The Light Shines In The Darkness!

 

John 1:4-5

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it."

Matthew 4:16

"The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

It doesn't matter how much people sit in darkness and soak it up, watch it, and drink it in, becoming completely evil and devoid of light. Darkness will NEVER overcome the light! Glory to God!

God IS LIGHT and in Him their is no darkness at all! Jesus was and IS full of light and when He physically walked this earth the light shined upon men, but people loved darkness rather than light, because they fear their deeds will be exposed. But coming into the light is the ONLY way to be set free from the powers of darkness and the works of the devil, because satan is completely evil and those who serve him, knowing or unknowing, will be full of evil and darkness as well!

Even those who think they know Jesus and don't are full of darkness and deception, just like the first century Pharisees and teachers of the law were, and they only way to remove the veil of darkness from their faces, is to repent and truly come to Jesus, the Light of Life!

That's why Jesus told His disciples be careful what you see, hear, and believe, because the eyes, ears, and mind are entry way's into your soul, if you open up your soul to evil, then evil will enter in! And once it's in, it's hard to get out!

Matthew 6:22-23

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

But those who believe and follow Jesus will NEVER walk in darkness! Hallelujah!

John 8:12

"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Walking In The Light!

Tyrone

Novamente! (Again!)

Isaiah 43:19-21

"Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise."

God hears the cries of His people, will He not answer us? I believe He will at the appointed time. God is always working and doing new things and I believe with all my heart that He is going to do something new in 2021! No more traditions of men and religious rituals for His chosen, but freedom and liberty through His Holy Spirit. He's going to tear down strongholds and release the youth from their bondage, and liberate them to do His will, to do good and not evil, to build up, instead of burn down.

The Israelites were blessed in the midst of God's judgements in Egypt and it will be no different for the bride of Christ in these last days. God will make a way in the desert, and open up dry places, pouring out His living water upon those who receive Him. It's time for God to do what He does once again and set the captives free to worship Him in spirit and truth! 

In Jesus Name,

Tyrone

Back To The First Century Church (Part 3, One Accord)

Acts 1:12-14, 2:1-4

"Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers."

Acts 2:1-4

"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

One very important thing to take note of in every instance where the Lord God moved mightily in supernatural manifestations and works, was when the believer's gathered together with ONE ACCORD! One mind, one agenda, one goal, which is to experience the power and presence of God in their midst.

In the tower of babel the people set out with one mind and one language, to build a tower whose top touched the heavens, and they likely would have done it if God would not have stopped them. Pay close attention to what God said about the matter.

Genesis 11:5-6

"But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them."

The power of unity is unmatched, the power of one accord and one mind amongst any group of people can bring about great change, but when the people of God come together with one accord, one heart, and one mind, God comes down!

Even with the Azusa street revival, William Seymour joined together with other believers praying for the same thing, for God to pour out His Spirit on them like the day of Pentecost.

"Moving into the home of Edward Lee, a janitor at a local bank, William Seymour began ministry with a prayer group that had been meeting regularly at the home of Richard and Ruth Asbery, at 214 North Bonnie Brae. Asbery was also employed as a janitor. Most of the worshippers were African-American, with occasional visits from European-Americans. As the group sought God for revival, their hunger intensified.

Finally, on April 9, Lee was baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. When the news of his baptism was shared with the true believers at Bonnie Brae, a powerful outpouring followed. Many received the Holy Spirit baptism as Pentecostal revival arrived on the West Coast. That evening would be hard to describe. People fell to the floor as if unconscious, others shouted and ran through the house. One neighbor, Jennie Evans Moore played the piano, something she did not have the ability to do before." (https://azusastreet.org/)

Acts 2:44-46

"Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,"

Acts 4:23-31

And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Every single time a group of believers get together with one accord something supernatural happens! God manifests Himself through signs and wonders, pouring out His Spirit, shaking the foundations and sending forth His angels. Truly when two or more are gathered together in the name of Jesus with one accord the Lord is right in the midst!

Acts 12:5-7

"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands."

Once again while Peter was held in prison, the disciples came together and prayed constantly for him and God answered their prayers by sending down His angel to get Peter out of the prison!

Acts 16:25-27

"But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed."

The unity of the faith and the oneness of heart and mind that the early disciples and the believers of the Azusa Street revival experienced, should be a desire of every 21st century Christian, because that is the best way to see a mighty move of God. When the believers have one accord then nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them!

In His Service,

Tyrone

Become A Fool To Be Wise?

1st Corinthians 3:18 

"Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise."

This is definitely a paradox! (a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.) Oxford Dictionary

Paul went through the same process when he was first converted!

Philippians 3:5-8

"circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ"

Paul indeed became a fool (a person lacking in judgment or prudence) Merriam Webster. And he became one of the wisest and spiritually strong men in the first century! God used him mightily after he was humbled by his spiritual encounters with Jesus, the thorn in his flesh, and being taught by the Spirit God in the desert. 

Galatians 6:3

"For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." 

So many paradoxes and humbling scriptures in the bible to help those who truly want to be followers of Christ understand what they must do in order to walk blameless in the sight of God. It doesn't matter your age or how many degree's or certificate's you may have. It doesn't matter what men may call you, or even if you pastor a big congregation of people, you can still be spiritually immature, disobedient, and deceived in your understanding of the scriptures!

It takes true humility and a emptying of self to really grow and become wise in the sight of God and His people. You have to count all that you learned in the world and the religious system, garbage, in order to learn the true wisdom of God that can change your eternity and anyone else's God uses you to serve.

You gotta let it all go NEO! Don't think you know everything there is to know about God, Jesus, the scriptures, life, or anything else, and don't consider yourself more highly than you ought!

Let all those who call upon the name of Jesus become fools for Him that we may become wise men and women of God!

In Jesus Name,

Tyrone

Spirit AND Truth!

 

John 4:24

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

This is an often quoted scripture but rarely practiced in today's organized religious services. Jesus was speaking to the woman at the well about what God desires in worshippers, and how we MUST worship Him. The words to pay attention too are 'must', and, AND, because these words are used by Jesus for a reason, He is giving believers instruction on how to worship God and what the Father is seeking.

When Jesus says we MUST worship God in spirit AND truth, is there any other way we can do it? The answer is No! We have to do it God's way, not our way, not your denominations way, or your pastor's way, or your family's way etc..... 

Must means: be commanded or requested to, be urged to : ought by all means to, be required by law, custom, or moral conscience, we must obey the rules. (Merriam Webster)

So if you're thinking oh it's ok to do it this way or that way, my father does it like this, my mother does it this way, but Proverbs 16:25 tells us that "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." So we have a choice to make, do we do thing's God's way, which is the right way or do we do thing's man's way? Where our immortal souls spends eternity hangs on our decisions today!

Jesus is also telling us that we can't have the spirit without the truth, we must have both together, can a plane fly with one wing? No! You need both wings to fly an airplane or else the plane will crash! It's the same way with spirit and truth. 

We also need the Holy Spirit of God to sanctify our flesh, convict us of sin when we do wrong, show us when we are being unrighteous and also convict us of coming judgement. The Spirit of God also intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be spoken, and bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

The Holy Spirit also manifests with signs and wonders, casting out evil spirit's from our bodies, which is the temple of God. The Holy Spirit gives us gift's like word's of knowledge, workings of miracles, healings, other languages, interpretations of languages, etc... 1st Corinthians 12:4-11 the body of Christ needs all these workings of the Spirit to be able to fight a spiritual battle against the forces of evil in this world. Like the word tells us our battle is NOT against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against spiritual wickedness in HIGH places! So we must have the Spirit of God operating in our lives.

Also the Spirit of God quickens our spirit so that we are able to really worship God on a spiritual level and not just an emotional one. Anyone can cry out hallelujah, while raising up their hands or jump up and down while in a service, but that doesn't mean you are worshipping God in spirit! It's much deeper! It's literally going into the throne room of God and experiencing God with your whole being, heart and mind, and becoming one with the Lord in your spirit, far more than mere emotionalism and singing your favorite Christian song.

Likewise you must have truth, otherwise you end up with people who are full of deep emotions for God but are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine! Remember it's the truth that makes you free! Without the truth of God's word you can be bound by false teachings and seducing spirits that oppress your soul and keep you from the freedom that Christ died on the cross to give us!

What is truth? God's word is truth, so if you hear anything being said that is contrary to God's word, you know you are hearing a lie, and if you are taught something that everyone believes but the word of God says something different or you see a text of scripture that contradicts a teaching, study it out for yourself and ask God to reveal His truth to you and He will! Be like the Bereans who searched the scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true! When we know and walk in truth, we can't be deceived by the devil or false teachers!

So experience God in a new way today by worshipping Him in spirit AND truth!

In The Lord's Army,

Tyrone

Back To The First Century Church Part 2!

 

Genesis 6:11-14

"The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch."

The Lord God is a patient and loving God! I wonder how long it took for the earth to be filled with violence? But eventually God does see the sins of His creation, the corruption of mankind  and the violence that they do come before Him up in Heaven and God makes a decision to judge the people on the earth.

Because of the fallen nature of man, he keeps going back to the same old routine of violence and thinking evil continually. Even when we think we're okay we need to be judging our thoughts by the word of God. Because we know the scripture say's "there is a way that SEEMS right to a man, but it's end is the way of  death!"

This is why mankind need's the intervention of a loving and just God because without His laws and His word and His Son Jesus we would be left without any hope of  salvation for our souls!

This is also why God raises up people like Noah, the prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, and His apostles to warn people, to preach the truth and bring people back to the right ways of God. If we break man's laws there is a consequence, we have to go to jail, if we break God's laws there is a consequence, if we don't repent (change our minds and think differently) and believe on His Son Jesus Christ, when we die, when our immortal soul leaves our body we will go to Hell, until the day of Judgment and then we will stand before the Creator of all things and we will be judged according to what we have done on this earth, while in our bodies.

We must get back to the right ways of God, to the simplicity of the Gospel, to true fellowship and openness, to accountability, to admonishing one another and building one another up in the Lord. We need revival, a true revival! Not some emotion filled screaming and hollering or dropping on the floor and rolling around or barking like a dog as we have seen in those false revivals, but a genuine move of God, an outpouring of His Spirit with supernatural signs and wonders that cannot be faked or copied.

What we have today is man corrupting himself again, violence worldwide, no regard for human life and many who claim to be Pastor's are making merchandise of the gospel, more concerned with making a living than helping a soul be delivered from the oppression of the devil. Many who gather in church buildings every Sunday have become accustomed to just hearing ABOUT God and Jesus, but never EXPERIENCING His great healing and delivering power or His Divine love!

We are living in the exact times that Paul said would come to pass, men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, gathering so-called ministers to themselves to tickle their ears! On just about every corner of America there is a church building and a liquor store! What is that saying? You can go wherever you want to go and hear something that you want to hear and if a truth is spoken that offends you, then you can just go somewhere else!

The first century disciples didn't have it so easy! When Jesus said something they didn't like, many just turned away and followed Him no more! But those who stayed had their eternity changed! Those who stayed received the abundant life that Jesus came to give to those who believed in Him and stayed faithful until the end. Ear tickling compromising words will not bring true repentance and Godly sorrow! Ear tickling words will not bring the conviction of the Holy Spirit that will cause you to change your bad habits, and come out of the world and be separate! Ear tickling words and the sinners prayer will not bring you the salvation of your soul!

It's time to experience the genuine power of an Almighty God who will once again judge the earth and it's people, but this time it will not be with water but with fire! In fact God is already judging the earth with famines, pestilence, flood's, tsunami's, earthquakes, and the like. Look at what Covid is doing, causing people to stay in their homes, no more big gatherings, no more mega church services, this is a time to search our hearts and get back to what really matters in life, family, love, and the genuine fellowship of the saints of God.

The first disciples were together in their homes every single day! Praying together, seeking God, fasting, eating together, singing psalms and hymns together, loving one another, helping one another, serving one another and growing every day in the Lord. Let us get back to the first century church, in the 21st century!

In Jesus Name,

Tyrone

Is God With You?

Acts 10:38

"how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. "

John 3:1-2

"There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

Exodus 3:12

"So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

If you call yourself a minister, pastor, apostle, evangelist etc.... and every Sunday you oversee the Lord's sheep and God is not with you, how effective can you be?

If all your sermons are just great orations, power point presentations, intellectual inspirational speeches and you yell at your congregation, but you have no confirmation of the word by God with signs and wonders following, then God is NOT with you!

It's not possible to be an effective minister of the gospel without the power of God working in you and through you on a daily basis. So many have settled for ear tickling messages, with wise and persuasive words but no power, no demonstration of the Spirit using you to cast out devils, heal the sick, or raise the dead. Why are many professing Christians today satisfied with being entertained instead of being convicted of their sin, unrighteousness and ungodliness? 

It should be obvious to all who read the bible that what we are seeing across the board in every denomination, congregation, and gathering of people is a lack of the true presence and power of God! A lack of genuine repentance, conviction, and conversion. Seeker friendly messages and the sinners prayer is the norm today, which is very sad considering we have the word's of God and His Son Jesus Christ contained in the bible for us to study and live by.

Is God with you? If not, then anyone who steps up to preach the gospel without the anointing, power and grace of God flowing from within them should step back until God is with them! Until the Lord Jesus is confirming the words they speak on His behalf with signs and wonders following!

Mark 16:19-20

"So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen."

In His Service,

Tyrone