PREPARATION FOR THE SECOND COMING
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
10:30 a.m.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Taught by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Preparation for His Second Appearing
I am greatly blessed of the Lord to be called and chosen to be the Pastor of a precious assembly of saints who love one another and love the Lord. We are blessed with the Habitation and Presence of the of the Lord each time we gather. The Holy Spirit has full liberty in our midst and all of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are in operation. We have the River of Life flowing freely with all five Offices in residence in the Church as well as precious ministers of the gospel who pass through keeping the fellowship ever growing, stretching and inclusive of the Lord’s many streams that flow from the throne of God. For a small congregation, we have a 75% ratio of prepared and anointed ministers. Some of which go out and minister on a regular basis. Others are watching, waiting and preparing for the Lord to open doors OR PERHAPS THEY ARE CALLED TO BECOME A DOOR.
The unsaved in our own nation is staggering. The fact that Lady Gaga’s latest blasphemous song is in the top ten is an indictment against our nation. People in other nations are begging for us to come preach the gospel. My excuse is: (#1) I don’t have the money. (#2) I have the responsibility to pastor a church. We all know a pastor should not be spending too much time away from their pulpit because satan makes it his business to activate the wolves, Absalom, Korah, Miriam, Jezebel , Ahab, Alexander the Coppersmith, Demetrius, etc.
However, the Lord’s commission to us in Matthew 10: 9-11: “Provide neither gold, nor silver, not brass in your purses, nor script for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves; for the workman is worthy of his meat. And into whatever city or town you shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy, and there abide till you go there. And when you come into a house salute it.”
I guess that knocks out my excuse of not having enough money.
He also told us: (Vs. 7-8): “As you go, preach, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely you have received, freely give.”
Okay, I am doing better now. I preach the Kingdom of Heaven wherever I go. I just had another vision written out, “That which is in Heaven will be Heavenly on Earth.” I pray for the sick ---at least a percentage are healed. I haven’t seen any lepers lately. I have never raised the dead. I do cast out devils and I don’t sell the gospel.
We sing, “Have thine own way Lord, Have thine own way, you are potter, we are the clay. I ask you church are you looking for a door to open or are you willing to become a door? Are you really looking for Jesus, His Kingdom and His will, or are you looking for a new adventure, a platform, gold, silver, script, limelight, recognition, grandstanding, Hollywood, prostituting the gospel, stroking of egos--- After all it takes a lot of money to support the ministry!!! Right!!!! Ask me, I know!!! if you are a friend of this ministry, we have taken good care of you.
It is Time!!!! It is Time to get serious about preparing the church for His Second Coming. It is time to gather in the Harvest. It is time to use your giftings for something other than grandstanding. It is time to preach the gospel and not be worried about offending people with the Holy Ghost. It is time to have the Faith that Jesus is the paymaster and knows your worth.
This Bible Study today is from Seven Lamps of Fire, By George H. Warnock. He draws us up to accountability. “In spite of the knowledge we may have acquired concerning the Kingdom, many have hearts that are very unlike the King---and therefore not ready for the Kingdom. There are many who know the Kingdom message, who are caught up with the vision of Kingdom power and authority…but are still far from poverty of spirit, meekness, lowliness, humility and a pure heart. If the Kingdom Message does not produce these virtues in His people, there is little value in the message.”
Prophets you were raised up to “Prepare Ye the Way” for His Coming. When did you start peddling your prophetic giftings for itching ears, for elitism, and platforms for the purpose of raising money to promote your ministries?
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
The People were in Expectation (From Seven Lamps of Fire by: George H. Warnock)
I can’t over-preach Brother Warnock. I would not want to dis-respect him by trying.
There was excitement among the people when the story got around about Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the son that God had given them in their old age. Then many miles away there was a couple living in Nazareth, called Joseph and Mary. But before they were married the angel Gabriel came to Mary and announced she was to be the mother of the Son of God. She did not doubt what he said, but wondered how it could happen, for she was a virgin. Gabriel explained to her: "the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Lk. 1:35). Then Luke tells us the story how God arranged the registration ordered by the Emperor. Mary and Joseph were just serving God in the little town of Nazareth, just living the humble lives of ordinary peasants. But their Child had to be born in Bethlehem, according to the prophet Micah (see Mic. 5:2). Now the Emperor of Rome became part of the plan -- for it was he who made the decree that all people were to register in the town of their ancestry. And so Joseph and Mary made arrangements for this arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. And while there she gave birth to the Messiah, as the prophet had said it would be ..
Then John came on the scene to prepare the hearts of the people for their Messiah. He was a Voice in the wilderness, and his message was a message of repentance. The Messiah is coming on the scene! Repent, change your covetous ways! Give to those who are needy! Be satisfied with your wages! The King is coming! Many of them repented, whose hearts were open. But like today, many of them were consumed with curiosity, and they would ask: Are you Elijah? Are you that prophet? Who are you anyway? The Pharisees want to know. But His answer was clear and concise: "I am the Voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord". He was just a Voice, but in such tune with God -- that it was a clear sound from Heaven. God’s prophets do not spend their time answering questions as to how, and when, and in what manner He will appear. God’s message is: "The Lord of Glory is coming .. Prepare your hearts to meet Him!"
God Most High overshadowed the whole process related to His coming, with very diligent foreknowledge and wisdom, and put it all together. It was all according to scripture, and every detail of His Appearing was prearranged and known of God -- but no man could have put it together before it happened. And yet from the highest in the political and ecclesiastical realms, to the humblest and lowest of His servants .. the whole scenario was carefully overshadowed and made manifest in the earth in the day His Appearing.
I have just mentioned how it was when Jesus came the first time that we might understand this very important principle -- that in spite of the knowledge we might acquire concerning the Kingdom, we may have hearts that are very unlike the King -- and therefore not ready for the Kingdom. I think there are many who know the Kingdom Message, who are caught up with the vision of Kingdom power and authority .. and are still far from poverty of spirit, meekness, lowliness, humility, and a pure heart. If the Kingdom Message does not produce these virtues in His people, there is little value in the message. God would draw us to repentance, that He might beautify us with the garments of salvation, that we might be ready to stand before the King, and be compatible with Him. For He comes for a holy and spotless Bride, who must be cleansed with the washing of water by the Word.
The burden of the Spirit is to lead His people into all truth. He wants to lead us in His ways. Oftentimes He will lead us in wilderness ways, for His ultimate desire is to lead us close to the heart of God, and therefore His ways are designed to bring us to a humble and contrite heart. Some have the notion that because He is coming soon we’ve got to come up with ingenious plans to get the job done. And He who is Lord of the church is crowded out of His temple, and replaced with the wisdom of man. We have sought to use the Holy Spirit to do our bidding and bless our efforts, rather than submitting to His authority and lordship. We profess we want His presence with us, but too often he is relegated to the back seat -- rather than at the wheel, in full control. You can be sure of this, if He is not in charge, if He is not at the wheel -- we as a church are going nowhere.
An Object Lesson in the Potter’s House (See Jer. 18:1-6)
It is common for the church to sing about God’s intention, and His sovereign ways -- without really believing what they are singing. I think the Lord will very often project His truth into many of our songs, and because of the lyrics and the rhythm we enjoy the song without really taking it to heart. We have these beautiful songs about the Potter and the Clay -- and we humbly acknowledge that we are just the clay. And if our hearts are right -- God may just take us at our word. He may answer that prayer -- and change the vessel in His hands very drastically. But He may not do it our way. We may see a little problem, and ask God to fix it. But what if He chooses to devastate all our plans and ideas, and bring us to naught -- in order that He might form that vessel of mercy that He wants"? For God is looking for vessels of mercy in this world that is full of hate and cruelty and violence. For many decades I have seen a very zealous church, sending forth our young men and women to evangelize the nations -- and today there are two or three times as many sinners on the globe as there were back then. I was as zealous as any of them to work for God in this suffering world, and bring the light of the Gospel to those in other nations who knew Him not. But somehow the vessel I hoped to be -- got marred in His hand, and for a long time I wondered why.
God had a word for Jeremiah, and it is fitting for today, when so many are being taught that it is in their hands to fulfill their own destiny. God sent him over to the potter’s house, to learn a lesson. Jeremiah obediently went his way, and walked into the shop, and here was a potter working on a vessel. As the potter’s wheel spun around and around, the potter would use his nimble fingers in the clay while the wheel was turning -- to form a vessel. But suddenly something happened. The vessel was marred in the hand of the potter. I wonder if God caused it to happen to teach Jeremiah the lesson He knew the prophet needed. It was a beautiful object lesson; and as Jeremiah looked on he saw the potter do the cruelest thing. He took the clay in his hands, crumbled it all together into a formless lump -- and started over again. He didn’t try to mend the vessel. Nor did he discard the clay as useless .. he just worked on it again. There was no word from the vessel: "You can’t do that! What are You doing to me? I thought I was just about ready for service .. and now look at me!" But when you gather together it is easy for you to join with the rest of the people as they sing:
"Have Thine own way, Lord,
Have Thine own way ..
Thou art the Potter .. I am the clay ..
Mold me and make me, after Thy will ..
While I am waiting, yielded and still."
--And then go home after the meeting, and continue to blame God for making you again another vessel as seemed good to Him to make it. And perhaps not even realizing that you had prayed He would do that, as you sang that song in the meeting.
But as you keep your heart fixed on Him, and continue to love Him in spite of the way He continues to demolish your plans -- sooner or later you are inclined to believe that God caused the vessel to be marred; because He knew it would take that to break your will, that the Potter might have His own way in your life. Perhaps we can even hear Him saying, not audibly but in that quiet way He often speaks without saying any words:
--Before I crumbled your clay you were deaf and slow to understand My ways .. but now you are sensitive to that inner voice of My Spirit. No longer do you need the bit and bridle that men use on horse and mule, to bring you into line with My plan.
--Once you were confident in your strength, and felt a little superior to those who were weak, but now you freely confess with My servant David, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now I have kept Thy word" (Ps. 119:67).
--Or with My servant Job, who loved Me and was confident in the understanding He had of his God. But after his great trial he makes this confession: "I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth Thee: therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5, 6). And you hear the Lord replying, Now you understand why I brought you to dust and ashes .. because that is really what you are by nature. I choose to use vessels of clay, but those vessels must be pliable in My hands, that I might make it and remake it, as seems good to the Potter.
--Perhaps you had not realized how faulty your walk with God had been -- and you hear Him saying: Once you were lame, but you didn’t realize it. But after I humbled you in the confrontation at Jabbok .. you limp as you walk, and the people wonder why. But I see one who was crippled by My hand, that you might walk with Me as a prince of God. Now you are truly an overcomer, because you have been overcome by the smiting of the hand of the mighty God of Jacob.
--Or you might hear something like this: "You wanted gifts of the Spirit desperately. And it was I who put that desire in your heart for gifts, because you need My gifts in order to function effectively in the body of Christ. But now having fashioned you anew, as seemed good to the Potter, you desire and long for only one thing. You no longer desire the gift, but the Giver. It is no longer the reward of a fruitful ministry that you look for, but you rejoice in the Reward that I AM. For to you I give the promise that I gave to My friend Abraham, "Fear not, Abram, for I am thy shield and thy exceeding great Reward" (Gen. 15:1).
Then we have the story of Naomi and Ruth. You may often have felt the way they did. Both of them had lost their husbands -- and Naomi decided she would return to her home in Israel. Ruth insisted she would go with Naomi -- and together they walked along the road to Israel -- helpless and forsaken, and wondering why God had dealt with them so harshly. Naomi knew of better times, for she was raised in Israel, and loved the God of Israel even in this time of her dilemma. But Ruth was from the country of Moab, where they worshipped their own gods and did their own thing -- knowing nothing about the God of Israel. Nevertheless in spite of the bitterness in Naomi’s soul, she still loved her God -- and Ruth was drawn to her and wanted Naomi’s God to be her God. And so she followed along with Naomi to this strange and foreign land. And when they got to Bethlehem, Ruth went looking for a field in which she might glean a little barley, and it just happened that the field she chose belonged to Boaz, a wealthy patriarch in Bethlehem. He was very generous to her, and told the young men to leave a few handfuls of grain here and there, for her to glean. What a surprise it was to Naomi, when she went home with a bushel of barley that she had gleaned from the fields of this benevolent stranger!
That’s the first part of the story, and it’s all very beautiful. But God had something far greater in mind for Naomi, and for Ruth her daughter-in-law. They were both very grateful for the bushel of barley, but it was nothing compared to what God had in mind. Now it just happened that Boaz was a near kinsman to Naomi, and therefore to Ruth her daughter-in-law. Naomi explained to her that Boaz might find it in his heart to take her as his wife, which he was expected to do according to the law of Moses. And so Ruth in timidity, and yet in confident assurance of what Naomi had told her -- actually went to the threshing-floor where Boaz slept, and proposed to this wealthy patriarch of Bethlehem. Ruth’s late husband was an Israelite, and a near kinsman to Boaz. Boaz knew of a kinsman to the family that was still closer than he was -- but the closer kinsman declined when Boaz mentioned that in redeeming the land he must marry Ruth as well. And so Boaz took her under his wing, and she became his bride.
Now she could say in truth: "I thank you for the barley that I gleaned in your fields when I came from Moab. I came here as a poor and needy widow, and an outcast. Your barley was a wonderful gift in my time of need, and you were very generous and kind to me. But now I have all your fields, and all the grain that you grow in it. Yet all this is really nothing .. because now I have you, and you have me".
And from that union in the fullness of time there was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, the home town of Naomi and Ruth -- a Savior, which is Christ the Lord!
O how differently we would respond to the hand of the Potter, if we could see beyond the veil, and understand that as we keep our hearts right, and do those very simple and ordinary things that God puts in our hearts to do -- we are fulfilling our true destiny in God. And only when we move beyond the veil of this life will we understand the reason why there were so many whys in our walk with the Lord..
And so now as you sing those songs that reflect the deep inner longings of a soul for His God, you care not for the beat of the drum or the clanging of the cymbals -- because you listen to the words -- words that have taken on new meaning:
"Have Thine own way, Lord,
Have Thine own way;
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay .."
Now your true joy and delight is to hear the Word of God, and do it. Now you are learning to abide in Him .. and He in you, for you have discovered that He is your true and everlasting Reward. Your Habitation is in God .. and God’s Habitation is in you.
The Purpose of Gift and Ministry
I gave this brief summary of the Book of Ruth, to give a little object lesson of God’s intention in giving us His gifts. O how anxious we have been to have gifts that work, and ministries that are effectual, and to produce good fruit for the Kingdom. And this is well and good. But very often we are losing sight of God’s intention in giving these gracious gifts and ministries. It is to nurture us in Truth, that we might make room in our hearts for the Presence of God Himself .. that He might fully occupy this temple that we are. Only then will the world know where to find the true God. Then all else is taken care of .. when we are ready to exchange --
The part for the whole ..
The gift for the Giver ..
The barley for the Owner of all the fields ..
Abraham’s gifts for Abraham’s son ..
So when Rebekah sees her Isaac, she drops her gifts, and lights from her camel, and runs to his arms ..
Then Ruth, far from despising the corn she got from Boaz -- only to look for more the next day -- begins a new life, living with Boaz in his home and hers ..
Then we can say, "I am my Beloved’s, and His desire is toward me.."
We can be confident of this: nothing will fall short of God’s desire for our lives, as we come into His yoke, and walk in abiding union with Him.
I know all this may sound very elementary to some. But as far as I can observe, there is very little desire among God’s people to make this transition from the gifts of the Spirit .. and into the more excellent way. I know we cannot make it happen. No amount of knowledge can bring us into it. But my hope and trust is that in all that we are speaking about, God will use it to produce hunger and thirst in His people, and great desire -- for the more excellent way. For He hears the desire of the humble, and will prepare their hearts (Ps. 10:17).
God must have a Prepared People.
Let us not have the idea that our High Priest in the heavens is filling in time while He waits for the signal to descend for His people and gather them to Himself. Can we not understand that He ascended into the Heavenly Sanctuary to accomplish a ministry in the heavens, even as He had faithfully finished the work the Father had given Him to do in the earth? By this I mean He is there as our Mediator of the New Covenant, to fulfill in His people all that He accomplished by His cross when He came to earth. As the Mediator of the New Covenant He will be faithful to minister the virtues of the New Covenant to His people, as surely as Moses was faithful to minister the Old Covenant to the House of Israel. The apostle reminds us that Moses was faithful in all His house (Heb. 3:5). Can we not somehow believe that the New Covenant is better than the old one, and that our Mediator has more power and virtue invested in Him to finish the work in the heavens, than Moses had to minister a law of death and condemnation to a wayward people in the wilderness? God spare us from calculating schedules that are supposed to indicate the time of the Lord’s appearing. But let us seek God more for the outworking of the New Covenant in our lives, that we might be ready to see Him, and hear the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant". For the Father is not the least concerned about the way we calculate end-time schedules. He is motivated rather by that inherent longing He has in His heart for a Holy Church, a Holy Bride .. that will be compatible with His Son. All Heaven is alert and sensitive to the ministry of the Spirit in His church, for all Heaven knows that the Lamb on the throne is worthy of the very best that the Father is able to procure for the Son. And He will continue to minister to this holy church, to this beautiful bride, until she has come into the stature of grace and virtue that God has designed.
God wants a habitation for Himself .. not of wood or stone. He had all that centuries ago, and found no delight in it. So when is Christ coming back? Let us rather change the question. How do we prepare our hearts for His Appearing? Christ is coming for a glorious Church, a spotless Bride. Has the Bride made herself ready? Our High Priest will continue to intercede for His own, until He has prepared a people who are "called, and chosen, and faithful". And the ministries He has set in the body are only valid if they are hearing and speaking from the heart of the High Priest in the heavens. His true prophets will always seek to turn the hearts of the people from their evil way (Jer. 23:22). It is preparation that God’s people need in this hour -- a "washing of water by the word".. not calculations as to when He will appear.
Preparation for His Second Appearing
I have just mentioned how it was when Jesus came the first time that we might understand this very important principle -- that in spite of the knowledge we might acquire concerning the Kingdom, we may have hearts that are very unlike the King -- and therefore not ready for the Kingdom. I think there are many who know the Kingdom Message, who are caught up with the vision of Kingdom power and authority .. and are still far from poverty of spirit, meekness, lowliness, humility, and a pure heart. If the Kingdom Message does not produce these virtues in His people, there is little value in the message. God would draw us to repentance, that He might beautify us with the garments of salvation, that we might be ready to stand before the King, and be compatible with Him. For He comes for a holy and spotless Bride, who must be cleansed with the washing of water by the Word.
The burden of the Spirit is to lead His people into all truth. He wants to lead us in His ways. Oftentimes He will lead us in wilderness ways, for His ultimate desire is to lead us close to the heart of God, and therefore His ways are designed to bring us to a humble and contrite heart. Some have the notion that because He is coming soon we’ve got to come up with ingenious plans to get the job done. And He who is Lord of the church is crowded out of His temple, and replaced with the wisdom of man. We have sought to use the Holy Spirit to do our bidding and bless our efforts, rather than submitting to His authority and lordship. We profess we want His presence with us, but too often he is relegated to the back seat -- rather than at the wheel, in full control. You can be sure of this, if He is not in charge, if He is not at the wheel -- we as a church are going nowhere.
Where are those Rivers of Living Water?
"Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord". Didn’t Jesus clearly promise us that out from our innermost being would flow Rivers of Living Water, if we believed on Him, and received His Spirit (Jn. 7:38). There must be several millions of people here in this part of the world who profess to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But where are those Rivers of Living Water that Jesus promised? And even the cisterns we have made, are almost dry. There are about as many problems in the church, as there are in the world around us -- mental and spiritual and physical sicknesses, and oftentimes the same kind of sins, and the same kind of devastation in homes and families. Why then do we continue building "cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water" instead of repenting of our presumptuous ways, and seeking God earnestly for those Fountains of Life to flow once again from the House of God?
Our Great High Priest in the Heavens has every provision, in His own glorious Person, in His own glorious Ministry in the heavenly sanctuary .. to bring His people forth in the radiance and glory of Christ. And the Holy Spirit is in the church to take those glorious virtues and graces that are in our Lord Jesus, and manifest them in our midst. This is why God gave us His Spirit .. not so we may use Him for our agendas, but that He might be Lord in our midst, to show forth the mighty operations of God as a Testimony of the living Christ.. As surely as we forsake God’s Way and choose the ways of men, we will wander farther and farther away from God’s intention and desire. We cry out to the world to repent, and believe the Gospel. But God is crying out to His people to repent .. "Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick" (Rev. 2:5). Surely we must know that when He removes the candlestick .. there is no longer any Light to shine in the darkness about us. I wonder how many candlesticks have been removed from our communities, and the people do not even realize it .. because the people are still gathering together week after week. But is there a Light shining from the candlestick? It is time to "search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord".
Chapter 2 - He
Walks Among the Lampstands
Table of Contents
Home