How Did We Get Here?

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

In the past months, I have been taking a new approach to the book of Revelation. I am seeking the Lord for fresh revelation. Because prophecy contains a message for the time in which it was written, a message for today (whenever that day may be) and a message for the future, I have been praying for the Holy Spirit to give me messages for this moment in which we are living regardless of whether or not we are in the last moments of history.

The Holy Spirit drew me to Revelation 6:1-2 (NKJV): “Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see." And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.”

This conqueror on the white horse represents both the antichrist of the tribulation period and the spirit of antichrist which has been in the world since the beginning . 1 John 4:1-3 (NKJV) “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”

The phrase that captured my attention is “a crown was given to him.” This, I sense, is a key verse in understanding much of what is happening in our lives. We have given a crown, that is, placed in authority over ourselves, those whose decisions and actions are bringing about the circumstances represented by the four horsemen of the Apocalypse: violence, inflation, famine and death. We have participated in crowning the antichrist spirit in our personal lives, in our nation and in the global arena.

We have become a people so consumed by fear, that we have fed and empowered the red horse personifying violence. Revelation 6:3-4 (NKJV): “When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see." Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.”

In scripture, the word of God is symbolized as a sword (Ephesians 6:17 and Hebrews 4:12.) The word of the Lord brings victory to those who stand on it. However, the sword of the antichrist brings spiritual defeat to those who wallow in fear.

One of our fears is based on the economy. Ironically, in that fear, we spend ourselves into near bankruptcy.

That brings us to the third horse, the black one. Revelation 6:5-6 (NKJV): “When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come and see." So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine."

Two things cannot be harmed by poor economic conditions—the oil and the wine. In scripture, oil represents the anointing, the empowering of the Holy Spirit. The wine represents the covenant we have through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. In darkest economy times, the power and authority of God stand firm. We have no need to fear.

In 1706 Matthew Henry wrote, “During the progress of this black horse, the necessaries of life should be at excessive prices, and the more costly things should not be hurt. According to prophetic language, these articles signified that food of religious knowledge, by which the souls of men are sustained unto everlasting life; such we are invited to buy, Isa 55:1.

“But when the dark clouds of ignorance and superstition, denoted by the black horse, spread over the Christian world, the knowledge and practice of true religion became scarce…The famine of bread is a terrible judgment; but the famine of the word is more so.”

The famine of the Word does not result from a lack of availability. It most often results from Christians who are spiritually anorexic and/or bulimic. We either refuse to eat of the Word or we purge ourselves of it as soon as we step out of the church door.

What is the answer? We must take back the authority we have been given in Jesus Christ. That authority is, amazingly, protected by the Constitution of the United States of America. Our hope is in the Lord who is our provision, our strength and our light. It is time for us to step out of the darkness of the spirit of antichrist and into the light of Jesus

 

The Parables of My Life:  The Prodigals

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Most of us are familiar with the “Parable of the Prodigal Son.”  However, take a few moments and refresh your memory by reading Luke 15:11-32.

This is, in truth, the story of two prodigal sons.  We miss the deeper story when we define “prodigal” as wayward. “Prodigal” refers to a specific kind of waywardness.  Merriam-Webster defines “prodigal” as “carelessly and foolishly spending money, time, etc.”

 

One son was prodigal in spending his inheritance foolishly.  The second son was prodigal in foolishly ignoring the resources and relationships that were available to him.  The question we must each ask ourselves is, “Am I prodigal with my inheritance in the Lord?”

Our inheritance in the Lord has little to do with money.  Our riches are heavenly.  They are spiritual.  Psalm 16:5-6 has long been one of my “life verses.”   “O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance” (Psalm 16:5-6 NKJV).

While those verses do not always describe the situations in my life, they aptly describe my position in the Lord. No matter what is happening around me, God is my inheritance and my cup of joy.  Because I can trust Him for my provision, the lines have truly fallen to me in pleasant places.

What is my inheritance in the Lord?  The Bible has much to say about our inheritance.  One of my favorite scriptures is 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NKJV):  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”

Because our God is a God of abundance, our inheritance is more than spending eternity with Him.  Our inheritance includes living victoriously in this often difficult life.  A glorious part of the inheritance is the fruit of the Spirit that becomes ours when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit indwells us.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25 NKJV).

Another question to ask is, “Am I allowing my fleshly passions and desires to tarnish the fruit of the Spirit in my life?”  When we do not walk in the Spirit, we are being prodigal with our inheritance.

Many times we cry out for God to imbue us with the fruit of the Spirit not realizing that He has already done so and we need only to allow the fruit to be manifest in our lives.  In those times, we are prodigal like the second son who had all the resources of his father at hand and did not avail himself of them. 

My greatest inheritance is my relationship with my heavenly Father made possible by the sacrifice of His Son.  “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.”   Oh, Lord, may I not be prodigal with what You have given me.

 Purim:  Remembering Esther

By Lonnie C. Crowe

(In 2026, Purim begins at sunset on Monday, March 2.)

Like Esther, we have been called for such a time as this.  Esther, a Jewish woman named Hadassah, divinely became the wife of the King of Persia, the most powerful man of his time.  His deceitful henchman, Haman, plotted to annihilate all the Jews living in Persia. 

Mordechai, Esther’s relative and guardian, reminded her that with privilege comes responsibility.

Esther 4:14:  “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Women in the Old Testament are most often pictures of the Church, the Bride of Christ. Through the story of Esther, God is saying to the Church, “if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise from another place, but you and your generation will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the Kingdom for such a time as this?”

What did Esther do at that decisive moment?  Though she was queen and held a privileged position, she also knew she risked her life in approaching her husband on behalf of her peoples  She was willing to take that risk.   She knew both her privileged position and her responsibility to her people.

In preparation, she called the people to fast—in other words, she turned to God for wisdom and protection. 

As we prepare for our Purim we must identify our privileges:

• We have the privilege of knowing God personally.

• We have the privilege of living in a country that still has the greatest wealth and the greatest freedom in the world.

We must also understand our circumstances.

• We are not safe just because we are Christians.

• If my nation suffers, I suffer.

• Being Christian doesn't mean we are safe from external factors.

Then let us intercede and ask the Lord to touch our nation and our world.

• God has called the Church for such a time as this.

• God knows what Satan is planning for each country and nation of the world. He appointed each of us to intercede for our nation. He wants us to change the destiny of this world and make history.

• God is faithful to those who are sincere.  Our hope is in the Lord not in earthly governments.

• We are, like all generations, a generation that God has called into destiny. Esther changed the history of the Jews through courage and sacrifice and the grace of God. We can do the same thing if we obey the calling.

In intercession, we must follow the admonitions of our Lord to His people.

•2 Chronicles 7:14—“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  God has called His people, believers, to turn from our wicked ways and pray.

•1 Timothy 2:1-2—“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”

1. Pray that leaders, if they are not already believers, will become believers.

2. Pray that the leaders will come to a knowledge of the Truth.

3. Pray that they will acknowledge, honor, and praise God who is the sovereign ruler of heaven and earth.

With great privilege comes great responsibility. With great responsibility comes great opportunity.  We have a divine opportunity to be God’s instruments in leading our nation into God’s destiny for us.

 Thinking Outside the Traditional Sermon Box

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

“...let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance…” - Proverbs 1:5 (NIV)

In our world of changing technology and increasing confusion, I have become more and more aware of some of the issues and shortcomings with our traditional methods of teaching and discipling in church—an area of consideration that is often overlooked because we are used to the way it has always been done.

Church teaching, doctrine and discipline are frequently aimed at the fast track learners, those with proficient vocabularies, and/or theologians. We are aware of slower learners or those with different intelligences in the educational system, but we seem to be unaware that these same people may be struggling to understand sermons, Sunday school lessons, and Bible studies. Additionally, few people in the congregation have seminary level vocabularies.

Several years ago, Cindy, one of my students, brought a theological concern to me.

Cindy: Mrs. Crowe, I understand about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but who is Trinity?

Me: I don’t understand your question.

Cindy: You know, the Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Who is Trinity?

Cindy was in an English class, so we discussed the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as appositives to Trinity (they are additional words used to explain what is meant by Trinity). I use this example because I know that many reading this may have no understanding of appositives; however, those same readers will understand when I explain that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit make up the Trinity. We all bring different types of understanding and learning to our study of Scripture.

For another example, I was leading a Bible study on the Holy Spirit. One woman had been reading from the King James Bible on her own, and she had somehow come to the conclusion that we have both the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost. She approached me wanting to know how to differentiate between the ministries of the two. A disconnect had occurred because we were each approaching the subject matter from a different context. 

I highlight these stories to challenge us to think about the methods we are using to teach and disciple people. Is it possible we are not reaching them as effectively as we could because we are only considering our own backgrounds, experiences, educational levels, etc.?

I am blessed to pastor a small church filled with people who have difficulty understanding for various reasons. Some have limited vocabularies because English is their second language. Others have limited education. Some simply learn at a slower rate.

Most have become uncomfortable in traditional churches because they feel left out. Many do not have the “church manners” that require them to sit quietly. If my parishioners don’t understand a word, they simply raise their hands and ask. If they have a comment, they make it. This works in our small church, but what about larger churches where they would be disruptive? How are we going to effectively communicate spiritual truths when many people struggle to understand or just have a different learning style?

Through the ages, churches have primarily taught with the lecture (sermon) method. However, research shows that the lecture method is the least effective method of teaching! In contrast, interaction is one of the most effective methods. PowerPoint and other projection programs have enhanced the lecture method by supplying a visual, but we can do more. Here are some ideas to consider:

·         While it is important to use standard theological terms so that our people become aware of the vocabulary that is normal in the Church, it is even more important to ensure those words are defined in terms that most congregants can understand. Many who attend church regularly struggle with “Christianese.”  I recently met with a group of pastors where we decided to promote the city-wide Thanksgiving service as “The Community Thanksgiving Gathering” rather than as an ecumenical service. Several seminary-trained pastors present admitted they did not know the meaning of “ecumenical.”

·         Brief breakout sessions during or immediately following the sermon would give people opportunities to discuss a particular point with those sitting around them.

·         Bible memorization is crucial. Paraphrasing in addition to rote memorization enhances understanding of passages.

·         Teachers and preachers should foster an atmosphere where every question is considered a good question and deserves a thoughtful answer. My experience has shown that if one person has a question, many others have the same question. Jesus often responded to questions and suggestions from His disciples. It was the disciples who said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Pastors could find out some of the major questions on the minds of their church members and plan a sermon series to address them.

·         Dramatic readings, sketches and full dramatic productions increase learning.

·         As much as possible, lessons should include examples and explanations pertinent to the culture of the congregation. Farmers understand farming analogies. Those in the technological industries appreciate examples from their experience.

·         We live in a visual society. Maps and other graphics help learners to focus and understand. For example, with all the turmoil in our world today, it is vital that people have an understanding of geography and Israel’s physical relationship to the conflict. 

·         Handouts can be more effective with the use of colored fonts, pictures and interesting formatting.

In all our efforts to present a well-organized lesson, we must remember that we do not truly teach unless others learn. The above suggestions don't work in every church, and that’s ok. But this is a starting place for thought, especially for those of us on the church mountain who are positioned to lead and teach others. Are there ways we can do this more effectively, ways that will help people truly take hold of spiritual truths with understanding and the ability to practically apply them to their lives?

We’ve all heard countless traditional sermons, and there will continue to be a place for them. But let’s not be afraid of asking the Holy Spirit to help us think outside the box in order to help people’s hearts connect to Him in a deeper way.

 Declaration of the River of God

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

 

“The river of God sets our feet a‑dancing

The river of God fills our hearts with cheer

The river of God fills our mouths with laughter

And we rejoice for the river is here” (Andy Parks)

 

We declare:

Because the River of God flows through me, and the Tree of Life indwells me, I am to bring peace, healing and life into every aspect of my life.

Because I walk in His grace, I am to extend that grace to others. 

I am to rejoice and be happy and not be afraid to testify of God’s goodness toward me. 

I am to grow in the fruit of the Spirit.

By the grace of God, the river of God will flow from my innermost being.

 

 

How Big Is Your God?

Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Perhaps one of the roots for apathy, discontent and fear in the body of Christ is that our concept of God is simply too small.

Matthew 3:10:  “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

We must continually lay the axe to the root of apathy, discontent and fear,

As I often say, many times our definitions define our theology,  Darkness is not the opposite of light.  It is the absence of light.  Hate is not the opposite of love.  It is the absence of love.  Fear is not the opposite of faith.  It is the absence of faith.  Evil is not the opposite of good.  It is the absence of good, God and the enemy of our souls are not opposites.  The Creator of the Universe is far more powerful than anyone or anything in creation,  Yahweh is OMNIPOTENT.

Please consider prayerfully the following verses:

Proverbs 1:7:  The reverential awe of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 9:10:  The reverential awe of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Hoshea 4:6:  My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge

Proverbs 29:18  Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. 

Do we have enough reverence for God and enough knowledge of the Word to walk In wisdom?

Our conception of God is the basis for our interpretation of the trials, tribulations and joys that surround daily.  We must each ask ourselves, “Do I really believe that God is who He says He is and that He loves me and has the best for me? Do I understand the depth of my covenant with Him?”

If we truly, from the depth of our being, believe that sin separated us from God, that Jesus is the son of God, that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin that He rose again and that He is coming again in this time, not in our time, we have salvation.  We must continually fall in love with Jesus and focus on what He accomplished on the Cross.  “Let the words of my mouth, and our the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”

We don’t need to tell God anything.  He is omniscient; He is just.  We must praise God in the midst and in spite of our trials.  He knows the way through our wilderness. “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” (Psalm 46:10-ll)  Remember that “selah” means “meditate on this.” God knows all.  God knows best.

We must not be so wrapped up in telling God what to do and when to do it that we become weary.  We must breathe deeply, Be still and trust that He is God. Trust that God is greater than our circumstances.

“ Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above!
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
In fathomless billows of love!”

Warren D. Cornell

 Personal Psalm 23

Reverend Lonnie C. Crowe

Because I have accepted the Lord as my Shepherd, I know down in the depth of my being that He will, without fail, supply all of my needs out of His riches in glory. He guides my feet in the path of wisdom so that I can rest in the freshness of His provision. He leads me to the refreshingly calm waters of His Holy Spirit. There I can be still in the knowledge that He is God. There I can become still water for others in this troubled world.

In spite of the turmoil happening around me, He restores my mind by causing me to meditate on His loveliness. He strengthens my will to walk in His righteousness as a testimony that His way is the best way, that His pathway leads to La Dolce Vita on earth as well as in heaven.

When I am surrounded and nearly overwhelmed with adversity, His rod (His guidance)and His staff (His strength) comfort me.

In the midst of sin, chaos and anguish, He demonstrates His covenant with me. He takes me to His banqueting table where His banner over me is agape love. He lavishly anoints my head with the oil of the Holy Spirit and declares that in His kingdom I am a king and a priest.

I have no doubt that nothing can separate me from the love of God which is established in the sacrifice of Jesus. I live now and will live forever more surrounded and protected by all that He is.