BOTT Live Blog Day Two

We'll be live blogging right here starting at 930.  Glad to have you here

Sister Vesta has just walked to the pulpit and is talking about the transition of generations.  Sounds like we are in for round two of Pastor's message.  Mentioning the importance and privilege we have to hold the message of Christ and His eternal purpose.

Focusing right now on the eternal blessings waiting for us (New Jerusalem, being the Bride).  It's the reward for our lifetime of commitment and service to Him.  That commitment links us to Him. 

We have to start taking the attack to the Devil.  He has taken the fight to us so we have to take the fight to him!  Fighting the Devil isn't about being civil.  We have to scratch and claw at him with every prayer and every action for the Kingdom.  We have the power to tread on the enemy.  With God's authority and the covering of the blood, we are guaranteed victory.  His attacks cannot withstand the advance of Jesus Christ and His message.

The generation that we are living in (old and young people together) are linked together with the spotlight of heaven on us.  God is looking to empower us if we will be empowered.  We can cry out for our families, communities, and churches knowing that God's watchful eye and thoughtful ear are focused on us. 

We are responsible for the souls that walk this earth.  It's our duty to reach, encourage, and disciple people to Jesus Christ.  We have the cup of redemption in our hands.  We cannot horde it.  We must pour it out into our communities.  Whatever the cost, we must count it and proceed accordingly. 

God has bought us with His love.  His love is unchanging and unfailing.  We will never be able to run from it.  We will never be able to hide from it.  God's love will find us.  If that love has been offered to us, how much more should we offer it to others?  We might not be able to love exactly like Christ loves, but we can bring His love to others.  Do our best and let God make up the difference.

Prayer and commitment to the Word (and praying the Word) is what will make the difference in people's lives.  The Devil cannot stand against fervent and effectual prayer.  The Devil cannot deny the Word of God nor can he overcome it.  Without prayer and the Word to begin our day, we hand the advantage of the day over to the Devil.  Each day is a battle and we must begin each day with an assault on the enemy through prayer and the Word. 

John the Baptist may have been an unconventional looking man, but his message was strong and he emptied the synagogues.  His message was simple and true:  Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  We may be an unconventional people compared to the world, but we have a message that is easy to grasp and the world is yearning to hear. 

Without the Holy Ghost, we cannot hope to bring the message of Christ.  Without the infilling of Christ's Spirit, we cannot live His commandments or practice His teachings accordingly.  We must have God's Spirit in us every day if we want to live for Christ every day. We might go through some intense warfare, but with God's Spirit guiding us, we can overcome anything.

It's time to go out and take back what the Devil stole from us.  We must go out and reach for the backslider and the callings that he has pilfered.  God desires to restore us completely.  We just need to put actions to our faith.  Because faith without works is dead!

Brother Terry picking up where Sister Vesta left off.  He is talking about how the enemy seeks to defeat us.  The enemy tries to distract us into defeat.  We must have Jesus Christ at the forefront of our mind if we are to escape the distractions of this world and the Devil.

We must allow Christ to measure our lives and our ministries if we want to be successful.  Reading leadership books and going to conferences are great, but if Christ is not the measuring stick by which we listen to others, even a good person of God will lead us astray.

If we will allow Christ lead us, the message that He brought with Him 2000 years ago will come alive in our lives.  We'll see how Christ lived and taught with the right focus.  With that focus, God will lead us to people we can disciple and give us the words and the actions to disciple them correctly. 

We cannot get caught up in titles, accolades and other earthly praise if we want to serve God.  Jesus didn't allow his disciples to live for these things.  He taught them and exampled to them living for the Kingdom rather than for ourselves.

In order to be led by God, we must have the mind of Christ Jesus.  This isn't some weird science.  It's not transferring brains.  It's choosing to allow God to filter every thought and preconception that comes into our mind.  If it doesn't line up with what Jesus has taught, it doesn't need to be in our mind.  With that kind of filtration system in place, we'll have the mind of God.

Christ is the Prince of Peace.  That's a part of his identity.  However, too often we reject Christ's peace for the chaos, confusion and cares of this life.  We run to the stress the world offers because it seems normal.  We must reject "normal" and start living above normal.  With the peace of God, we can navigate any storm and even see those storms dissipate and dissolve before us.  Even better, the world really wants to escape their "normal".  When they see us living in peace rather than getting caught up in the chaos, they will be attracted to our lifestyle.  That's where discipleship begins: when someone sees God working in and through us.

We must focus ourselves on prayer and the ministry of the word.  We cannot do that with all the distractions of this life.  It's time to start evaluating what we are doing and how much time and energy we put towards things.  What can we give up to serve God better?  What can be taken out and replaced with more prayer and study?  If we can cull our lives of distracting elements and replace them with Christlike behavior, we'll become more effective in our lives, families, churches and communities.

Reverend Ken Gurley has framed his message by comparing the ministry we are called to with a symphony.  With just one instrument, the sound may be beautiful.  However, when the instruments come together, they make a beautiful sound. 

That sound cannot maintain its beauty without everyone being on the same page.  Symphonies all have sheet music that they go off of.  They practice together multiple times before going out together. 

If we want to serve God, we are better served if we do it together.  If we are going to be successful together, we must be on the same page and we must get together and let the iron sharpen the iron.

Reverend Gurley talking about Oneness.  It is not just a reference to what we believe about the identity and nature of God.  It is a testament to how the church should operate.  We are one entity and must operate as a unified body rather than a series of separate and independent parts.  God's identity as One God testifies and examples to us the power of operating as one entity.  God made the universe, redeemed all of humanity and offered salvation to the generations.  We have that power in us as individuals.  Each of us has the same power of the Name Christ Jesus applied to our lives.  Unification of that power God has given us will create a greater anointing.

Using the example of the metronome, when metronomes are on different settings but placed on a suspended surface, they eventually sync up.  The more metronomes there are, the longer it takes.  However, the more there are, the louder and more noticeable there harmony is.  We must get in sync together no matter how long it takes.  The more we have together with us the more powerful and anointed our singular voice will become.

We need every ministry, calling and person to come together.  From the pastor to the peanut brittle maker, everyone has a purpose in this one unified symphony for Christ.  Each ministry has importance because it brings in a unique sound that bolsters the single voice of God through us. The flute cannot do the work of the violin.  The drum cannot do the work of the harp.  It all has to work together to deliver the beautiful story the maestro has crafted.  We must work together to deliver the beautiful music the Master has crafted.

That's it for today.  We'll be back with a preview of tonight's service on our YouTube Channel