Sermon Notes

Intro

1. I absolutely am convinced that God is in the middle of this moment…and He’s extending an invitation to us to join Him in making America Great. God is all about making the nations of the earth great in His sight. He wants N Korea, Iran, China, Syria, Libya and every nation (we don’t like) to be great in His sight. Nations filled with His glory and grace.
2. Let’s just review the past months: We entered into a new decade. I have said and many other spiritual leaders have said that we are entering into a new season of the Lord. The Lord is doing a new thing.
   1. PKD word from the Lord on March 30 – I don’t want the remnant of my people coming out of this season overweight, sluggish, confused or grumpy but I want them to come out of this season like an army ready for battle.
   2. Here we are in the midst of this great shaking and disturbance and God is inviting us into the middle of this moment with Him !
3. Heb.12.26-29 – Everything that can be shaken will be shaken so that the only thing that remains is God’s unshakeable Kingdom. The 7 Mountains – Family, religion, business, government, education, media, arts & entertainment (some have Healthcare). Everyone of those areas is being shaken to one degree or another at the same time.
   1. God is calling us forth into His reordering work

In This New Season How Can We Join God In Making America Great?

Be Open to His Activity

1. Mark 1.4, 7f – God is doing a new thing; 1.14f – God is doing a new thing. The sweetest words to come from the mouth of both John & Jesus – Repent! Come into agreement with God about your life – what you call sin, I call sin; what you say is righteous, I say is righteous. Change your mind -> change your lifestyle; give up your sinful and incomplete way of thinking and behavior and put your trust in God and what he’s doing.
   1. There was a belief during the time of Jesus that God was sending a Deliverer/King to Israel, but b/c Jesus did not fit the description of what they were looking for they missed their opportunity.
2. Learn from previous movements
   1. Paul – Acts 26.14. Telling King Agrippa his conversion story – Jesus asked: why do you kick against the goads (cattle prods)? God had been goading him in the right direction, but Saul kept kicking against it thus making it worse for himself.
   2. Billy Graham’s great regret of not actively supporting the CR Movement as he could have.
3. We cannot resist what the Lord wants to do in this hour through suspicion, judgment, anger, false accusation, distraction. Don’t get caught in the web of the extremists.
   1. There were extremists in the Civil Right movement – KKK & Black Panther.
4. COVID-19, economic uncertainty, George Floyd marches & protests are all a part of God shaking everything that can be shaken. We are not returning to things as they once were. Praise God! He’s doing a new thing!
   1. Is.43.18f – Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. .
   2. We are not returning to things as they once were b/c God is doing a new thing.
   3. Repent.

Listen to Others

1. The Spirit impressed upon me several months ago: You have to be able to hear my voice through others. Learn to hear it and apply it.
   1. Prov.18.2, 13, 17, 15
   2. Listen to the cries for justice; humble ourselves and be teachable; let your perspective be shaped by the people you personally know and trust rather than the social media or news sources.  

1. Rightnowmedia.org
   1. How to talk about Race & Privilege – Jada Edwards
   2. Race in America – Phil Vischer
   3. The Color of Compromise – Jamar Tisby
2. Jesus was emphatic that if we do not listen when he is speaking it is to our detriment. John the Baptist prophetically called the people back to God so they could hear His voice through Jesus.
3. Appl – Today, we have a prophetically loud voice in the black church in America calling us to hear and heed God’s voice and make a way in our hearts for his work.

The Father is answering Jesus’ Prayer – John 17.21-24

1. Jesus prayed it and the Father is saying “Yes.” There are many more dimensions to the answer but this is a significant one.
2. I am absolutely convinced that before the return of Jesus that He will have a bride on the earth who is powerful, pure, mature and united. He will have a body of people who are walking united in faith, hope & love demonstrating the radical power and love of God.
   1. For greater works there must be greater unity. John 14.12 activated through John 17.21.
   2. The power dimensions of the Early Church were in the context of united believers.
   3. The Civil Rights Movement, 1955-69 – charismatic renewal, catholic charismatic renewal & Jesus people movement, the beginning of the new worship movement.
   4. True unity spawns greater power; b/c God is united; power is transmitted through unity.
      1. A family is healthiest and strongest when it is united. A sports team is a force to be reckoned with when it is united. Your body works best when all the systems and working in harmony. It is the same for the bride of Christ.
      2. We all want the greater works so let’s go after the greater unity.

Speak & Walk – Hope, Faith & Love

1. Hope sets the Goal, vision, the future, the picture of a future. It’s the What…it is what we want to see happen.
   1. It is all about the attitude and seeing the picture from God’s perspective. What is God’s will on this,
   2. It is Col.3.11, Gal.3.28, 1 Cor.12.12-27, Eph.2.14f, John 17.20-24
   3. MLK – I have a dream speech; it’s the hope of the bride on the earth reflecting the bride in heaven.
   4. It is about personal and societal change; all societal structures whether intentionally or unintentionally put one group at a disadvantage to others – banking, housing, education, legal – that they would change to become more equitable.
2. Faith is the engine behind it. It is the source of strength which sees it fulfilled. It’s what we are fully persuaded will happen. It is the How.
   1. You can hope but still not see it accomplished. The person who says that they know God can heal them, but they are not fully persuaded that it will happen for them.
   2. For our moment in history, we declare life and God’s will into this season for heart justice and true unity. There is legal justice and policing reform and educational and economic change, but the most foundation is heart justice.
   3. We do Rom.10.9-10: We confess with our mouth and believe in our heart for a mighty transformational work of God through every part of society.
   4. We are absolutely persuaded and we watch it happen…I know for me there is already a fresh perspective/shift in my thinking. I am agreeing with the truth and getting into alignment with it.
3. Love is the motivation (environment). It’s the Why.
   1. In this moment, we must be patient and kind; not full of pride or rude; we don’t need to be demanding our own way; or easily irritated and keeping record of wrongs; we are not rejoicing over injustice but rather when the truth wins out; it doesn’t give up or lose faith; it is always hopeful
   2. It’s the story of the Good Samaritan. We have part of our culture who needs healing, restoration, encouragement and loving treatment. & the call of James 2 to live the royal law of loving one another.
4. The hot church – 90 degrees. Turn a/c to 70 – the hope; a/c units kick in and start changing the environment – faith; people experiencing God during worship – love.
5. You are releasing whatever you are soaking in. 
   1. Stay away from anything or anyone who is speaking negativity, judgment, suspicion, pessimism, hopelessness, skepticism and unbelief. Do not soak in those sources.

What is coming upon this planet will demand for greater unity

1. Is.60 – deep darkness & great light; Mt.13 – maturing of the wheat & tares; Mt.24, Mark 13, Luke 12, 17, 21; 2 Th.2; 1 Tim 4; 2 Tim.3-4; 2 Pet.2-3, Jude & Revelation. They all describe darkness, hardship, suffering & chaos coming upon the earth before the Lord returns and in the middle of that arises the beautiful, united, strong and passionate body of Christ…the bride of the Lord Jesus.
   1. I do not pretend to know when this happen, but I believe
2. There must be unity at a deeper level to both endure the hardships and hold the catch of souls who are being brought into the Kingdom all at the same time.

Conclusion – Psalm 133