You can watch us live each week!
http://www.lmcigreenville.org/watch-live/
Service Times
Sunday AM: 11am
Sunday PM: 6pm
Wednesday: 7pm
www.lmcigreenville.org
Worship Cast License #: 6786
CCLI #: 3105920
Three Heavens – Rick Bagwell
Tag: HEAVEN’S
THE KINGDOM IS AT HAND
MATTHEW 3:2 – AND SAYING, REPENT YE: FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.
JOHN THE BAPTIST, THE COUSIN OF JESUS, THE FORERUNNER OF THE KING IS SPEAKING HERE.
HIS PURPOSE WAS TO ANNOUNCE THE APPEARING OF THE MESSIAH.
HIS PURPOSE WAS TO PREACH THE PREPARATION OF THE HEART TO RECEIVE HIM.
THE KINGDOM IS AT HAND, OR IS PRESENT.
THE LORD IS ENTERING INTO THE LIVES OF PEOPLE, SETTING UP HIS GOVERNMENT IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE EARTH.
REDEMPTION WOULD BE COMPLETED AT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST THE KING.
REVELATION OF THIS REDEMPTIVE ACT OF GOD WAS BEING REVEALED TO JOHN THE BAPTIST’S FOLLOWERS.
JESUS TAUGHT AND PREACHED THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
MATTHEW 4:17 – FROM THAT TIME JESUS BEGAN TO PREACH, AND TO SAY, REPENT: FOR THE KNIGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.
THE KINGDOM IS PRESENT: REPENT, HAVE A CHANGE OF MIND, THE MESSIAH IS HERE WITH GRACE AND TRUTH.
JESUS WAS SAYING, I HAVE COME UNTO MY OWN JEWISH PEOPLE, RECEIVE ME, I AM THE PROMISED MESSIAH: KING JESUS.
THE SAME MESSAGE IS BEING PREACHED AND TAUGHT TODAY: REPENT OF ANY HOPE OF EVER ENTERING INTO GOD’S KINGDOM WITHOUT KING JESUS.
GOD’S GOVERNMENT IS THEOCRATIC. GOD IS SOVERIGN.
GOD’S GOVERNMENT IS NOT A DEMOCRACY: A GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE.
GOD’S GOVERNMENT IS NOT A REPUBLIC: GOD DOESN’T ANSWER TO THE MAJORITY.
GOD ISN’T VOTED IN TO OFFICE; AND HE CANNOT BE VOTED OUT.
NO TELEVISION PERSONALITY CAN SOVERIGNLY TELL YOU HOW YOU CAN BE SAVED, UNLESS THEY SAY WHAT THE KING SAID.
NO COLLEGE PROFESSOR CAN TELL YOU HOW TO BE SAVED UNLESS THEY TELL YOU WHAT THE KING SAID.
NO RELIGIOUS LEADER CAN TELL YOU HOW TO BE SAVED UNLESS THEY TELL YOU THE WORDS OF THE KING.
IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.
IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED MAN IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.
HE CREATED EVERYTHING WE SEE AND DON’T SEE.
GOD IS THE SOVERIGN AUTHORITY, HE WILL SET UP A LITERAL KINGDOM ON THIS EARTH SHORTLY.
TO ENTER INTO HIS KINGDOM, YOU MUST DO IT HIS WAY, NOT MAN’S WAY, NOT THE DEVIL’S MANY WAYS: WHICH IS ALL DECEPTION AND LIES THAT SEND PEOPLE TO HELL; BUT THE WORD’S OF THE KING IN HOLY SCRIPTURE.
JOHN 14:6 – JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME.
WE MUST HUMBLE OURSELVES LIKE A CHILD, AND ASK JESUS TO COME INTO OUR HEART, AND ACCEPT HIM BY FAITH AS OUR REDEEMER: AND GOD’S GOVERNMENT WILL ENTER INTO YOUR HEART.
HIS CONSTITUTION IS THE BIBLE; THE WORDS OF THIS BOOK WILL COME OFF THE PAGES INTO YOUR HEART.
PRAY, AND ASK GOD TO FILL YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND POWER.
WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE
MAY GOD BLESS THIS MESSAGE AND YOU
MARK 1:10-13 – AND STRAIGHTWAY COMING UP OUT OF THE WATER, HE SAW THE HEAVEN’S OPENED, AND THE SPIRIT LIKE A DOVE DESCENDED UPON HIM: AND THERE CAME A VOICE FROM HEAVEN, SAYING,THOU ART MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED. AND IMMEDIATELY THE SPIRIT DRIVETH HIM INTO THE WILDERNESS FORTY DAYS, TEMPTED OF SATAN; AND WAS WITH THE WILD BEASTS; AND THE ANGELS MINISTERED UNTO HIM.
OUR MESSAGE, TODAY, WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF VERSE 13: TEMPTED OF SATAN. JESUS WENT FORTH WITH DIVINE POWER, THE HOLY SPIRIT COMPELLED HIM, WITH GREAT ENERGY; SO THAT OF HIS OWN ACCORD HE WENT FORTH, ARMED WITH DIVINE POWER, IN THE DESERT. IT WAS A WRESTLING PLACE WITH SATAN.
THERE, CHRIST AND ANTICHRIST MET AND ENTERED INTO A CONFLICT ABOUT THE ISSUE ON WHICH OUR SALVATION DEPENDED.
I KNOW THROUGH EXPERIENCE, WHEN A CHRISTIAN IS JUST ON THE THRESHHOLD OF THEIR MINISTRY, THEY MEET SATAN, OR HIS DEMONS, HEAD-ON. THERE IS A TIME OF TESTING.
CHRIST, OUR EXAMPLE, SHOWS US HOW TO DEAL WITH SATAN’S ATTACKS, IN THIS SAME ACCOUNT, IN MATTHEW AND LUKE, WHERE HE USED THE SCRIPTURES AGAINST SATAN.
WE COULD LEARN MUCH FROM THIS STORY, AS TO BE PREPARED BEFORE THE ATTACKS COME. JESUS’ MINISTRY WAS ON THE EDGE OF BEGINNING IN FULL POWER, AND THEN THE ATTACKS CAME.
IT SEEMS TO ME, JESUS COULD HAVE SKIPPED THIS PROCESS, BUT I BELIEVE HE DID THIS FOR YOU AND ME. HE COULD HAVE SPOKEN TO SATAN, BECAUSE OF WHO HE WAS, AND SATAN WOULD HAVE HAD TO TURN-TAIL-AND-RUN. THIS MAY SEEM STRANGE TO YOU, BUT LOOK WHAT HE DID ON THE CROSS FOR US: HE WENT WILLINGLY, OF HIS OWN ACCORD. HE DID THIS FOR YOU AND ME. HE MET SATAN HEAD-ON. HE KNEW HE HAD THE ADVANTAGE, BUT SATAN’S DEFEAT WAS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. THREE YEARS, OR SO, LATER, SATAN’S WORK AGAINST THE WORD OF GOD WAS DEFEATED ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY; AND JESUS’ RESURRECTION.
WE NEED TO REMEMBER JESUS: AS THE WORD, WAS THERE IN HEAVEN WHEN SATAN AND A THIRD OF THE ANGELS WERE CAST OUT OF HEAVEN.
WHY HE THINKS HE CAN STILL WIN, I DON’T KNOW.
SATAN WAS NO MATCH FOR JESUS, THERE IN THE WILDERNESS. WE KNOW, IN HUMAN FLESH, HE SUFFERED AS MAN; BUT HIS MIND DID NOT HAVE TO BE RENEWED TO THE WORD OF GOD, LIKE DOES OURS, BECAUSE HE WAS AND IS THE WORD. HE DID STUDY THE SCRIPTURES FROMT THE TIME HE WAS A CHILD, BUT HE KNEW HIS DESTINY. AND HE KNEW HE HAD THE SPIRIT WITHOUT MEASURE. IT MAY BE HARD FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT HE WAS GOD IN HUMAN FLESH.
WHEN WE ARE SERVING GOD WITH ALL OUR HEARTS; AND THE ATTACKS COME AGAINST US,WE GO TO THE WORD OF GOD FOR HELP. WE MIGHT READ JAMES 1:2-4 – MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YOU FALL INTO DIVERS TEMPTATIONS: KNOWING THIS, THAT THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH WORKETH PATIENCE. BUT LET PATIENCE HAVE HER PERFECT WORK, THAT YE MIGHT BE PERFECT AND ENTIRE, AND WANTING NOTHING.
IF WE DON’T GO THROUGH THESE ATTACKS, KNOWING, THROUGH CHRIST, WE WILL WIN, WE WILL NOT HAVE LEARNED ANYTHING; AND THE NEXT ATTACK WILL DESTROY WHAT CHRIST IS TRYING TO TEACH US.
WE CAN ONLY COMBAT THIS TYPE OF ATTACK, WITH OUR KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF THE SCRIPTURES. IT’S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO KNOW WHAT THE WORD SAYS, WE HAVE TO PRACTICE USING IT. SATAN WILL THEN KNOW WHERE WE STAND, AND FLEE. ALTHOUGH, HE DOES COME BACK AFTER A WHILE, AND TRY IN ANOTHER AREA.
WE THEN, STAND STRONG, AND THIS NEW ATTACK WILL NOT TROUBLE US, AS MUCH AS THE LAST ONE; BECAUSE EACH TIME, WE GET STRONGER, MORE MATURE IN THE LORD, AND WILL COME TO THE PLACE THAT WE LACK NOTHING. PRAISE GOD!
MOST OF OUR BATTLES ARE IN THE MIND, SO WE HAVE TO REMEMBER: THE BATTLE IS THE LORDS.
IN THE WILDERNESS, JESUS ALSO ENCOUNTERED WILD BEASTS (MARK 1:13). THIS SHOWS THE EXTREME SOLITUDE OF THE PLACE. IT SHOWS ALSO THE INNOCENCE OF OUR LORD, THAT THERE IN THAT WILD DESOLATE DISTRICT, AMONGST LIONS, AND WOLVES, AND LEOPARDS, AND SERPENTS, HE NEITHER FEARED THEM NOR WAS HE INJURED BY THEM. HE DWELT AMONGST THEM AS ADAM LIVED WITH THEM IN HIS STATE OF INNOCENCE IN PARADISE. THESE WILD BEASTS RECOGNIZED AND REVERED HIM AS THEIR CREATOR, AND THEIR LORD (PULPIT COMMENTARY).
CHRIST HAS GIVEN US AUTHORITY TO USE HIS NAME, SO WE NOW HAVE MORE AUTHORITY THAN WE HAVE EVER TAPPED INTO,
MISSIONARIES HAVE TOLD STORIES ABOUT THEIR ENCOUNTERS WITH WILD BEASTS. I REMEMBER ONE, WHERE, IN INDIA, THERE WAS A MAN WHO GOT SAVED, AND TRAVELED INTO THE VILLAGES OF THE JUNGLES TO SHARE THE GOSPEL. ONE DAY HE WENT INTO A VILLAGE WHERE HE SHARED THE LORD, AND AS HE WAS BEGINNING TO LEAVE THE AREA, HE REALIZED HE WAS LOST. HE ASKED DIRECTIONS, AND TWO MEN SPOKE-UP AND INTENTIONALLY, GAVE HIM INCORRECT DIRECTIONS. THEY WERE HEATHEN, AND DIDN’T LIKE HIM SHARING THE GOSPEL IN THEIR VILLAGE, AND SEEING THEIR PEOPLE COME TO JESUS. THE MINISTER, ALONE, AND UNKNOWINGLY, WENT THE WAY THEY SAID AND GOT LOST. HE WANDERED AROUND AND AROUND UNTIL IT GOT DARK. WHEN IT GOT DARK, IT WAS COLD. HE WAS SO TIRED, HE SAID, “LORD, I CAN’T GO ANY FURTHER. MAKE ME WARM.” HE LAY DOWN AND WENT TO SLEEP. HE THOUGHT HE WOULD GO TO SLEEP AND FREEZE TO DEATH. THE NEXT MORNING, HE AWOKE WITH WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A WARM BLANKET OVER AGAINST HIM, BUT WHEN HE OPENED HIS EYES, IT WAS A BENGAL TIGER. AT FIRST HE WAS FRIGHTENED, BUT HE REALIZED, GOD HAD SENT THIS TIGER TO KEEP HIM WARM AND ALIVE. HE REMAINED STILL AND WAITED. THE TIGER GOT UP AND WALKED AWAY; BUT AS IT WAS LEAVING, IT STOPPED, AND TURNED AROUND; LOOKED AT THE MISSIONARY, AS TO SAY, “YOU’LL BE ALRIGHT NOW”, AND THEN DISAPPEARED OUT OF SIGHT. THE MISSIONARY SAID, GOD SENT HIM A STRIPED BLANKET TO KEEP HIM ALIVE.
WE DON’T KNOW ALL THAT HAPPENED TO OUR LORD JESUS IN THAT WILDERNESS, CHILD OF GOD, BUT OUR GOD CAN AND WILL DO ANYTHING!!
WE DON’T THINK THE ANGELS HELPED JESUS THROUGHOUT THE TEMPTATION. ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE, IT WAS AFTER THE TEMPTATION AND THE WILD BEASTS. IT WAS THEN THE ANGELS APPEARED TO HIM. HE HAD SAID HE COULD HAVE CALLED DOWN TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS AND STOPPED THE CRUCIFIXION, BUT HE DIDN’T (MATTHEW 26:53).
HE DID ALL THIS FOR US, TO SAVE US AND TAKE US TO A HIGHER UNDERSTANDING OF HIMSELF AND TO A HIGHER LEVEL OR PLACE WITH HIM.
GOD COULD HAVE DONE IT ANOTHER WAY, BUT HE CHOSE TO DO IT THIS WAY. FOR US. PRAISE GOD!
DOES GOD EXIST? IS THERE PROOF?
IN THE BEGINNING GOD… (GENESIS 1:1)
THE FOOL SAID IN HIS HEART, THERE IS NO GOD (PSALM 14:1).
WE DO NOT HAVE TO SEE GOD TO KNOW HE EXISTS.
THE SCRIPTURES CONFIRM WHAT PEOPLE EVERYWHERE HAVE EXPERIENCED. THERE IS A GOD. IF WE SAY THERE IS NO SUPREME BEING IS TO DENY WHAT IS KNOWN BY INSTINCT.
THERE IS A PART OF US THAT IS VOID THAT ONLY GOD CAN FILL.
PSALM 19:1-4 – THE HEAVENS DECLARE (TELL OF) THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE FIRMIMENT SHOWETH HIS HANDIWORK .
DAY UNTO DAY UTTERETH SPEECH, AND NIGHT UNTO NIGHT SHOWETH KNOWLEDGE.
THERE IS NO SPEECH NOR LANGUAGE, WHERE THEIR VOICE IS NOT HEARD.
THEIR LINE IS GONE OUT THROUGH ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE END OF THE WORLD. IN THEM HATH HE SET A TABERNACLE FOR THE SUN.
SO, GOD, THE SUPREME BEING, REVEALS HIMSELF THROUGHOUT ALL THE EARTH IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, IN EVERY LANGUAGE, BECAUSE CREATION DOES NOT NEED A LANGUAGE.
DAY AND NIGHT HE SHOWS KNOWLEDGE OF HIMSELF; DECLARING THAT HE IS GOD AND THAT MEN EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD OUGHT TO WORSHIP HIM.
JOHN 1:1,9 – IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD (JESUS), AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD.
THAT WAS THE TRUE LIGHT, WHICH LIGHTETH EVERY MAN THAT COMETH INTO THE WORLD.
GOD ENLIGHTENS EVERY MAN OR WOMAN THAT COMES INTO THE WORLD (ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD).
WHEN WITNESSING TO THE LOST, ESPECIALLY THE ATHIEST THEY WILL ASK A QUESTION TO TRY TO STUMP US, OR REALLY TO STOP US AND SHUT US UP.
LATELY, A FRIEND OF MINE RECEIVED A QUESTION, “WHY WOULD GOD ALLOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD THE GOSPEL GO TO HELL?” PEOPLE IN FORIEGN LANDS WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD THE SALVATION MESSAGE? WHICH IS THE REASON FOR THIS MESSAGE.
I BELIEVE GOD REVEALS HIMSELF NOT ONLY BY CREATION, BUT ALSO BY REVELATION OF HIMSELF AND HIS SON, JESUS, IN A SUPERNATURAL WAY: EVEN BY VISIONS AND DREAMS.
LOOK AT ROMANS 1:19,20 – BECAUSE THAT WHICH MAY BE KNOWN OF GOD IS MANIFEST (SHOWN) IN THEM (TO THEM); FOR GOD HAS SHOWED IT UNTO THEM.
FOR THE INVISIBLE THINGS OF HIM FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD ARE CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE; EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE:
THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE.
WHAT ABOUT YOU, DO YOU BELIEVE IN ALMIGHTY GOD?
IF NOT, I CHALLENGE YOU TO ASK JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, IF HE IS REAL, TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO YOU.
IF YOU MEAN IT WITH YOUR HEART, JESUS WILL.
WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN
JOHN 3:36 – HE THAT BELIEVETH ON THE SON HATH EVERLASTING LIFE: AND HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE: BUT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM.
1. WE CANNOT BE SAVED WITHOUT FAITH IN JESUS.
2. WE ARE MADE RIGHTEOUSS BY FAITH.
3. WE CANNOT PLEASE GOD WITHOUT FAITH.
4. WE CANNOT OVERCOME THE WORLD WITHOUT FAITH.
5 WE CANNOT BE LIKE JESUS WITHOUT FAITH.
6. WE CANNOT BE VICTORIOUS IN WARFARE WITHOUT FAITH.
7. WE CANNOT PRAY WITH RESULTS WITHOUT FAITH.
8. WE CANNOT RECEIVE THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SRIRIT WITHOUT FAITH.
9. WE RECEIVE HEALING BY FAITH.
10. WE WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT THROUGH FAITH.
11. WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN.
XTRACTSLOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH. JESUS IS THE WORD MADE FLESH. HE IS THE FOUNDER OF OUR FAITH. FAITH IS HIDDEN IN THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE. TO THOSE WHO HAVE JESUS IN THEIR HEART, THE HOLY SPIRIT EXTRACTS THAT FAITH FROM THE BIBLE AND PLACES IT IN OUR HEART. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A PERSON TO PRAY TO THE FATHER IN JESUS NAME AND READ THE BIBLE AND NOT BE FULL OF FAITH AND POWER. NATURAL FOOD PRODUCES NATURAL STRENGTH AND ENERGY TO THE BODY. SPIRITUAL FOOD PRODUCES SPIRITUAL STRENGTH AND ENERGY TO STHE SPIRITUAL MAN. FAITH AND POWER COMES FROM EATING AT GOD’S TABLE OF PRAYER AND WORD.
JESUS IS THE ORINGINATOR OF FAITH. HE INITIATES FAITH IN THE HEART’S OF MAN. JESUS PERFECTS OUR FAITH, THE END RESULTS IS HIS CHARACTER, HIS INTEGRITY, HIS OBEDIENCE.
TRUE FAITH IS NOT A REBEL, BUT COMPLETE SURRENDER TO HEAVENS PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES. THY KINGDOM COME THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
WE ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, WE HAVE A JOB TO DO IT’S CALLED END TIME HARVEST.
WE BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS, WE HAVE A PURPOSE. THE LEVEL OF WARFARE THAT IS TAKING PLACE AGAINEST CHRISTIANS IS PROOF JESUS IS COMING SOON. ARE WE TO HIDE IN A CAVE OR TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD. THE REASON THE FATHER SENT HIS SON IS BECAUSE HE LOVE’S EVERY SINNER. BUT THEY MUST HEAR THE GOSPEL AND EITHER ACCEPT IT OR REJECT IT. WE ARE THE END TIME MESSENGERS. WE ARE THE JUST THAT LIVE BY FAITH.WHAT A BLESSING TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AND HIS LOVE. WHAT A BLESSING TO SEE THE RESULTS OF FAITH, I HAVE SEEN HIS POWER IN OPERATION, BUT I HAVEN’T SEEN ANYTHING YET.
