REVIVALTALK

Galatians 6:14 - “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”              The cross stands today as a symbol of victory.    It represents victory over sin, victory over death, and ultimate victory for the believer through the Lord Jesus Christ.    When Christ suffered on the cross, He did so for humanities sin.    He died so that we can live a life of victory and freedom.              In  John 10:10  we learn that “Christ came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly.”    What does it mean to experience abundant life?    The Amplified Bible reads,  “ I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”        ...

Romans 12:1-2 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”             We learn in our study of this passage that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. Transformation in biblical terms is defined in the following ways: A spiritual metamorphosis. This is a complete transformation brought about by the power of the Holy Spirit. This process involves a believer moving from a carnal lifestyle to Spirit-led holiness. Romans 8:6-7 emphasizes that being carnal-minded is death, while being spiritually minded is life and peace. The carnal mind is enmity against God because it is not subject to the law of God. A shift from self-centeredness to...

  Ephesians 1:7 – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”              When Jesus cried out “It is finished” on the cross. It was not a statement of defeat, but a declaration of victory. It was the shout of One who had won a great victory.  When we examine the phrase in the original language, we learn the following meanings: Jesus had finished the work the Father had sent Him to do. The Greek word in the New Testament was the equivalent of the Hebrew word spoken by the High Priest when he presented a sacrificial lamb without spot or blemish.             Rick Renner writes, “So when Paul used this word in Ephesians 1:7 to describe the forgiveness of sins, he was saying that God has permanently dismissed our past sins from us. We are liberated completely from them. He has discharged...

John 8:36 – “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”             The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees that we can live in complete freedom from the bondage of sin. Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Jesus announced His mission in Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”             Jesus came to proclaim liberty to those held in captivity. True freedom is only found in Jesus Christ our Lord. How do we experience this freedom? By faith we declare, “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indee...

          When we come to Christ we enter into a victorious life. We don’t have to obtain victory, but we already have everything we need to live a victorious life. Victories come at great costs. Jesus paid for our victory on the cross. Colossians 2:14-15 says, “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”              I love the words of I Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Provision was made at Calvary for our complete victory. Jesus went to the cross to make a way for us to live in complete victory over sin. Romans 5:6 says, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”      ...

  Psalms 23:2 – “He makes me to lie down in green pastures..”             David writes this Psalm from the perspective of a shepherd. He begins with “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” This speaks of relationships and resources. Verse 2 reads, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.”   Phillip Keller writes in his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalms 23 , “The strange thing about sheep is that because of their very makeup it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met.” 1.     Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear.   2.     Because of the social behavior within a flock, sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind.   3.     If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when free of these pests can they relax.   4...

  John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”             The cross has a testimony. A testimony is a factual story of what God has done. Diane Lake defines a testimony as “a story which defines, shapes, moves, or propels you.” [1]  The message of the cross is a message of love, power, and the faithfulness of God.               What is the testimony of the cross? It is a testimony of the unconditional love of God. John 3:17 says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  What motivated the Father to send His son to die for lost humanity? Love. I John 4:9-10 says, “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the ...

  I Corinthians 1:18 – “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  On April 13, 2020, an EF-3 tornado touched down in Seneca, SC. This storm destroyed homes and the BorgWarner manufacturing plant. One individual died and several people were injured, and Destiny Christian Center   on Wells Highway was also affected by the storm. Fox Carolina News reported, “Monday morning’s tornado knocked a section of Destiny Christian Center to the ground, leaving a pile of bricks and debris. A cross sculpture that was on the roof of the church was knocked off during the storm, but the church’s pastor said it landed in front of the building, still standing.” When destructive storms come into our land, the cross still stands.   When evil men and women arise in leadership as pawns of Satan to bring destruction, the cross still stands. When adversity strikes our homes ...