HOPE OF GLORY

FOUR STRATEGIES

TEXT:

(Psa 63:1-3 NIV) " O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. {2} I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. {3} Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."

IN OUR GENERATION:

(Acts 2:42-47 NIV) "THEY DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO THE APOSTLES' TEACHING and to THE FELLOWSHIP, to THE BREAKING OF BREAD and to PRAYER.

AS A RESULT…

{43} Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. {44} All the believers were together and had everything in common. {45} Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. {46} Every day they continued to meet together IN THE TEMPLE COURTS. They broke bread IN THEIR HOMES and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, {47} praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.

AND THE LORD ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER DAILY THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED."
Last Tuesday, August 23rd at 1:51pm an earthquake, magnitude 5.8 (on Richter scale) occurred in Mineral, Virginia..

- According to the Los Angeles Times.. It was the largest earthquake in Virginia in recorded history.

- The last earthquake of any consequence in Virginia was reported by John Quincy Adams in Feb. 1828

Last Night, Saturday August 27th, Hurricane Irene hit Virginia..

- According to the Richmond Times Dispatch it was the worst hurricane since Hurricane Agnes in 1972 (the worst hurricane in 39 years)

- IRENE MEANS “PEACE”

WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME OF GLOBAL TRANSITION

- THE BIBLE CALLS OUR GENERATION THE DAY OF THE LORD

IT IS THE MOST PROPHESIED GLOBAL TRANSITION IN THE BIBLE!!

-EVEN THOUGH THE BIBLE CALLS OUR GENERATION “DREADFUL”

-WE ALSO SEE THAT GOD INTENDS TO AMAZING THINGS

-THINGS THAT HAVE NEVER HAPPENED ON THE EARTH BEFORE!

-THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE LIKES OF THESE DAYS HAVE NEVER BEEN SEEN ON THE EARTH BEFORE AND WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN!

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THESE DAYS!

(2 Tim 1:7 NIV) "For God did not give us a SPIRIT OF FEAR, but a SPIRIT OF POWER, OF LOVE AND OF SELF-DISCIPLINE."

SCRIPTURES THAT TALK ABOUT THE DAY OF THE LORD – 25 PLACES

ISA. 2:12,13:6,9, JER. 46:10, EZEK. 13:5,30:3, JOEL 1;15-3:14, AMOS 5:18,20, OBAD. 1:15, ZEPH. 1:14,14:1, MAL 4:5…. ACTS 2:20, I COR. 5:5, I THESS. 5:2, 2 PET. 3:10

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CURRENT GLOBAL TRANSITION – “DAY OF THE LORD”

(Joel 2:28-32 NIV) "'And afterward, I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL PEOPLE. Your sons and daughters will PROPHESY, your old men will dream DREAMS, your young men will see VISIONS. {29} Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. {30} I will show WONDERS IN THE HEAVENS and ON THE EARTH, blood and fire and billows of smoke. {31} The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. {32} And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls." (Joel 3:1-2 NIV) "'In those days and at that time, WHEN I RESTORE THE FORTUNES OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM, {2} I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land."

(Mat 24:3-14 NIV)

"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN OF YOUR COMING AND OF THE END OF THE AGE?""

"Jesus answered….

1. Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, ' and will deceive many.

2. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

3. There will be famines…

4. There will be earthquakes in various places.

“All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

5. You will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death…

6. Many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,

7. Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.

8. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

“but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world

as a testimony to all nations….

AND THEN THE END WILL COME.

ACCORDING TO JESUS, WHAT EVENTS MARK THE END OF THE AGE?

1. FALSE MESSIAHS – many people with come claiming to “save the world..

2. WAR – dramatic increase in worldwide violence

a. More death and war on the planet now than ever before

b. NEWSPAPER – QUADAFI ON THE ROPES

3. FAMINE – many people dying of hunger

a. NEWSPAPER – CORN SUFFERS

4. EARTHQUAKES – massive devastating

a. NEWSPAPER - SHAKEN, STIRRED

b. CINDY JACOBS – prophesied that the places where earthquakes happen is the place where God will pour out his spirit in great measure

c. READ: THE 1906 SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE

5. PERSECUTION – Christians being persecuted and killed

a. NEWSPAPER – RELIGIOUS FREEDOM UNDER ATTACK

6. TURNING AWAY FROM GOD – Christians turning away and betraying other Christians

a. NEWS: WHILE 95% OF AMERICANS BELIEVE IN GOD

i. ONLY 18.7% OF AMERICANS ATTEND CHURCH

ii. 1 IN 5 BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS DO NOT ATTEND CHURCH

7. FALSE PROPHETS – prophets who accurately predict but are not of God

8. LOVE WILL GROW COLD – Many believers who turn away from loving God

“but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

THEN THE GOSPEL WILL BE PROCLAIMED IN ALL NATIONS

– THEN THE END WILL COME!

NEWPAPER: “RIPPLES TOUCH SPIRITUAL LIVES”

THE CURRENT GLOBAL TRANSITION

CHARACTARISTICS OF THIS TRANSITIONAL GENERATION…

1. THE PEOPLE IN THIS CULTURE HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM GOD…

2. GOD IS LOOKING FOR A REMNANT WHO LOVE HIM.. (is that us??)

3. GOD HAS GIVEN US A “DIVINE STRATEGY” – A NEW COVENANT

a. WE MUST DISCOVER WHAT THE STRATEGY IS!

b. WE WILL DISCOVER THAT THIS STRATEGY INVOLVES DYING TO SELF

c. WE WILL DISCOVER THIS STRATEGY INVOLVES LAYING ASIDE OTHER “INTERESTS”

4. THIS “STRATEGY” WILL LOOK/SOUND FOOLISH TO THE WORLD

a. NOT UNTIL THE MOMENT THAT THE TRANSITION COMES WILL THE “STRATEGY” MAKE SENSE

5. WHEN THIS TRANSITION COMES..

a. ALL THOSE WHO HAVE MADE THE TRANSITION WILL BE READY

b. ALL THOSE WHO HAVE NOT ACCEPTED IT WILL BE LOST..

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THE STRATEGY FOR THIS GENERATION..

I WAS SEEKING THE LORD THIS WEEK FOR SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION FOR THIS TRANSITIONAL GENERATION…

I BELIEVE THAT THE STRATEGY FOR THIS GENERATION IS FOUND IN:

ACTS 2:41-47

REVELATION 2:1-3:22

HOW DO WE DO THIS?

READ: 1906 SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE

IN OUR GENERATION:

(Acts 2:42-47 NIV) "THEY DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO THE APOSTLES' TEACHING and to THE FELLOWSHIP, to THE BREAKING OF BREAD and to PRAYER.

AS A RESULT…

{43} Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. {44} All the believers were together and had everything in common. {45} Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. {46} Every day they continued to meet together IN THE TEMPLE COURTS. They broke bread IN THEIR HOMES and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, {47} praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.

AND THE LORD ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER DAILY THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED."

THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PRAYER OF JESUS IS FOUND THE DEVOTION OF THE EARLY CHURCH..

DEVOTION TO..

1. THE WORD OF GOD – The apostles teaching

2. JOINED LIVES – Unity and mutual ministry

3. WORSHIP – Unity in adoration and honor of Jesus

4. PRAYER – Intimate Communion with the Spirit of God
THE RESULT!

1. Amazing events – awe inspiring happenings

2. Signs and Wonders –

3. Unity – believers joined together

4. Large Group meetings

5. Home Group meetings

6. Worship & Praise to Jesus

7. Favor of the local community

8. MANY PEOPLE COMING TO JESUS