This document is a sermon about the transformational church given at First Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi. It discusses how Christians are transformed by the Holy Spirit from glory to glory as reflected in 2 Corinthians 3:18. The sermon uses the vision of the lampstand from Zechariah 4 as a symbol of the Holy Spirit continually supplying inner strength, enabling Christians to shine as lights in a dark world. The heart of the gospel that Christians carry is transformational as it reflects the glory of God and transforms people into His image.
Dear brothers and sisters,
We are commissioned to communicate God's salvific message. If you are quiet about God's Word, think again your Christian vocation, because you are not doing well.
Fr. Cielo
Dear sisters and brothers,
If you are always trying to please people even if they are erring, you are not a prophet. Speak out God's message even it hurts.
Fr. Cielo
Dear brothers and sisters,
We are commissioned to communicate God's salvific message. If you are quiet about God's Word, think again your Christian vocation, because you are not doing well.
Fr. Cielo
Dear sisters and brothers,
If you are always trying to please people even if they are erring, you are not a prophet. Speak out God's message even it hurts.
Fr. Cielo
Dear sisters and brothers,
If you feel you are called to priestly and religious life, better respond now. Don't delay. Don't enter when you are already sickly and old.
Fr. Cielo
Dear sisters and brothers,
If you feel you are called to priestly and religious life, better respond now. Don't delay. Don't enter when you are already sickly and old.
Fr. Cielo
RSVP Invitation
I. Invitation- “Call upon Me.”
A. Who gives this invitation?
B. Who receives the invitation?
C. How to respond to the invitation.
D. What is the dead-line to respond?
E. Benefits of response
II. Motivation- Jer 33:3 “I will answer thee”
A. Sometimes answered “before they call”
B. Sometimes He “makes as though He heard not”
C. Sometimes different from our expectations.
III. Amplification Jer 33:3 “I will show thee great and mighty things”
A. Healing, and Health (Jer 33:6)
B. Liberty from Bondage (Jer 33:7).
C. Purification and Justification (Jer 33:8).
D. Guarantee (Jer 33:14)
E. Promise of Continued Revelation, “I will show thee,”
1) There are more wonderful things to be seen
2) The Promise that builds
F. Many refuse this reasonable offer-
IV. Examination
A. No response to the request, forfeits the name of Christian.
B. Those who profess “Christianity” are duty bound to commune with Christ.
Is falling backwards (called Slain in the spirit in the Evangilical world) a sign of acceptance with God? The answer is emphatically NO, it never has been and it never will be.
This is a short study of Night Visions, with special focus on the EIGHT VISIONS OF ZECHARIAH. You could choose to click in this audio link
https://soundcloud.com/marco-lafebre/nightvisions-2013-mp3
wich is based on the slides, to have an idea of our classes. By the end of the audio there is a short session on prophetic activation with participation of all my students.
A series of classes designed to turn you into a "World Christian" by helping you discover the truth of God's unfulfilled global purpose to reach all peoples. It will ignite in you a passion to take action and fulfill your destiny as part of God's plan.
What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Why is proclaiming the Gospel of Christ necessary? What are some reactions you have had when you shared the Gospel? Why do many people react negatively to the Gospel of Christ? (John 6:60-66; Mark 6:1-6)
Theomatics and The Big Picture by Professor Truthprofessortruth
The Theomatics code in the Bible proves conclusively that every person who is born into this world - pre-existed in heaven - we are the fallen angels who were thrown out and cast down to earth. Literraly. That is why the Bible teaches that men and women are born sinners.
What is the Spirit of prophecy? Is it a person? Is it applicable in our present time?
The many challenges that have been manifested in recent times over the Spirit of Prophecy has caused many to question and some to study to find out what is truth. Truth clearly revealed in the bible is what we seek and as such we look carefully at whether or not the writings of Sister White pass the test using a simple comparison.
The Word of God about the kingdom of one thousand yearsBilly Dean
„I have stayed for two thousand years waiting for the creature’s resurrection that I died for, and the third thousand years is the day of the resurrection, the Lord’s Day. Amen.
Here is the mystery about the ages, for with God a day is as a thousand years.
... Two thousand years are as the two days in which I stayed hidden into the grave, and the third thousand years is as the third day in which I arose and showed Myself to the people.”
Exploring the Mindfulness Understanding Its Benefits.pptxMartaLoveguard
Slide 1: Title: Exploring the Mindfulness: Understanding Its Benefits
Slide 2: Introduction to Mindfulness
Mindfulness, defined as the conscious, non-judgmental observation of the present moment, has deep roots in Buddhist meditation practice but has gained significant popularity in the Western world in recent years. In today's society, filled with distractions and constant stimuli, mindfulness offers a valuable tool for regaining inner peace and reconnecting with our true selves. By cultivating mindfulness, we can develop a heightened awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, leading to a greater sense of clarity and presence in our daily lives.
Slide 3: Benefits of Mindfulness for Mental Well-being
Practicing mindfulness can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, improving overall quality of life.
Mindfulness increases awareness of our emotions and teaches us to manage them better, leading to improved mood.
Regular mindfulness practice can improve our ability to concentrate and focus our attention on the present moment.
Slide 4: Benefits of Mindfulness for Physical Health
Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can contribute to lowering blood pressure, which is beneficial for heart health.
Regular meditation and mindfulness practice can strengthen the immune system, aiding the body in fighting infections.
Mindfulness may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity by reducing stress and improving overall lifestyle habits.
Slide 5: Impact of Mindfulness on Relationships
Mindfulness can help us better understand others and improve communication, leading to healthier relationships.
By focusing on the present moment and being fully attentive, mindfulness helps build stronger and more authentic connections with others.
Mindfulness teaches us how to be present for others in difficult times, leading to increased compassion and understanding.
Slide 6: Mindfulness Techniques and Practices
Focusing on the breath and mindful breathing can be a simple way to enter a state of mindfulness.
Body scan meditation involves focusing on different parts of the body, paying attention to any sensations and feelings.
Practicing mindful walking and eating involves consciously focusing on each step or bite, with full attention to sensory experiences.
Slide 7: Incorporating Mindfulness into Daily Life
You can practice mindfulness in everyday activities such as washing dishes or taking a walk in the park.
Adding mindfulness practice to daily routines can help increase awareness and presence.
Mindfulness helps us become more aware of our needs and better manage our time, leading to balance and harmony in life.
Slide 8: Summary: Embracing Mindfulness for Full Living
Mindfulness can bring numerous benefits for physical and mental health.
Regular mindfulness practice can help achieve a fuller and more satisfying life.
Mindfulness has the power to change our perspective and way of perceiving the world, leading to deeper se
The Good News, newsletter for June 2024 is hereNoHo FUMC
Our monthly newsletter is available to read online. We hope you will join us each Sunday in person for our worship service. Make sure to subscribe and follow us on YouTube and social media.
Why is this So? ~ Do Seek to KNOW (English & Chinese).pptxOH TEIK BIN
A PowerPoint Presentation based on the Dhamma teaching of Kamma-Vipaka (Intentional Actions-Ripening Effects).
A Presentation for developing morality, concentration and wisdom and to spur us to practice the Dhamma diligently.
The texts are in English and Chinese.
2 Peter 3: Because some scriptures are hard to understand and some will force them to say things God never intended, Peter warns us to take care.
https://youtu.be/nV4kGHFsEHw
HANUMAN STORIES: TIMELESS TEACHINGS FOR TODAY’S WORLDLearnyoga
Hanuman Stories: Timeless Teachings for Today’s World" delves into the inspiring tales of Hanuman, highlighting lessons of devotion, strength, and selfless service that resonate in modern life. These stories illustrate how Hanuman's unwavering faith and courage can guide us through challenges and foster resilience. Through these timeless narratives, readers can find profound wisdom to apply in their daily lives.
In Jude 17-23 Jude shifts from piling up examples of false teachers from the Old Testament to a series of practical exhortations that flow from apostolic instruction. He preserves for us what may well have been part of the apostolic catechism for the first generation of Christ-followers. In these instructions Jude exhorts the believer to deal with 3 different groups of people: scoffers who are "devoid of the Spirit", believers who have come under the influence of scoffers and believers who are so entrenched in false teaching that they need rescue and pose some real spiritual risk for the rescuer. In all of this Jude emphasizes Jesus' call to rescue straying sheep, leaving the 99 safely behind and pursuing the 1.
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, and is the first book of the Deuteronomistic history, the story of Israel from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian exile.
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way.pptxCelso Napoleon
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way
SBs – Sunday Bible School
Adult Bible Lessons 2nd quarter 2024 CPAD
MAGAZINE: THE CAREER THAT IS PROPOSED TO US: The Path of Salvation, Holiness and Perseverance to Reach Heaven
Commentator: Pastor Osiel Gomes
Presentation: Missionary Celso Napoleon
Renewed in Grace
What Should be the Christian View of Anime?Joe Muraguri
We will learn what Anime is and see what a Christian should consider before watching anime movies? We will also learn a little bit of Shintoism religion and hentai (the craze of internet pornography today).
The PBHP DYC ~ Reflections on The Dhamma (English).pptxOH TEIK BIN
A PowerPoint Presentation based on the Dhamma Reflections for the PBHP DYC for the years 1993 – 2012. To motivate and inspire DYC members to keep on practicing the Dhamma and to do the meritorious deed of Dhammaduta work.
The texts are in English.
For the Video with audio narration, comments and texts in English, please check out the Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF2g_43NEa0
7. Apocalypse (" lifting of the veil " or " revelation ") is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation.
8. Like the book of Revelation, Zechariah is a book of prophecy. Its theme is to set forth the program of God , which is also the theme of the book of Revelation.
9. The difference is that in Zechariah Israel is in the foreground and the Gentile nations are in the background,
10. while in the book of Revelation the Gentile nations are in the foreground and the continuous thread that ties them together is the nation of Israel.
11.
12. ZECHARIAH 1:1 “ In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo”
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16. Zechariah was a contemporary with Haggai, one of the prophets who ministered to the remnant who had returned from captivity in Babylon.
17. Although they were back in Jerusalem rebuilding the temple and the city, they were still vassals of Babylon,
18. DEPRESSING TIMES still subject to the Gentile nations around them, without much hope for the future. It was a discouraging, depressing time , and a spirit of dark pessimism gripped these people.
19. And Zechariah comes to them in the midst of their depression, with this announcement that is even wrapped up in his name and ancestry:
20. Jehovah blesses, Jehovah remembers at the appointed time. What an encouragement those names must have been.
21. RETURN TO ME (ZECH 1:3) Thus says the Lord [Jehovah] of hosts: Return to Me , says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts." Zechariah 1:3
22. I WILL RETURN TO YOU That is always God's way. When you find yourself straying away from His presence your life grows cold, your faith grows dim, and you grow discouraged.
23. RETURN TO ME Then, when you are defeated you find yourself exposed to all types of temptations and prey to every evil thought. What must you do? " Return to Me ," says the Lord, "and I will return to you."
24. If you want God back in your life, with all the glory of His presence, then come back to Him. That is always the formula.
25. “ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you . Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8
26. (John MacArthur commentary on Zechariah 4.) Since the creation God has desired to have a close relationship with man and has always spoken to him.
27. In the case of Adam before the fall, God walked and talked with him in the cool of the day, the Bible says, and man had a perfect knowledge of God's truth and perfect fellowship with God's presence.
28. Then sin came and the consequence of sin was that man lost the knowledge of God and became ignorant, so in Ephesians 4:17-19, the apostle Paul outlines something of the results of the fall.
29. " Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart .“ Ephesians 4:17-19
30. One of the effects of the fall was that conversation and communion with God was hindered and man was now in lonely isolation.
31. But God was not going to give up with that and fall back into some kind of silence.
32. To this ignorant world, a world that became a sinful world, God then began to speak and He sent His revelation to redeem sinners.
33. God from the very first time that Adam sinned began to speak and the first thing that He said was, " Adam, where are you ?"
34. I want to find you because I want to talk to you . God has always talked. God has always spoken.
35. God has always communicated. And in the Old Testament time the vehicle of His communication was the nation Israel.
36. After the founding of the nation they became His channel of information and revelation.
37. In Romans 3:1-2 " What advantage then hath the Jew? Or what profit is there of circumcision ?" In other words what is the advantage of being a Jew?
38. The advantage comes in verse two: " Much every way, but chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God .” Rom 3:2
39. In Romans 9:4-5 Paul says, regarding his own kinsmen, "Who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law …”
40. God has always spoken to man. In Isaiah 43:21, God says regarding Israel, " This people have I formed for Myself, they will show forth My praise ."
41. Deuteronomy 4:5-6 says, " See I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it.
42. So keep and do them, says Moses, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people .'" Deut 4:5-6
43. God wanted Israel to speak His truth so that the nations would know wisdom and endeavor to ascertain the Source, which would bring them to Him.
44. In Psalm 18:49, " Therefore will I give thanks to Thee among the nations, O Lord ." In other words the responsibility of proclaiming God in the midst of the world.
45. In Psalm 96:3, “ Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the people ."
46. In Ezekiel 5:5, " Then saith the Lord God, this is Jerusalem. I have set her in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.
47. And she hath changed Mine ordinances into wickedness more than the nations, my statutes more than the countries that are round about her, for they have refused Mine ordinances and My statutes. They have not walked in them .“ Ezekiel 5:5
48. Now that is a sad diversion from all the intentions that is in the preceding verses. God had said you're My people, you are to proclaim My truth, you are to tell people what I am and Who I am and what My will is,
49. but instead Ezekiel says they violated God's principles, they disobeyed his ordinances, they kept closed mouth about His commandments and failed in the thing that God had called them to do.
50. Now basically when God chose Israel in the Old Testament it was to be a witnessing people and they were to witness in two ways:
51. by their lifestyle and by their proclamation. It was not just a matter of speaking; it was a matter of living.
52. There was to be a lifestyle so dramatically different that it was a testimony to God. And then they were to verbalize the things that God revealed to them.
53. And the tragedy is they failed. That's all that can be said, they just plain failed and God had to set them aside.
54. And Israel today is not God's witnessing nation and they haven't been since the time Jesus was on the earth.
55. And that's why the Lord Jesus had to find a new group, a new witnessing people, and that new witnessing people is the Church , you and I and all those who have been a part of the body of Christ.
56. We are His witnessing people, we are His witnessing community, but as we come to Zechariah 4, we find the most marvelous prophecy that tells us that in the future Israel will be reinstated as God's witnessing nation and this is an exciting thing.
57. There is coming a new day for Israel. There will be a hope realized in that all that God had originally intended for them is going to come to pass in the future.
58. Now as we look at Chapter 4, just a quick brief review: The chronology of this vision is in perfect sequence with the others.
59. Zechariah has eight visions all eight of which refer to the restoration of Israel both historically as they rebuild their city after the captivity and prophetically as they will be a part of God's wonderful coming kingdom.
60. The first of the visions presented the outward promise of the kingdom. And then they talked about the restoration of the city and the temple.
61. And then after the outward restoration, the visions moved to the inward and we saw the inward salvation that occurred.
62. In Chapter 3 we see the saving of Israel and the figure of the cleansing of Joshua the high priest. Joshua is a picture of the nation and as Joshua was cleansed and purified so Israel is to be cleansed and purified .
63. So there is an outward presentation of the kingdom, but the outward kingdom will never come until the inward salvation occurs.
64. And now moving away from that to the next in the sequence we find that this vision deals with the usefulness of Israel in the outward kingdom when the inward cleansing has taken place.
65. God is going to restore Israel to a place of wonderful usefulness. That's always the way it is.
66. God has a plan in the world, God has a design to accomplish, but the people who accomplish it will be the people who are saved and then they will be useful to God within the framework of His plan .
67. So the nation is saved in Chapter 3, prophetically and the nation is used as God's witnessing people in Chapter 4 . Now let's look at the vision and see several points.
68. The presentation of the vision. verse 1. " And the angel who talked with me ," and here we are with good ol' faithful interpreter angel whose leading us all through these visions, and leading Zechariah as well.
69. " The angel who talked with me came again and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep ." After Zechariah sees a vision the thing is so astounding and so dramatic and so provocative and so profound that the natural response is to slump in a state of meditation .
70. Here he almost gets himself into a sort of a semi-coma of spiritual exhaustion over the exercise of his mind and the comprehension of what he has seen. It's beginning to build on him now and he falls into a state of exhaustion from which the interpreting angel comes and wakens him.
71. Daniel had a similar experience in the 10 th Chapter of Daniel the 9 th verse. Now having been wakened, Zechariah sees another vision in verse 2. " He said to me, what do you see? And I said, well I have looked and behold a lamp stand ,"
72. Some of your Bibles may say a candlestick, but that probably is not the best translation because they aren't actually candles as we'll see.
73. ZECHARIAH 4:1-2a (your study?) 1 The angel who was speaking with me then returned and roused me as one awakened out of sleep. 2 He asked me, "What do you see?" I replied, "I see a solid gold lampstand there with a bowl on its top.
74. ZECHARIAH 4:2b-3 It has seven lamps on it and seven channels for each of the lamps on its top. 3 There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left."
76. Ray Stedman says that in Zechariah 4:1-3 we see the power of the Holy Spirit---in the vision of the lampstand and the olive tree. It pictures the Spirit-filled life.
77. Oil always refers to the Holy Spirit, and here were olive trees continually dripping oil out of their branches into a lampstand, and it was burning brightly.
78. INNER STRENGTH What wonderful symbolism of the fact that the Lord within us is constantly supplying that inner strength.
79. That makes it possible for us to burn brightly as light in the midst of a dark generation.
80. “ so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world ,” Philippians 2:15
81. ZECHARIAH 4:4 4 Then I asked the angel who was speaking with me, "What are these, my lord?"
82. ZECHARIAH 4:5 5 "Don't you know what they are?" replied the angel who was speaking with me. I said, "No, my lord."
83. ZECHARIAH 4:6 6 So he answered me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit ,' says the LORD of Hosts.
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85. 7 CHANNELS Seven channels is where the oil flows to the lamps, oil flowing in seven different ways to produce seven different lights. (river boat pilot)
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87. There can be no renewal, revival or rebuilding without a vision for and an experience of the all-consuming presence of God.
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89. 2 CORINTHIANS 3:17 “ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
90. We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord Who is the Spirit .” 2 Corinthians 3:18
91. HEBREWS 1:3 “ 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.”
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94. SHINE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST We want to shine the light of Christ , not to make shiny, happy people, but to multiply the number of shiners and magnify the light of Christ more and more in every corner, community, country and culture.
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96. In Zech 4:6 God says, “ Not by strength, or by might but by My Spirit says the LORD of Hosts .”
97. NOT BY OUR STRENGTHS Zerubbabel had been trying to rebuild the house of God by his leadership skills alone, out of his resources alone, from his intellect alone.
101. “ Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Whom He has given us.” Rom 5:5
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106. ZECHARIAH 4:9 “ Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you. Not that they will say Zerubbabel has great hands and look at what he has done.” (human effort)
107. Zechariah carries a message of hope: 1)hope that God is present with His people and 2) that He empowers them to point others to His redemptive glory.
108. OUR GOD IS A REBUILDING GOD FBCJ carries a message of hope because our God is a rebuilding God Who is still at work and still on mission.
109. Don’t get tricked into thinking that God no longer is working through North American churches.
110. “ If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chron 7:14
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115. GOD’S HOUSEHOLD (EPH 2:19) ” So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God's household ,” HCSB
116. EPHESIANS 2:20-22 “ The whole building is being fitted together in Him and is growing into a holy sanctuary in the LORD in Whom you also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit .”
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122. MEASURE TRANSFORMATION Don’t measure the outlying issues of ministry because you’ll miss the core mission of God .
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126. The abundant life is lived out with loved ones, friends, and acquaintances in the marketplace.