Hallelujah! Let's turn to Ephesians. We've already addressed this subject some tonight in the utterances that have been given. It shows the mind of the Spirit and the harmony in the Spirit that should exist when we come as one--one heart, one mind--when we come prayerfully. We're just talking again about the age that we're living in. It's evil and a perverse generation; isn't it? But if Philippians tells us, since you're there--in Ephesians just really quickly look over a couple of chapters. As I shared that, the verses came to mind, Chapter 2, verse 13, "For ... God [is working in us] both to will and to do of his good pleasure. [And] Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." It explains where we are; doesn't it? A crooked and perverse nation--we're as bad--no, worse--than Sodom and Gomorrah because of the godliness that has been given opportunity to a nation who has snuffed at it, who has mocked it, who knowing God chooses not to retain Him; amen? God gives them over to reprobate minds. We live in a nation of reprobates, people who have known God, who have known of God and have chosen to walk after their own lusts and not only do these things but take pleasure in them that do them and become inventors of evil things. Isn't that amazing that's where we're living today? It says, however, we're to shine as lights in midst of this.
Do you feel weary sometimes? Just weary of the warfare, I'm not even talking about specific trials, but you just walk out into the midst of this society and there's a heaviness, there's a perversion, there's a darkness. The spirit is so offended by our nation's new religion, secular humanism, the worship of the creature more than the Creator. It becomes more and more acceptable and we become more and more vexed. I think that one truth we need to get a hold of, just like righteous Lot, is it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter...
There is Yet One Man, Part 2
November 4, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
A couple more days and we'll have all of our questions answered as to what the political state of our nation will be. We just need to remind ourselves that whoever gets elected, God is in charge. Whoever gets elected isn't going to change the course that we're on, because this course has been established by prophetic utterance, by the heart and mind of God centuries ago. Do you really understand-I don't think any of us do-the hour that we're living in? We say that we do, but historically, what an exciting time to represent the church of Jesus Christ! Never a time like it: the generation that will most likely see the return of the Lord Jesus. We're it. We talk about it doctrinally, but can you imagine? I can only imagine what that voice is going to sound like. It's going to sound like a trumpet, but I mean that voice. Can you imagine just hearing, "Come up hither! Come on home! It's over. You've fought a good fight"? We can be those people. But He asks the question, "When I return, will I find faith on the earth?"
We've been looking at that from a lot of different angles over the last number of months. The message on my heart, and I think we've been hearing it clearly is, as the bride is being prepared, are we conscious of the work in us? We're part of the bride of Christ. Are you conscious of the work that's going on in your life right now to prepare you for the coming of Jesus Christ? How many of you are even aware? Some of us, He's doing things in our lives we're not even aware of. If you're aware of what needs to change, you have a lot of work to do, because He's coming for a bride that is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. But the most minute areas of our lives need to be pressed out, the minute areas that offend Him, that are not like Him. "Be holy, for I am holy." If the things that need to be dealt with are very clear to you, we have some work to do.
There is Yet One Man, Part 3
November 4, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Amen! Let's turn back to 1 Samuel and pick up where we left off this morning. That admonition for us to follow hard after the Lord, it's very unnatural to us, isn't it? It's funny that we, as human beings, are definitely crisis-oriented. Even Jesus prayed more earnestly. You'd think that the Lord would always pray to the full capacity with the full zeal that's available to us as men. He was the perfect man. He was in Gethsemane as a human, not as God. And as the battle intensified, He prayed more earnestly. How many of you have found that for your own lives? And I know in my own life, the prayers over the years. My prayer was with great intensity when I was in the throes of losing my wife and battling down that final stretch. Nothing else mattered. All of my time, all my energy, all my thoughts were consumed with the battle that I was in. The intensity when we were in Africa, and Greer, all of a sudden, was deathly ill. And we find ourselves in a hospital that was less than what we're used to. And the times that they were taking blood from her in this area of AIDS. And when you find your wife in that position, you pray more earnestly, don't you? When I was faced with prison here just recently and it was told by one of the most powerful attorneys in Washington, D.C., "You are going to jail," you pray more earnestly, don't you? As we've been faced and looking at the possibility of everything that we've had as a family here going away and possibly having to go rent some property and start again, you pray more earnestly, don't you?
So where do you find yourself today? We don't have the crisis of a nation in absolute anarchy. We don't have the crisis of our freedom taken from us yet. We don't have the crisis of hyperinflation. And so, we don't pray. Oh, we play around. But what about the wrestling matches with God that, though they last all night, we say, "I won't turn you lose until you've revealed yourself to me." When He comes, will He find faith in the earth? Where are we in the midst of this war, and do we really truly believe that we can stand before God and say, "There's not an ounce of strength left in me that I haven't used in pursuit of you"? When we seek Him with all of our hearts, that's when we find Him, amen?...
There is Yet One Man, Part 4
November 7, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Hallelujah! Amen. Let's turn to Samuel this evening, and see what the Lord would speak to us. We are looking at the life of David and the call of God upon his life. What qualified him to be used as a man of God? I really believe that most of us in here want to be men and women of God, who can honor Him in these last days, who will be able to really say, "Having done all to stand, we are just standing." Amen? I believe that is in the heart of each of us; and I think that we need to look at the character of these men, and then (as I said the other evening) the things that caused them to be tripped up in their lives. All of these great men encountered at one time in their life a great failure. Don't be afraid to fail; amen? "A [good] man falleth seven http://times...and riseth up again," praise God. And one thing in this day that we will face is that the enemy is going to try to convince you to quit: "You're not going to make it. You're not one of the chosen. The way is too hard. Why bother?" "Because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (amen?), and, "He hath said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee'" praise God. "God is...a very present help in trouble."
And so we want to look at these men, and see them rise up and have great victories, and have to combat their own carnality. I guess, if we have done one thing over these last few years--and see if this rings true to your heart--I have been trying to help us to come to grips with our carnality, and who we really are. Probably, for the last 18 months, from so many angles, I have just been trying to get each one of us to truly realize our absolute necessity on His presence and His grace or we will fail; amen? Let's just say it another way: I have been trying to help us to not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think (Romans 12:3)...
There is Yet One Man, Part 5
November 11, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Hallelujah! Amen! Let's turn this morning to Ezekiel, pick up where we were the other evening, Ezekiel 22. Just giving a little thought to the hour that we're in, sharing with the men in breakfast yesterday just the burden that's been on my heart for the hour, the lack of sobriety in the church and within our fellowship here, also. I think most of us would be comfortable to say that we're more diligent than a lot of the Christians we run into. But we don't compare ourselves by ourselves; amen? (2 Corinthians 10:12). Scripture makes it very clear that Jesus said, "When I come, will I find faith upon the earth?" (Luke 18:8). That's a very sobering question. "Without faith it's impossible to please him" (Hebrews 11:6). Amen?
So here we are, coming into this hour of adversity. We saw that we've been proclaimed the restrainer of the evil that's in the world today. We are the only light in the midst of a "crooked and perverse generation." (Philippians 2:15). I say, "we," the church is what I'm speaking of. "Iniquity is going to abound," as we heard in the utterance this morning. "The love of many is going to wax cold" (Matthew 24:12). It's not talking about the world. It's talking about those who have entered this hour in love with God, in love with God, passionate for God, and "the love of many will wax cold." That's a sobering thought, isn't it? So, we're to provoke one another unto love and to good works (Hebrews 10:24). We don't want to minimize this hour that we're in. "If it were not shortened," the Scripture says, "even the very elect could not stand" (Matthew 24:22). In our own strength, we are no match for what we're going to be facing here very shortly. I'm not talking about just your personal struggles. It's tough enough to deal with what's inside, isn't it? Now, put on top all of your personal struggles the restraining force beginning to be lifted...
There is Yet One Man, Part 6
November 14, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Hallelujah! Amen. Turn to 1 Samuel. We'll pick back up talking about David and his character. As we were sharing about some of the other kings and the things they had in common; men like David Asa, Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah were men that had a heart for God. David was, of course, referred to as being a man after God's own heart. We think about that so often, but David's heart wasn't just one that panted for the Lord as the heart does the brook. In the great revelation he had of the Lord in the Forty-second Psalm; his heart for God was a heart that sought the glory of God. Unfortunately, we focus so much on his humanity, the great man that he was and how horrendous of a sin he was involved in; but compared to the holiness of God, all sin is equal. Amen? Here was a man who had encountered the reality of the holiness of God. His human frailties were, very frankly, unable to be checked, unlike so many of ours. We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and are a regenerated people, yet he walked very successfully in the knowledge he had of God. Amen? As we look at David's life, this young man who had a heart after God, it was a heart for the glory of God. He achieved a lot of glory, fame, and power for himself, but the moment he removed his eyes from seeking the glory of God to instead rejoice in the benefits of that glory for himself is when David fell. Whenever he began to take a little bit of rest from his pursuit of God, when he began to take a little bit of rest from his responsibility as a watchman on the wall, as a shepherd after God's own heart, That is when the flesh rose up and took advantage of him, just like it will for you and me. The story of these three men is summed up in a phrase that we are all very familiar with: "When you were small in your own eyes I could use you" (1 Samuel 15:17). Amen?
When we look at being able to be that man in this last day--the eyes of the Lord are searching the earth, looking for that man, a man as we've been talking about. It's going to turn out to be many. I don't believe we're going to see the big super stars in this final hour, I believe it's going to be people just like you and me being faithful where God's put us...
There is Yet One Man, Part 7
November 18, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Hallelujah! Amen! There's a great presence of the Lord. As we're preparing to go, take a little time in the Word. Realize this: the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. He's here right now, and the waters have been troubled. If you need healing in your bodies, right now where you're seated, just receive the benefit of His presence. The work is finished. By His stripes we're healed. Appropriate it. There's no big fanfare. It's the glory of God. It's the gift of God. It's that peace that was spoken of earlier. There's the anxiousness that's in the world today. His presence is here. He gives that peace that passes understanding. In His presence is fullness of joy, and at His right hand pleasures evermore. Hallelujah!
We thank You for your presence here, Lord. Father, help us to make You big, to give You the praise that You're worthy of this morning. Father, we come with such thankful hearts. We can bring You nothing, Father, except what You've given us. We let the fruit of our lips bring forth thanksgiving, Father. We are so grateful. We are so grateful for this gift of salvation. We are so grateful for the sonship that You've bestowed upon us. Father, all that's in this life is vanity and vexation. We're not to live here. This isn't our home. We're spirit beings, and we worship You in spirit and in truth. Father, stir our hearts beyond the soulical realm. Take us away from the emotional realm with the understanding that we would purely fellowship with You, that You would infuse Your life into our spirit this morning, and that we'd stand strong for Your glory. Help us to covet your presence. Father, we ask that in Jesus' name. Amen. Hallelujah! Amen...
There is Yet One Man, Part 8
November 25, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Let's turn to 2 Chronicles and continue along with our little study here on the topic of "There Is Yet One Man." We've been encouraging ourselves to seek the Lord and ask to be that man in our generation, to be that man in this fellowship. How about being that man just in your house? "There is yet one man." There is one guy that will stand up regardless of the circumstances and tell the truth, speak the Word of God, and be more jealous for God than for his own personal gain, his own comfort, the ease of this life. "There is yet one man." So we've been asking ourselves the question: What is it that causes these men to emerge?
We know there's the sovereignty of God that's involved in many different aspects, but what makes a man eligible to be used of God? As we've been in our study, we saw that one thing was humility. We saw in Saul's life that he was a man that hid in the stuff and was told by the prophet, "While you were small in your own eyes, I could use you." How many of you have found in your spiritual walk that as you're being humbled--whether it's in our early lives when God calls us and separates us from self-will and a love of the world, and we're called and set apart by the love of God. What a humbling situation that was, that God loved us. We saw how incapable we were of living a life that was pleasing to Him. So in that new faith, we're daily dependent upon Him. We're getting new revelations every day from Him. How exciting that was, new glimpses every day of how ugly we are and how that's kind of difficult to deal with at times. But a new faith, a first love, excitement.
Then we come to that place in our lives where we kind of know how to do it. We already begin to answer people and solve their problems before they really get the issue out, because we have a verse for everything. We're ready and quick to assume what the real issues are because of our experience. We've dealt with this before so, "Here, just go do that and pray this and quote that and everything will be fine," and we really lose compassion for people...
There is Yet One Man, Part 9
November 25, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Part of what we've been talking about in these last couple of weeks is just that endurance. This walk that we're in has a lot to do with endurance. Not being weary in well doing, for in due season we will reap if we don't faint, praise God!
So, we want to encourage each other, and when we see those around us whose hands are hanging heavy and cast down, just lift up the hands that hang down. Comfort the feeble-minded; amen? Keep your eyes open for those among us that are weary and let the Holy Spirit speak through you those words of knowledge, a word of wisdom in season. Don't be looking to walk up and give them your human wisdom. Believe God for the Holy Ghost to move and the gifts of the Holy Spirit to manifest and speak some supernatural wisdom; amen? Speak the truth of God into their hearts and encourage them, and so many things that we can do to assist one another in this hour.
No turning back. Like so many of you, I can still remember the first time I ever heard that song, the first time I ever sang it. The scene flashed through my mind as we were singing that chorus, "Lord, We Are One in Thee." If my memory is right, I believe it just freshly came out of a heart of a young man in Southern California, and we were having a large CA (Christ Ambassadors) rally in Bakersfield. And that was the first time I heard that chorus; and my memory's not really clear, but I believe the young person was there; and I can still just see it, like never before, back then during the Jesus Movement. It was a very exciting time. The Holy Spirit was moving in great ways, and just to see hundreds of young people, just teenagers-hundreds of young people and hands raised, weeping before God, holding one another's hands and singing, "Lord, we are one in Thee. Lord, we are Your body."...
There is Yet One Man, Part 10
December 2, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Hallelujah! Amen! Let's turn to Chronicles this morning. We want to look at a couple more aspects of the life of Asa that, I believe, can be helpful to us. A number of people have already come and said that the Lord has ministered to them in looking at these Kings' lives. I think, as we see this day approaching, we were talking about the common denominator in these great kings of Israel was this: After their great successes, there were great falls; the Scripture makes it very clear. "Take heed when you think you stand…" (1 Corinthians 10:12). Amen? There is a time coming, after everything we have faced and all our great victories, in which we become tempted to pat ourselves on the back and say how faithful we have been and how greatly God's grace has manifested itself. We don't want to have any confidence in our past accomplishments. We want all of our confidence in the grace of God; amen? We want all of our confidence in the grace of God because, in the hour that is upon us (as the Scripture says), "…few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14). We want to prepare ourselves for that time, and to make sure that we belong to that remnant. Even the very elect, the Scripture says, are in jeopardy (Matthew 24:24). Let's not take this hour lightly.
Now, many of us seem to think that it has to do with America and the "great cliff" we are facing-the economic or fiscal cliff that is before us-and people are becoming frightened, and storing up food, and all of these different things. It's very real. And, as I have said, there is nothing wrong with that; it's probably wise. But our trust needs to be in the Lord; amen? Something bigger than an economic cliff is facing America: it's the wrath of God. We are a nation under judgment; we need to realize that, and we need to prepare for this hour. But the good news is this: We [the Church] will not enter the hour of God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9)...
There is Yet One Man, Part 11
December 5, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
We ask that You would speak to us by Your Holy Spirit. Father, we ask that You would put Your words in our mouths and that You would cause our hearts, Father, to be lifted up and understand Your heart for us today, that we would understand Your mind in this hour. Father, that You would reveal to us the very will of God, the very heart of God. Father, we long for nothing else in this time and in this generation. We're not interested in the world's wisdom. We're not interested in their methods; we're not interested in their politics. We long for the kingdom of God, Father, to be made real before us. Let it seduce us. Let it become the very reason that we live and move and have our being, that our eyes would be focused on the city whose builder and maker is God and no longer distracted by the cares of this world, by the fleeting aspects of this earth, Father, but You alone would possess our hearts' desire. We'll give you the praise for that, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah!
We've been talking about Asa and looking at some of the different aspects of his life, looking at 2 Chronicles 15, and just a moment to review some of the areas of Asa's life. You remember the name Asa itself is really a name that talks about reminding us of the atonement of God. His name means physician or healing. We'll see how that's applicable in his life later on. We're all very familiar with the end of Asa's life, but here in the beginning in Chapter 15, as we look in verses 1 through 7, the prophet Azariah came to him, and he said, "Asa, know this: the Lord is with you, while you are with Him." Amen? The Lord is with you while you're with Him. God doesn't leave us; we leave Him. God doesn't leave us. We leave Him. He said He would never leave us nor forsake us. Amen? What a promise...
There is Yet One Man, Part 12
December 9, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Amen! Let's turn to Chronicles. I think we will be concluding this morning the study that we've been in, "There Is Yet One Man." We've been asking the question whether or not we're willing to be that man, that man in our homes, that man on the job, in our community. What does it take to be that man, the man of God in this hour? What are the dangers of being that man?
One thing that we know for sure is this: if you make a complete commitment to God, you've got a bull's-eye on you for the powers of darkness; amen? It's something that we have to come to grips with and be very conscious of. So many people are discouraged who make this commitment. Then all of a sudden, everything seems to be going wrong. "Things were going great and I make this commitment. Then all of a sudden, it seems like things are going wrong." The accuser of the brethren steps up and begins to accuse you of self-righteousness and accuse you of works' syndrome because you're praying more and studying more.
There are just all kinds of warfare that will break out when you commit yourself to being that man. Being that man requires a great humility, a willingness to be used in the moment and then be placed back into obscurity. So many of the great men of God, the prophets of God, especially, were men who were on the scene and then removed. You don't hear a lot more about them, just faithfully going back to serve in whatever area. As it pertains to us in the new covenant, whatever community we're involved in, but there's still a man who will speak the truth; amen?...
There is Yet One Man, Part 13
December 16, 2012 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Amen. I'm believing for the Lord to speak to us this morning. Amen? Let's turn to Chronicles; we'll pick up where we've been in our study and I believe that we'll be finishing this morning. It's been interesting to look at the lives of the three kings: David, Asa, and now Jehoshaphat. Of course, the one thing that we're trying to look at is the fact that all of these men started well. They started with a heart zealous for God, without confidence in themselves. This is an hour that we need to take heed when we think that we're standing, lest we fall. There is a lot of spiritual arrogance in the church today and so many, like Peter of old, who say, "Though all forsake you, Lord, don't worry. Peter will be there, you can count on him," and then he denies the Lord in the greatest test of his life. We do not want to be that man. Amen? Then, of course, we see the mercy of the Lord that when Jesus is risen, He sends word to His disciples. He said, "Go tell the disciples and Peter than I'm risen." The Lord is longsuffering, isn't He, and full of mercy to us, but we're living in a day when we need to be preparing ourselves for the coming of the Lord.
The Scriptures say very clearly that He is going to appear to those that are looking for Him, and not much of the church is looking for the return of Lord today. It's a lost doctrine but the Scriptures say that we've fought the good fight. Amen? "...I have finished [the race]...henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness http://...and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8). So as we see the hour that we're coming into, and we see tragically these men who started greatly. They revived their countries, but when prosperity came, when comfort and ease came, when it was a time that kings should go to war, David was at home and glimpsed Bathsheba, and we know the story, don't we? The great king of revival, Asa, had started so well. The Scripture makes it clear, as we've studied his life, that all of the obvious sins were dealt with, but the high places were left. The idolatry that was obscure, he didn't deal with...
