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The Waiting Process…

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We started the C3 May Theme, The Journey to Pentecost, with a review of the Festivals of the Lord and continued with the promise of the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost. Lori continued the journey with a great blog on the Kairos moment we are in, and we will conclude the month with “The Waiting Process.”

The greatest gifts given to all followers of Jesus are the atonement of our sins through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and the gift of the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost. When I reflect on the journey from Passover to Pentecost, the disciples were scared and confused. They had walked with Jesus for three years, devoted their lives to His teaching, watched Him suffer and die on the cross, and spent 40 days with Him in His resurrected state. Now He was leaving them again and ascending into Heaven, but told them not to worry because the gift of the Holy Spirit would empower them to be His witnesses throughout the world.

Luke outlines Jesus’ final words in Act 1:4-9 and in verse 4 he tells them what they must do next, “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” In verse 8 Jesus tells them why they must wait, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The waiting process was necessary to receive the promised gift and the power required to fulfill the assignment.

The Purpose of Waiting

Waiting is a difficult process, especially for the type A, entrepreneurial types, that want to make things happen. However, there is usually a purpose behind the waiting. In this case, I can imagine the 120 that followed the commands of Jesus and went to the upper room had great times of fellowship. They were probably processing what had happened in their lives through their journey with Jesus, reviewing the teachings of Jesus, and having an extended time of prayer. In addition, they could be reviewing the events over the last couple of months to determine their next steps and what life would look like post-Jesus. The waiting time between Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost was a time of reflection, prayer, and anticipation of what Jesus’ promise of the Gift of the Holy Spirit may look like in their lives.

Many times, we are trying to figure out what we are to do, and God is telling us to wait and press into him. With the current global pandemic, we certainly have had some upper room time and, just like the disciples in the upper room, we too have had time to reflect, pray, and seek His will during this unique period in history. As I was meditating on the purpose of waiting and how we can apply this to our current situation, the verse Isaiah 40:31 came to mind, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” The prophet Isaiah helps us to see the purpose of waiting can be to renew our strength, move to new heights, and gain a fresh perspective for the new things to come. However, if we enter the waiting season with the wrong attitude, the waiting process can be a barrier instead of a launching pad.

Attitude is the Key

When we enter a season of waiting, our attitude can be the difference between growth through the waiting or becoming a barrier to progress. Our attitude is the key that allows us to wait upon the Lord, do the necessary work to prepare for the new opportunities, and trust in Him to guide us through the waiting process. As my good friend Dr. Troy reminds me, “we don’t have to know everything, we just have to be teachable.”

When we are in the waiting process, we can trust in God to guide us and teach us all we are to learn through the process. One of my favorite proverbs is Proverbs 3:5-6, which articulates this thought well, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” God will guide us into the path He has for us and His desire for us is to be empowered by His Holy Spirit to ensure He is doing the work through us, His chosen instruments.

Receive the Power

I imagine the disciples had no idea what the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost would look like and how their lives would be changed. Acts 2:1-4 provides a glimpse of the arrival, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The waiting period before Pentecost had brought them into one accord and prepared them for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.

As we enter this final week on our journey to Pentecost 2020, which is May 31st, may we be prepared, in one accord, and anticipate a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit. The Father is doing a new thing in this Kingdom Era we are in and we need his Holy Spirit to accomplish the assignments He has for each of us. May we enter this time with excitement and be ready for whatever He will do through us.

We appreciate being on this journey with you and pray you are blessed and encouraged by the work our Heavenly Father is doing in this season. If you are blessed by our blogs and the podcast we host each week, ChristianBusinessValues.com please pass these free resources to others in your circle of influence.

To get more information and join the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3) movement, go to www.sc-c3.org and become a member today!

Jamie Jordan is the State Director for the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3). His passion is to see unity and excellence exhibited within the Christian community. Jamie can be reached at jjordan@stravicom.com.

We Are In a Kairos Season

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I believe we are in a kairos season, a season of awakening and a season of Selah.

The whole world has experienced the intense shaking of uncertainty as the coronavirus has swept towns, cities and countries alike. This has caused an unprecedented ripple effect on our economies and way of life. “We’re all in this together” has never been more true than it is now. Everything that can be shaken has been shaken in this season. However, this season is no surprise to God, and I believe there is treasure in this place waiting to be discovered.

Saul the Persecutor

Let’s talk about Saul of Tarsus for a moment. He called himself the Pharisee of Pharisees and went around persecuting the first century church. He’s the very one who stood around holding the cloaks of those who stoned Stephen, the first martyr of the early church, and the very man that God met in an extraordinary way on the road to Damascus. We find his story in Acts 9.

Saul was completely convinced that he was doing good and protecting the purity of his religion and honoring his God by ridding the earth of the pestilence that was the early church. He passionately felt that it was his duty – his calling – to do this. He knew it in his bones, and yet history shows that he was completely deceived and walking in great darkness.

It wasn’t until he came face-to-Face with Jesus that he could finally see. That brief encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus shook him to his knees, making him physically blind for a few days. It was merely an outer manifestation of his spiritual blindness.

A Divine Selah

It was a divine selah moment for Saul – a time to pause and think of the path his life was on, a time to repent, a time to rededicate his life to truth – a time of Godly fear and awe.

We know that God had great plans for Saul. While Saul was blind, and staying on the road called Straight, God called a man named Ananias to go and lay hands on Saul so he could receive his sight back. Ananias was understandably shocked. He reminded the Lord that Saul had persecuted the church severely.

I can see Ananias shaking his head and saying, “Are you really, really sure Lord?” The Father shared that He would show Saul just how much he would have to suffer for His name. That seemed to satisfy Ananias, so he obediently went and prayed for Saul, and his sight was restored.

After Saul’s conversion he taught for a time among the disciples in Jerusalem but began receiving death threats. He was sent by the brothers to Tarsus and spent three years in Arabia. It was there that he received a name change. Saul the persecutor of the church became Paul, a man after God’s own heart and the author of two-thirds of our New Testament.

It’s All In The Name

The name Saul means “asked for” or “inquired of God.” The name Paul means “small” or “humbled.”

Saul went from being a Pharisee of Pharisees who depended upon his own wisdom to being a man humbled by the forgiveness, love and grace of God.

We need to remember the state the church was in during this time. They were on the other side of Pentecost, full of the Holy Spirit, full of the love of God, walking in miracles, and on the run – scattered to the four corners of the Earth due to persecution. And just as the Father had Ananias pray for Saul, I’m willing to bet there were others He prompted to pray for Saul even before Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus. I believe their prayers helped to create a kairos moment of clarity and revelation for Saul. We are still experiencing the impact of that encounter today.

This brings me to my overall point for today. Who has committed themselves to praying for the Sauls of our generation? Who has committed to pray for those in powerful places in our government, schools, and other high places that are rife with demonic oppression and darkness?

I believe we are in another kairos moment.

Measuring Time

There are two Ancient Greek words that define the concept of time – chronos and kairos.

Chronos measures time in seconds, minutes, hours, days, years etc. while kairos measures time in the best moments of life, measuring the quality of time. It does not measure minutes, but it measures moments.

In archery, kairos denotes the moment in which an arrow may be fired with sufficient force to penetrate a target. In weaving, kairos denotes the moment in which the shuttle could be passed through threads on a loom.

It is the moment in time where light can penetrate darkness. It is a moment where the web of lies that have ensnared so many can be invaded by the silver stands of truth and mercy.

How many Sauls are waiting for us to lift our voices to Heaven, so they can have a face-to-Face encounter with the King of kings? We are called to bring the Kingdom of Light down to the kingdoms of this Earth and the only way I know to do this is through persistent prayer.

Watch Out for the Piranhas!

I decided to get back involved with Twitter a few months ago. I can’t tell you how shocked I was to see such stark division. I’ve never seen so much hate, slander and back-biting in my life. Some things never change. Acts 9 tells us that even before his conversion Saul was breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. Many days I’ve walked away from reading all the posts on social media just disturbed and feeling like I’ve been slimed. There are folks that are trying to be the voice of reason and light right now, but for the most part it’s like watching piranha in a feeding frenzy.

Ephesians 6:12 encourages us to remember that we are NOT wrestling against flesh and blood but against the rulers of the darkness of this world and against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Their sole goal is to destroy ALL OF US – not the democrats, not the republicans, not the socialists, not the USA, China or any other country but ALL OF US. He has done a fine job of making us attack each other mercilessly. So many, like Saul, believe in their heart of hearts that they are right, and they are willing to fight to the death to defend their stance. The last time I checked John 10:10 satan is still the one who kills, steals and destroys, and I see his fingerprints all over this season. However, he still bows the knee to God, and our Father will bring beauty from the ashes and bring those dry bones back to life once more!

Remain Passionate and Free

This morning during my quiet time I happened to read Luke 21:34-36. There’s never been a more appropriate scripture for the times we are living in now. I love how it’s said in the Passion Translation:

“Be careful that you never allow your hearts to grow cold. Remain passionate and free from anxiety and the worries of this life. Then you will not be caught off guard by what happens. Don’t let me come and find you drunk or careless in living like everyone else. For that day will come as a shocking surprise to all, like a downpour that drenches everyone, catching many unaware and unprepared. Keep a constant watch over your soul, and pray for the courage and grace to prevail over these things that are destined to occur and that you will stand before the presence of the Son of Man with a clear conscience.”

So many have prophesied that there is a billion-soul harvest coming. A revival to rival all revivals. To my knowledge there has never been a revival that wasn’t preceded by prayer and repentance. The whole earth is groaning, waiting for the sons of God to arise. Before we can rise, before we can shine, we too must bow our knee to the Father.

Ask the Lord for wisdom as to how to pray in this kairos moment. Ask God to fill you with all love, wisdom and insight as you partner with Him on behalf of those who are walking in darkness, but before doing any of that, we must ask God to search our hearts first. We must make sure that our hearts haven’t grown cold, passionless, and weighed down by anxiety and worry. We must ensure that we are standing before Him with clean hearts, clean hands and no agenda of our own and repent of anything He shows us. We’ve got to take time to deal with the things He shows us, knowing that He loves us more than life itself and wants to see us walk in everything He has destined on His heart for us. It is no mistake that we were born for this time, and for this season. We have a powerful part to play in His story.

He wants to fill our mouths in this kairos season to shake nations, bring order out of chaos, and recovery of sight to the blind.

Let’s humble ourselves and pray.

To get more information and join the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3) movement, go to www.sc-c3.org and become a member today!

Lori Anderson-Bowen is the co-director for SC-C3 in Charleston and a publisher with Best Version Media. Her passion is to see the Church connect with the heart of God in practical, life-giving ways and to see generations impacted for Christ. She can be reached at LBowen@bestversionmedia.com.

The Promise

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As we reflect on the “Journey to Pentecost” this month, let us begin with the prophesy of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and continue with the promise Jesus gave us before His ascension, the gift of the Holy Spirit. The exploration of this journey will strengthen our faith and allow us to be instruments of the Holy Spirit to accomplish all the Father as planned for us on this earth. I pray you will be encouraged as we explore the prophesy, promise, and prayer on our journey to Pentecost 2020.

The Prophesy

The foreshadowing of the Messiah, Jesus, begins in Genesis and the prophesies are provided throughout the Bible. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden by pursuing the lie of Satan, they immediately attempted to cover their nakedness with a fig leaf and hide from God. God approached them and His solution is found in Genesis 3:21, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” This is a foreshadowing of the sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ, that would cover our sins and allow us to come before the Father blameless because of the finished work of the cross.

The prophet Isaiah spoke specifically about the coming of the Messiah hundreds of years before Jesus was to walk on the earth as man. Isaiah said the Messiah would be born of a virgin and called Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14), a messenger would prepare the way (Isaiah 40:3-50), He would be born as a Child (Isaiah 9:6-7), and there are many other prophesies about the Messiah’s crucifixion (Isaiah 53). In addition to Isaiah, there are prophesies found in Zachariah, Psalms, Micah, Daniel, and others. The study and understanding of these prophesies strengthen our faith and trust in all the promises that have been written in the Word of God.

The fulfillment of these prophesies through Jesus was necessary to remove our sin so we could become the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Before Jesus ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father and intercede for us, He told the disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5).

The Promise

Jesus taught His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go away so the promise of the Holy Spirit could empower them to be His witnesses. Jesus states in John 16:7-15, “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The cleansing of our temples of sin by Jesus, the promise of the Holy Spirit to empower us and to be our Advocate on this earth, is reason for celebration. As we journey to Pentecost 2020 let us embrace these precious gifts and allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify, strengthen, and empower us to do the work prepared for each of us.

Our Prayer

When we approach our relationship with Jesus with a heart of thanksgiving for the fulfilment of these prophesies and embrace the promise and power of the Holy Spirit, our prayer life can be taken to new levels. The Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17-19, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spiritof wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

As we journey to Pentecost 2020, let us enter His presence seeking the Spirit of wisdom and revelation with a joyful heart. Celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and encourage those around us to pursue the relationship with Christ that we were created to have.

To get more information and join the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3) movement, go to www.sc-c3.org and become a member today!

Jamie Jordan is the State Director for the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3). His passion is to see unity and excellence exhibited within the Christian community. Jamie can be reached at jjordan@stravicom.com.

The Journey to Pentecost

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I pray each of you are healthy, wealthy, and wise during these challenging times. As we enter the month of May, the C3 theme is “The Journey to Pentecost.” Pentecost 2020 is celebrated on May 31st, and we are going to take a journey this month to understand the power and significance of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The focus last month was on “The Power of the Resurrection,” and the fulfillment of Passover by the blood of the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world, Jesus Christ. I believe our Heavenly Father is pouring out His revelation during this season and we should pay attention and align with His plans and purpose as we navigate through these treacherous waters. We need the Holy Spirit to discern His revelation and empower us to walk fully in His plans.

Let us begin this journey with a brief history of the festivals of the Lord and their significance in modern times.

The Festivals of the Lord

I was raised in a Christian home and was taught the Word of God in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and other teaching. However, I cannot remember learning of the seven feasts of the Lord found in Leviticus 23 and their significance to the Church today. My understanding was these feasts were for the Jews and did not apply to Christians.

In my Christian journey I have developed a love of the old and new testaments, and an understanding that Jesus did not come to replace the law but to fulfill it. I have also developed an appreciation of the seven feasts of the Lord and His perfect timing and alignment with the feasts. The seven feasts are the Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The first four feasts are the Spring feasts and were fulfilled with the first coming of Jesus. The last three feasts will be fulfilled in the future when Jesus returns.

The following is a summary of the seven feasts and the significance to the Christian:

  1. Passover – The Passover Lamb, Jesus was slain for the sins of the world.
  2. Unleavened Bread – Jesus was buried in the grave to remove our sins.
  3. First Fruits – Jesus was raised from the dead and is the first of the harvest.
  4. Pentecost – The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to those who believe in Jesus.
  5. Feast of Trumpets – The ascension of the Church.
  6. Day of Atonement – The Second Coming of Jesus.
  7. Feast of Tabernacles – God will tabernacle with His people forever.

This is amazing to me since the feasts were outlined by God to Moses 1500 years before the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Imagine celebrating the feasts each year without knowing the significance to the coming Messiah. Then when the Messiah did come, just as it was prophesied hundreds of years before and missing the Messiah.

The Journey to Pentecost

This year as we journey to Pentecost 2020 let us think about the price that has been paid for our freedom through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. and the gift of the Holy Spirit, which are the greatest treasures a Christian can cherish. These treasures allow us to experience the freedom we were created to enjoy and realize the potential our Creator placed in each of us. I believe this journey to Pentecost is a significant time in history and we need to fully embrace the gift and power of the Holy Spirit.

After Jesus resurrection, He spent 40 days with His disciples and His other followers before He ascended into heaven. Before His ascension, Jesus stated in Acts 1:4-8, “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized withwater, but in a few days you will be baptized withthe Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? ” He said to them: It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus was telling them to wait until they received the power of the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses. This is just as true today as it was for the disciples.

The Holy Spirit is Required

Many of us learn to depend on our gifts, talents, connections, finances, and tenacity to make things happen independent of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the promise that was provided at Pentecost after Jesus ascended to be with the Father. There are many places in the gospels that Jesus tells the disciples about the power and necessity of the Holy Spirit in our lives to dwell in us, guide us into all truth, teach us, reveal sin in our lives, tell us things to come, glorify Jesus, and empower us to accomplish the plans God has planned for us. These are the attributes we as Christians need for the wisdom and power to accomplish our assignments, and Jesus said wait for the Holy Spirit and don’t try to accomplish them on your own. However, each of us has operated according to our flesh for most of our lives, so this shift from flesh to Holy Spirit is a journey each of us must pursue, especially in the rapidly changing world in which we live.

As we journey to Pentecost 2020 join me as we look beyond these difficult circumstances and celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables each of us to accomplish our assignments and positively impact our culture for Christ.

To get more information and join the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3) movement, go to www.sc-c3.org and become a member today!

Jamie Jordan is the State Director for the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3). His passion is to see unity and excellence exhibited within the Christian community. Jamie can be reached at jjordan@stravicom.com.

Free to Worship

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We started on a journey this month with the C3 April theme, “The Power of the Resurrection” and discussed the significance of Passover 2020, Good Friday, and Resurrection Day, which gives us the power over sin and death. The journey continued with “Walking in Freedom,” which explored the freedom we are intended to walk in and the bondages that prohibit us from experiencing this freedom. Last week we discussed the importance of “Leaving Egypt Behind” as we journey to the promised land our creator has planned for each of us. This week we will wrap up the April theme with “Free to Worship.”

When we look at the purpose of leaving Egypt, Moses petitioned Pharaoh to free God’s people so they would be free to worship Him. The same is true today. God desires His people to be free to worship Him, and He has eliminated the barriers that prohibit this freedom through the finished work of the cross by Jesus Himself and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This freedom allows us to worship Him as we were created to when we understand the meaning of true worship.

The Meaning of Worship

Many of us were raised to think that worship is something we do within the walls of a church, or praise and worship is related to Christian music. There is nothing wrong with either of these, however, this perspective can greatly limit our understanding of true worship. Praise should be every word that comes from our lips, and worship is all we do and offer unto the Lord. The Hebrew word for work, worship, and service are the same word: Avodah.

So, as followers of Christ, what if we started to see the work of our hands, the service we provide to others, and all we do as worship unto God? Instead of being motivated by what we will get in return for our time or service, we begin to offer all we do as worship unto Him and deliver it with an attitude of joy and with excellence. If we as Christians operated in this mode, the world would desire to hire Christians because we work harder, have better attitudes, show up on time, and contribute innovative solutions in the course of our work. I think this is what Jesus was giving us a picture of when He described true worship.

Jesus Defines Worship

I appreciate the story of Jesus at the well with the Samaritan woman told by the Apostle John in John 4. Jesus breaks all the cultural norms of the day by conversing with a Samaritan woman, meeting her where she was, and telling her about her past. He ends His conversation telling her He is the Messiah and then provides a clear definition of true worship found in John 4:23-24, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” Jesus could say this because He is the Truth (John 1:14) and the Holy Spirit would be released on both Jew and Gentile after His Resurrection and Pentecost.

We worship through a heart submitted to God by the power of the Holy Spirit that has integrated the Truth of Jesus Christ deep in our hearts. The Apostle Paul gives us this process of worship in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Glory to the Father

We bring glory to our Creator, our Heavenly Father as we embrace the purpose for which He created us and worship Him in all that we do. He created each of us uniquely and when we walk in the fullness of His workmanship and according to His will, we bring Him glory. This is perfectly articulated by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Let us enter this season with hearts submitted and devoted to Him as we worship our Creator in all that we do in Spirit and Truth! Have a wonderful week and encourage others with this message of worship.

To get more information and join the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3) movement, go to www.sc-c3.org and become a member today!

Jamie Jordan is the State Director for the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3). His passion is to see unity and excellence exhibited within the Christian community. Jamie can be reached at jjordan@stravicom.com.