the Scripture said to us in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, "For this is the will of God, even your [What?] sanctification..." So we've been looking at that cleansing process that's expected in every one of our lives. If you did your homework this afternoon, then it'll make it a little easier on us, and we won't have to spend a lot of time in going over the specifics. But let's go to Leviticus for just a moment and take a look into the 8th chapter of Leviticus and begin to look at some practical aspects of sanctification and see the order and the process that's taking place. Now, next session on Wednesday, we're probably going to talk about positional versus practical sanctification. Positional, meaning we are legally sanctified. As born-again individuals, we are sanctified, and we will be glorified. Can you say, "Praise God" for that? It's the ultimate outcome. If you are born again, you are in the process of sanctification, and at whatever time Jesus comes in that process--listen--at whatever time Jesus comes in the process of sanctification in your life, you are guaranteed to be glorified. If you are being sanctified--I don't care where you are in that process--Jesus assures us we will be glorified...