You Will Decree a Thing

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

We continue to pray for a movement of God in both our personal lives and in our nation.  While many are praying fervently, division may be occurring in the ranks about the matter of decreeing and declaring.  Is it biblical to decree a thing? 

 Those in favoring of declaring stand on Job 22:28: “You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you.”  The context of this scripture tells us that circumstances must be order before we can declare biblically.  Job 22: 25-28: “Yes, the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver; for then you will have your delight in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God. You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, and you will pay your vows. You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways.”

Our declaration must be founded in the Word of God.  Our delight must be in Him and not in our ego. In declaring, we make a commitment that requires our involvement in that declaration.  When we declare, we must understand that we are declaring over ourselves, that we are opening ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  If I want a movement of God in the world, I must understand two things.  First of all, that declaration must be within the promises and the will of God. Secondly, that movement must then begin with me. 

We declare and decree in our church in the full knowledge that we must participate in that declaration.  Our declarations are based on scripture.  As we declare, we understand that we must be participants in our declaration.  For instance, we declare “Our leaders will make right decisions because true authority is established in righteousness.” This declaration is based on Proverbs 16:12: “It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established by righteousness.”

Because Jesus has declared that believers are kings and priests, we must understand that it is an abomination, as well, for believers to commit wickedness.  Wickedness can include name calling, angry epithets, and out right curses against those with whom we disagree.  Just as our leaders’ authority must be established in righteousness, our authority in the Lord must also be established in righteousness.

When believers delight themselves in the Lord,  when we lift up our faces to Him, then we will declare according to the Lord and understand our commitment to that declaration, then what we decree will come about, a least in our own lives, and light will shine on our ways.

 

Again, In Spite Of 

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

I first published the following piece in January 2017.  2020 was a difficult year for all. However, in our family, 2016 was a personal uphill climb.  We experienced the deaths of 3 loved ones, a mashed vehicle from an erratic driver, burst water lines, a friend seeking refuge from a harmful relationship and a couple of those infamous Goshen county hail storms that flooded basements and stripped vegetation.

The message then is the same in this new year of 2021.  John 16:33. "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.''

I wrote in 2017 and declare again in 2021:

Surveys posted by Facebook friends often quiz about our “favorites.”

What is your favorite color? Breed of dog?  NFL team? Etc.  Etc.

However, this year of both difficulty and triumph has given me cause to embrace a new favorite, a favorite prepositional phrase, “in spite of.”

In this year, in spite of deep grief, we have experienced God’s comfort and grace.  In spite of our loss, our cup runneth over in the outpouring of love from people whose lives have tenderly touched ours.

In spite of hail storms, basements flooding, smashed fenders and battered friends, God has provided and given us an abundance so that we can be blessings to others.   

We are testimonies to the words of Jesus in John 16:33:  "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.''

In spite of the tribulations of the past year, we are testimonies to the overcoming power of Jesus Christ.  In Him, we truly are more than conquerors. We have, in the Lord, allowed the seasons of our lives to overlap.  In our time of weeping, we have laughed as well.  In our time of mourning, we have danced in step with our Lord. Tears of sorrow and tears of joy often flow together. 

 In spite of sorrow and in the face of discouragement, we have celebrated and will continue to celebrate the blessings of our heavenly Father and the joy of family and friends.

In spite of the fiery darts of the enemy, we are experiencing an abundant life in Jesus Christ.   In spite of the uphill climb, the scene from the mountaintop is spectacular.

2021 is the year the Lord has made.  Determine to rejoice and be glad in it in spite of…..

 

Focus on the Solution to Discouragement

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Because of the circumstances surrounding us on the national and international levels, Christians must fervently seek to overcome discouragement.  To discourage literally means to deprive of courage, hope, or confidence.  Discouragement is a weapon of the enemy meant to weaken the army of God.

In our difficult world, we are surrounded, bombarded and often overwhelmed with discouragement. Negativity fills the airwaves, the newspapers and the coffee klatches. A spirit of discouragement has attached itself to many people, even believers.

The spirit of discouragement can be so oppressive that we may neglect to cry out to the Lord for encouragement. We may also be so distraught that we do not recognize the encouragement when it comes. 

We must train ourselves to focus on the solution and not the problem. The solution to discouragement is encouragement.  The root word of “encourage” is “courage.” In other words, if we want to be encouraged, we must be filled with courage.  Therefore, we first must be filled with courage in order to encourage others.

The Lord spoke to Joshua as he was stepping into the role of leadership after the death of Moses: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).   God is the God of encouragement.

In the Word of God, we will find hope that dispels fear and fills us with courage. Speaking forth the Word causes courage to resonate on the air waves. Declaring the Word allows us to anoint ourselves and others with courage. Meditating on the Word—allowing that truth to become part of our spiritual DNA—enables us to move forward in boldness. 

When we are courageous, we find the confidence to seek solutions.  As individuals and as the body of Christ, we can find solutions that bring us hope and peace in spite of what is happening in the world system.  Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Complaining about a problem without proposing a solution is called whining.” 

Many times the first step in finding a solution begins with a simple question:   “What can I do to improve the situation?” As Christians, our first thought should be to pray. However, seldom do we ask God how to pray.  “Lord, teach us to pray” applies to more than the Lord’s Prayer.

We can gain encouragement by making a list of encouraging scriptures and hiding them in our hearts through memorization and meditation. The Holy Spirit will call them to remembrance in the midst of discouragement. 

Consider these words:

 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7). 

 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'' (John 16:33)

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

In our learning to lean on Him, discouragement will be lifted and we can follow the Holy Spirit to that place where He has prepared a table before us In the presence of our enemies.  We will be able to sense His anointing of peace and power.  Our cup of joy shall then overflow in spite of the joy grabbing world around us. 

 

A Future and a Hope

By Reverend Lonnie C. Crowe.

Jeremiah 29:11:  : “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Let’s understand the context of this promise from our Lord.  Jeremiah was speaking to the nation of Israel, a nation hurting, troubled and confused.  God was not promising to deliverer them from the consequences of sin in their nation.  In fact, Jeremiah told the people they were going in to exile in Babylon for 70 years.  God was promising them a future and a hope in spite of what was going on around them.

Consider Jeremiah 29:4-7: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:  Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace”

Pray for the peace of this nation and for the peace of the world.  In that peace you will have peace.

Trust in the truth of the Lord Who has promised: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

Happy New Year!

A Bit of a Rant from Pastor Lonnie

 A Bit of a Rant from Pastor Lonnie

I am in a ranting groove this evening.  Before I enter into the rant, I want to give some background.  Several years ago, the Holy Spirit sent me a prophetic dream.  In the dream several friends and I were walking hurriedly through the woods in an effort to reach a stream that we needed to cross.  We had started out together, but as the journey wore on, some lagged behind because they were stopping to feed the bears.  While the rest of us felt an urgency to move on, we were concerned for those who were lagging.

We heard a voice telling us to move on.  Those who were behind were behind because they had made the choice to feed that which would devour them.  If we stopped for them, we, too, would fall into the trap of feeding the devourers.

Now, back to the rant.  Last week, someone near to me fell seriously ill with Covid 19.  While many stood with us in prayer, others attempted to get us to feed their particular devourer. Choice tidbits:  “my civil rights are being violated because I have to wear a mask to work,”  “only those already old and feeble are seriously affected,”  “the doctors falsify death reports to make the epidemic sound worse,” “the Democrats are behind it all,” “it’s Trump’s fault,” “God is punishing us,” “we are becoming  too clean.  We need bacteria to build up our immune systems,” “I don’t mind washing my hands and social distancing.  I just don’t like being told to do it.”

(The present restrictions are basically what God told the Israelites to do when they were in the wilderness for 40 years.  Read Leviticus 13 among other passages.)

The juicy tidbit that pushed me to the limit today came from someone hoping to bring me comfort.  He said, “I found an article by a Chinese scientist who admitted that China purposely sent the virus world- wide.”  This is a person who, like many, forms an opinion and then searches the internet until he finds someone who agrees with him.  If we search enough, we will probably find someone who agrees with us.  Then we must be careful not to research the source to ascertain its validity.  We want to be sure that we have a tasty bit to feed the devourer.

My response:  That information brings me no comfort at all.  I don’t want to feed the grizzly devourer more fear, doubt, misinformation, half-formed opinions and assumptions.  Too many Bible believing Christians are lagging behind feeding the devourer more fear and discontent.  They are feeding what could destroy them. 

I want us to be on our knees storming the gates of heaven, repenting of attitudes that feed into the problem instead of calling out to the Lord of healing and resolution.  I am so thankful for the many who stood faithfully with us in prayer during this difficult time.  Let’s go forward together and cross this river as the Lord leads. 

The rest of my dream showed that we are not really leaving the laggers behind because when we come through, the showers of blessing fall on both the just and the unjust.  It is those who continue to go forward that bring the rainfall of blessing on those who have lagged behind.

Check thereturn.org  to see how you can join in on the National Day of Prayer and Repentance led by Jonathan Cahn on September 25-26.

Now a River Went Out of Eden

Now a River Went Out of Eden

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

I am in the midst of preaching a rather long series entitled “Rivers in Scripture.”  I began with the four rivers in Eden: Genesis 2: 10-14:” Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.”

I am not endeavoring to find the geological location of the rivers.  My heart is to study the etymology and semantics of the names of the rivers and the symbolic understanding of the precious metals and gems to learn what the Holy Spirit wants to impart into our lives to aid our growth in Christ.

Following is a summary of 6 weeks of messages.  I believe I have touched only the surface of the spiritual depths present in this passage.

From the study, our church is now declaring the following over our lives:

►Because the River of God flows through 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.

Out of the Abundance of the Heart

Out of the Abundance of the Heart

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Luke 6:43-45.  "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. "For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

This week a pastor of a large congregation spoke words that drove the knife of racism deeply into the hearts of the wounded and fed the divisive spirit that is prevalent in our nation. When he was confronted, he tearfully apologized.

He is like many of us.  We quickly apologize for what we say.  We rarely, if ever, apologize for what we think.  An apology for what we have said is only superficial.  It does not address the root issue.  How can we chop down the tree unless we lay the axe to the root.

How often have we, with deep repentance,  prayed as David prayed:   Psalm 139: 23-25 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;  And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”

No matter which side of the political and social divide you are on, please pray with me. “Oh God, I want to know where my thinking is wrong, where it is perverted and contorted.  I want to allow the mind of Christ to indwell we.  I want to think as you think.  I want to be as you are.”

The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome:  Romans 12: 1-2: “ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Our heart’s cry must be, “Father God, I am willing to be transformed by the renewing of my mind.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14.

Only then, will we lay the axe to the root.  Only then will we be transformed.

Jesus said in John 7: 38.  "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.''  The river of God is to flow from the hearts of His people.  That river is to bring life where ever it flows.  (Ezekiel 47)