(Europe 2008) Session 5 - Establishing the Kingdom — B.H. Clendennen

It's a wonderful thing to hear about a young man 16 years of age that we can stand and testify today that he's truly born again, loves God, has a fire in his heart for the Lord. What a testimony to the faithfulness of God.

What a testimony to those of us that have young people or children that we know that's not born again, but God is stirring and moving among our young people. Just blessed and my pastor says all the time, I woke up this morning and it must have been in my right mind, amen, when it comes to a prayer meeting.

I've heard him say that many times and it will only stir my heart of just how profound that really is. We take so much for granted of where we're at this morning and we come, most of us are healthy, we've got food in our cabinets, clothes to wear, we were transported here this morning, maybe you walked in your own strength.

We take so much for granted, I know I do, we take so much for granted. For a man of God, 86 years of age, I woke up this morning in my right mind and I wanted to go to a prayer meeting, amen. Saints, let's just not take these simple things for granted, that God can just use them to stir our hearts to the faithfulness of God, amen.

The Lord has just really blessed us to be here and as I walked this morning, the full moon, I rode with Brother Francis and I thought about it. Here are my family in England and able to preach the word and be here amongst you that truly believe that God can move once again in this land.

I heard somebody stand up and pray a few minutes ago and it just stirred my heart, Pastor Peter, as he stood up and prayed, the desire in his heart to see God move. We talk about the history, but he don't live there.

God, you're the God of the present, you can move right now. And I sit so stirring in the hunger here for God to do just that and we're privileged to be here with you this morning, amen. If you have your Bible this morning, turn to Matthew chapter 14, Matthew chapter 14.

Discerning the Times and Positioning Ourselves for God's Use

There's a scripture in 1 Chronicles, you don't need to turn there, but there's a scripture in 1 Chronicles chapter 12 that tells us about the mighty men of David. And we've all read the stories about David's mighty men and the sons of Issachar in chapter 12, I believe it's verse 32.

It said they understood the times. And there was a discrepancy there, of course we know there was some desire to serve the house of Saul, some desire to serve the house of David, but the sons of Issachar understood the times.

They realized that the house of David must be turned to with all their heart. There's never been a time in the history of the church that I believe is more important for us to discern between the good and the evil.

And that's not the good and the evil, whether or not we think it's wrong to drink a bottle of wine or whatever and we know all that is, but it's beyond all that. It's beyond the simplicity of the good and the evil in our daily lives, but to discern the spirit of the age that we live in.

It's not enough to read a book, it's not enough to come and hear a sermon by a man of God that's aged in the Lord and understands the word that needs to be spoken, but we must get this word in our hearts and in our lives.

We must allow God to bring us to a place where we discern the times that we are living and then we position ourselves. We purpose to allow God to position us to make a difference in this generation. I thank God for meetings.

I've been preaching and pastoring for 24 years. I thank God for Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday nights, Friday nights. We go to church. We have prayer meetings every day in our church and I thank God for that.

But it's got to be more than me going to a meeting. It's got to be more than me going to a prayer meeting. I must allow God in my daily life to position me to be that channel, to be that vessel. To be that vessel of recovery that God can move through me, that I have been removed out of the way.

That it's no longer I, but it's truly Christ. Not a scripture I quote, a sermon I preach, but there's a real work of God that's took place in my heart and my life that I have been set aside. That it's no longer I, not a better me, but me removed through that cross that I can truly be used of God.

We must, we must discern the times. We must understand the times that we are living. We must position ourselves to allow God to use us in these last hours. We must. It's an absolute divine must that we position ourselves.

You that are in this room this morning, as I look around, as I heard you pray. I said, God, you're an awesome God. You're a faithful God. Men and women cried out this morning, God. They look back, but they look forward.

Amen. They look back, but they look forward. They know that you're the God of the present and God of the future. They are willing to sacrifice the present for the future, God. That you can move across this land once again.

I believe God wants to speak to your hearts this morning. To encourage your heart of just where we're at here today, this morning in this service. Amen. You know, I offered the Word of God, especially the Gospels.

As I've studied the Word over the years, and I don't claim to be a Bible student of the Word of God. I need to obviously be much more of a Bible student. But as I've studied the Word of God, I realized that especially when you follow Christ in the Bibles.

He walked along the shores of Galilee. As he walked around Jerusalem. As he walked real close to those disciples. There was always times. And there were appointed times that he was establishing certain principles in the Word of God.

Principles, the foundations of our very salvation. The foundations that we would build upon. That would position us in this hour right here. Matthew 16. And just to establish one of those. In Matthew chapter 16, he was in Caesarea Philippi.

You don't have to turn around. I'll just share the story real quick. Lay a foundation. But he came there and he asked, whom do men say that I am? And we know what they said. He got to Peter. Peter said, Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Jesus said, Upon this rock I'll build my church. After he said that, he made a statement. He said, From this time forward, he began to teach them how he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders.

And be crucified, but be raised again the third day. That was the first time that he would mention the cross. It was of utmost importance. Right there. At that particular time. It wasn't by half a chance.

But everything was establishing the kingdom of God. It was that particular time. When the revelation had come by the Father to Peter that he was the Son of God. At that point in time, he must establish that cross.

And so there was a principle established there that he began to teach them how he should suffer many things and go to Jerusalem. That was the teaching of the cross of Calvary. It started right there in Matthew 16.

But there's something profound about that. Every time I've studied the word of God. Every time he, Christ, would mention that cross. He never talked about that cross apart from resurrection life. Every time.

He was establishing the principle to his children. You follow me. You pick up that cross. You deny yourself. You come after me. And no matter where you go. If you deny any and everything in your heart and in your life that will oppose this kingdom that I'm endeavoring to build in your life.

You may see all these things in your heart and your life that may oppose me. But I will absolutely bring death to everything in your life. And I will make you better. I'll bring the resurrection life of Jesus Christ for you.

Jesus’ Mission to Establish the Kingdom Through the Cross

Many principles. Many principles established in the word of God. Matthew chapter 14. Father, I thank you for the word this morning. God, you desire to speak to our hearts. I believe you've laid this on my heart, God.

You desire to speak to this congregation today, God. These men, these women that have gathered here, God. That believe you for a mighty move of the spirit of God. Lord, we've not come together today, God, for another meeting, God.

More prayer meetings, God. Another sermon. But God, we're here on a mission today, God. And I believe that you're here on a mission today, God. You're here to establish the kingdom of God in our hearts and our lives, God.

That we may go forth in this land, God. Across this land, God. And your spirit may be free to move, God. And touch hearts and lives once again. That we may see that true revival, God. That true revival across this land, Father.

We give you all the praise in Jesus' name. Amen. Matthew chapter 14. Let's begin reading with verse 22. Very familiar story here, but there's a tremendous principle, I believe, that God wants to speak to our hearts.

Matthew chapter 14. Verse 22. In a straight way, Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship. And to go before him unto the other side. While he sent the multitudes away. I'm going to read that again.

In a straight way. It means immediately. Something had happened here. Something had happened in the spirit. We're here again. There's a principle that's being established that I believe is relevant to these hours that we're living in right now.

To the last day. Straight way. Immediately. Something had happened in the spirit. Jesus constrained. He urged his disciples to get into a ship. And to go before him unto the other side. While he sent the multitudes away.

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up to a mountain apart to pray. And when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves. For the wind was contrary.

And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, it is a spirit. And they cried out for fear.

But, straight way. Jesus spake unto them, saying, be of a good cheer. It is I. Be of a good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid. And I believe the Lord wants to make something very real to us here this morning.

Of exactly what I believe he's endeavoring to do. As we hear Pastor Clendenin preach the word of God. And we hear these great truths come forth. And we realize the importance of establishing these truths in our lives.

Not just head knowledge. Or not just something we can espouse back out. But that that works into our hearts and our lives. That we can walk out the very truth. That we become the truth that we hear. That we become these living epistles that we hear through the word of God.

There's something taking place here in this story. There's a profound something that God is moving through his Son. Christ never did anything we know, say, the heard or see the Father do it first. So the Father is speaking to the Son.

Something must be established right here that I believe will speak to us in these last days. Jesus did not walk on the water this day to prove that he could. Now I know when I say that you say, oh that's right preacher we understand.

But get that in your hearts and in your spirit. Jesus Christ did not walk on that water that day to prove that he could. He never did anything to simply impress man. He never once, not any minute, he could have stacked a million elephants on top of the head of a pen.

If God the Father had said do it. But he never did anything to flaunt his power before men. Everything Christ did was for a reason, a divine reason. Jesus walked on that water that day because he was on a mission to establish the kingdom of God.

He walked on that water today just like he can walk on our water today if he so chooses, if God would so lead him. He's walking on our water in our everyday situations to establish the kingdom of God.

Now I say that something stirs in my heart. I remember where I came from. I remember being lost. I remember the spirit of God dealing me year, month after month, month after month. God positioning me, bringing conviction.

But it didn't mean I had repented yet. He was positioning me to bring me to a place of repentance. And when I truly cried out that Sunday morning in the overflow of a Baptist church, praise God, the second Sunday of 1979, my life to be sitting right beside of me.

When I stood up that day I was born again, praise God. But why did I get saved? Because Jesus Christ simply needed another vessel that he could establish his kingdom within. Nothing of me, nothing I came to offer and you're here today truly born again.

He desires to establish the kingdom of God in our hearts and in our lives. That's why he walked on the water that day. He was making a clear statement when he walked on that water and we see it in verse 25.

Very simple. In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them walking on the sea. Jesus went unto them. He walked on that water for one reason, to establish that kingdom. But he had to get to those men.

There was something that was happening in the spirit world and Jesus Christ said, I will get to those men. I will respond to their cry. I will reach out to them. I believe he'll do that again in this land.

Praise God. As we truly cry out, I believe he will come again. He walked on that water that day simply to come to those men. He was establishing the principle that nothing could stop him from coming to those in his kingdom that would respond to him in childlike obedience.

Don't take for granted when God the Holy Ghost speaks to your heart to go here or do this or not to do this. Don't take for granted that God in his infinite wisdom is establishing something not only in your life, but there's somebody out there in the shadows.

Praise God. That needs that light. That needs the truth of the word of God. And he's establishing something in your heart and in your life to go forth in this last day. He was establishing this principle.

And you that respond to the word of God, you respond to the will of God for your life. You come this week. You were here last night. You came this morning to pray. You walk before God and stop God. His desire is to see a heart that is responding to him.

And when he sees you respond, oh, there's not enough demons in hell. There's not enough powers in hell to stop him from responding to those that will cry out in childlike obedience. This boat full of disciples.

This boat full of disciples responded to him. He told them to go to the other side. And they were simply doing just that. I said they were simply doing just that. They were going to the other side. Get back in your spirit.

There's things that God is going to speak to you in the next few days as you leave these meetings. If you've come to hear the word of God, if you've had your heart open, God's going to speak to your heart.

Let me tell you, when he points you in that direction, you have one purpose. That's to go in that direction. You may not have a great plan, as our pastor says, but you know what God said. You may not know about tomorrow, but you know where you're at today.

You're in the will of God. You're in the will of God. And he says go, you're going, praise God. That's exactly what they were doing. They were going to the other side because Jesus Christ had said go to the other side.

It's more than Jesus just walking on the water. This is Christ responding to frail, flawed, weak humanity. They didn't realize just who Christ was here. They didn't really know him. They were frail. They were flawed.

Jesus is taking the foolish things and molding it now. He's taking the foolish things to confirm the wisdom of the wise. He's beginning a molding process. These few disciples of this vote didn't look like very much today, but Christ knew.

He saw the future, praise God. He saw the day of Pentecost, hallelujah. He realized he was about to go to Calvary, but God the Father was going to raise him from the dead. He would go back to the Father and pull out the Holy Ghost, but he wasn't born on Jerusalem.

There had to be some vessels in that house, praise God. And right here, right now, he's preparing those vessels for the day of Pentecost. He's preparing you here this week for something greater than yourself.

Something outside of yourself, praise God. He's preparing you for it this week. He's responding to flawed, frail, weak humanity. Now that's not an out for us to walk around and say, oh, we're weak, God.

We're frail. We know that. We understand that. We don't walk around complaining about our frailness or weakness, but we acknowledge it for one reason. That it brings us to a place of absolute dependence on a God that is determined to move in these last days.

Jesus Christ is establishing his kingdom now through the foolish things. These men that were fearful, verse 26 says, they were fearful. They were troubled, saying, it is a spirit. They cried out for fear.

They weren't even sure who he was. They were fearful, but Jesus came to them. I said Christ came to them. Because he saw beyond their uncertainties. Oh, I thank God he's seen beyond my uncertainties. I thank God he's seen beyond my uncertainties.

He saw beyond their fear. He heard a cry deeper than that of fear. I said he heard a cry deeper than that of fear. He heard a cry and saw hearts that could be enlarged with grace. He saw the possibility.

He loves the sound of the word, impossible. I said he loves the sound of the word, impossible. And it looked very impossible. These frail, flawed, boat-full disciples to the world and to most of the religious world, it looked impossible.

But Jesus loves the sound of the word, impossible. And he heard a cry. I said he heard a cry. If he'll hear a cry this week, past our religiosity, past our churchism, past what we're supposed to do when we come to these meetings.

If he'll hear a cry, like I believe I heard from my brother this morning. If he'll hear a cry, he will respond to that cry, praise God. And he will come to his disciples one more time. Hallelujah. He came on the water.

He came on that water that day. So they would know that nothing, nothing would hinder him from responding to them. You think about it. There's a water between them, a sea between them and that mountaintop where he's praying.

And Jesus Christ said, these are my disciples. These are those few. I must establish a principle in their hearts and their lives. Or they would fail him miserably just days later. Or they would, but it would come back, praise God.

Or they no longer knew him by the flesh, but would know him by the spirit. Every one of these scriptures would stand up, praise God. Hallelujah. They remember every last one of them. He walked on that water to get to those.

That he would establish that principle that nothing, listen to me, listen to this. It's very simple. That nothing can hinder him from responding to those that are walking in absolute obedience in the will of God.

There's not enough demons in hell. There's not enough false doctrine being preached today. There's not enough apostasy being preached today to stop him from coming to us if we'll cry out. If we'll cry out.

I think sometimes, and I may be as guilty as any of you, we get our minds and our eyes on all the apostasy. Yes, we need to discern the times. We get our eyes on this and our eyes on that. And we fail to realize his eyes are on it.

He's praying for us, praise God. He's praying for the true church. I believe we need to get our eyes back on Jesus Christ. Leave all that to him. Be of the spirit of God. Walk where we ought to walk, praise God.

He'll raise us up, hallelujah, to a degree where we can see the glory of God once again in our lives and our land. He couldn't be hindered. But why would he choose to come to these? Why would Jesus Christ choose to come to these few disciples this day?

Especially choosing to walk on the water. Why would he make it a point to come to these few men, these few disciples? If we go back and look at this particular time of his ministry, there was something happening in his ministry.

He was coming to a place. He realized the hatred they had for him. And Father was bringing him to a place in his ministry again that he would establish the principles that I believe are very relevant for this last hour, for this meeting right here.

I believe that with all my heart. Jesus had come to a place in his ministry where he had made a circle. He had ministered to different people in different places. And that circle brought him back to the mountain to pray and to send those disciples to the other side.

He had just gone into his own country. In a circle of events that would bring him here to what we just read in Matthew 14 on the mountain praying, walking across the water with these disciples. In a circle of events that would bring him here walking on the water, Jesus would respond or would see the response that many had toward his kingdom.

Familiarity, Unbelief, and the Rejection of Christ

He saw the response. He sees the response today that men have toward truth. But not one jot or one tittle of that truth will falter around. Every last truth that's been established irrespective of men's response to that truth, irrespective of the apostasy, those truths will hold true in this last day.

They will stand true awaiting those that are one to them and embrace them with all their hearts. So Christ here had made a circle. And he saw how men had responded to those truths to him, the person of Christ.

And these disciples would be the only ones in this circle, the only ones, that would allow him to truly come to them, him the person. The only one that he would minister to in this circle of events. They were the only ones that would allow him the person to come to them.

I think about it many times. How much do we really allow the person of Christ? We get caught up in all the rhetoric. We know all the language of religiosity. We know all the language of Pentecost. We know when the hallelujah has been said, the amen, the shout.

We've got it all down. We've done it so many times. We know exactly when and how to do it. But Christ was not looking that. He was looking those that would respond to him. They had a heart for the person of Jesus Christ.

They desired to glorify this man in their frailty before Pentecost. They had a desire to honor this man in all that they knew. He was looking for those that would respond to him. I believe with all my heart, thank God for these prayer meetings.

Oh, I hate to be late for church. You've got to be in these prayer meetings. You've got to be here. Yes, sir. You need to have that kind of integrity. You ought to be in the house of God. But my God, when we come, we ought to be on a search, sir.

We ought to be on a search for this man, Jesus Christ. We've got to want this man with all of our hearts, soul, mind, and body. Not just his truths. Not just his blessings. But we've got to find this man in our hearts and our lives.

He was looking that. He was desiring that. There was a burning desire in his heart to find those that would respond to him, the person of Jesus Christ. And these disciples in this circle of events were the only ones that would respond.

Coming to them. Coming to them across that water as he established the kingdom of God. I believe this boat full of disciples, this boat full of disciples to be atop of the church of Revelation chapter 3, that he said had a little strength, just a little strength, but they kept my word.

And that word always means character. They've kept my character. They've allowed me, the Holy Ghost, to do a work in their lives, to mold and make them into the image of Christ. I prevailed in prayer while Paul said to Christ, be formed in you.

That allowed the spirit of God to develop the character and the nature of Christ in their hearts and their lives. They didn't have much strength, but they had the character of Christ. They didn't look like very much, but they had the character and the very heart of Christ in their lives.

Little strength. He said, I will keep these from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth. I believe this boat full of disciples represents this last day church.

Those last day Philadelphians that have a little bit of strength, praise God, but they've got something beyond strength. They've got Him, praise God. They've got Him. They've tapped into Him. They've touched His heart.

They've communed. They've communed. There's a strange word in most houses today in the church house, communion and intimacy. Most places when you preach and you talk about communion and intimacy, people say that's right.

They look at you, they know the definition. But very few walk in true communion with God. But those are the ones in this last hour I am convinced that He will pour His Spirit out through. Those that walk with God, that know Him in the depths of their heart.

I'm not talking about ministry. I'm not talking about how many got saved. I'm not talking about how many got baptized in the Holy Ghost. I'm talking about that communion where God the Father, Jesus Christ had come off that path like He did in the Gospels.

And walked up to your front doorsteps. He don't have to knock. He just opens the door and comes in the house of Bethany. And He sits down, praise God. And there's a Martha. And there's a Mary. And there's a Lazarus.

Hallelujah. That He can commune with and fellowship with. That's what He's looking in this story here. And that's what He's looking this week in this house. So picture this very hour we live. When we in this generation will be in the midst of the storms that are about to come upon this nation and the world.

The storms that are already here. The storms that we see. It's the top of the church right now in the midst of the storm that we see. And I believe there's a principle here that Jesus established for those who would walk in obedience in the midst of the storm.

Those whose hearts were after Him. That nothing can hinder His coming to the obedient. Nothing. So let's look at those that Jesus Christ would encounter here. Before He went to this mountain to pray. Let's see those that He would reach out to.

Those that He would truly reach out to and endeavor to bring them into that circle. To bring them to that place of communion. Just like He's reaching out here this morning. Just like He reached out last night through the Word of God.

He was reaching out last night. That you take on the life of another. That you assume the ministry. Not my ministry. But the ministry of Jesus Christ. You assume that ministry. Praise God. He's reaching out to you and I here.

I've been saved 30 years next month. But I know God the Holy Ghost is reaching out to me. He says, Son, I'm glad where you've been. But I've got ground you've not walked on. I've got places in the Spirit you know nothing about.

You may think you do. But I'll share with you. You know nothing about it. And He'll bring you to places. He'll make a broader place. As I allow Him to do a work in my heart and in my life. Jesus encounters those in that circle just like He is in this last time.

We see the circle of encounter began in His own country, Nazareth. And all this is one story here. In Nazareth chapter 13. If you'll just read with me. Just let me read a few scriptures here. If you want to read along you can.

You can just listen. It's fine. He began this circle in His own country. Chapter 13 verse 54. And He was coming to His own country. He taught them in their synagogue. In so much that they were astonished and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom in these mighty works?

Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren James and Douglas and Simon and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

And they were offended in Him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor. Saving His own country and His own house. And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. He could not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Here in His own country. In His own country those that should have known Him. Those that had seen Him more often possibly than anyone. Those that had been to more services. Had preached more messages.

Had been in more prayer meetings. That should have really understood who He was. Those of His own country. Those that said we know who this is. This is Joseph's son. This is the carpenter. We know his sisters.

We know his brothers. We know who this man is. How does he do these mighty works and miracles? We know who he is. But here in His own country the people had become familiar with Him. Familiar. They had become too familiar with Him.

They knew how to do ministry. They knew how to respond to certain things that He would expect. And they did it out of rote. They did it out of a habit. Instead of communion and intimacy. They had become familiar with Him.

And the familiarity had filled them with unbelief. When you become too familiar with God. When we become too familiar with the Word of God. Too familiar with our sermons and our choirs and all these things.

We do even the outreaches. We go out on the streets. Thank God for all that. But when we become too familiar with those things. And it's not fresh. It's not totally dependent upon the Spirit of God. It becomes might.

It becomes power. It becomes energy. It becomes that push that a preacher feels sometimes. And we've all been there as preachers. When we get before men. We feel like we've got to push. And it's not God.

It's not the Holy Ghost. It's us. Yes sir. When you start to walk down that road. If God the Holy Ghost can't check you. You'll become familiar. And unbelief will begin to fill your heart. Unbelief. We'll start walking our own strength.

Our own understanding. And because we've got a good track record of good works. We'll start to lean back upon those. Look at what we did. What we could have done. All the things that God has allowed to happen through our lives.

And unfamiliarity will settle in. And unbelief. And He cannot do many mighty works because of unbelief. Familiarity. The word familiar simply means knowledge that's gained through the senses. Knowledge gained through the senses.

Through the senses. These were offended in Him. They had no experiential knowledge. They had not allowed Him to truly deal with their hearts. In the cool of the day. In the north or the south wind or the sun of the sun to blow.

They had not allowed that north wind to blow. They always liked the south wind. But the north wind. They would complain. They would murmur. They wouldn't see that the north wind has to blow. The north winter must come for spring to come.

There is no spring apart from the winter. And they've grown familiar. They had no experiential knowledge. The word knowledge that we hear taught. They knew nothing about Him. It was learning. It was education.

It was things they saw. Things they were familiar with. But they didn't know Him the person. Then it says they were offended in Him. They were offended in Him. They were bothered at the things that He did.

And they were bothered at the things that He expected. When you become familiar with Christ. When it's no longer a real experiential knowledge. When it's no longer an intimacy and communion. I'm not saying that we don't say all the right words.

But when it's no longer. When heaven does not bear witness in our lives. That it's a true intimacy. A freshness. A communion. Somewhere down that path. You will get offended in what God expects of you.

He won't like it. He'll require things of you that you swear to God. You may not say it out of your mouth. But heaven will bear witness to things that you're not willing to give up to Him. You'll be offended at the things that He says.

The things that He expects. And Jesus will leave His own country. Being rejected by those who should have known Him best. Does it? That's why we stand here today in England. In Europe. Because of those that should have known Him.

Rejected Him. They had the intimacy. They had the communion. My Lord. I was there yesterday at George's funeral. And the orphanages. And I look. And all the great history that's here. There were great men of God that knew Him.