The Pentecostals of Santa Fe

Another good article from The Pentecostal Herald: slightly revised

The Sins listed in this post are not specifically mentioned as the “seven deadly sins” in the bible. However, this list of sins: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride- Has existed since the fall of man.

When we mention these sins as “deadly”  it does not imply that there aren’t other deadly sins. All sins are potentially deadly. Also, the fact that these and other sins are deadly, does not mean forgiveness is unavailable to those who repent. And its important to remember to repent means to have a change of mind and behavior. Human nature is fallen and we are all capable of committing any of these seven deadly sins among other sins as well.

John said, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cline us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar. and his word is not in us.” (I John 1:8-9). Proverbs 28:13 states, “He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth  and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

The following are quotes taken from reputable pastors and ministers in the UPCI concerning these sins.

The Sin of the World

“To distrust God’s goodness is to live in a system of suspicion and fear exiled from God. Such a system, the sin of the world, can only produce death and decay. It is this death-dealing system of suspicion and fear that the Lamb of God came to abolish and thereby end the exile of humanity. The Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world by invalidating the premise upon which sin operates- that god is less than trustworthy.” (Roy Fisher)

Lust

“Lust is choosing to think about something in our mind that we would like to do with our body that if acted upon would be sin. Because we deliberately choose to think about it, God calls even the thought sin.” (Into the word)

Greed

“I AM GREEDY. I want a nicer house that is at least 2,500 square feet in an affluent city like Scottsdale, Arizona. I want a luxury SUV that had at least separate climate controls for driver and passenger to maintain a happy marriage. I want a 6 figure 401k so I can retire at age 62, I would even settle for 65.” (Patrick Dotson)

Sloth

“In our culture, the word sloth connotes laziness.  The man who refuses to earn his living is our picture of sloth. Early greek speaking christians, however used the term acedia, which was a term that wasn’t limited to suggesting physical laziness. Rather it is referred to dejection, emotional neutrality, discouragement, depression, the waning of hope and love- in sum the habitual failure to care. I will use the two terms interchangeably, with the proviso that they both have this broader meaning.” (Jeremy Painter)

Gluttony

“Thomas Aquinas wrote that there are five ways to commit gluttony: (1)Eating food that is to luxurious, exotic or costly, (2)Eating food that is excessive in quantity, (3)Eating food that is too daintily, or elaborately prepared, (4)Eating too soon, or at an inappropriate time, (5)Eating too eagerly.”(P. Daniel Buford)

Anger

“Anger may very well be one of the most destructive of the vices referred to as the “seven deadly sins”. How many unsuspecting lives have been impacted by deep-seated rage taking its toll on the hearts and lives of individuals with long held resentment  and hatred resulting from real or perceived grievances? Far too many have had precious relationships destroyed, even as they take up a lifetime of strife, all due to uncontrollable rage. Perhaps this is why Scripture is filled with so many principles for understanding and dealing with this vice. When the word of God is applied to our hearts, it can be used by the Spirit to help remove fear and anger and make our lives whole again.” (Telmadge L. French)

Envy

“This side of Heaven most of us are guilty of envy and most of the time we envy without even knowing it. To envy is the natural feeling in most of us. It is not uncommon for us to want what someone else has. Envy is rooted in pride, the one envying justifying himself by feeling he is more worthy to possess the desired thing, position, honor happiness than the one possessing it.” (Arthur Hodges Jr.)

Pride

“Decide to be happy without being famous. You may never have your own billboard or name on a church sign, but greatness is what God does in you, not around you. Rather than seek things humans will applaud, seek what will matter to God. Enter a ministry of intercession, do alter work, and learn to comfort those who grieve. Why seek great things for yourself when you can do great things for others? Give a word of encouragement to a neighbor and pray with a co-worker. Want to do something great? Take time each day for devotions and prayer with your children and grandchildren.”(Daniel J. Koren)

I read this article from the Pentecostal Herald and felt inspired to share it with you, so I take no credit for this post, its a little lengthy but definitely worth your time.

On October 3, 1863, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, issued Proclamation 106. a presidential proclamation calling for a national day of thanksgiving. Written by Secretary of State William Seward, and signed by Abraham Lincoln, The proclamation made the commonly practiced day of thanksgiving, a nationally recognized day set aside each year on a certain date. In the midst of the civil war, with its battles, destruction, and division, President Lincoln proclaimed a time of thanksgiving. Rather than only looking at the destructive forces raging through the war-torn areas of the nation, he chose to look upward in acknowledgment of the “ever-watchful providence of almighty God” and lead the nation in that same upward look.

The proclamation opened with a declaration of the source of the nations blessings- Almighty God.

“The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with blessings of fruitful years and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the Source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.”

With the view of biblical reality, the author pointed out several important truths:

“No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, has nevertheless remembered us in mercy.”

First, the blessings of the United States had experienced had not come from human counsel or mortal hand; they were gracious gifts of the Most High God. Second, Seward’s words expressed, his awareness of God’s anger for the sins of the nation as well as the sins of the individual , while at the same tie acknowledging God’s mercy. God’s anger for the nation’s sins was a certainty, but his mercy was a vital part of its continuance.

In reference to the acknowledgment  of God’s abundant blessings, Seward showed an understanding of the power of unity as he wrote:

“It  has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly , reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.”

There is a divine blessing to be had when brethren dwell together in unity (Pslams 133:1). The unity of the disciples at the upper room on the Day of Pentecost brought about the outpouring of the Holy Ghost and the birth of the church. When people come together in thanksgiving, the blessings of the Almighty can be experienced.

President Lincoln’s Proclamation was not one of commandment but of invitation. Thanksgiving emerges not from coercion but from a willing attitude of gratitude.

“I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”

The closing sentence of Proclamation 106 was most direct in stating that thanksgiving for God’s blessings must be accompanied by repentance for our disobedience and a prayer for those people hurt by it. Again, the author chose not to use words with a force of a commandment, but of recommendation. In addition to giving thanks, Seward’s words called the nation to “humble penitence for our national perverseness.”

“And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”

There is a portion of Lincoln’s Proclamation that stands out, perhaps especially so in our nation today, expressing an understanding of how the timing of God’s restoration of a nations congruent with the manner in which that nation merges with God’s purposes. Seward wrote to the nation,, recommending that individuals seek God’s intervention to heal the wounds of the United States and to restore it, ” as soon as may be congruent with the Divine purposes.” The blessings of God cannot be restored on a nation set on perverseness and disobedience, but when the nation humbles itself, prays, seek God’s face, and turns from its wicked ways, God will the hear from Heaven, forgive its sins, and heal its land (II Chronicles 7:14). The wise man’s words are true still today. “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” . (Proverbs 14:34).

Article by: Daniel Buford

 

 

This has been posted before but it is worthy of posting again.  We have had record attendance in our prayer meetings and we are seeing and anticipating  the miraculous moves of God.

What If She Hadn’t Been Faithful to a Prayer Meeting?

I know this title may seem a little long, maybe a little strange, but you do not understand how important it is to me. My salvation, my whole life as I have known it, probably depended on a simple saint who was faithfully committed to prayer meeting.

It was in the early ’30’s when walking was more common than driving. Port Arthur, Texas was the place. A young couple from central Texas had moved there to work in the oil refinery. They called a small apartment home for themselves and their three young children. Church attendance was not on their weekly agenda. In fact, it was not on their agenda at all. But a faithful prayer warrior changed that.

Every morning a little before nine o’clock, a little lady passed in front of their little apartment with her Bible under her arm. To the young mother inside the little apartment it soon became a part of her morning routine to watch for the little lady who always passed her door a little before nine o’clock.

Where is she going every day? Why does she always have a Bible under her arm? Who is she? What is this about?

Then one morning, some would say as fate would have it, she stopped and knocked on the door. (From my vantage point, I know it wasn’t fate, but unspoken faith from a fertile heart.) When the young mother stood face to face with the lady from the sidewalk, she received an invitation to an old-fashioned tent revival. Few words were spoken, but the simple invitation seemed to speak to the young mother all day from its resting place on the dresser. By five-thirty in the evening the children were bathed and dressed for going out and supper was on the table. A little bewildered, the hardworking young man looked at his lovely dressed-up wife, wondering.

“We are going to church tonight,” she explained.

Willingly, he agreed.

It was a strange experience–the tent, the people, the praying, the preaching. But at the close of the service the young father said to his wife, “You go and pray. I’ll stay with the children.”

Kneeling at an altar, she was totally transformed by the baptism of the Holy Ghost!

Among those gathering around was the little lady from the sidewalk with the Bible under her arm.

“Where do you go every morning?”

“We have nine o’clock prayer meeting every day.”

“Could we come?” asked the young couple.

“Well, we normally don’t have prayer meeting on Saturday morning,” the Pastor interjected, “but we will if you want to come.”

Saturday morning, nine o’clock prayer meeting found the young couple joining the faithful saints. Prayer was made. Baptism was explained. Both agreed to baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Now, it was the young man’s turn for transformation as he broke the waters of baptism, speaking in tongues, filled with the Holy Ghost.

The young couple were my mother and father, E. W. and Johnnie Ruth Caughron. These events transpired before my birth. Consequently, I was born into a Spirit-filled home. My parents’ dedicated ministry carried them in soul-winning revivals and building of churches from Texas to Alaska. Dozens and dozens of preachers were called and hundreds and hundreds of saints were impacted by their ministry.

What if the little lady on the sidewalk with the Bible under her arm had not been faithful to prayer meeting? I shudder at the thought–I probably wouldn’t be writing this article.

Thetus Tenney, Guest Writer

Alexandria, Louisiana

 

Worship based prayer seeks the face of God before the and of God.  God’s face is the essence of who He is.  God’s hand is the blessing of what He does.  God’s face represents His person and presence.  God’s hand expresses His provision for needs in our lives.  I have learned that if all we ever  do is seek God’s hand, we may miss His face; but if we seek His face, He will be glad to open His hand and satisfy the deepest desires of our hearts.