Cleansed to Serve, Part 8

Calvary Temple

Cleansed to Serve, Part 8

November 3, 2002 • Pastor Star R. Scott

Let's turn to Isaiah 35, where we were in our last session. That's what this teaching we're doing on sanctification is all about--getting ready to go home. It's not about this planet. It's about preparation for the kingdom that is to come. It's about gathering in the last day harvest. Sanctification isn't to make you feel better about yourself; it's to get a holy church ready for the Bridegroom, praise God. He's worthy of our worship and the cleansing of ourselves so that we could be presented to Him as that chaste, holy virgin--the very inheritance of God. In Isaiah 35, we were talking, of course, as the prophet was making reference to this highway of holiness that we're speaking of. As we left off in the last session, we were talking out of Titus where he was teaching us to live holy in this present world. It's not something that is future. The preparation is present. The productivity is present, as we see in the teaching of the Lord in John 15 and in the preparation of the fruit. It's present. It's the present fruit in your life and my life that brings glory to God.

As Isaiah was speaking in the 35th chapter, let's look down at verse 8. We see that he was speaking about a kingdom that is in preparation and the parallel kingdom of light that is also running in opposition to the principalities and powers of darkness right now. He says in the midst of all of this, verse 8, "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein." They won't accidentally show up into this journey or this way of holiness. Verse 9, "No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Aren't you looking forward to that?...

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...