Gifted to Build

The LORD chose Beazalel, filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge.” Ex: 35:30

 We can, when we discuss the gifts of the Holy Spirit, think of them only being confined to what we read with in the New Testament, but if we read the Old Treatment we can see the New Testament gifts foreshadowed.

In the case of the construction of the Wilderness Tabernacle in which the God of Israel was to be worshipped, we can see an example of the Holy Spirit working and gifting of a man of Israel named Beazalel , this mas endued, by God through his Spirit, with the skills sets and knowledge to construct the Tabernacle.

The LORD chose Beazalel, filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge.” Ex: 35:30

This endowment of the abilities need for the task at hand was not conferred upon Beazele for his own uses , but was given to him so that he might in-turn instruct others in their participation of the Tabernacle project.

“Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,  and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze,  to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts.  And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.  He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.” Ex: 35:30-35

Moses, recognizing the “gifting” which the Lord God had given to Bezalel proceeds to publically endorses and appoints Bezalel as the General Overseer of the construction of God’s Tabernacle.  

Though Bezalel oversight of the project he then in turn instruct others so that they might participate in the task of build the Tabernacle.

Along with Bezalel as General Overseer, another man named Oholiab was named the Forman and he as well received skills to aid in the construction and fashioning of the furnishings of the place of worship.

And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. (34)

All types of skill

These two construction leader are, we are told, able to impart their knowledge to others so that they too might have a part in this work which produces the meeting and worship place.

the ability to teach others. (34b)

Under Beazalel and Ohiliab leadership and Oversight the sacred Tabernacle project is undertaken and employed a number of other craftsman and assisting personal utilizing a wide range of skills.

“So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.” Ex: 36:1

We are told, as well, in the narrative of Exodus that there was a willingness on the part of the people to participate in the fashioning of the Tabernacle.

“Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work” (2)

Willing to Build

God had put it on their hearts along with the endowment gifts a willingness to step in and help, to participate and have involvement. These gifts of skills were not just for their own uses, but was granted to help and be a part of the work on the Tabernacle, the gifts were meant to be used in conjunction with others on what God has decreed Israel to do.

What is the lesson for us, we Christians, which is the Church? Now, we are called to build the Church, to do this He has given us Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, at his ascension into the Heavens, conferred upon all Christians down through the ages the Great Commission of going into all the world and preach the Gospel and the assurance that he himself would be present with the Church and provide the means to fulfill the Commission. Mk: 16:15, Matt: 28:19 and Acts: 1:8

St. Paul tells us that at the assurances at the ascension of Jesus into the glory of Heaven he did not do so to leave the Church without the means to fulfill this Great sacred Commission.

“Christ ascended on high, led captives in His train and gave gifts to men” Eph: 4:8

St. Paul tells us in his Ephesian Epistle that those   in the train of Jesus are the recipients of “gifts”, in many ways is a glance to the Exodus theme which we find in the story of the Children of Israel who the Lord God had set free and led out of the land of their captivity and were now, though God’s grace had receive many gifts from God on their journey to the Promised Land.

St. Paul speaks to the Corinth Church about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, want to convey to them that they are not exclusive to only the “ordained clergy”.by using the term “brethren”, the Apostle is stating that the gifts are for all believers, the clergy and laity alike.

1Crth:12:1-I don’t want you to be ignorant brethren concerning spiritual gifts.

By using the term “brethren”, the Apostle is stating that the gifts are for all believers, the clergy and laity alike. St. Paul is also introducing the concept that all Christians are “ministers”, this is to all, not just “ministers” in the ordained positional sense but all Christians are to be minsters and to minster.

St. Paul want all believers to understand that there is a diversities to these gifts, and that unlike what we read in the Exodus account of the Tabernacle construction the gifts are not “task oriented” but rather “relational oriented” in order to build up and bind together the “brethren” through the diversity of the gifts given to each by God, but he reminds us that it is all from the Spirit of God.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (4-11)

St. Paul again stresses the relational nature of the gifts by recalling the theme of interrelatedness of the Church as the very body of Jesus, each having their part and participation. 

One Body

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”(12-14)

St. Paul wants his readers to understand that above what sort of gifts God has blessed us with the main objective is that we have deep abiding relationship within the Church, the Apostle does this by leading his discourse on the gifts directly into in his expounding about the divine love of God as it should be made manifested in our lives for all see.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” 1Crth:13:1-8

Overseers

God has in his wisdom, however, has made a part of his purpose for the Church overseers which we see foreshadowed in Beazalel and Ohiliab. These men were to supervise the Tabernacle’s construction and to assign the workers to varies task involved in the project.

This pattern is seen even within the nature of the Church. God has, through public endorsement and commissioning, provided supervision in the Church. St. Paul list these positions of appointment to help build up the Church.

Those given oversight of a Church are to help others it recognize their gifts affirm them and teach and empower other Christians, especially within the context of a local Church, to identify and serve so that the Church grows and matures in the Christian life.

 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Eph: 4:11-13

St. Paul but no echeloned thinking into his approach to the Church, he saw all as vital and having their place in the function of the Church as a whole or on a local level. All were, in his eyes of the same importance but with different gifts of participation but all equal in importance.

“each part dose it work in the process of building the church” (16)

The Church needs the participation of all members and their gifts to build the Church, just as the “skilled” men built the Tabernacle, out of the offerings given by the people of Israel.

We each and all need our Lord’s help us use our gifts especially now in the times in which we live. The need for local personal evangelism is growing more needful within local congregations and to individuals.

We each and all need to assemble together and seek our Lord Jesus for his guidance and for opportunities to use the gifts given us. Jesus Christ lives in you to do the work.

Greater Things

As great as the work of our Lord Jesus was in the days when he was upon the Erath were, Jesus was only one man in one place at a time in his humanity, but now that our Lord has ascended into the height of Heaven and has sent us the Holy Spirit to be made manifested our lives he can and does function through the body of the Church Universal in many way in many places to accomplish many things.

This tells us that Jesus is still even to this very hour is still ministering but through the body of his Church across the face of the Earth and that his Church would even in his own words “do greater things” then he did.  

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these”, Jhn: 14:12a

That is astounding through, that we, frail sinful humans could do greater things than our Lord Jesus, the Second person of the Holy Trinity incarnate, yet Jesus then proceeds to us why that can and is true.

“because I am going to the Father.”(12b)

Jesus ascension to his Father above is the reason that we can do these “great things” and upon his ascension Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit, that we might receive the gifts, the very same Spirit who  enabled the over sight and building of the Wilderness Tabernacle to Beazalel and Ohiliab.

Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to Christians throughout the ages to enable us each and all to participate and so that we might build up the Church and that place where our God is worshipped for we are gifted to build.

Benediction: May we each and all willing use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to participate in the building up of the Church, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev.Todd Crouch,Pastor
The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion 
2101 Old National Pike
Washington, Pa.

www.gcfountainoflife,org 

" If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

A House for All Nations

 “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” Mk: 11:17

After his glorious entrance into Jerusalem, Jesus Christ entered the Temple of God and went into the court of the gentiles. This was the part of the Temple where the gentiles were confined to. This area had become a “marketplace”, and people used it as a short cut to cross the Temple courts to get where they wanted to go.

It was here in the gentile court that shops and animal pens, which stank of dung, had been set for the selling of animals which were to be used in the sacrifices that were to be offered at the Temple, also money changers had set up tables to exchange real currency for “Temple coinage” which had no value outside of the Temple complex. This Temple coinage was to be used in the purchase of the animals, the exchange rate was very disproportion in favor of the money changers.

The Zeal of the Lord’s House

The abuses of the religious system and exploitation of the common people all for the profit and gain of the religious leaders and their business allies ,the unsavory lot persons  which always abound where  such enterprises are being conducted   and the stench and filth of the penned animals causes a holy anger to rise within  Jesus.

Jesus is moved by a holy zeal. Jesus then acts and boldly confronting the money changers, Jesus overturned their tables and scattering them drove out the “merchandisers” scattering them from the Temple and put an end to persons using the Temple as a short cut to get where they wanted to go.

“On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.  Mk: 11:15-16

The Court Stank

This part of the Temple, the court of the gentiles, was the place where non-Jews were given very limited access to participation of the Worship of God.  It was in this court that the religious leaders in conjunction with money changers set their tables and booths to exchange money and to sell animals. The presence of the animals with this area would have created a lot of filth and a bad stench. This would have kept some persons out of the Temple all together and cosigned the non-Jewish worshippers to a rather unpleasant experiences and discouraged many to stay away all together.

 This why Jesus declared in his sermon that he preached there that the worship of the true God, that the Temple at Jerusalem was to symbolize was intended to include people from all nation. None were to be kept out.

“And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? (17a)

The type of legalist application of the Covenant quite literally stank and keeps people out and away from the worship of God. Legalism stinks and keeps people away.

 The Religious leaders had exploited the Covenant which God had formed with Israel and used it to make themselves rich at the expense of the people and the virtual exclusion of non-Jews who wanted to worship God.

“But you have made it ‘a den of robbers” (17b)

Jesus, in overturning the tables, was acting out why he, as the Messiah, had come.  Jesus had come to overturn the tables of the Covenant. Jesus had come to do away with religion, which limited the access to God and bring relationship.

 The Religious leaders had developed an “exclusive” merchandising mind set, this “exclusivism” kept some of the people confined in the court of the gentiles did not have access to the court of the Priest or the Sanctuary and ultimately the Holy of Holies, these areas belong only to the people of Israel and the religious leaders which was reserved only to them

Jesus proclaimed powerfully by word and action and end to that system and it’s purging.  Now through the work of Jesus all peoples from all nations could offer the sacrifice of prayer and participate in the worship of the Great God   as priest of God under the New Covenant of Grace.

Not a Short Cut

Jesus also shut down the uses of the Temple as a short cut for those who wanted to get where they wanted to go and sealing their merchandise as they went it was no longer a means for their self- advancement.

“and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts” (16)

In Our Temple Courts

St. Paul tells us that we, the Church, Christians, are the Temple of God.

“we are all the Temple of God”1Crth:3:16

 Do we Christians find the same “merchandizing” attitude in the Temple courts of our own lives, individually and collectively?  Do we each and have a “money changer” attitude? Are we using the Temple Court of the Church as means to get to where we want to go, socially finically for our own gain and advancement? Do we each and all have a legalist “religion” that stinks and keeps some out of and excludes them from the worship of God? Do we have an unequal exchange rate, that is, what we give in return is useless coinage?

Jesus has come to drive out the “merchandizing” attitude in our own lives.

As we are all are the Temple of God Jesus Christ has entered all our lives and has turns over the tables of our lives all to ride us of system which cannot even when bring us real transformation and salvation.

Jesus rather drives out the “merchandiser” attitude, the “getting attitude” in each one of us.  We need to let go of the old ways and become priest of God to offer the sacrifice of prayer, to be a house of prayer so that no one need be excluded out in the court of the gentiles all are welcome in the Lord’s house.

Jesus has entered in and turned over our tables so that we can be house of prayer for all nations.

Benediction: May each and all fully be that Temple where God is worshiped without “money changers” a house of prayer for all nations today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen .

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor 
The Fountain of Life Church, a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike
Washington, Pa. 15314

www.gcfountaionoflie.org  

If It is Not About Jesus, It is Not About Anything 

Our Unity Is In Christ Alone

In Thailand, there was a period of growing political and social tension which reached a point which threaten to become a civil war in that nation. The Prime Minister of Thailand and the opposition leader held diametric opposite views about, political, social, economics and a host of other matters relating to the day to day life of a nation…the tension between the groups came to shooting. The unrest threaten to rend the nation.

 King Budipaulla seeing what was taking place in his Kingdom, and wishing to avoid further strife, therefore the King summoned the two opposing leaders to the Royal palace.

The two men came and knelt before the throne of their king, and it there that King Budipaulla commanded that the two men   put aside their differences and work the problems out peacefully and learn to co-exist for the good of Thailand.

 These two men, could agree on very little, but, the one thing on which they did agree on was, who their King was…They heard the command of their king and they obeyed, peace was preserved and Thailand was speared a bloody civil war.

This peace could take place only because they valued their king over their own political and social views.

The Lesson for Christians

What is the lesson for we Christians today when we see disagreements between the different Christian groups? It is unfortunate, but even after more than two thousand years, there can still be sharp differences among and between Christians, between Armenians, Calvinist, Dispensationalist, Reform, Evangelicals and Pentecostals.

There can contentions between and with Christians who hold different theologies and doctrines, practices and liturgical preferences. 

These differences among Christians which arise can give the world around us the ammunition to bring critical charges of inconsistencies and hypocrisy against the Christian Church as a whole. 

Unity

We Christians need something above philosophies and doctrines or theologies and liturgy to look to for our unity with and among us and to bind us together; we need a king to bring us unity, and that King on which we all agree on, and on whom we all can look to, and bring Christians together in unity is Jesus Christ.

In our King Jesus we can and will find unity. If Christians attempt to find unity in and by any other means we will fail to find it. All else will fail us. If unity is derived from anything other than Jesus, then when disagreements arise among us our unity is broken, but if our unity is founded on Jesus alone then we can disagree on varies issues and still keep unbroken fellowship. Jesus unites us and preserves us in unity and love.

 Nothing or no one else can bring together and keep us together but Jesus.

St. Paul wrote about the divine identity of Jesus, that it is he and he alone who ultimately has power and authority over all things. It is in Jesus, we see the great God revealed to us in the most perfect and complete way.

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him” Col: 1:15-16

St. Paul is telling us that Jesus has that unique place of divine prominence over all things having all power and all authority. 

“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross”.(16-20)

We are told by the Apostle, that it is Jesus who holds the whole created order together, all things are sustained and held together (even we Christians) in and by our King Jesus and it is he, and he, alone who has the supremacy over all.

Proclaim Christ

Jesus is the purpose of God, it is Jesus who all things revolve. Jesus is the pivotal person in all time and eternity. It is Jesus who should have that place of divine prominence and focus in the life of all Christians individually and collectively.

It is Jesus who is the point of the work of the Church and the object of our lives, devotion, worship and the source of our unity.

St. Paul tells us that Jesus was the reason and the subject of his proclamation of the Gospel and should be the mission of the Church Universal and Christians of all background, denominations ministries associated and unassociated, to tell others about Jesus.

“He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.  To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” (28-29)

Jesus should be the center of our lives and worship and the true source of unity among all Christians, when we have him so, then we can look upon one another as brethren, having in common a faith founded upon our King Jesus Christ alone, above all else, this will bring to us unity and bind us each and all ,one with another, this common unity in Christ and the common recognition as members of his body the Church will give us a unity which surmounts all difference which might arise among and between us.

We Christians can come and can kneel together before the throne of our King Jesus Christ and in him we find unity.

Benediction: May we each and all in humble recognition kneel in unity before the Throne of our Lord Jesus, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion

2101 Old National Pike, Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301   www.gcfountainoflife.org 

The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin, and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

You can follow the Fountain of Life on Face Book - Click on our Face Book link : https://www.facebook.com/Fountain-of-Life-Church-349595355088375/

                                   

   " If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

The Spirit of Prophecy

 “the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”.Rev:19:10

Some Christians feel that the church, as a whole is not preaching enough prophecy. Some have even left their Churches feeling that they are “going the wrong direction” or that they are losing their effectiveness.

 Or these Christians feel that Churches are preaching too much about “Jesus” and
“blind to what is really happening” in the world at large they declare that we need to be “warning the world of impending doom”.

The powerful prophetic preaching of passionate ministers about a coming Apocalypse resonates with them and thrills them, war, famine, economic collapse and epidemics sweeping over the face of the Earth is to them a message they can support and become immersed in.

  

The Testimony of Jesus

St. John, while under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, saw and heard in a heavenly vision the worship of Jesus as the central focus of the divine purpose of God and wrote about the witness of Scripture.

St. John hears the heavenly voice declare:  “the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”. Rev: 19:10

This means, that the very “spirit and or essence” of prophecy is a testimony regarding the person of Jesus Christ. Another way to understand this is to proclaim that Jesus, himself has fulfilled prophecy and that we are to proclaim this truth to the world at large.

When we understand that Jesus is what prophecy is all about then we begin to preach with Jesus as the central focus of prophecy, turning prophecy into a message about Jesus rather than about events.

When we preach an “event” oriented message about what is going to happen and when it is going to happen, then what is inevitable is,  that we diminish Jesus to being a participant in events, albeit the most significant  participant, but none-the-less a participant.   

Jesus, however, is the focus as the object of all of God’s purposes here upon the Earth or in Heaven above.

Fulfilling prophecy!

The Prophet Daniel being given a glimpse into the work of the followers of the Messiah, who had not yet come in his own day, describes the function and the work of the Messiah’s followers.

“those who know their God will do exploits” Dan:11:32

Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible uses the phraseology: “will stand firm and take action”.

The Prophet Daniel  describes the  activities of the Messiah’s followers as “exploits” and that these “exploits” arise out of their knowing their God, that is, out of their relationship with God not just about information about God but relationships with their God.

 Those who have a relationship with Israel’s God, those who come to know God, through Christ will take action- , do exploits, will do good works, cannot be a passive by standers, but are compelled to act and to give the world the testimony about Jesus.

Christians

We now, that is Christians, are living after the incarnation and the death and glorious resurrection of the promised Messiah Jesus.  Jesus came to reveal to who God is so that we might know God, the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and The Holy Spirit.

Jesus came to present to each and all the fullest clearest most perfect revelation about who God is so that we can experiences a deep relationship with God all through Jesus.

Jesus prayed, for all believers throughout the ages, in his High Priestly prayer that all would come to know God, and that this knowing, which is a deep personal relationship is the very essences of eternal life.  

“this is Eternal Life that they may know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”Jhn: 17:3

Eternal life is not just a state or duration of life, but a way and quality of life. This eternal life relationship with God through Jesus is the compelling reason which moves the Christian Church to go forth into the world, whatever the scope of each Christian’s world may be, and do exploits and give that testimony of Jesus.

Christian’s are to proclaim the “good news”, the Gospel through their words and actions giving testimony of who Jesus is and thereby fulfilling prophecy. The Gospel about who Jesus is and the Kingdom of God, is good news.

There are some who sincerely believe that they are called to warn of expending destruction and worldwide dictator is at hand. This is a message of fear, believing and predicting that prophetic events are about to be fulfilled.  

The Gospel is good news that Jesus came and shows us the love of God and when proclaim that good news we are not “predicting” prophetic events we are fulfilling the very spirit of prophecy which is to give testimony about who Jesus is.

Those who know Christ will follow in His footsteps and do as He did! Will take action in the world and give testimony about Jesus.

Greater Works

Jesus said that his followers” would do Greater works” then He did, reaching more people and accomplishing more throughout the ages and over a greater breadth of geography then he himself.

Christ preached repentance, forgiveness and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the lives of people here and now not just someday. Jesus healed the sick, helped the poor, encouraged people to live Godly lives and to trust God, to know God.

God’s Church, through the ages has, and is doing the same, as the Holy Spirit works within believers in Jesus, the Fruit and the gifts will enable us to participate with our Lord Jesus and do the work of advancing the Kingdom of God into the lives of those around us.

All Christians are called to participate in the “exploits” of give testimony about Jesus. St. Paul wrote of the participation of each and all Christians in this Holy “exploit” of proclaiming the Gospel.

 “each part has it’s work” Eph: 4:16

All of Christians are a part of the work.

St. Peter tells us in his first general epistle.

“show praise” to this dark world. 1Pet:2:9-“

Personal evangelism by our words and actions this is each living out of their relationship with God. As the Christian Church moves through the history and world many will learn about Jesus, the Messiah.

 “will instruct many” Dan:11:32

We Christians, the Church, are called to teach the world about Jesus to give the “testimony” about Jesus to those around us.

God’s people now have the opportunity each and all of us to instruct others by our actions, our words, showing  the Kingdom of God in our lives so that we all  will be able to give a “testimony of Jesus” which Rev: 19:9- calls the spirit of prophecy.

As God, through the Holy Spirit, manifest the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians in powerful ways it will be harder for God’s Church to remain out of sight of this world; we each and all, will be like the “city on a hill” which our Lord Jesus referred to in his great sermon. The Christian Church will be  that illuminated beacon glowing and radiant with glory of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the darkness of the age in which we find ourselves.  

 “a city set on a hill cannot be hid”Matt:5:14-15

Those around us will see the divine love of Jesus among believers giving the very “testimony” about our Lord.

 “all men will know, you are my disciples”Jhn:13:35

Greater works still lie before us- as we fulfill the commission of Matt: 28:19-20- “teaching and making disciples”-preaching repentance to this world, when they receive the good news about Jesus and God’s eternal love for them.

A Time of Harvest

Over the centuries God’s Church has sown the seed around the world through the sending of missionaries ,evangelist , through Churches small and large alike  now the time of harvest is coming on us. Each of us has been given the Holy Spirit to do the work. We are told “lift up our eyes the fields are ready to harvest”. We are called to the harvest.

God’s gospel work may grow beyond anything we ever dreamed of. There is no limit to what God can do through we his people all spring out of our knowing our God through Jesus.

 There is still much to accomplish, and   great “exploits” to be done, as will fulfill prophecy and give our “testimony of Jesus”.

Benediction: May we each and all go forth into the world around and give the glorious testimony about our Lord Jesus, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.


              

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike,  Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301   www.gcfountainoflife.org 

The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela,             Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
   You can follow the Fountain of Life on Face Book - Click on our Face Book link                                                                                              : https://www.facebook.com/Fountain-of-Life-Church-349595355088375/

                                                                                                           "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"