BREAKTHROUGH

In less than two weeks the International Assembly of the Church of God of Prophecy (COGOP) is scheduled to begin (July 30 - August 3, 2014).  The theme this Assembly year is Breakthrough.    The International COGOP took initial steps to intensify endeavors to reach the harvest in the late 1980s and continued through the 1990s.  A few years after the turn of the century the COGOP began to focus more clearly and purposefully on the harvest by accepting and adopting three core values - prayer, the harvest (evangelization) and leadership development.  Throughout the vision and mission statements of the COGOP  these core values are incorporated.

The COGOP has realized breakthrough in efforts in many areas of the world to plant new churches and see others grow.  Breakthrough can have various meanings and nuances for a local church.  Local churches go through times of growth and sometimes through times of decline.  Pastors and local leaders come to the point, in some local churches, of realizing that a local church must focus on the necessary purposes of Christ and the kingdom of God or the church will decline to the point of disbandment.  These core values are vital, not only to the COGOP, but to any serious Bible church.  These three biblical core values must be included in the formational beginnings and/or the new beginnings of a local church that is declined for it to be effective in the vision and mission of Christ.

The beginning focal formation of a local church can become the continual, misdirected emphasis of that local church, over a long period of time, until the local church realizes its constant focus on how it started will not sustain its continuance.  To continue as a vibrant local church the purposes of Christ, (Luke 19:10) (Matt 28:18-20) His church and the kingdom of God (Matt 24:14) must be restarted, renewed and continually prioritized in a declining church.  The local church must gradually and/or suddenly change to the vision and mission of Christ in the local community and missions of the world or the local church will decline and eventually be disbanded.  Some local churches struggle with the change(s) needed to be a vibrant, viable Christ-centered, kingdom of God teaching, preaching and leading church in their families and communities.  The development of prayer ministries in the local church must be the beginning focus of the vision and mission of Christ.

It has been stated, "to pray fervently and effectually is to see God move and work in families, local churches and communities."  Jesus emphasized that His house would be called a house of prayer for all nations (Mark 11:17).  The desire of every pastor should be - to exemplify, promote, plan, develop and seek to implement a holy house of prayer in the local church.  How prayer ministries are planned and developed may vary from church to church but the need is biblical.  Local church members praying for God's will and favor for His purposes is a blessed people (James 4:2-3) (1 John 5:13-15).  In the present local church where my spouse and I serve as Co-pastors, development and implementation of prayer ministries was attempted over a period of three years (2010-2013).  There were some positive results from planning, implementing, training and developing prayer ministries but spirits of opposition arose and many of the prayer initiatives were not continued or were simply ignored.  It is obvious that the devil hates for churches to call on the Lord in prayer.  Albeit, we continue to emphasize, grow personally and lead in prayer ministry development efforts.

When a local church is captivated by controlling spirits and a lack of desire to change, a pastor often becomes frustrated and feels her/his ministry is hindered and hampered by the desires and whims of those being controlled by the opposing spirits.  To not have breakthrough prayer ministries in this type of scenario constrains the pastor(s) to continue to pray and seek for the change needed to have the vision and mission of Christ at the forefront of the church's ministries.  The pastor, however,  often feels he/she is spinning wheels in the sludge and mud of apathetic and disparaging attitudes.  The lack of focus on biblical core values and the vision and mission of Christ is even more obvious when a church continues in the same vein of operation over many years and many changes of pastors.  At some point in this type of scenario the local church must have breakthrough to minister to the families and the community where it is located.  Otherwise, the church's spiritual muscles will continue to be atrophied by the lack fervent prayer ministries, community outreach involvement and Christ-centered purpose to the point of paralysis and/or death.  Some pointed and pertinent warnings for today are given to the primitive churches in Asia in the book of Revelation.

The book of Revelation contains messages from Christ given directly to seven churches (Revelation 1:11).  The interpretations of these messages vary.  Some interpret these messages using a dispensational form of reference and view these messages to the churches to be a certain period of years in history beginning from the time Revelation was written.  Some interpret the messages as being spiritually pertinent only to the specific church in Asia and not relative to today's churches.  Yet, we can see the sinful nature that Christ warned of in five of these churches also in today's churches.  Each of these churches in primitive Asia (present day Turkey in Asia) is directly addressed by the Master.  Some of the churches are commended on their works, faith, service, love and faithfulness.  All of them get rebuked about certain things except a couple (Rev 2:8-10; 3:6-8).  Some of the churches were warned that their candlestick (ministry and light of Christ) would be removed if the church (members) did not repent and turn from their wicked ways (Revelation 2:4-5; 2:14-16) (Revelation 2:20; 3:1-3) (Revelation 3:14-20).  These examples are pertinent for churches today in the post-modern world when these type of opposing, lustful and devilish spirits have entered local churches.  The only remedy in any and all of these type warnings is to repent and turn from the wicked ways and be what Christ intended the local church to be.  Repent is repeated several times to these churches that Christ gave warning in chapters two and three (Rev 2:5; 16; 21) (Rev 3:3; 19).  The warnings are pertinent and applicable for the churches today that have left their first love for Christ, become bound by spirits of fornication, adultery, replacing liberty with licentiousness, legalism, power struggles, apathy, lukewarmness, controlling Jezebel spirits, overpowering Nicolaitan spirits that beat people down, and have failed to be engaged and involved in the vision and mission of Christ.

When there is repentance and turning from those sins and turning to Christ and the ministries that Christ desires (a holy house of prayer, reaching the harvest field for the lost and involvement in viable, practical leadership training and development) then those churches will become a vibrant and vital movement in the community.  The warning and the promise is clear to one particular church, the Laodicean church.   The call of the Master is to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.  Christ knows every local church's condition and He gave the remedy and the promise (Revelation 3:14-20).  There must be no more wasted time!  There must be no more doing things the way we have always done them and getting what we have always gotten.  The local church must repent of any of these sins that the Spirit is charging, open the door to the Master, love Him with His love, sup with Him, get yoked with Him, join Him in His vision and mission in this world, our world, our families, our communities - while there is time.  Hear the Master clearly, Rev. 3:19 "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."  Yes He loves us despite all the warnings against the sin in the church.  He is wanting the church to be zealous for His purposes in this world and He wants repentance from the sins that he warns against.  He is coming back.  Hear Him again as He speaks to the faithful Philadelphia church, Rev. 3:11 "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."  Churches are in dire need of hearing the Holy Spirit today!  Dear Lord Jesus may we have breakthrough like we never have before to see the purposes of Christ fulfilled in the local church and may You receive all the glory! AMEN!

As pastor my heart is heavy to see the glory of God move in our midst and for seeing souls come to Christ.  What will our children and and grandchildren refer to when they are looking back years from now?  Will they see the move of God as I saw it as a young child, teen and young adult in the church where I grew up?  Dear Lord, help me to seek you until you come and reign righteousness on me.  Forgive me Lord for failing to seek You, to minister in every open door, to every person I come in contact and being sensitive to the urgings of the Holy Spirit.  Dear Lord breakthrough upon us in the coming International Assembly to break us, melt us, mold us, make us and use us for your glory.  Break me, melt me, mold me, make me and use me for you glory.  I humbly refuse to go any further without your presence and glory.  I am desperate for You, dear Lord Jesus.  Help me Holy Spirit.  Come and do what You only can do.  Amen.

BREAKTHROUGH REVIVAL

BREAKTHROUGH REVIVAL came to the Waverly Church of God of Prophecy this month.  We began with a series of services throughout the month given totally to prayer for God to breakthrough any opposition to the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His kingdom and His purposes in our families, church and community.

God blessed and moved mightily among us during our four scheduled revival services with *Evangelist John Cox of Manchester, Tennessee.  We knew God had something great in store because our adversary, the devil, began working hard to stop this revival.  As our evangelist was on his way to the first night of revival he called to tell us he was very sick and was on the side of the interstate throwing up.  He said, "I'm pushing on Brother Gordon, but I don't know if I'll be there on time or make it there."  We joined in prayer for him.  He arrived on time and God did a healing work in his body until the last night of revival he stated, "I am am really feeling great tonight."  We were all feeling great as He preached last evening's message that in part stated, "God has the final word."  Our souls and spirits were challenged and uplifted to stand for the right regardless of threats and demands of the devil, politically correct ideologies and the devil's schemes to kill God's faith in us - God has the final word.  He preached four powerful and pertinent messages for our day and time - timely truths from God's Holy Word.  Our faith was built up, people were touched mightily by the presence of the Master.  The Holy Spirit anointed and God met needs.

We were also blessed on the last night by Pastor and Area Presbyter Gary Riley being with us and, by Sister Lisa Zimdars and the praise team from Crossroads COGOP from White Bluff.  What powerful praise and worship was offered.  We were glad to welcome Pastor Chris Bohanon and wife Melissa and some of the people from Zion Hill COGOP.

I want to thank the faithful people from Waverly who came out each evening, prayed and supported the revival.  Some of you went the extra mile to getthe church set up and ready for the praise and worship team on Sunday night.  God and you know who you are.  He has a perfect record.

*I want to personally recommend Brother John Cox to any pastor who needs someone to preach when you are away or to use as an evangelist for revivals or any other scheduled services.  He preaches the truth of God's word with anointing and loves the Lord.  He has served as pastor in several (5) churches, with two sanctuaries being built under his tenure.  You can reach him at 931-247-6869