Can Ordinary Time Shift To God’s
Time of Change For Me?

In God’s Timing For Your Life Dutch Sheets explained the difference between daily ordinary time (chronos) and a divine “SUDDENLY” or change in seasons (kairos). In Gal. 6:9 we read, “Let us not lose heart (be weary) of doing good, for in due time (kairos) we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” Chronos is chronological and general time which can lead us into an opportune or strategic time (kairos).

This season of your life may be tedious—a time of plowing, standing, believing and persistent praying. You must understand that all of that is part of a bigger picture. The chronos season, however frustrating, is not unimportant. If you press on, doing what is necessary in these general times, the process will shift into a kairos season of reaping.

The Christian Calendar year is made up mostly of “Ordinary Time” (from Pentecost through Advent). Other special times are Epiphany (Manifestation of Christ to the nations), and Lent (preparation for Christ’s week of passion) But the Jewish Lunar Calendar marks important fall feast days which we would also be wise to remember:

Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana) — Wed-Thurs, Sept 28 -29. Also called Day of Remembrance and Shofar blowing. Jews believe that God as King opens the books and judges people’s works (giving them ten days (until Yom Kippur) to repent, make reconciliation and do good deeds.

Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur — Fri-Sat, Oct 7-8, is the most important of Holy Days. Fasting and repentance cleanse the soul of sins toward God and reconciliation must be sought for sins against one another. The high priest entered the Holiest of Holiest by the blood of the lamb to atone for Israel’s sins.

On this day God sent the angel Gabriel to Zechariah as he offered the incense and prayers, telling him that he and Elizabeth would have a son who would prepare the way for Messiah. They were simply being faithful to do the regular times (chronos) of worship and God interrupted them declaring a “kairos moment” or strategic window of time was opening signaling a change in seasons (in this case the birth of Messiah was at hand to usher in the New Covenant.

Feast of Booths or Tabernacles, Sukkot Sat, Oct 15 , 6:30 pm. This joyous festival lasted seven days, reminding Jews that they lived in tents in the wilderness. It is around the last harvest time or gathering and is a call for all nations to worship God. It includes things like the blowing of the trumpets, the procession of the lights and the water pouring as in John 7:36 when Jesus foretold of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

(each year our friends Rosh Pinah Messianic Jewish Congregation invite us to join them for a joyful Sukkot)

During ordinary times whether difficult or not, we stay grounded by continuing in spiritual disciplines, like Zechariah was doing. That’s why we have the five challenges: 1. reading and meditating in God’s Word, 2. daily prayer and enjoying God’s presence, 3. fellowship and relationships of a small group, 4. serving in the church and 5. in mission in the world.

Our attitudes and actions in chronos times determine whether and when God can shift us into kairos times. Gen 18:10 after 24 years of chromos God told Abraham in a year the promised son would be born.

-PD

“We’re living the Covenant life”

Following Tim’s word last Sunday morning, John Clark declared this over us, that we can live life in an entirely different way than the broken individuality of the world and we can experience God’s presence and blessing together.

Covenant Life Church—what does that mean? (excerpt from Timothy Cunkle’s comments last Sunday AM.)

1.) Covenant life is the tangible increase in spirit and quality of life that exists when covenant is being walked in.

2.) Examples of blessing of corporate covenant life in our own body: taking meals to each other, the needs and seeds ministry, hospitality, taking care of much of our own building maintenance, and involvement in our neighborhood and community through Streets of Shalom Whiz Kids, the neighborhood food drive we did last year, being a voting site, etc.

3.) Examples of blessing of our covenant with God: prophetic art/worship/dance, healing, a multi-generational congregation, prophetic voices, etc.

4.) Even our vision statement, “Restoring individuals, generations, and nations and the earth itself, in the image and love of God,” is a covenantal statement. It directly responds to what God has asked of us, and seeks to envelop all of creation into the blessing and beauty of covenant.

5.) We probably walk in covenant relationship more than we realize unknowingly. We have declared and written upon our doorposts that we are a body of covenant life. [Pastor adds that we can choose to walk in the grace of covenant relationships more easily as we honor those who have led us and been examples to us. They opened heaven for us by making an altar to God specifically sacrificing their own wills and resources to establish covenant and to seek His Kingdom and build covenant community.]

What does it (living the covenant life) produce?

1.) Increased covenant with God leads to increased covenant with one another, and more of the outpouring of His presence and Spirit; the gifts of the Spirit, supernatural works, God’s favor, etc... become increasingly more evident in our lives.

2.) The corporate nature of covenant (covenant relationships with one another) leads to deeper friendships and community, and even greater sharing of wealth both physical and spiritual. Even this would push us closer to God and help us to receive more of his grace and blessings through one another.

The Five Challenges of Self-Sacrifice

I want to love God with all my mind, soul and strength and love others as myself. I want to have a personal daily altar to God. I want to replace the perverse altars and idolatry of ideas that enable evil to influence our lives and those around us.

The five challenges of self-sacrifice from two weeks ago can be generally linked with worldview statements as follows:

1. An atheist doesn’t pray (even in a foxhole) because the naturalistic or secular humanist worldview holds no hope in God.

2. A “cosmic humanist” doesn’t read the Bible as the Word of God to direct their belief and practice.

3. A Satanist does not submit to Jesus Christ as King therefore will not submit to authority of the Scripture nor to God’s authority in the church as a disciple of Christ in a small group.

4. A strict existentialist does not commit to regular small group relationships nor order their life to serve others in the body of Christ at all because life is about their own experience not a shared membership in covenant with others.

5. A moral relativist embraces the worldly ideal of poly-theism and reasons to himself that there is equal plurality of all beliefs. Since there “absolutely are no absolutes” he can not be held accountable for any belief or action. This leaves him open to hedonism or complete self-indulgence the same as a Satanist.

Since I am not an atheist, humanist, existentialist, Satanist nor a moral relativist I will commit to self-denial and sacrifice to hear and obey God. In order to learn God’s ways I will include the following in my daily life:

1. I will pray with the mind and pray with the spirit.
1 Cor 14:15; John 4:23-24; Rom 8:26-27; Jude 20 .

2. I will present my body, remove negativity and receive God’s Word to renew my mind.
Deut 6; Joshua 1:6; Psalm 1; Psalm 19; John 15; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:1.

3. I will be in committed relationships for discipleship and fellowship.
Acts 2:42-46.

4. Through love I will serve others as a covenant relationships.
Gal 5:13; Eph 4:11-16.

5. I will get out of my comfort zone and be on mission because we as Christ’s Body are “God’s net.” (all four Gospels and Acts include Christ’s command and commission).

(The last two also include the sacrifice of regular and generous giving.)

~PD

Revival comes as I Repent, Renew and Re-form

We can identify where God is blessing and tend those altars in our lives. We can release God’s power and presence from heaven into the earth. God will run interference in demonic activity around us which is coming from idols and perversion in the culture.

Where is God’s blessing of “open heaven” for me/us? Like Isaac, I can re-dig old wells of blessing from our spiritual fathers. As I repent and receive God’s word my mind is renewed and I bring God’s kingdom to re-form the earth.

The five challenges of self-sacrifice Pastor Dwight asked us to write down for accountability last Sunday are:


1. Will I pray daily?
(I will pray with the mind and pray with the spirit) 1 Cor 14:15.

2. Will I read/meditate daily in the Bible?
(I will present my body, remove negativity and receive God’s Word to renew my mind) Rom 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:1.

3. Will I be part of a small group or team at least 2x a month?
(I will be in committed relationships for discipleship and fellowship) Acts 2:42-46.

4. Will I serve in a specific ministry in the church?
(Through love I will serve others) Gal 5:13.

5. Will I get involved with people in need outside church?
(I will get out of my comfort zone and be on mission because we are “God’s net”)
(The last two also include the sacrifice of regular and generous giving.)

Steven White wrote these confessions to daily build faith and renew his mind.
1. I will walk with Christ by my side, for Christ's Kingdom and Glory, and toward Christ's purpose for me!
2. I will see the Lord, I will fear the Lord, and I will put my trust in the Lord. from (from Ps. 40:3).
3. I will put my hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (from Ps. 42:11).
4. I will fear God and keep his commandments, this is my duty! (from Eccl 12:13)
5. I will walk before him faithfully & be blameless! (Gen 17:1)

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. The Word of faith is in your mouth (Romans 10:7-10) You can write your own confessions of faith and meditation to renew your mind like Steven.

Update from Men’s Emergency Preparedness meetings
We are a proactive community of men of the Spirit, who seek God together, and who can give gracious answers to those who observe us when they see the hope that is within us.

We’ve had three good times of discussion and prayer and are ready to form an Emergency preparedness Council. Speak with Richard Lineberry about participating or ask for a copy of the policy he has written so far.

Financial Update
As we begin the new season of fall we give thanks for God’s blessing in and through you. As of August 31 our expenses have exceeded our income by about $1,800.

Last year at this time we were down $4,000. This year we were in the plus until the last two months when we had over 3,000 of air conditioning repairs and gave honorariums that exceeded our offerings for those who ministered (we believe sowing seed is essential part of good stewardship).
God grace you with food to eat and seed to sow, as you cheerfully give as God moves your heart.

-PD