Good Morning Beloved,
I so thankful for this privilege and opportunity to
assemble ourselves together online.
Heavenly Father,
You hear the earth groaning as it is torn and broken,
as our lives are being disrupted, constantly changing
we find ourselves rearranging our entire lives
Lord, You know what all of us are feeling inside
You know the fears, the insecurities
You hear the cries for help
the prayers of those who are desperate
You also know what we have done
You see even the darkest places in our lives
Convict us Lord, bring each of our sins before us
for the people we have neglected
mistreated, abused and ignored
Lord, deliver us all
We confess, You are Lord of all.
And the world needs You more than ever
In Jesus name we pray
Amen
Today's Message: The Apostolic Call - Neighborhood Evangelism
Have you ever seen anything like it?
Shelves and shelves that were once filled with toilet paper a few days ago that no one was interested in, are all totally empty.
It just vanished!
It just disappeared.
Absolutely Gone!
It’s almost like a phenomenon.
Did the toilet paper manufactures shut down or something?
It's actually quite shocking to me.
What’s really amazing is not that the toilet paper selves are empty, but that much of the meat sections have plenty of beef, pork, chicken, etc.
It’s like people are more afraid of not being able to do what they do with toilet paper than they are of eating.
Are you even aware that 70% of the world’s population does not even use toilet paper?
News Flash: You can live without it guys!
What a day we are living in. It is truly an unprecedented time.
We are seeing a dramatic increase in;
Hoarding
Paranoia
Fear
Anxiety
Terror
People are actually having the police called out because of fighting over toilet paper!
Are you kidding me?
Should we just throw caution and all common sense to the wind?
Every man for himself?
Act as though we do not know any better than to break out in fights?
Absolutely not, but it makes me wonder is anybody trusting the Lord right now?
Let's look at the facts:
Is there a virus? Yes
Is it deadly? Yes
Are we going to be affected by it? Yes, absolutely we are being affected by it.
Will we or someone we know die from it? It’s very possible.
Does that mean that God is still not on the throne? Absolutely not!
God is absolutely, positively in control.
And if the Corona Virus doesn't demonstrate that to us, I fear nothing will.
As I have stated in a previous message, I believe God has allowed this pandemic
to wake up the world to what is coming, giving people a chance to come to Christ
before He pulls out all the stops! It is coming people, it is coming.
I know many will say, "We've heard that for years and nothing has happened."
While that may be true, have you seen anything like this?
Anything that has devastated not only our nation, but on a global scale of this magnitude?
I know that I personally, have not!
And neither has anyone I have spoken to!
This is indeed, an unprecedented time we are living in!
But, we needn't be afraid, but we do need to be aware!
So, let’s just put some things into prospective.
There have been over a half a million seasonal flu hospitalizations this flu season according to the CDC.
There have been somewhere between 30,000 and 55,000 deaths, not from Coronavirus, but from the seasonal flu.
Does that mean that God is not in control?
No. Absolutely not.
Now let's look at some other statistics:
Did you know…
That over 40,000 people die in automobile accidents each year.
An additional 20-50 million are injured or disabled.
More than half of all road traffic deaths occur among young adults ages 15-44.
So do we tell our kids they can’t drove until they are 45?
No, we give them the keys, say a prayer, and trust that the God that we serve is well able to care for our kids.
And are you aware that over 600,000 people died of cancer in the US this past year?
Is the flu dangerous?
Yes
Is Coronavirus dangerous?
Yes
Is driving a car dangerous?
Yes
Is cancer dangerous?
Yes
Does any of this mean that God is not in control?
Absolutely Not!
God is, as He always has been, in complete control!
Listen beloved, this is all part of the cursed world that we live in.
This is what the effects of sin and the lack of morality has done to our world.
And this is why God gave us a redeemer in Jesus Christ!
When the rest of world trembles in fear,
God’s people can and should be rejoicing in the God of their salvation.
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
For you have made the Lord, my refuge"
Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
For you have made the Lord, my refuge"
Psalm 91:1-9
Beloved, even during this global health crisis, when our daily lives has been disrupted, when life has become difficult and unpredictable, you can be confident in what lies ahead. It’s all about understanding and believing the loving concern of your Heavenly Father and His commitment to caring for His own. We are blessed. And we can all be thankful in the providence of God to be living in a time when the church is aware of what's taking place. Imagine, for a moment, the absolute fear, of those who do not know the Word of God, those who have no hope... It must be devastating... Just devastating.
What we have, is an entire world of people cut off from any eternal hope, everything becomes fearful to them. For those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, who have no true hope after death, it’s very reasonable for them to be fearful, it’s reasonable to be concerned about death and because they face, as we all know, divine judgment and eternal punishment is rapidly approaching.
We still have the apostolic message of salvation contained in Acts 2:38, but many times we don’t use the apostolic methods of spreading the gospel. What would happen if we did?
If we all started to do what the Apostles did? How did they go about evangelizing the known world? They did it by going from house to house.
We can be sure of one thing: If we go as they did, we shall also get what they got.
However, the task remains unchanged, and neither has God changed in the slightest, smallest degree. God will indeed, do for us what He did for the apostles if we do for God what the apostles did, because God never changes.
House to house can be very effective. Houses can become evangelism centers. Home churches provide for a dynamic neighborhood evangelism method. Here we can penetrate Satan’s kingdom and bring the light of the gospel into the darkness. Individual cell groups would cause us to always be looking at meeting the needs of people and reaching out. Through this method you can share Christ with a lost world.
We know that 75 to 90 percent of all people coming to Christ or coming to church have done so because of a friend or a relative, sharing the gospel message with them. And people tend to go to the church that is nearest to them; a community church. Though there are some who will travel to a particular church, because of it's teaching. Some, because it makes them "feel good", while for others, it's because they want to hear the truth. And occasionally, you can find both, in the same place.
"Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people."
Leviticus 26:11-12
I'm sure some of you are wondering why I am pointing out this passage in Leviticus?
Well allow me to clarify that now...
The reason for my sharing Leviticus 26, familiar passage, is to be reminded again that those who belong to the Lord, who are His possession, and who walk in faithfulness to the Lord are protected by the Lord. And there are many passages, in Scripture that offer that hope, that promise. Matthew 6, verses 24-35, I believe, is another example of that. We have many promises of protection from our Lord.
But those who are part of the kingdom of darkness, those who choose to disobey the Lord have no hope, no promise, and certainly, no protector. They have no protector. Instead, what they have is a liar, a deceiver, a murderer! One who tells them what they want to hear, leading them down the garden path, not matter how untrue it may be.. right into Hell! And as such, many will be deceived.
And how blessed are we beloved, to know the truth? We know this to be true, because our Lord Jesus said, the head of the kingdom of darkness is Satan himself who is a liar, a thief and a murderer and those who do not come to Christ, they are part of the kingdom of darkness.
We all know that they who are sadly disobedient to the Lord, and the curses will fall upon on them...
it will be devastating, far worse than anything we're seeing today. And for them, God also has a promise...
"But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up. I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you. If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit."
Leviticus 26:14-20
Just as there is a reward for those of us who follow Jesus Christ and obey the Word of God, there are penalties for those who do not. And, it is my responsibility, my obligation, my duty if you will, to point out both sides of the Truth... As it should be for every other teacher of the Bible.
Yet, as we all know, many do not. They're only teaching the blessings, the rewards, without also teaching the requirements to receive them.
And isn't that like accepting a job, with being told what you're to do, in order to earn a paycheck?
As soon as people were asked to do something, they would all scream,
"That's not fair! No one told me that!"
Beloved, I suspect there will be a lot of the on judgement day... a lot of that.
And quite frankly, I would not want to be in line with those who were given the charge of teaching them the truth. It's going to equally, just as devastating for them, who have falsely assumed they would be admitted into heaven.. only to be told by our Lord, "Depart from me! I never knew you!"
I would also imagine, that it's safe to say, He will not be listening to all the excuses as to why they didn't teach the truth!
That is why, though I know many squirm in their seats, I must, do as I am instructed by the Lord.
To teach all of you, every time, the truth, found in the entire Word of God! Now, I am also aware, that many of you join us, because I do.
And, for those of you, I'm grateful, so very grateful for that. Because each and every one of us, needs
to know the truth, whether or not we like what we hear, doesn't change the fact, it is the Truth! I suppose that's where the old saying came from, "The truth hurts!"
But whether not no one believes the truth, it doesn't change the fact, that it is still the truth.
And even if everyone believes a lie, it is ..still just a lie.
My heart is heavy, so heavy... for anyone who is being deceived by the lies today.
I am so very thankful, that you and I, we have a Savior, who instructs us not to worry.
Jesus says don’t worry, don’t worry. He actually says, "Don’t worry, stop worrying, and don’t start worrying." We are protected. And Jesus goes on to tells us, You belong to God’s kingdom. You’re a child of God. He will make sure that you have all that you need. Don’t worry about what you will eat, what you will drink, or what you will wear, He will take care of all of it.
And, I can assure you, that He has in my life, always provided for my family and I. In my youth, even when I, at times, had no idea where any of it could possibly come from, He always, always has provided. And He still does, today!
And for many of us, it's simply a choice.. of what we will choose to eat. And for some, there is no choice, as they have no food.
Food, drink, clothing and shelter, are quite often for many, a deep deep concern.
How awful it must be for those who do not know the Lord...
To have no protector, no provider. no hope.
How very very overwhelmingly and abundantly blessed are we..
In Closing...
Anxiety, is absolutely unnecessary and terribly foolish if you belong to the Lord, because you have a Heavenly Father.
Who has promised to provide all of our needs, anyone want to join me right now to give God some praise?
Let's look just a moment, at Matthew chapter 6, verse 26-34,
"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
For those of you who belong to the Lord, for those who are still worrying...
Have you forgotten who your Father is?
We must also realize, that it is essential for us to remember that this is obviously not an excuse to become idle; we aren’t to just sit by and let the Lord deliver food to us to our door. The birds, are fed by God, but they do not sit on a branch waiting for God to deliver it, they use the most amazing and astounding forms of gathering their food. They search for it constantly and continually. They do all the work because God has provided for them what they need; they must work to acquire it. The same is true for us, He will provide what we need, but the key is, we must do our part.
God is not operating a Grub Hub!
I can't imagine why some people think that...
And even if He was, which He is not, there would be some, who would also expect Him to have a key, so they didn't have to get up off the couch...
God has also promised us a great outpouring in the last days and the small church buildings that we now have will not be able to hold the outpouring that God wants to send to us. It is not time for us to think in terms of adding to the church but rather in terms of multiplication.
"But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied."
Acts 12:24
And so while, we must prepare for what is to come...
Do we need to stockpile and horde, keeping others from getting what they need, ignoring the promises of God and forfeiting a kind of carefree heart?
If God is faithful, and He is, if His promises are true, and they are...
why are so many being inconsiderate?
What are some of you thinking... or are you?
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
Beloved, even during this global health crisis, when our daily lives has been disrupted, when life has become difficult and unpredictable, you can be confident in what lies ahead. It’s all about understanding and believing the loving concern of your Heavenly Father and His commitment to caring for His own. We are blessed. And we can all be thankful in the providence of God to be living in a time when the church is aware of what's taking place. Imagine, for a moment, the absolute fear, of those who do not know the Word of God, those who have no hope... It must be devastating... Just devastating.
What we have, is an entire world of people cut off from any eternal hope, everything becomes fearful to them. For those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, who have no true hope after death, it’s very reasonable for them to be fearful, it’s reasonable to be concerned about death and because they face, as we all know, divine judgment and eternal punishment is rapidly approaching.
We still have the apostolic message of salvation contained in Acts 2:38, but many times we don’t use the apostolic methods of spreading the gospel. What would happen if we did?
If we all started to do what the Apostles did? How did they go about evangelizing the known world? They did it by going from house to house.
We can be sure of one thing: If we go as they did, we shall also get what they got.
However, the task remains unchanged, and neither has God changed in the slightest, smallest degree. God will indeed, do for us what He did for the apostles if we do for God what the apostles did, because God never changes.
House to house can be very effective. Houses can become evangelism centers. Home churches provide for a dynamic neighborhood evangelism method. Here we can penetrate Satan’s kingdom and bring the light of the gospel into the darkness. Individual cell groups would cause us to always be looking at meeting the needs of people and reaching out. Through this method you can share Christ with a lost world.
We know that 75 to 90 percent of all people coming to Christ or coming to church have done so because of a friend or a relative, sharing the gospel message with them. And people tend to go to the church that is nearest to them; a community church. Though there are some who will travel to a particular church, because of it's teaching. Some, because it makes them "feel good", while for others, it's because they want to hear the truth. And occasionally, you can find both, in the same place.
"Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people."
Leviticus 26:11-12
I'm sure some of you are wondering why I am pointing out this passage in Leviticus?
Well allow me to clarify that now...
The reason for my sharing Leviticus 26, familiar passage, is to be reminded again that those who belong to the Lord, who are His possession, and who walk in faithfulness to the Lord are protected by the Lord. And there are many passages, in Scripture that offer that hope, that promise. Matthew 6, verses 24-35, I believe, is another example of that. We have many promises of protection from our Lord.
But those who are part of the kingdom of darkness, those who choose to disobey the Lord have no hope, no promise, and certainly, no protector. They have no protector. Instead, what they have is a liar, a deceiver, a murderer! One who tells them what they want to hear, leading them down the garden path, not matter how untrue it may be.. right into Hell! And as such, many will be deceived.
And how blessed are we beloved, to know the truth? We know this to be true, because our Lord Jesus said, the head of the kingdom of darkness is Satan himself who is a liar, a thief and a murderer and those who do not come to Christ, they are part of the kingdom of darkness.
We all know that they who are sadly disobedient to the Lord, and the curses will fall upon on them...
it will be devastating, far worse than anything we're seeing today. And for them, God also has a promise...
"But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up. I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you. If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit."
Leviticus 26:14-20
Just as there is a reward for those of us who follow Jesus Christ and obey the Word of God, there are penalties for those who do not. And, it is my responsibility, my obligation, my duty if you will, to point out both sides of the Truth... As it should be for every other teacher of the Bible.
Yet, as we all know, many do not. They're only teaching the blessings, the rewards, without also teaching the requirements to receive them.
And isn't that like accepting a job, with being told what you're to do, in order to earn a paycheck?
As soon as people were asked to do something, they would all scream,
"That's not fair! No one told me that!"
Beloved, I suspect there will be a lot of the on judgement day... a lot of that.
And quite frankly, I would not want to be in line with those who were given the charge of teaching them the truth. It's going to equally, just as devastating for them, who have falsely assumed they would be admitted into heaven.. only to be told by our Lord, "Depart from me! I never knew you!"
I would also imagine, that it's safe to say, He will not be listening to all the excuses as to why they didn't teach the truth!
That is why, though I know many squirm in their seats, I must, do as I am instructed by the Lord.
To teach all of you, every time, the truth, found in the entire Word of God! Now, I am also aware, that many of you join us, because I do.
And, for those of you, I'm grateful, so very grateful for that. Because each and every one of us, needs
to know the truth, whether or not we like what we hear, doesn't change the fact, it is the Truth! I suppose that's where the old saying came from, "The truth hurts!"
But whether not no one believes the truth, it doesn't change the fact, that it is still the truth.
And even if everyone believes a lie, it is ..still just a lie.
My heart is heavy, so heavy... for anyone who is being deceived by the lies today.
I am so very thankful, that you and I, we have a Savior, who instructs us not to worry.
Jesus says don’t worry, don’t worry. He actually says, "Don’t worry, stop worrying, and don’t start worrying." We are protected. And Jesus goes on to tells us, You belong to God’s kingdom. You’re a child of God. He will make sure that you have all that you need. Don’t worry about what you will eat, what you will drink, or what you will wear, He will take care of all of it.
And, I can assure you, that He has in my life, always provided for my family and I. In my youth, even when I, at times, had no idea where any of it could possibly come from, He always, always has provided. And He still does, today!
And for many of us, it's simply a choice.. of what we will choose to eat. And for some, there is no choice, as they have no food.
Food, drink, clothing and shelter, are quite often for many, a deep deep concern.
How awful it must be for those who do not know the Lord...
To have no protector, no provider. no hope.
How very very overwhelmingly and abundantly blessed are we..
In Closing...
Anxiety, is absolutely unnecessary and terribly foolish if you belong to the Lord, because you have a Heavenly Father.
Who has promised to provide all of our needs, anyone want to join me right now to give God some praise?
Let's look just a moment, at Matthew chapter 6, verse 26-34,
"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
For those of you who belong to the Lord, for those who are still worrying...
Have you forgotten who your Father is?
We must also realize, that it is essential for us to remember that this is obviously not an excuse to become idle; we aren’t to just sit by and let the Lord deliver food to us to our door. The birds, are fed by God, but they do not sit on a branch waiting for God to deliver it, they use the most amazing and astounding forms of gathering their food. They search for it constantly and continually. They do all the work because God has provided for them what they need; they must work to acquire it. The same is true for us, He will provide what we need, but the key is, we must do our part.
God is not operating a Grub Hub!
I can't imagine why some people think that...
And even if He was, which He is not, there would be some, who would also expect Him to have a key, so they didn't have to get up off the couch...
God has also promised us a great outpouring in the last days and the small church buildings that we now have will not be able to hold the outpouring that God wants to send to us. It is not time for us to think in terms of adding to the church but rather in terms of multiplication.
"But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied."
Acts 12:24
And so while, we must prepare for what is to come...
Do we need to stockpile and horde, keeping others from getting what they need, ignoring the promises of God and forfeiting a kind of carefree heart?
If God is faithful, and He is, if His promises are true, and they are...
why are so many being inconsiderate?
What are some of you thinking... or are you?
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
Brian Monzon Ministries