E.P.I.C. Word of Truth

Doctrine of Angels - Part 2

Link to notes talked about in this episode: Faith Foundations
Imagine a vast, invisible world teeming with spiritual beings – most of which are, thankfully, ministering spirits. These spirits are ancient, they are powerful, and they are purposeful.
They were all created by God before the foundation of the world. These beings, known as angels, move at the command of the Almighty, executing His will with unwavering precision.
Yet, not all of these beings remain in the light. Some have fallen, having rebelled against their Creator, casting themselves into darkness, becoming the enemies of our souls. These fallen angels, led by Lucifer, now seek to deceive, to kill, and to destroy.
This is not merely a cosmic tale of good versus evil. This is our reality. These angels, both holy and fallen, are woven into the fabric of our lives and our spiritual battles. They are not distant, ethereal forces; they are active, engaged, and integral to the drama of redemption.
In this message, we will embark on a journey through the Scriptures, where the veil between the seen and unseen is drawn back. We will encounter the terrifying reality of fallen angels and their moral corruption.
We will end with a crescendo of hope, a trumpet blast of victory. Though the fallen angels wage their war, the battle is already won. Christ, our conquering King, has triumphed over them at the cross, disarming principalities and powers, and making a public spectacle of them (Colossians 2:15).
In Him, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), and no force in heaven, on earth, or in hell can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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7 Last Plagues (Revelation 15)

As we delve into this text, I want you to feel the weight of what is at stake. This is not just an ancient prophecy; it is a divine warning and a call to worship. God’s justice is not to be trifled with, but neither is His grace.
He offers you a way of escape, through the blood of the Lamb. But that offer has an expiration date. The question before us is urgent: Will you stand with those who sing the song of the Lamb, or will you face the seven last plagues?
Let us approach this passage with reverence and trembling, with awe and with urgency, knowing that what we are about to explore is not fiction, but the very future of this world—a future ordained by the sovereign hand of God. May the Holy Spirit open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our hearts to respond to the truth that is set before us.
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Blessed Are They that Mourn (Matthew 5:4)

With Matthew 5:4, there are so many different ways and angles you can look at this text. Originally, we were going to have a message on mourning and meekness, and then, the more I wrestled with this text, the more I thought about it and prayed over it, I realized we need to spend just some time on the mourning aspect maybe even a couple of messages on mourning before we move on to Matthew 5:5.
This message is going to be about mourning, and exactly what mourning or kind of mourning Jesus is talking about. What Jesus is telling us here is that this mourning is a righteous mourning.
With that, we are going to look at mourning over sin, which is the main application of this passage, but this passage also covers the comforting of all those who mourn righteously and so we are going to look at several different aspects of how you can mourn righteously.
I think the main areas in which you can experience this righteous mourning are:
(1) mourning over your sins and the sins of the world (which is the primary application of this text),
(2) mourning over a wayward child, a prodigal, child,
(3) morning over the loss of a loved one, and
(4) mourning over the dissolution of a marriage.
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The Harvest of the Earth (Revelation 14:14-20)

John sees "one like unto the Son of man" sitting on a white cloud, wearing a golden crown and holding a sharp sickle (Revelation 14:14). This imagery of “one like unto the Son of Man” signifies the authority of this figure to carry out this harvesting.
Notice verses 15-16, “another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth…” (Revelation 14:15-16).
We see here “one like unto the Son of Man,” at the cry of “another angel” thrusts in his sickle and reaps the harvest of the earth, gathering the faithful to God (Revelation 14:15-16). This harvest represents the righteous being brought into the presence of the Lord.
Mark 13:27 "And then shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven."
In stark contrast, another angel emerges from the temple in Heaven, also holding a sharp sickle. This angel is instructed to gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, representing the wicked, and cast them into "the great winepress of the wrath of God" (Revelation 14:17-19).
The ensuing imagery of blood flowing from the winepress, reaching "unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs" (Revelation 14:20), vividly depicts the severity of God's judgment upon the unrepentant.
May this sobering vision drive us to deeper faithfulness and a greater commitment to the Lord, as we await the day when He will bring His righteous judgment upon the earth. May we be found faithful, proclaiming His gospel and standing firm in our testimony, until that glorious day when we are gathered into His eternal kingdom.

From Slaves to Sin – to Kingdom Living (Matthew 5:1-3)

The Sermon on the Mount is widely recognized as the heart of the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. Although almost 2000 years have passed since Jesus uttered these words, they remain as relevant today as when the Savior's lips first breathed them.
One author described the Sermon on the Mount this way:
“After nineteen hundred years the Sermon on the Mount still haunts men. They may praise it, as Mahatma Gandhi did; or like Nietzsche, they may curse it. They cannot ignore it. Its words are winged words, quick and powerful to rebuke, to challenge, to inspire. And though some turn from it in despair, it continues, like some mighty magnetic mountain, to attract to itself the greatest spirits of our race (many not Christians), so that if some world-wide vote were taken, there is little doubt that men would account it ‘the most searching and powerful utterance we posses on what concerns the moral life.’”[1]
The Sermon on the Mount does express the ethic of the Millennial Kingdom, but it also applies to all of God’s people at this moment in history.
The righteousness described in the Sermon on the Mount should be the goal for the character and conduct of every believer today.[2]
“Although the Sermon on the Mount may drive sinners to seek God’s forgiving grace, the sermon was intended to be a description of the effects of God’s transforming grace. Believers should recognize that the righteousness described in the Sermon on the Mount is not attained through mere human effort. On the contrary, this amazing righteousness is progressively produced in Jesus’ disciples through the expression of God’s saving power.”[3]
 
[1] (Hunter, 1965)
[2] (Quarles, 2011)
[3] (Quarles, 2011)

The Self-Existence, Eternity, & Transcendence of God

The attributes of God are not that of which He is composed. The fact that God is God should indicate to us that God is not composed of anything, He is not a sum of His attributes.
Anything that is composed of different parts, or attributes of its nature, had to be composed by something greater than the composition. If God, the Almighty Father, had been composed, then something greater than God would have had to do the composing.
But God is not composed of His various attributes, God is not made of parts, God is not made, God simply is, and always was, and always will be. A.W. Tozer put it this way:
“God’s attributes are not God; that is, I say that God is self-existent, but that’s something that I posit about God – that isn’t God. I say that God is holy, but holiness is not God. I say that God is wisdom, but wisdom is not God. God is God!”[1]
Now, I want you to imagine for a moment the vastness of the universe. Picture the innumerable stars, galaxies, and celestial wonders that stretch beyond our comprehension. Now, consider the One who spoke all of this into existence with a word.
Imagine the One who was before time itself began, who exists in perfect independence, needing nothing and needing no one, yet choosing to create, choosing to create so that He could love, and so that He could redeem, so that He could redeem a race that would reject Him, blaspheme Him, and eventually crucify His own Son.
With this message, we are going to explore a little bit of that God, and the attributes or qualities of that God that led Him to do just that.
We are going to explore the profound and awe-inspiring attributes of our God: His Self-Existence, Eternity, and Transcendence. These are not mere theological concepts, but truths that reveal the very nature of the Almighty. They should shake us to the core and draw us into deeper worship and adoration.
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[1] (Tozer, 2015)

Angelology: The Doctrine of Angels - Part 1

The Bible speaks often of angels, and yet their true nature, purpose, and activities are subjects shrouded in both wonder and misconception. Today, we will journey through the Scriptures to explore the characteristics of these extraordinary beings, who serve as messengers, warriors, and ministers of God's divine will.
Imagine with me for a moment a realm teeming with beings of unimaginable power and purity, a realm that intersects with our own in ways we often cannot see, that we cannot begin to comprehend, but at times we can profoundly feel or sense.
This realm is not a product of human imagination or the stuff of ancient myths; it is reality. It is a reality described in the pages of the Holy Scriptures. Today, journey into this realm as we begin our study of the Doctrine of Angels.
Our study will encompass three key areas:
Creation and Existence of Angels
Characteristics of Angels: Angels are spiritual beings created by God, possessing remarkable power, intelligence, and holiness. They are innumerable, and though they are spirits, they can take on physical forms when required by God's purposes.
Organization, Nature & Employment of the Holy Angels: The Holy Angels, those who have remained faithful to God, are organized into various ranks and orders. We will explore the archangel, Michael, the captain of the heavenly host, and Gabriel, God's special messenger.
We will look into the seraphim, who stand in the presence of God, crying, "Holy, holy, holy," and the cherubim, who guard the glory of God. We will also consider the roles of the ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14).
So, as we open the Scriptures and explore these profound truths, let us do so with hearts full of reverence and minds eager to understand more fully the mysteries of God's creation.
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Proclamation, Compassion & Mental Infirmity (Matthew 4:23-5:1)

First, we observe Jesus teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom.
His message was one of repentance, hope, and the imminent arrival of God's Kingdom. Unlike the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus preached with authority and clarity, captivating the hearts and minds of His listeners. This was not just a proclamation; it was an invitation to enter into a new relationship with God, a relationship defined by grace and truth.
Second, we see Jesus healing all manner of sickness and disease.
His miracles were not mere acts of compassion; they were signs of the Kingdom's power breaking into the world. Every healing was a foretaste of the restoration and wholeness that the Kingdom of God brings.
Lastly, we witness the multitudes following Him.
From Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond Jordan, people flocked to Jesus. They were drawn by His teachings, His miracles, and His undeniable presence. They came seeking healing, hope, and the words of eternal life that only He could provide.
As we embark on this series exploring the Sermon on the Mount, let us remember the profound impact of Jesus' ministry that drew the multitudes to Him.
It was a ministry marked by powerful preaching.
It was a ministry marked by compassionate healing.
And it was a ministry marked by a magnetic draw that transcended social and geographical boundaries.
May we, too, be drawn to His words, seeking to understand and live by the principles He taught. May the Lord open our hearts and minds as we journey through His Word together.

Assassination Attempt & It's Practical Theological Implications

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The recent events in our country should draw our hearts and minds to contemplate those three profound and interwoven truths:
The sovereignty of God,
The depravity of man,
And the fragility of life.
These truths reveal the grandeur of God's reign, the depths of our fallen state, and the fleeting nature of our earthly existence.
God‘s hand, God's sovereign hand, I believe, was truly there in Butler Pennsylvania eight days ago. God is not finished writing the story that is the life of President Donald Trump. God has a purpose for him to be alive. President Trump, himself, recognized the gracious and providential hand of God in the events of that day.
God spared His life, miraculously spared his life – I don’t think you can argue against that statement. But just as God still has something He wants from the life of our former president - God still has something for each and every one of us:
He still has plans for our lives.
He has things He wants us to do for Him.
He has a perfect will for our life that He still wants done.
Everything I just said is true or we would not be here today either.
Eight days ago, the events in Butler Pennsylvania got me thinking we need to ponder these truths as a church. We need to contemplate what we saw happen. But I think we need to look at it theologically.
We need to look at those events from a theological perspective and the main three theological themes that kept coming to my mind as I considered what happened there in Butler Pennsylvania, with the attempted assassination of President Trump and the death of the firefighter from Pennsylvania, the three theological things that kept coming to mind were:
the sovereignty and providential hand of God in the lives of men,
the depravity and the sinfulness of man, of how one man could desire to kill other men,
and the third theological thing that kept coming to my mind was the fragility of life. Our life is a vapor. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. We are not guaranteed this evening, much less tomorrow.
In the book of Daniel, we read, "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" (Daniel 4:35). Here the Word of God declares God’s absolute sovereignty. He reigns supreme over all creation.
His decrees are unchallenged,
His purposes are unthwarted.
He is the Alpha and the Omega, orchestrating all things according to His divine will.

Submitting Our Priorities to God: (1) God, (2) Family, & (3) Church

The time comes in every Christian's life when we must make a pivotal decision: whom will we serve? Joshua's challenge to the Israelites resonates through the ages and into our very hearts today.
He declared in Joshua 24:15, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
The choice he presented was stark and clear-cut: serve the LORD or serve false gods. Today, the challenge remains the same, though the false gods may take different forms.
Are we going to serve the Lord, or are we going to serve ourselves and our priorities?
Are we going to serve evil and the devil, or are we going to serve the Lord?
Are we going to serve tradition or are we going to serve the Lord our God properly?