Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach A Word From The Lord (AWFTL)

The Day of Pentecost – The Promise Fulfilled (All Saints Anglican Church; Peachtree City, GA)
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
The Day of Pentecost – The Promise Fulfilled (All Saints Anglican Church; Peachtree City, GA)
In 1900, a Roman Catholic Nun obeyed the voice of the Lord, and she wrote to Pope Leo encouraging him to pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This request began a chain of events: a nun wrote a letter; a Pope and his Cardinals prayed; and the world received a Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit through many Christian denominations during a great revival in the early twentieth century.
Today, the world, along with all of us, needs to be renewed with a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost, initially, was about: people being filled with the Holy Spirit; people received Spiritual gifts; and people witnessing for Jesus. On this initial day of Pentecost, Peter stood up and preached a sermon. Afterwards, he was asked: “What must we do to be saved?”. Peter responded in Acts 2:38-39: “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’". These events of the initial Pentecost and from the various revivals of the 20th Century relating to the Charismatic Movements are normal Christianity; this outpouring of the Holy Spirit is what God intends for His people. If we are going to have a growing relationship with Jesus, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit who enables us to know and commune with the Lord. The Holy Spirit will never lead followers of Jesus in any thing that contradicts the Bible, God’s Word. In recent times, there have been teachings, regarding the Holy Spirit, that do not conform to the Bible.
Too many of us are trying to live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit. The question is asked: “When do we receive the Holy Spirit?”. We cannot put God in a box regarding a timing for the receipt of the Holy Spirit. However, a better question is: “Have we received the Holy Spirit?”. We are told in John 3:8: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.". Therefore, the real question should be: “Does the Holy Spirit have me?”. Until we surrender our lives to Jesus, the Holy Spirit cannot indwell our lives and lead us. The best answer to the timing our receipt of the Holy Spirit is: “We should receive the Holy Spirit every day.”. We should pray every day for the Holy Spirit to fill us.
We know that, if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are given the “fruit of the Spirit”, as described by Paul in Galatians 5:16-26: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." If we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will bear the fruits of the Spirit and not the flesh. However, if we sin, we are not in the Holy Spirit. Pentecost reminds us that if we yield our lives to the will of God through the Holy Spirit, we are filled with the Holy Spirit; and we are given Spiritual gifts to witness for Jesus. If we are filled with the Holy Spirit; others see Jesus in us – this countenance of Jesus, seen through our lives, is the most powerful tool a Christian can have for evangelism.
Are you grieving the Holy Spirit or are you filled with the Holy Spirit?
 
TODAY’S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus’ name, amen. S

Come Holy Spirit
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Special Introduction – The Spiritual Discipline of Giving: We are challenged by God to bring our whole tithe into the storehouse (church) because God tells us that we cannot out give Him. After all, everything we have is from God. Our gifts to God should be from our first fruits and not our last fruits. Developing the discipline of returning our first fruits to God breaks the hold of materialism on our lives.
Today’s Message – Come Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God Himself. The Holy Spirit is a presence of God in the Trinity of one God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells us, as our counselor, always pointing to Jesus in truth. People are not convicted and converted in their hearts and minds to become followers of Jesus without the Holy Spirit. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our churches, not much will be accomplished.
It is impossible to be a Christian and to live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit. The character of Jesus’ followers is manifested through their lives bringing forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit, as presented in Galatians 5:22-23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control . . .”. Otherwise, our lives will only reflect the fruit of the flesh as presented in Galatians 5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these . . .". The Holy Spirit seeks to work through us in a way that those around us see the fruit of the Spirit and not the fruit of the flesh.
What do people see when they look at our lives? As followers of Jesus, we need to live through God’s gift to us of the power inherent in the Holy Spirit.
 
TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Malachi 3:8-12; Proverbs 23:5; Genesis 1:2; Psalms 1:39; Acts 1:4-5; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 1:35; Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 14:16; Acts 2:42; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:6-7; John 3:4-8; John 14:16; John 16:7; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God’s Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life’s Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/
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Pentecost: A Fresh Outpouring of the Holy Spirit is Needed Today
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
In 1900, a Roman Catholic Nun obeyed the voice of the Lord, and she wrote to Pope Leo encouraging him to pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This request began a chain of events: a nun wrote a letter; a Pope and his Cardinals prayed; and the world received a Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit through many Christian denominations during a great revival in the early twentieth century.
Today, the world, along with all of us, need to be renewed with a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost, initially, was about: people being filled with the Holy Spirit; people received Spiritual gifts;
and people witnessing for Jesus. These events of Pentecost are normal Christianity; this is what God intends for His people. If we are going to have a growing relationship with Jesus, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit who enables us to know and commune with the Lord.
In recent times, there have been teachings, regarding the Holy Spirit, that do not conform to the Bible. Too many of us are trying to live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit. When do we receive the Holy Spirit? We cannot put God in a box regarding a timing for the receipt of the Holy Spirit. However, the better question is: “Have we received the Holy Spirit?”. Until we surrender our lives to Jesus, the Holy Spirit cannot indwell our lives and lead us. Therefore, the best answer to the timing our receipt of the Holy Spirit is “every day” if we pray every day for Him to fill us.
We know if we are filled with the Holy Spirit from Paul in Galatians 5:16-26. If we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will bear the fruits of the Spirit and not the flesh. If we sin, we are not in the Holy Spirit. Pentecost reminds us that we are given Spiritual gifts to witness for Jesus.
We must ask the Lord: “Am I being led by the Holy Spirit and doing those things He directs, or am I doing what I think is best?”.
 
TODAY’S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus’ name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Acts 2:1-4; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20; Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16-26; Acts 1:8-11.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “At Jesus’ Crucifixion and Death, the “Temple Veil” Was Torn; After Jesus Easter Resurrection, You Now Pray Directly with God”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/
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Go!
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Most Christians, today, are living in disobedience to the Lord – Christians and churches are ignoring the commands of Jesus.  In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus told His Apostles, in His last commission right before His Ascension to Heaven: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”. Jesus commanded His Apostles to Go and to Make Disciples. This is the mandate to every follower of Jesus. Christians were not called “Christians” until Acts 11. Before Acts 11, they were referred to as “Disciples”.
Being a “Disciple” is a way of living and being – a liver, teacher, and doer of Jesus commandments and His Gospel. The Bible teaches us the characteristics of being a “Disciple”: 1) love; 2) Holy Spirit filled; 3) knows and is learning the Bible; 4) knows how to pray; 5) knows how to Worship; 6) walks with Jesus; 7) shares with others in need; 8) has a disciple; and 9) is a faithful witness.
God wants a personal dynamic relationship with us. The people of our world need the followers of Jesus to GO and to MAKE DISCIPLES. People are waiting to see Jesus through His followers – people who can speak the Word of God to them.
 
TODAY’S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus’ name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 28:19-20; 1 John:4;20-21; John 13:35; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; John 7:38; Galatians 5;22-24; Acts 2:44-47; 1 John 3:16-18; Acts 1:8-9.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “When Jesus Asked You: “Whom do you say that I am?”, Did You Answer Jesus: “You are my God and the Lord of my Life!”?”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/
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Hearing God’s Voice
MESSAGE SUMMARY: Introduction (from 4/23/2017 Sermon): The Gospel is based on both the Old and the New Testaments. The Gospel must go forth in the power of the Holy Spirit – the Gospel is a Spiritual message.
Today’s Message: In John 10, Jesus is speaking about the “shepherd”; the shepherd: 1) enters through the gate; 2) has the gate opened by a watchman; 3) sheep listen to his voice; 4) calls each sheep by name; 5) leads his sheep by going ahead of the sheep; and 6) has a voice by which he is known to his sheep and they follow him. In the first century, shepherding was an intimate profession; and the shepherd was always with his sheep. The shepherd talked to his sheep, and the sheep knew the shepherd’s voice. Also in John 10, Jesus talked about the “false shepherd” who is a “thief and a robber”. The sheep do not follow the “false shepherd”. Jesus says that the “thief (false shepherd) comes only to steal, kill and destroy”.
In John 10:7-10, Jesus says that He is the “gate”, and He is the way (gate) by which we are saved from our sins and eternal death; and we are provisioned for a full life as His followers. Like the sheep that follow the good shepherd, if we follow Jesus, we will all hear His voice.
How do we know the voice of Jesus? Consider that: 1) we must enter only through the gate – Jesus; 2) we must be a sheep of the Good Shepherd and follow Jesus through an intimate relationship with Him; 3) we must learn to listen (for example, today we listen through the inward witness of the Holy Spirit – the Holy Spirit is charged with communicating the will of God to mankind and to sync our mind with the mind of God); 4) we obey as we listen – in the New Testament, the words “hear” and “obey” are the same words – God will speak directions for our lives; and 5) we don’t harden our hearts to the voice of the Lord – listen to His voice and obey.
As the Lord says: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalms 46:10).
 
TODAY’S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus’ name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
SCRIPTURE REFERNCE (ESV): John 10:1-18; Ezekiel 34:22-34; John 5:25-29: Ezekiel 43:2;1 King’s 19:12; Isaiah 30:21; John 10:27-30; Hebrews 3:7-15.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “For a Jesus Follower in Difficult Circumstances, God: “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/
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People and the Apostles; Today, We Have His Gift of the Holy Spirit
MESSAGE SUMMARY: Repentance is a turning away from evil. In Luke 24:15, Jesus appeared again after His resurrection: “While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.". Most Christians around the world see Easter not as one day but as the Season of Easter, lasting fifty days. During this Season of Easter, Jesus appeared many times to many people, including several encounters with His disciples and the Apostles along with an appearance to a group of more than five hundred people. On the fortieth day, Jesus ascended into Heaven. After Jesus Ascension, He appeared to Saul, who became the Apostle Saul, on Saul’s trip to Damascus.
Beginning in Luke 24:36 (“Luke’s Great Commission”), Jesus opened the Apostles minds spiritually to the Gospel; and the Gospel is summarized in “five truths” – the Gospel is a: 1) “double historical event” – Jesus death and His Resurrection, which really happened; 2) “double proclamation” – repentance (the Gospel demand) and forgiveness (the Gospel offer) of sins will be preached in His name; 3) “double reach or focus” – the preaching of the Gospel was to begin in Jerusalem with the Jews, but it was to be extended to all nations; 4) “double validation” – validated by the prophecies of the Old Testament and the Apostles’ witness through their writing of the New Testament; and 5) “double sending” – Jesus promised the sending of the Holy Spirit to His Apostles, and the sending of the Apostles to the nations of the world in the power of the Holy Spirit..
If Jesus was speaking to His Apostles in Luke 24, what is He saying to us, His modern-day disciples, about two thousand years later? Jesus is telling us, today, the same thing that He told His Apostles in Luke 24!
 
TODAY’S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus’ name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 24:36-49; Psalms 119:18-20; Romans 1:16; Acts 1:8.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Are Given the Incredible Gift of the Holy Spirit - “your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way’””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/
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