Series: Other Speakers
Sun am 5th May 2013 – Gustavo Lara (Argentina)
Luke 18:1-8; 1 Tim. 4:1; Judges 8:22-23; Hos. 10:1; Hos. 10-12; Matt. 5:6;
(Rom 6); (Gal. 3:11); (Hab. 2:4); (Heb. 10:38); (Isa 61:3); (Acts 13:36)
The Bible tells us that God manifest Himself in certain places and makes appointments in certain places. God deeply loves South Africa, and all of Africa. All creation has a heavenly plan, it has one eternal purpose and everything in creation is aligned to this purpose. God is doing something in South Africa, in this city. There is something in this land that is attracting God’s glory. God has an eternal plan and we need to come out of our own plans and align ourselves to His plan. This will give purpose to our lives.
Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8). This parable starts with the need of prayer and finally speaks about the end time. Three things are connected here: prayer, righteousness and faith. We need to restore faith in our generation. Unrighteousness weakens faith.
“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1). We ask ourselves: how could deceitful spirits be stronger than the truth? Truth has strength when it is lived out, not only written. If our nations are losing their faith we need to ask questions: Are we living the truth? Are our lives inspiring the faith of others? When people saw Jesus they started to have faith not only because of His word but because He lived out His word.
The Church must rise up as a servant of righteousness. If there is unrighteousness in the congregation of the saints, the world loses their faith. If the Church practices righteousness the world’s faith will be restored. Many are looking for revival that is just a show. We do not need to put on a show to be admired by the world. We need a revival that brings a restoration of His righteousness in the church. We need a world that believes in God because of the righteousness they see among the people of God. Righteousness and faith are always connected. The just will live by faith (Gal. 3:11; Hab. 2:4; Heb. 10:38).
There is a worldwide cry for justice. It is the strongest cry all over the world. Unconsciously that cry is the search for God’s kingdom but the world wants justice without God. The quest at all times is for justice but the question is: are you righteous? (Are you doing the right things).
An apostolic ministry’s aim is not preaching but rather to make people understand. They are builders. Luke 18 speaks about the end times where there will be a search for justice. All over the world there is a search for justice. He knows the times of man and He sends His answer through people with a sign from heaven. He will raise men that will respond to the crises of their times. He raises the right man to govern at that moment in time. For Israel’s deliverance God raised Moses, a liberator; not a Solomon who governed in times of peace. Just like in the days of Joseph, there was a need for an administrator, and Joseph responded to the crisis of that nation. In every circumstance God will send men with a sign that will correspond to what they need to govern. You and I have the sign that corresponds to what we need to govern, not only in the political sense, but to govern and to establish God’s atmosphere wherever we are. We have been assigned to bring healing where there is illness, restoration and light where there is darkness. We need to establish the light of God wherever we are, wherever we go. God put us here to guide, direct, to serve people not rule the people. God is the only one who rules. Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you” (Judges 8:22-23). When Israel cried out for deliverance, God sent them a liberator. God brings key people who manifest His glory in every circumstance. For every crisis at every time He would bring a specific person for the task.
What is the greatest crisis of our generation? How could we define it in a word? It is unrighteousness. The greatest danger is that the Church does not understand is that it is what the world needs. Our generation cries for justice/righteousness. It starts in the centre of the family/home, moves to the church and then to all society. It is a process. “Israel is a luxuriant vine; He produces fruit for himself. The more his fruit, The more altars he made; The richer his land, The better he made the sacred pillars” (Hos. 10:1). Israel was a seed when God took it from Egypt to be planted in Canaan. After years that seed became a big tree. They forgot God. Every form of prosperity that is not used for God’s glory is like a tree that will be cut. “Sow with a view to righteousness. Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord Until He comes to rain righteousness on you” (Hos. 10:12). Righteousness is a personal virtue with corporate benefits. The benefits of righteousness are for all around us. God is saying that what He is doing with us is not just because of us, it is because of the people we are going to touch. Righteousness is about whatever God is investing/doing in us, someone will be blessed by it. This household is made of many nations. God has invested here to bless many nations.
This can only start by a seed of righteousness (Isa. 63). What is the purpose of a tree? It is the fruit. Every tree that does not bear fruit will be cut off. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matt. 5:6). Our generation hungers for righteousness. How are they going to get it? It is by eating the fruit of the tree. This generation do not need to fight against Goliath or pray to God to deliver us from Goliath. God is waiting for someone who will express His righteousness. We need to respond to the call to go and express His righteousness. This generation will not make God responsible for the crisis or the state of the world. The world is in the state it is in because of us, not because of God. We need to say: I am the expression of His righteousness. Each of us has the fruit of His righteousness. We are His instrument of righteousness; we need to serve our generation just like David (Acts 13:36).