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Author: Jared Meredith

The Pursuit

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pur·sue: follow (someone or something) in order to catch or attack them. (of a person or way) continue or proceed along (a path or route).

It is the things that we pursue that show our desire for what we truly value most importantly. And it is the things that we abandon that show the things we care less for. How we go after what we choose to pursue not only shows desire but a passion to have it in our lives.

To seek for God’s favor is to abandon our cares of what would make us feel favored in the world:

1 Timothy 6:9-11

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

To seek for God is to abandon evil:

Proverbs 15:9 – The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.

Psalm 34:14 – Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

1 Peter 3:11

11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

To seek for doing good leads us from doing bad:

1 Corinthians 14:1– Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

Proverbs 11:19

19 As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.

To seek for the welfare of others abandons our own selfishness:

Romans 14:19

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

We Are The Light

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God was the light – Genesis 1:1-5

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

The great light foretold – Isaiah 9:2

2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

God gives us new light – 2 Corinthians 4:6

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the light – John 8:12

12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

We are the light – 1 Peter 2:9

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

We are to walk in light – Ephesians 5:8

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

We are to shine our light – Matthew 5:16

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The darkness cannot prevail – John 1:5

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

All things in darkness are revealed in light – Mark 4:22

22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

Others are converted when we shine – Acts 26:18

18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Understanding Your Authority

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Authority over the Earth – Genesis 1:28

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Authority over bondage and doubt – Matthew 18:18-20

18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Authority over idolatry – Exodus 20:5

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Authority over lack in one’s confidence – 1 John 4:4

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Protection of Authority – Ephesians 6:13

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Authority over Sin – 1 John 3:8

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Authority over Emotions and Imaginations – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Authority over your church – Acts 20:28

28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Authority over your house – Acts 16:31

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Authority unto Victory – Revelation 12:10-11

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Throughout all of the word of God we see where when mankind could not maintain stability (from the lack of knowledge and desire for power) that God used His authority to re-align us in His will. The flood came as the ultimate authority for all whom would not receive this fellowship with God.

When the promise that floods would come no more mankind was steady for a season but eventually fell under the bondage of religion and government dominance. God sent Jesus Christ to not only rid us from the bondage of sin but granted us the authority from the power from on high to defend ourselves and fight for others’ salvation until the return of Christ.

So while we remain let us be reminded of the areas in our lives where we have control to shift the situation. Let us yield our obedience to the gifts, callings and faith we have to be overcomers and ready for the return of Jesus Christ!

Video: Singing “You Are For Me” Live @ Speedwell Freewill Baptist Church

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“You Are For Me” Live @ Speedwell Freewill Baptist Church

Lyrics:

So faithful, so constant
So loving and so true, so powerful in all you do
You fill me, You see me
You know my every move
You love for me to sing to you

I know that you are for me I know that you are for me
I know that you will never, forsake me in my weakness
I know that you have come now
Even if to write upon my heart
To remind me who you are

So patient, so gracious
So merciful and true, so wonderful in all you do
You fill me, You see me
You know my every move You love for me to sing to you

How To Deal With And Overcome Church Cliques

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I am so thankful for the learning experiences that God gives us for certain phases of our lives. I truly believe with all my heart that it is out of what we learn when we do not possess answer upfront that causes us to have true growth as Christians. One of the more recent learning experiences I have had has been the concept of “church cliques” and the harm that it brings into the body of Christ.

First off, let us define it. A clique (pronounced like click) is considered a small group of people with shared interests or other features in common who spend time together and do not readily allow others to join them. You may have heard this term also be used as the inner circle, the in-crowd, the cool kids, the popular table, etc. I grew up all through elementary and middle school being considered “different” and was not leading to the conducive outcome of me fitting in. I’m not exactly sure what made me be so different from others…was it how I looked? Was it how I talked? Was it because of my name or my family? Was I too studious? Did I live on the wrong side of town? I now realize looking back that being different was far better than being another one of the in-crowd because at least I was defined for who I was (instead of what people stereotyped me to be based on the group). However, when I dealt with it as a young man it felt like the worst feeling in the world. This feeling was like a hovering cloud over my head that seemingly never left for what seemed like forever.

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Looking back around my middle school to high school years I now realize that one of the contributing factors to what led me so easily into drug and alcohol abuse so early was needing a greater acceptance from facing an even greater rejection. Unfortunately where I found acceptance came at a great cost; and before I knew it what was once my enemy had become my greatest ally. I went from running from the cliques to becoming one in hanging around others that brought out the worst in me. As I look back now I realize that I was not only a hypocrite to others but was one to myself as well. The more and more I look back into the things that made me suffer as a young man help me to better address what pushed me into bad choices when I was not in strong control of my actions. Now that I have been saved by Jesus Christ the things that would have once destroyed me no longer have power.

I am so thankful I am free from the influence of sin by substance abuse! Unfortunately there is one thing that has continued to try and haunt me beyond my youth and immaturity: the battle of the cliques. I still see it all around me in families, homes, organizations, workplaces, ministries, and even churches. The sizes and personalities of the groups vary that drive them but they are nonetheless there and stronger than they have ever been. It’s everywhere. In short, church cliques are bad and will destroy your environments if they are not addressed. As I feel led to write this I hope that wherever this applies that you receive it with an open mind.

Here are 10 lessons learned about dealing with and overcoming church cliques:

1) Cliques are quick and easy to form and will help you feel good in the short term. However the long term effects will stunt your growth as an individual and leave you and your church limited to those whom you consider “in”.

2) Cliques are destructive for the growth of members your church. Loving people when they do what you want and then pushing them away when they disagree sends mixed signals to others whom should only receive love.

3) If you look for the support of certain individuals only then you have likely formed a clique without even realizing it.

4) If people deliberately exclude people intentionally then it is a clique. If you believe people do not have a right to contribute because of something that led you to cut them out then a division has formed and a clique is upon you.

5) Cliques drive away people more frequently than any other kind of problem. More issues come about in the imagination of others whom are feeling the pressure from cliques more than actual pressure from any one individual.

6) God did not form cliques. God formed churches with no respect of person and equality for the body. God essentially modeled the church as an anti-clique!

7) If jealousy and emotions drive the motives of an individual to work against others and not for them then whom you are recruiting to accomplish your will is a clique.

8) The best way to eliminate a clique forming in church business is to have transparency in all tasks and invite everyone to participate.

9) A good method of promoting fellowship in your church is to allow a time for people to interact with one another.

10) The ultimate clique-killer is loving everyone as you love yourself and making sure everyone around you feels just as accepted as the people you like the most.

I leave you with three powerful scriptures you can use as teaching points:

Romans 12:16

16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

1 Corinthians 1:10

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

James 2:1

2 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

Pray, Worship and Surrender

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2 Chronicles 20:5-9,12-15

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,

6 And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

13 And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation;

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

1) Jehoshaphat praises, confesses and declares that God is omnipotent over all and no one can stand against his power or in the way of his will.

2) He praises God for his faithfulness (his track record) to his people in the past and in the present.

3) He confessed that there was nothing they could do in and of themselves to change the situation. And by this they were totally surrendered to God for his help, mercy and deliverance.

The next thing that happened is when God spoke back.

  • If you go to God in prayer with a sincere heart he WILL respond
  • God has a word for you and your situation
  • Many times the Holy Spirit shows up after God’s people come before him to worship and confess their dependency on him.

Always remember when we confess our faults and ask for forgiveness then we get to a place where we can worship. When we can worship we produce humbleness in our heart and open up our spirit man/woman. And when we are humble in our heart we can then surrender to God and listen for his response in our lives!

From Profession To Perfection

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1 John 2:6

6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Profession – “He that saith he abideth in him”

  • early stages of our Christian walk
  • zealous, unafraid, unashamed, excited to tell
  • giving testimony to our faith, sharing our story, being a witness

At this stage Satan comes to destroy your thoughts and words that you lose all good things to say about God. Your testimony, encouragement and exhortation will be every now and then if ever.

People in this stage are having to fight against obsession and possession and into growing their confidence in salvation.

Progression – “Ought himself also so to walk”

  • taking profession and getting on the move, taking action
  • when our walk begins to confirm our talk
  • this is the beginnings of true sincerity and sacrifice to God

At this stage Satan comes to take your time, energy and willingness so that you lose all desire to continue and obey or taking action for the glory of the kingdom of God.

People in this stage are are rebuking possible infestation and vexation and growing in their faith by their actions and profession.

Perfection – “Even as he walked”

  • starting to stop choosing life to go our way and submitting to God’s will
  • leaving childish things behind, growing up, moving on, maturing (or perfecting)
  • removing yourself from situations, actions and words that would destroy what you do
  • stepping into the pleasing favor of God and beginning to see miracles and wonders happen

At this stage Satan begins to attack all that is important to you: family, friends, jobs, possessions, and everything else important to us.

People in this stage are beginning to exorcise their flesh and starting to find balance in life, hope, happiness and devotion to God.

As we pass from Profession to Progression and from Progression to Perfection you can begin to identify where you are in God’s will based on the sorts of things you are enduring.