Joy is a MUCH-Needed Antidote!

I don’t know if you’ve noticed it or not, but a LOT of people have been putting up Christmas lights and decorations much earlier than in previous years! It is Thanksgiving Eve, and for the past 3-weeks my wife Kelley and I have been seeing a lot of these decorations going up. Why? Because people are DESPERATE for some JOY in the midst of all this gloom and darkness, with lock-downs and restrictions, and NOW an all-out assault on the Holiday of THANKSGIVING! The Word of God in Nehemiah 8:10 declares this very important need: “And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” Our outdoor Christmas lights and blow-ups have already been up for almost a week now! Brothers and Sisters, people NEED the joy of the Christmas season! They need hope! They need the “light shining in the darkness” even though many in the world may not understand the symbolism of all these Christmas lights shining. They may not understand that symbolically, these lights we string represents “THE” Light shining into the spiritual darkness! John 1:4-5 “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it!” Brothers and Sisters, ……………HANG THE LIGHTS!........PUT UP THE BLOW-UPS!........PUT OUT THE DECORATIONS! The world DESPERATELY needs the Church to “take the stage” that has been set for us during this Thanksgiving and Christmas season, and bring the JOY and the Peace that is only found in Christ! God bless you, Happy Thanksgiving, and…………….MERRY CHRISTMAS!.........Go embrace the JOY!

Are You Ready?

Regardless of who wins in November in our General election for President, there will be violence. If President Trump wins a second term, there will be violence in the streets, as anarchists terrorize innocent people and businesses, and destroy more property. The election results will be contested and fought against in a manner that we have never seen before. If Joe Biden wins, there will also be violence, just of a different nature. He has already stated that he will move to have the horribly evil abortion practices of New York enacted in every state and territory of the United States. That means that babies, the most innocent among us, will be murdered in the most inhumane and evil fashion, right up to the day of their birth. In addition, in order to fund his agenda, he will come after the Tax Exempt status of churches, forcing many to either shut their doors completely or have to merge with other churches to be able to afford this new tax. Masks, will become a life norm, but many will after a while, begin to rebel against it, which will lead to additional civil unrest. The questions are: Are we ready for what’s coming? And, is there an answer to our situation? To the first question, I hope you are praying and getting ready and to the second question, there is only ONE solution to the current situation we find ourselves in. AMERICA MUST RETURN TO GOD! And in order for this to happen, the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST MUST REPENT AND BE REVIVED! The reality of this follows the principles God spoke to Solomon after the dedication of the Temple and his Palace, which most of us have referenced or preached since March in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Here is the dynamic to this: We, God’s People, humble ourselves (not being forced to repent, but repenting because we have offended a Holy God)We earnestly pray and seek God and His Glorygenuinely embrace a REPENTANCE as a lifestyle and not an eventGod WILL hear our prayers and God WILL HEAL………OUR LAND! This dynamic is the ONLY response that will affect the change that America needs! Hebrews 11……..”They changed nations,……they routed foreign armies,…..AND THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY OF THEM…….is ready to be enacted again! The Revived Church IS “THE” answer to America’s woe’s BUT AMERICA MUST RETURN TO GOD, ……AND THE CHURCH MUST LEAD THE WAY HOME! Are you ready? God bless you!

I DO NOT PREACH POLITICS!

I DO NOT PREACH POLITICS….. I was called to preach the Word of God, not political ideals and talking-points. So, what follows is not based in political ideals but Biblical values and truth, and I present it in that manner. I have been in the ministry for a number of years now, and I have been through numerous election cycles. I am a political person, and will indeed discus my opinions with someone over coffee, but not from the pulpit. I do not preach saying “endorse this candidate or that candidate”. Instead, I preach Biblical values and teach and lead people to apply these Biblical values to their political choices. But this election season of 2020 is vastly different! We are seeing an evil, reserved for the last of the Last-Days manifested, that we have NEVER seen before! The spirit of antichrist is working on “overtime!” With that being said, there has been something very heavy on my heart! I went to bed the other night with a strong sense of a need to repent and so I did!..........And what I repented of, was both personal and corporate, much like the Prophet Isaiah when he said…”I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips!” I felt a very heavy sense that we the Body of Christ need to desperately repent of our inactivity both personally and corporately in taking a stand against the plague of abortion in our land! At this time, Complicity is a very interesting term and one I think in this year is very apropos. To cast our vote(s) for candidates who openly endorse the evil antichrist behavior of the murder of children (abortion) I believe makes us complicit in their sin, and we will be judged for it if we do. I do not say that in a “politically-manipulative” manner, but in a Biblio-centric manner, knowing that our actions will be judged by God. I have heard several on Facebook who are Christians complain about the “rudeness” of our President and the brash manner in which he sometimes speaks, ……I get that, but how can that possibly be compared with MURDER? And not a “HUMANE” manner of murder, but the MOST painful cruel manner in which to kill the most innocent among us, who NEVER asked to be conceived! But out of a desire to “PLAY without PAY” sexually, we destroy the results of our promiscuity. And what is SO deeply disturbing to me as a Follower of Jesus is Ministers and Laity alike who say they are His Followers as well, and even Filled with the Holy Spirit, but yet they would dare to be complicit in this type of evil. God open our eyes, because the deception of the last of the Last-Days has fallen upon us, ………. And in the words of Jesus,……..”If possible, to deceive even the very elect!” And I believe some of us, who I believe are truly redeemed, have fallen pray to this “release” of this End-Time spirit of deception in regards to many things, including this election. Those who in my opinion, are deceived construct a quasi-moral opposition to one candidate while embracing the sins of another, in this case, ………. The murderous abortion of babies! What explanation can one offer when one equates rudeness or brashness on the same level as the grotesque cruel inhumane murder of babies, other than a spirit of deception? It is time for both PERSONAL and CORPORATE Repentance over our sins and our “comfortableness” and inactivity in regards to abortion as the Church of Jesus Christ! And it is time to ask the Holy Spirit to “OPEN” our eyes and spiritual discernment to the spirit of antichrist that fills this election cycle, and see that there is NO POSSIBLE way that a Follower of Jesus can endorse a candidate who supports the inhumane murder of babies! Please do not be so naive to think that this is merely Political ideological differences; Republican vs. Democrat, it is NOT! But this IS the spirit of Christ vs. the spirit of antichrist,………evil vs. righteousness! Be informed and vote wisely,………….We will be judged for every action and also for every inactivity we do in this life! God bless you!

A Prophetic Word from the Lord!

The Prophetic word given to me from the Lord on July 26, 2020. 

Pastor Stephan Gardner

Lead Pastor, Christ the Rock Church of God

Knoxville, Tennessee

PastorGardner@Gmail.com

THE WORD OF THE LORD:

My People are woefully unprepared for what is about to come upon them. They have hung onto the fictitious platitudes of a false prophecy. Because they would rather someone think for them, they have abandoned the study of My Word. Because they have abandoned the study of My Word, they do not know what time they are living in

They are distracted and deceived to the war that is manifesting all around them. They think they are fighting, but they are falling for the lies of the master deceiver. They focus on battles that aren’t really battles. They take stands for that which no stand is necessary. They rattle their sabers and stomp their feet flexing their muscles for a battle that doesn’t exist  But while they speak big words about their faith, they never engage in the warfare I’ve won for them. Like wind blowing across hollow reeds, their battle cry amuses the enemy. While I watch Babies slaughtered, where is their outcry? While I watch their cities crumble, why do they not cry out to me? Like wolves, lawlessness prowls through their streets, and still my people will not repent.

I took everything away my people love, to draw their focus to me, and instead they adjust and go on with their harlotry. When will our normal return they say, still not seeing and still not hearing what my Spirit is saying to my Church.

Where is their sorrow? Where is their remorse? Why no repentance? Why no fear? Many die and are in hell, but my people are comfortable. They cannot be shaken, they cannot be moved. But what my people have endured is just the precursor of what is about to come. Many will leave Me because of this great shaking, and some will deny Me.

But I will have a Remnant of My people who will cry out to me in repentance, and I, their God will hear them; forgive them; restore them; and empower them as My One True Bride. My power and My anointing will be upon them, and the world will hear them as they boldly proclaim my Name. And they will be refined in the fires of My Revival, like pure gold.

The devil will hate them, but he cannot stop them. He will curse them, but I will bless them. They will be a fire that burns across the land, to counteract the fire I am sending upon this world.

I have watched enough of the evil being flaunted in my face. And the innocent blood of millions cry out to me for justice. But one last time I refine my army. One last time I prepare them for war. One last time I cloth them in power. And now I am releasing in waves the army of the Lord, My Body, full of the Holy Spirits power.

Who will answer? Who will repent? Who will cry out to me saying no more lies; no more sin. Step into the fire My people. Step in and be refined. Step in for I release the Fire of the Holy Spirit ............for whosoever will...

 

Then the Lord led me to this Scripture...

Hebrews 12:25-29 NLT.

“Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.”

Deceptions and Distractions!

Here is a very true statement:  "Those who are deceived, don't know that they are deceived."  Simplistic isn't it?  But however "simplistic" it is, it is true!  Deception is a powerful tool that can be used to overcome ones enemy.  A cousin to deception is distractions.  Distractions can get our focus off of the real issue and onto something...……."other than."  Both deception and distraction are masterfully used by the enemy of our souls to weaken and preoccupy the Church of Jesus Christ!

One of my very best friends I grew up with is a Professional Magician.  He makes a very good living performing slight of hand and illusions.  Over the years, he has taught me some of the "tricks" he uses in his shows which once I learned, were pretty simplistic.  Every single "trick" he uses employs deception and distraction!  Get people to focus on one thing, while the real "THING" is going on out of their sight!  And all people, from school kids to adults, fall for it and are utterly amazed!  It is good fun!  But such is not the case when the Body of Christ is being deceived and/or distracted!  And I believe we need to be VERY aware and careful when it comes to these two!

The true issue that we, the Body of Christ needs to be focusing upon, is REVIVAL!  Not a series of meetings that are meant to be a "feel-good" "rah-rah" session for the Saints, but a genuine MOVE of God!  A Revival where REPENTANCE precedes our PLEADINGS! Where we begin to understand that as Pentecostals, we hold the "KEY" to what the world is longing for and desperately in need of,...…..THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

It has been prophesied on numerous occasions and by numerous people that a great Revival, the 3rd. Great Awakening and Final Reformation, would occur on the "backside" of the Covid-19 crises.  The People of God sense it and feel its rumblings!   The problem is, with our focus upon all of the things going on around us, our focus keeps shifting from the Revival to the civil unrest and politics of our time.  Don't get me wrong, I truly believe we need to be informed, but also understand, that there is a LOT of DISTRACTIONS and DECEPTION going on out there!  WHY?...…...Because the devil ALSO knows that REVIVAL is not only coming, but will TRANSFORM the people and the issues that so many are caught up in!  FOCUS my dear Brothers and Sisters,...……..FOCUS!  and in unison, let's cry out in REPENTANCE and seek God for REVIVAL!

Monsters Outside!

Many Times as little children, we became afraid of all sorts of things.  Monsters that live “outside” of our comfort and “safe-zones” of security within our homes.  Our bedroom and our bed covers become protection from all of the scary things that lurk under our bed; in our closet; and most importantly, outside.  And as we grew, for most of us, we also matured.  We matured in many ways; including a maturation to our fears, and the “scary things” become laughable childhood memories many times.  Now here we are in 2020, and once again, there are monsters outside.

As I write this blog post, the Church is getting ready to celebrate Pentecost Sunday 2020.  And unlike other Pentecost’s that we have celebrated in our lifetime, this one is unique.  Unique because of the monsters outside of our home and our “safe-zones.”  Monsters that have multiplied over the last 3 months to a level that has created unprecedented fear among our communities and even among the Body of Christ.  Now, here is the odd thing.  Some of these monsters are real!  They are not the constructs of a childish overactive imagination, they exist, and they cause great harm and even death!  One of those monsters is the pandemic of Covid-19.  Many people have lost their lives to this “unseen” monster!  Many have gotten sick, but thank God, recovered!  This monster is REAL!  But like all monsters, there is a “wooden stake” that can be driven through its heart, and we are beginning to see those “wooden sticks” developed.  Thank God He is answering our prayers and driving this monster from us!

But like all monsters, the greatest strength they manifest, is not in what they can actually do, but what we perceive in our minds they will do.  While many people have practiced wisdom and took some necessary precautions to combat this “monster,” some, out of the fear of “what-if” have allowed greater fears to take root in their minds and effect their peace of mind.  We could spend a great deal of time sharing and discussing all of the Christian’s who have faced monsters like Covid-19 and refused to allow those monsters to hinder their proclamation of the Gospel, and ministering the Kingdom of God to all sorts of people, and in all sorts of scenarios.  They were cautious; they used wisdom; but they also caught hold of a type of Faith that refused to allow monsters to roam across the countryside of their hearts!  They ministered in what I often refer to in our ministry as God’s “Great-in-Spite-of!”  In spite of all the really scary, potentially life-threatening realities; they were the Body of Christ, and they were on assignment, and they functioned by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the authority of Jesus Christ!

Now, I am NOT telling you/us to throw caution to the wind and ignore the warnings to take precautions.  I am NOT telling you/us to be that ministry or Pastor that thumbs his/her nose to the warnings of the potential of danger, harm, or death.  But I am saying that we are living in a very real time when wisdom and precautions are prudent to take, yet to remember, that we have never been promised that we wouldn’t have to minister, in very real scary and potentially health/life threatening periods of time as the Body of Christ!  The Second century Christian’s understood this all too well!  The Roman Imperial authorities declared that the Christian Faith was an “illegal religion” because of its refusal to worship the emperor as god.  Both religiously and legally, the Christian’s were criminals to the Romans, yet here we are today getting ready to celebrate our Faith on Pentecost because of their willingness to not let the “monsters” of their time stop the flow of the Gospel and the advancement of the Kingdom of God!  The Church was a threat, partly because of their rapid growth of people embracing Faith in this Jesus of Nazareth who is the Savior and Messiah!   And this was part of the threat they posed to the Roman establishment!  And in many ways, the Church poses similar threats to the Secular Post-Modern worldview that is flourishing all around us today!  So, in response to that threat, the monsters are sent to invade!

As mentioned, some monsters are real, like Covid-19 and must be dealt with in the wisdom of the Lord.  But some of the monsters are generated to cause fear and control the minds and activities of people, even the Church!  I am thinking of the great animated movie Monsters INC. created by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures that came out in 2001.  The monsters went into children’s rooms and would scare them to generate screams which produced power to generated electricity for the monsters world.  Interesting thought that the fear produced power…..?  Anyway, I loved this movie and honestly still do!  I watched it with my Grandchildren just last week LOL!  Some of the monsters we are facing are monsters designed to manipulate fear, because in fear, there is power and control.  


We, in the American Church, out of an abundance of caution and wisdom, closed our Church buildings to “in-house” worship, so as not to put our people at risk.  And honestly, there was nothing wrong with doing this temporarily.  We were protecting our people, as a good shepherd would do, against an unseen monster.  And quite honestly, it was used by God to proclaim the Gospel all around the world like never before, because of so many Pastors getting online and preaching!  But now that short period of time, for many churches, has grown into an extended period of time with no end in sight.  Or in some cases, the “END” keeps getting moved!  It’s like trying to kick a field goal when the goal post keeps moving!  The monsters have roared,………We have screamed,…….and power has been generated!  But not the power of the Holy Spirit we celebrate this Pentecost Sunday, but the power of fear and intimidation!  Here’s the thing about monsters,……….THEY ALWAYS LIE!  Some of the lies the monsters outside our doors have told us is that we are NOT “Essential!”  Not essential?  What is more essential than the salvation and deliverance of the human soul?  Much more essential than a liquor store or even a Big Box Store, and CERTAINLY much more essential than the “killing-machine” of ABORTION!  Yes, the demon god Baal is still being worshipped by Modern “enlightened” Humanity!

It is alarming to me, to see how easily we Americans have willingly surrendered our Constitutional Rights, as long as ……….”YOU KEEP ME SAFE!”  And the monster………ROARS!  But honestly, this weird year of 2020, this Last of the Last-Days events we see being fulfilled all around us, has many monsters that are outside, but coming through the “door” to scare us!  Monsters like:  Unemployment, financial collapse and poverty, loss of retirement, international “wars and rumors of wars,” severe racial abuse and murder, civil unrest, arrest or fines if we simply want to go to church, conspiracy theories and some conspiracies that are all too real and authentic, and of course; the pandemic.  The pandemic, so aptly named at this time, because PAN means many and DEMIC means demons, so pandemic means “MANY DEMONS!”  And that is indeed what the Body of Christ is fighting in 2020,…..MANY DEMONS!  Monsters if you will, who are determined to cause us to cower in fear and cause us to surrender!  NEVER…..NEVER…..NEVER surrender to MONSTERS!  If you do, they will continually come through the doors of your peace and joy!

Pentecost is upon us!  Thank God!  And I declare Prophetically that THIS Pentecost Sunday, POWER is going to come upon the Church of Jesus Christ once AGAIN!  Power to defeat EVERY MONSTER that is trying to scare us and intimidate us!  YOU,…….Brother and Sister in Christ, MUST receive once again that POWER; that dunamis (dynamic) POWER of the Holy Spirit to face head-on the monsters that are roaring outside our doors and UTTERLY DEFEAT THEM through the Power of the Holy Spirit!  Again, understand, Prophetically speaking, the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE POURED OUT UPON ALL WHO WILL RECEIVE BY FAITH ON THIS PENTECOST SUNDAY,………as we further prepare for the monsters we’re dealing with RIGHT NOW, and the Last of the Last-Days!”  God bless you!

~~~Pastor Steve Gardner

I Can Remain Silent No More.......

I have been a credentialed minister with the Church of God for 38 years now.  The majority of that time has been as a Lead Pastor.  I have made it a point in my ministry to not preach politics since I have pastored Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and those who refused to vote at all because of the lies and corruption they saw.  I am a Preacher of the Bible,…..not a proclaimer of politics, and with this hardline stance still in place, I assure you that what I say here now, is NOT political but moral.
I woke up this morning with a deep heaviness that has compelled me to write on the topic that the worship of Molech is still very much alive and well in the world generally, and in America specifically.  As you may remember, Molech was the demon deity worshiped by the Canaanites, who required child sacrifice.  The First-Born child of a Couple would be place on the red hot arms of a metal idol of Molech and burned alive, for the purpose of financial prosperity for the family and future children.  God strictly condemned and forbade His People from participating in this evil act of murdering children (SEE Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5; 2 Kings 23:10; and Jeremiah 32:35).  Imagine the intense unbearable pain that a new-born child must have felt as he/she was laid in the red hot arms of Molech!  And imagine the cold evil hearts of a society that could do such a thing, for their personal expediency.  And in your imaginings, you have now described the abortion industry in America, the modern-day worship of Molech, for the expediency of a society that desires pleasure, without the price tag.  Unfortunately that is American society today, and even more unfortunately, some confessing Christians dismiss this abominable act completely!
As I said, this is NOT a political post, but as we are now in the American election cycle, we have to ask ourselves the question…….”Will we remain silent about the many babies, the most innocent among us, being offered as living sacrifices on the altar of America’s Molech?  I have heard good COG people lament over candidates who they believe have character issues that are to some, very unsettling.  “They said this thing wrong; they said that in their past!”  I get that!  But the question that SHOULD dominate our minds when “ALIGNING” ourselves with someone as we approach our American right to vote is…”Does this candidate approve of and promote the horrible sin of child-sacrifice to Molech,…..aka ABORTION?”  If they do, then as Christians, and especially as Ministers, we MUST not be aligned with ANYONE, no matter how much we like their promises of financial prosperity or equal treatment for all, who can promote the ungodly evil practice of Child-Sacrifice called ABORTION!
If these precious babies, the most innocent among us, cannot depend upon the Men and Women of God to stand against and preach against this horrible sin, who can they depend on?  So, when we, as Americans, are considering who to align with and vote for, will we like the some Christians during the Nazi regime “sing hymns a little louder as the concentration trains went by full of Jews headed for the furnaces” or will we understand that THE litmus test for ANY candidate Republican, Democrat, or Independent MUST be………………”Do they support the worship of America’s Molech and the painful gruesome murder of little babies?”  This is my heartfelt Pastoral belief!  God bless you all and thank you for serving the Lord and His Kingdom!