Greetings,
At this time of the year Christians should pause and be reflecting in the blessings the Lord had given us during 2007 and also startlooking forward to His blessings for 2008… Here is a very thoughtful devotionalfrom Dr. Larry Ollison that all should read and prayerfully consider:
2008 "The Year of the Church" by Dr. Larry Ollison
A few weeks ago while spending time with the Lord, I had this question on myheart. "What are Your plans for me and for my ministry?" From deepwithin my spirit I heard these words. "This coming year will be the yearof the church."
My first question was this. "What does it mean that 2008 will be the yearof the church?" The church was here this year and last year. In fact, thechurch has been on the Earth every year since the time Jesus put His blood onthe Mercy Seat. When Jesus became the first fruits into the Kingdom and becamethe firstborn among many brethren, the church was established. Jesus then tookHis position as the head of the church and all who received Him became a partof His body. The church has existed for centuries, so what does it mean"2008 is the year of the church?"
Over the last few weeks I have meditated on this and God has spoken clearly tomy heart. As for me and those who attend my church and receive from thisministry, 2008 is the year for every member of the church to stand up and bethe church. The time that once was future is now here. We are truly living inthe last moments of the last days. We are the generation that will usher in thereturn of the Messiah. The waiting is over and the time is at hand for thechurch to stand up and operate in the power and authority that was prophesiedby Jesus.
* 2008 is the Year for the Church to Stand Up and Be the Church
It is time for the church to quit being "seeker friendly" and become"Holy Spirit friendly." When the world looks at Christians, theyshould see the light shining in such a way that they are drawn to a loving Godinstead of being drawn to God’s stuff. While it is true that God wants toprosper every believer physically and financially, the gift should not receivemore glory than the giver.
Jesus told us that Christians were to be fishers of men, but a BMW or aMercedes should not be the bait on the hook. Now don’t take me wrong. There isnothing wrong with owning a BMW or a Mercedes. Personally, a silver BMW Z-4 isa beautiful car and there is nothing wrong with having one. If you see one inthe Pastor’s parking spot at church, it’s okay. God doesn’t mind. However, themotivation of Jesus being pierced with nails and dying on the cross was not soyou could have a new BMW and it shouldn’t be your motivation for spreading thegospel either. We should attract people to a loving God in such a way that theywill love Him more than His stuff.
Many people in the church are hurting, offended, and bitter. I heard a man saylast week that life had been bad to him. While it may be true that the worldhas treated him poorly, God is a good God and His plan is full of goodness.
It’s time for the church to get over bitterness, discouragement, depression,and fear of people. This is the year the church must take a stand and proclaimthe Word to the world with strength and authority.
Psalm 119:165 says, "Great peace have they which love Thy law and nothingshall offend them." The church must quit talking about what the world hasdone to them and start talking about what God has done for them. This is thetime, this is the year for the church to stand up and be the church.
While in Old Jerusalem, a storekeeper told me that Christians often leavetracts in his store hoping that he will find them and receive Jesus. He made aninteresting statement to me. He said, "Instead of Christians leaving atract, they should become a living tract, and then being a Christian would beattract-ive."
It’s time for Christians to quit talking about what they are in the world andbe who they are to the world.
* 2008 is the Year the Church Walks in Correction
As a pastor, I have discovered that people enjoy coming to me for advice andthey accept it as long as the answer is what they want to hear. We must developthe ministry of receiving the word "no." To hear quickly, and to beobedient without question makes one usable to God.
Over the years I’ve had many approach me about their call into the ministry.There are those who truly will do whatever God calls them to do, but there arealso many who will only answer the call if it involves a platform, podium, microphone,and cameras. There is nothing wrong with being famous. The Bible says thatJesus’ fame spread throughout the country and multitudes came to hear him.Jesus didn’t seek fame, but used it as a tool. Likewise, fame should never be aministry goal.
In order for the church to be the church, Christians must be obedient to everyword and not just to the ones they want to receive. We must go where He tellsus to go, or stay where He tells us to stay without regard to fame or fortune.The Blessing will chase you down and catch you, but The Blessing only travelson the street named Obedience.
God’s Word may be served on a table, but it’s not a smorgasbord. There are desserts,but you must also eat the vegetables.
My wife, Loretta, is devoted to prayer. Privately she spends time in prayer,but also hosts several prayer sessions each week. I recently heard someone saythat they were not going to prayer because they didn’t get a lot out of prayermeetings. It reminded me of the time that a couple met me in my office toinform me that they were no longer going to work with children because no oneappreciated what they were doing.
When did appreciation become the motivation for ministry? When did we startjudging prayer by how much we got out of it? Much of the focus has been wrongand needs to be corrected.
We were created to worship Him. When we pray, we pray to the Father. If talkingto the Father does not bring satisfaction, then an adjustment needs to be madeand it’s not the Father that needs to be adjusted. 2008 is the year the churchwalks in correction.
2008 is the Year the Church Must Obey Without Hesitation
The church has been commanded to "go ye therefore and makedisciples." Whether or not you feel appreciated while doing it, isirrelevant. It’s a command. Imagine how an army would function during a time ofwar if each soldier decided himself whether or not he was going to obey thecommands of the General on the basis of how appreciated he felt. The war wouldbe lost. That is one of the basic problems that has developed in the church. Wemust obey our commands without hesitation.
Many times a statement that sounds good, if carried to the extreme, can beharmful. A lady told me once that she couldn’t teach the children because sheneeded to be sitting in adult church where the pastor put the food on thetable. While this is a good concept, the reality is this. If everybody issitting at the table and nobody is in the kitchen, everyone starves. In orderto eat, we must all take our turn in the kitchen.
While in the heart of God, it is true that it’s all about us, in our hearts weshould have the attitude that it’s all about Him. The church must have theright perspective and have its priorities in order. Although we receive when wecome to God’s house, our hearts should be the heart of a servant and we shouldcome to give worship to God and minister to others.
Many churches are looking for revival within their own building. They havebecome frustrated over the years trying to obtain it because the real heart ofrevival is ministering to someone else. The church should overflow into theworld instead of attempting to overflow back onto itself over and over. Truesatisfaction and accomplishment in the heart of a believer is when they see theWord flowing out of themselves and into the lives of hurting people and seeingthose hurting lives becoming fruitful and abundant in all things.
* 2008 is the Year the Church Must Cleanse Itself of the World
2008 is the year for the church to stand in honesty, character, and integrity.In today’s society, I have seen a disturbing trend. People are accustomed tobeing tantalized, mesmerized, and sensationalized and this has been broughtinto the church. While I truly believe that worship services should promoteexcellence in music and teaching and that musicians should practice andrehearse in order to promote excellence in worship, I have noticed that somechurch services are such choreographed, theatrical, made-for-televisionperformances, that there is little difference between church and the half-timeshow at the Super Bowl (without the fireworks).
A minister recently indicated to me that he was unable to allow the gifts ofthe Holy Spirit to operate in his church service because there was no way thatit would fit into his television programming.
It’s sad when we allow directors to eliminate the move of the Spirit from ourworship services. It’s robbing God of His opportunity to speak intimately withHis children. This is the year the church must cleanse itself of the world andworship the Father in spirit and in truth.
When I told a minister at a ministers’ conference that I had sold my airplane,he said, "But what about your image? Don’t you know that not having anairplane will affect the image of your ministry?" We must get over thiscrazy thinking and realize that ministry is not about the building of ourimage.
* 2008 is the Year for the Sleeping Giant to Awake
Sometimes I feel like the church has been lulled into a deep sleep. Twentyyears ago there were things we would not allow in our homes that today we areusing to babysit our children. But this is the year for the sleeping giant toawake.
It has been estimated that there are over 75 million evangelical Christians in America alone.If we could unite as one body in agreement with the Word of God as our guide,nothing could stop us.
While the world may wax worse and become more deceived, the church shouldbecome brighter and brighter until we shine the Gospel into all the world.
* 2008 is the Time for the Church to Be All That Jesus Prophesied it Would Be
There is so much more that God is speaking in these last moments of the lastdays. When my grandmother was a teenager, she saw her first automobile. Duringall of her youth she traveled by way of horse and wagon. Before she passedaway, she saw astronauts go into outer space and men walk on the moon. From thecreation of man through six thousand years, man traveled with the assistance ofanimals. In one generation that changed. The scriptures tell us that in thelast days knowledge will increase. We are truly in the last days.
The prophetic times spoken by our Lord and Savior, Jesus, are upon us. The timeof waiting is behind and the time of action is at hand. It’s time for thechurch to stand up and be all that Jesus prophesied the church would be.
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© 2007 Dr. Larry Ollison. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
This article may be reproduced for teaching purposes but not for commercialresale
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God’s blessings!
CELEBRATE JESUS! MINISTRIES
PAUSE & MEDITATE ON GOD'S WORD:
"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed"-Prov 16:3
"Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that isat work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly,far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond ourhighest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]" -Eph. 3:20
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosperyou & not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future." Jer.29:11
"In this new life one's nationality, race, education, social position isunimportant; such things mean nothing. Whether a person has Christ is whatmatters, & He is equally available to all" Col.3:11
"The key to godliness is not more knowledge of God but more obedience toHim" Rom.6:16
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