Church of the Word Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Gene English showed pictures and shared about his recent mission trip to Rwanda and Namibia, Africa. As part of the trip, he attended a Global Teen Challenge Conference in Rwanda. He also was looking for properties that could possibly be used for future Teen Challenge sites. While he was in Rwanda, he visited the Genocide Memorial, commemorating the death of the over one million people of the Tutu tribe, who were killed by a rival Rwandan tribe. Namibia also suffered much slaughter, but theirs was due to apartheid. A fruitful harvest requires a fruitful witness. We need to get past being afraid of rejection when we talk to strangers about Jesus Christ. We get comfortable, but we need to know that God is going to give us the words to speak when we step out to share Christ. We need to think about the lost. How is God going to use me to reach the lost? Remember where you were before you came to Jesus. We can see the goodness of God. You begin with the Word of God. Then you see that you are the righteousness of God. Your mind gets renewed by the Word, and you begin believing and confessing the Word. Your thinking changes. We are commissioned to reach the lost. We need to be faithful witnesses. The process may be ugly, but the result is good. Matthew 9:38, 38 tell about praying for the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into the harvest. Intercede for the lost (Psalm 2:8). Cry out for them. Gene told about Isaac Watts, who was an atheist at that time, confronting a Christian woman. She had three sons, and the first one heard from God to go to the mission field. He was killed, and her second son heard the same call to go. He went to complete the work the first one started, but he was killed. The third son also was called to complete his brothers' work, but he, too, was killed. When Isaac Watts confronted her in the market place, he asked her, "How can you love that God? Don't you regret it?" Her answer was, "Yes, I regret- that I don't have another son to send to finish the work!" Ask God, "How can I be used by You today?" Let's purpose to reach the lost for the kingdom of God. Pray that you may have a love for the lost. Are you casting out seeds? Are you multiplying? How can I build bridges? Ask God to stir up your gifts.

Review: The earth is the Lord's (Psalm 24:10); God gave the earth to man (Psalm 115:16); Man has been made to have dominion over God's creation (Psalm 8:3-9). Pastor Syd compared it to the fact that their house belongs to him (Pastor), but his sons may do what they want in their own rooms within certain guidelines. God owns the earth and gave authority over it to Adam, but Adam gave it to Satan. Jesus took the keys away from Satan when He went into hell after His crucifixion. Through Adam's trespass, death reigned, how much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17). Jesus is seated to the right hand of God, interceding for us. If we do not have a sense of righteousness, we will not reign. If we mess up and ask forgiveness, God has no remembrance of it. His righteousness is on you and fills you. A king reigns through his words. On Christ, the rock, "I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:13-19). Because you know the Word, you may think you are doing it, but you must act on it by speaking and believing it. Speak the Word to your problems. Speak the way it is going to be. Jesus became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). He sees me like Jesus, without sin. He says, "That's My son, in whom I am well pleased." Do not allow condemnation and Satan to beat you up. We can have boldness in the day of judgment, because of God's love (1 John 4:16, 17). There is no fear in love. Jesus always lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:24, 25). We need a consciousness of righteousness. Jesus is our defense attorney and our judge. Tell the devil how it is going to be. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:10). God is for us (Romans 8:31). He will grant us what we need to walk in victory (Romans8:32). If God gave His all to buy you, He will do all to keep you. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ (Romans 8:33-39).

Dr. Panicker shared about living in Kenya when they had no church support and during a time of famine. They fasted and prayed for a month, declaring that they would not lack. A man from Morocco blessed them, and a woman they did not know came with two boxes for them. It was at a time when they had no food, and the boxes were filled with all the food they needed. They wanted to send their son to school, but they had no money. Dr. Panicker went to the headmaster to ask him to keep his son there for two weeks and at the end of the two weeks he would have the money for him. He was impressed by the Lord to go to the headmaster after just one week. The headmaster informed Dr. Panicker that someone had come in the first day he came with his son and paid for the whole year. Our most precious times are as we sit at the feet of the Lord. Prayer is talking and listening to God. Do we truly pray, or do we assume that God will do this or that? Are you always engaged with the Father? We talk and listen to the Lord. Daddy God will minister to your every need. Learn to talk to the Lord in prayer. We need silence with Him, too, to hear His voice. If you do not walk with Him, you will not talk with Him. Be inspired to pray and pray for the American church-goers to read the Bible. Jonah was called to the city of Ninevah, which was Assyrian, but he was afraid to go. God's heart was broken by all of its sin. He had a heart for the people of Ninevah. God's character is love, mercy, and holiness. He knew He had to punish the people, so He called Jonah to warn them to repent. Jonah tried to escape God's call for him to go to warn Ninevah, so he ended up spending time in the belly of a fish. Jonah did obey God and warned the people of Ninevah to repent and turn to God. Assyrians were fighting the Jews, but the people believed God and proclaimed a fast. God touches the hearts of the wicked, and this happened in Ninevah. The wicked king was afraid of God's judgment, humbled himself by stepping down from his throne, repented, and cried out to the Jewish God, declaring a fast of food and water, even for the animals, and Ninevah was spared. Prayer has the power to humble the proud. Much of the American church is a coffee-club. When your belly is full, it is easy to sleep and hard to pray. God listens to the cry of the wicked, because His character is love, mercy, and holiness. We say "no" to "political correctness." Another city was Sodom in Genesis 18 and 19. Ezekiel (16:49-50) referred to Sodom and Gomorrah as arrogant, overfed, unconcerned, haughty, not helping the poor and needy, and detestable (morally disgusting). It takes both prayer and action. The righteous are bold as a lion. God destroyed Sodom. Why did God destroy Sodom and save Ninevah? Sodom did not repent, and it was burned. Ninevah repented and was spared. [Dr. Panicker had said in 2012 that it was wrong for the United States to invade Iraq. Some countries need a dictator because the people are not able to handle the responsibility. In Iraq churches were protected and even built under the Iraqi dictator, but that all stopped when he was killed.] In 2012 the president of Uganda brought his nation's people together. He repented and called the people to come together to God. Dr. Panicker read the prayer of repentance that the Ugandan president prayed asking for God's forgiveness of many sins, such as idolatry, witchcraft, shedding innocent blood, and pride. Our national leaders need to repent. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

Our purpose is to rule and reign on the earth. Adam brought death, but Jesus brought life and righteousness (Romans 5:17, 18). Our battles are with evil spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12). God demonstrated His power by seating Jesus over every dominion now and in every age (Ephesians 1:20). The Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act was passed in North Carolina, but there is opposition from LGBT. This group comprises only 1-3% of the U. S. population but is using financial forces and businesses to force NC to change this act. In Mississippi it is legal for religious organizations to deny services to someone who functions contrary to their beliefs. Governor Wolf has a "Bathroom Rule", HB 1510 and SB 974, that will mandate public use of bathrooms to both sexes, as a person may self-identify his/her sex. Why is the church silent about these important issues? 1. Relativism. 2. A moral code that is wearing away. 3. Fear of being labeled a hater. (Evil wins because of our silence.) 4. Need for moral approval. In Genesis 19 Lot knew the city was dangerous, and he knew the culture he lived in. (It is the same spirit as the LGBT.) He compromised by offering to give his daughters to the evil men. The men accused Lot of acting like a judge, which the present day agenda does, too. If you do not participate with them, they assert pressure on you, which is what the men did to Lot, when they wanted the men (angels) who were staying at Lot's home. In Lot's case, the angels caused the evil men to become blinded. Guard yourself against what is sin. Do not wink at it. Peter recognized Jesus as the Messiah, and Jesus said that He would build the church on the revelation of who Jesus is (Matthew 16:16-19; 18:18-20). The keys of the kingdom are binding and loosing. When you use Jesus' authority, the kingdom of God is established. A king reigns with words. The same spirit that Lot dealt with is the spirit in this nation. We must stand for righteousness. The amount of babies aborted is equal to all of the men, women, and children west of the Mississippi River and all of Italy! We must be salt and the light on the hill.  Offering message: To prosper in your soul (3 John 2), yield to the Lord Jesus. We can have confidence to know that we have heard from the Lord. God loves an obedient heart. There were two testimonies of God's prospering- one pay raise and one who led someone to salvation. Pastor Syd encouraged us to make a righteous choice for president.

In Genesis 1:26-28 God told Adam, man, to have dominion. In Revelation 22:1-5 God speaks about the future, saying that we are to reign forever and ever. We are here to take dominion. Our purpose is to reign and take dominion, and worship to God is the fruit of our taking dominion. Revelation 5:9, 10 says that He has made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. This is also stated in Revelation 1:6. Death reigned by Adam's trespass, but we are to reign in life (now) through Jesus Christ. We are in training. We need to pay attention as to how we are to rule and reign. How does a king reign? He reigns with his words (Ecclesiastes 8:4; Job 22:21, 22, 26-28). He reigns by delegating authority (Luke 9:1-42). We see this in a policeman. His power is in the courts, the law, and his gun. His authority is because of his power. The kingdom of God is in us. It is where God is exercising authority and His will is being done. It is the coming of His kingdom that allows His will to be done. The disciples were to preach the kingdom of God. Jesus delegated His authority (Luke 10:20). We have been given authority over the enemy (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16). We restore divine favor, which is the ministry of reconciliation. We are authorized to take this message to others. Fill yourself with the Word. Expect what you speak to be fulfilled. A king reigns by his word, and we reign by preaching God's Word and that the kingdom has come. (There was explanation concerning last week's service, finances, and prayer needs in the CWI body.)

This service was orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. The Word benefits us only when we hear and do what it says. We are to give God our best. The tithes, the first tenth, belong to Him. What we give beyond that is an offering (Malachi 3:8-12). Second Corinthians 8:9 is in the context of giving an offering. You cannot sow your tithe, because that belongs to God (2 Corinthians 9:6-15). You sow when you give what belongs to you. Our needs are met by our giving. Pastor Syd shared how the Lord blessed him and his family in multiplication when he was obedient to sow the only money he had, which was four dollars. Larry Hostetter gave a word that we make God too small. We prayed for those who need miracles in their lives. An offering was taken to bless Pastor Syd and Jen. Karen Burrows shared a testimony of how the Lord provided for her to go to Andrew Wommack's pastors' conference when she was obedient to sow her $192 in coins. There was ministry to those people who need jobs.

Texts: Psalm 8:3-8; Hebrews 2:6-18. Originally God gave the authority on earth to Adam. After Adam sinned by disobeying God, the authority was given over to Satan. Satan could have given Jesus the authority over earth (Luke 4), but Jesus knew how He was going to get the authority back to man. After Adam's fall, man became lower than angels. In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus said that all authority of both heaven and earth was given to Him and He gave it to us. His will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven (the Lord's Prayer). He gave us power to bind and to loose (Matthew 18:18-20). We have authority over angels. What did Jesus have to do to get that authority back to us? Hebrews 2:6-18. He had to die spiritually. He became sin so that we might become His righteousness. Jesus knew that He was going to be separated from God. Separation from God is death and hell. Jesus experienced spiritual death for us. Not everyone will die. Those who are alive with be caught up with Him. Jesus said that if anyone keeps His word, he will never taste death (John 8:44-53). He is talking about spiritual death. Concerning when Lazarus was raised from the dead, Jesus said that He is the resurrection and the life, and that whoever believes in Him, though he may die, he shall not die spiritually (John 11:20, 26). Jesus went to hell. He had to become sin for us, because there was no sin in Him. Our sin would send us to hell, if He had not gone there for us. Jesus was born again from death and hell, and we need to be born again, too. Jesus died and was made alive again in the Spirit. God raised Him up, so His soul was not left in hell, nor did it see corruption (Acts 2:22, 23; Acts 13:33). A separation came, and Jesus had to be born again. Before the resurrection, Jesus is referred to as the only begotten Son of God, but after the resurrection, He is referred to as the firstborn from the dead among many brothers (Colossians 1:18). Through His death He might destroy the devil (when He went to hell and came out of it). Satan never had power of physical death. God did. The power of spiritual death is the fear of death. As soon as Adam and Eve fell, fear of death came. That fear is the fear of being separated from God. Isaiah 11:2 tells about the seven spirits that were upon Jesus. Revelation 1:4-18 again notes that Jesus is the firstborn from the dead, and that He made us kings and priests to God the Father. He was dead, but now He is alive, and He has the keys to hell and death. We have His authority if we have made Him our Lord and Savior. We are victorious. We reign in life by Jesus Christ. Pastor Syd closed by reading the Ephesians prayer (Ephesians 1:17-23).

[Pre-sermon notes: Jesus defeated the enemy and shed His blood for our victory. We have been healed. Light immediately dispels darkness. Declare health over your body. When we look at Him, His wisdom comes to us, and then we give heed to it. The church is compromising if we vote for someone who is not a Christian. This nation is at the tipping point, about to fall to a sudden and extreme drop. Take a stand. Vote for righteousness.] Sermon: text - Psalm 8. God told Adam to subdue, have dominion, and rule the earth and everything that is on it (Genesis 1:26-28). This is demonstrated in Genesis 2:19 when God commissioned Adam to name the animals. In Luke 4:5, 6 Satan tempted Jesus by telling Him that he would give Jesus the authority over all the kingdoms of the earth, if He would worship him. How did he get that authority? Satan is a fallen angel. Adam gave the authority that God had given him to Satan when he disobeyed God (Romans 5:17). Jesus came to restore the authority over the earth back to man. In Psalm 8:5 in the KJV it says that God made man a little lower than the angels. The same Hebrew word translated here as "angels" is translated "Elohim". This word is used over 2600 times and never translated angels anywhere else. The correct translation is that God made man a little lower than Himself. In Hebrews 1:1-4 it says that Jesus bore a more excellent name than angels. In 2:6-8 it says that God made Jesus a little lower than the angels. Hebrews 1:5-14 we find that angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who inherit salvation. The saints inherit salvation. Are you giving your angels anything to do? Do you give them orders? Speak to your angels using the (Word of God) commands that God has already given them. You pray to God in Jesus' name; you can talk to and thank Jesus and the Holy Spirit but you only pray to the Father. The authority has been given to us in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18-20), whereas Adam's authority was just on earth before he fell (Psalm 8). Our purpose is to take dominion with the authority Jesus gave us, to go into all the world and preach the gospel, baptize, and teach what He taught. The saints will judge the world and angels (1 Corinthians 6:1-3). God will confirm His Word with signs, wonders, and miracles. God originally made man a little lower than Himself and higher than the angels. Since Adam fell and gave his authority on earth to Satan (a fallen angel), unredeemed man became lower than the angels. Redeemed men (those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior) are lower than God but restored higher than any angel.

God has established strength from the mouth of babes and infants (Psalm 8). When Psalm 8:2 is repeated in Matthew 21:16, instead of "strength", the word "praise" is used. There is a connection between strength and praise. In Psalm 8:4 the word "angels" is translated "God" other places in the Word, so God made man a little lower than Himself. When we look up into the heavens, we see what God has put in place. We are the reason for creation. We are not insignificant. We are the apple of God's eye. Man is to have dominion and to rule with authority over the works of God's hands. The Lord remembers us and will bless us. May He give you increase to you and your children. He gave the earth to man. Dead men do not praise God, but we will (Psalm 115:12-18). He talks about authority and praise and worship together, because they are linked. Genesis 1:26-2:19 tells us that He made us in His likeness. We are three parts, just like the Trinity. We are to have dominion over the earth and all that is in it. God blessed Adam and Eve and told them to multiply. He told them that they had complete authority. They were to subdue it because they had full authority. To have dominion over something is to rule and reign. Our authority came from God because He created everything, including us. Genesis2:19 says that God brought the animals to Adam for him to name them, showing that he had authority. With authority comes responsibility. Jesus did no miracles until He was baptized. Jesus had to operate in faith, just like we do. Satan immediately tried to make sure Jesus would not use His authority to take back the earth from him, but Jesus did not take his bait (Luke 4:1-7). Temptation is not sin, but it can be by what we do with it. Adam chose to give his authority away. Satan got the authority from Satan, not from God. Jesus came to get back man's authority from Satan. Satan wanted Jesus' worship. See how worship and authority are tied together? God gave the authority to man, then man gave it to Satan. God created Satan as an angel to glorify God. He did not create him as the devil, but Satan chose to turn against God. Romans 5:12-17. Death reigned from Adam to Moses. The overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness is the blood of Jesus. We reign in life through Jesus Christ now. Reign means to rule, have dominion, and to have authority. Jesus was a man like us who had to walk in faith. He emptied Himself and came in the likeness of man. John 14:12; Matthew 28:19, 20. Stay where God wants you to be. That authority is yours.

Pastor Syd showed pictures and told of his trip with Apostle Dale in the Ukraine. He reported on his travels there and his time with Apostle Dale at a Bible School of over 500 students, some of whom were from Russia. They preached to pastors and cell group leaders. Apostle Dale preached a powerful sermon about the church and the country. Our hearts should be stirred up to pray for Apostle Dale and what he is doing in Ukraine. The church there can change that nation. Pastor Syd told about the importance of chaplains who go to the front lines to minister. He told about a movie on Netflix called Winter on (or of?) Fire, which is a documentary of what happened in Ukraine two years ago. Pastor Syd also went to Istanbul, Turkey. Much of the New Testament happened in Greece and what is now Turkey. He showed a map where the different churches were that Paul started or preached at. Now only about .2% (about 2,000) of Turkey's people are Protestant. It is a problem when comfortable becomes more important than the kingdom of God. Is our testimony touching those around us? We are to be witnesses to what God has done in our lives, where we live, and then beyond (Acts 1:7, 8). When we share our testimony, it releases and enacts the power of the Holy Spirit. If we are not fishing, we are not followers. There was a physical flood (Genesis 7:11, 17), and now we need a spiritual flood of the Holy Spirit, symbolized by water. This year (2016) is critical as far as electing officials at all levels. There are 469 Congressional seats for reelection. There are 7,383 legislative positions through the states for reelection. There are 36,000 municipal, township, and other offices to be filled. We need to fill these positions. We need to be salt by words and actions. We need to come together. We are to be the Good News. God's power is available now because He poured out His Spirit. It is the power to save. Give your testimony and the power of God will be there. Offering message: Philippians 4:10-20. Our God does supply your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. What is important is the fruit that comes from the gift. Shannon Flynn shared about her mission trip to Kenya.