Contending for African American History
Acts 17:26-28
26 And hath made of
one blood all nations of
men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before
appointed, and the
bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel
after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
I.
THE DESTINY OF NATIONS
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and
hath determined the times before
appointed, and the
bounds of their habitation; Acts 17:26
A. Diversity
was intentional in the heart of God at creation. He intentionally created various nations
of people all from one blood. The opportune time of these nations and the boundaries of their expansion
was predestined by God. The word nation is ethos
in Greek, which also refers to various ethnic groups.
Then He
said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not
theirs and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 And
also the nation whom they serve I will judge;
afterward, they shall come out with great possessions. 15 Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation,
they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” Gen 15:13-16
Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four
hundred and thirty years.
41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it
came to pass that all the armies of the Lord
went out from the land of Egypt. Exo. 12 40-41; Daniel
2:24-45;
B. God's sovereignty
extends toward nations and various ethnic groups. He determines times and boundaries.
He chooses some for various purposes that others are not chosen for these
purposes. He gifts certain ethnicities in certain ways distinct from others. He
allows seasons for some while others experience different seasons. We must
learn to embrace God's call and choice whether it's nationally or
individually.
II.
GOD'S PURPOSE FOR THE NATIONS IS THAT THEY MIGHT SEEK AFTER
HIM
"...That they should seek the Lord,
if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:" Acts 17:26
A. All of God's dealing
with nations and individuals is to create circumstances in which they would
seek Him. Whether it's His judgment of Egypt or His goodness towards Israel. Whether
it’s His correction towards
America or His restructuring of another nation, they are all for the same
purpose. All of His handling of all nations and people groups is so that men
may seek Him and perhaps find Him.
Now the
Lord said to Moses, “Go into Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of
his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, 2 and that
you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt and My signs which I have done among
them, that you may know that I am theLord.” Exo. 10:1-2; Exo. 14:4;
Then I will
harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over
Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I
am the Lord.” And
they did so. Exo 29:46; Exo 11:7; Rom 9:22-23; Rom 2:4
III.
JESUS IS OUR ANSWER
A. The answer to everything we need
and everything we are looking for is in Christ. Whether it's a nation,
individuals or African American peoples. Our help comes from above. Jesus
is the sum total of our need. All that we are looking for is found in Him,..for
in Him we Live, Move and Have our being.
1. In Him, we Live
Zao - life, behavior, purpose identity). (Highest
Quality of Life)
a.
Eternal Life
As You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should
give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this
is eternal life, that they may know You, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John
17:2-3
Eternal life is quality, quantity as well as status. It's a
realistic dimension in this age and the age to come.
b.
Abundant Life
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more
abundantly.
John
10:10
2. In Him, we move (Highest Expression of Life)
a.
Highest Expression of Life
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right
hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11
b.
Our Purpose is
Found in Him
If you don't know the purpose of a thing, then abuse is inevitable
(Myles Munroe). To understand the
purpose of a thing, you have to go back to the original intent of the Creator.
Our purpose is found in Jesus! All other pursuits outside of Him or for Him are
distractions and deviations of our true purpose. Our true aim is to know Christ
and make Him known through whatever career or sphere of life we choose.
Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace
which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. 2 Timothy 1:9
c.
Our Productivity Comes
from Him
But by the grace of God, I am
what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain,
but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1
Cor. 15:10
I am the
vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without
Me you can do nothing. John 15:5
3. Have our being (Highest Identity in Life)
a. Our identity must be in Him
For as many
of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor
female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal
3:28
I will walk
among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. Lev 26:12; Jer 7:23; Jer 11:4;
Jer 30:22; Ezekiel 36:28.
IV. HOW MUST WE SEEK JESUS
1.
We must
Seek the Lord Intimately
Intimacy Must be our consistent goal. We should not just seek the
Lord religiously or cerebrally—we must seek Him for and in
intimacy. The first and greatest commandment demands it.
Teacher,
which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love
the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’38 This
is the first and great commandment. Matthew 22:36-37
a.
Jesus must be our reward
After these
things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great
reward.” Gen 15:1
b.
We must not forsake
intimacy
Moreover
the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I remember you,
The kindness of your youth, The
love of your betrothal, When you went after Me in the wilderness, In a land not sown. 3 Israel was holiness to the Lord, The firstfruits of His
increase...5 Thus says the Lord: “What
injustice have your fathers found in Me, That
they have gone far from Me, Have followed idols, And have become idolaters? 6 Neither did they say, ‘Where is the Lord, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness,Through a land of deserts
and pits, Through a land of drought and the shadow of death, Through a
land that no one crossed And where no one dwelt?’...
10 For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and see, Send to Kedar and consider diligently, And see if there has been such
a thing. 11 Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit.
12 Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be
horribly afraid; Be very desolate,”
says the Lord. 13 “For My
people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.
Whom have I
in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. Ps
73:25
2. We must seek The Lord Redemptively –
We must cry out for the redemption of our ethos. There are several things God has placed in the culture and experience of African Americans we must
press into redemptively:
a.
Affinity towards
spirituality (Holy Spirit)
b.
Orientation towards Justice
c.
Proven Endurance
d.
Rhythmic and musical
orientation
e.
Diligence and superior work
ethic
3. We must seek the Lord Urgently
“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for
their master when he will return from the
wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
37 Blessed are those servants whom the master when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you
that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and
serve them. 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in
the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 But
know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief
would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken
into. 40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you
do not expect.” Luke 12:35-40
V.
IS CONFERENCE IS DESIGNED TO MOVE US TOWARDS DESTINY
This conference is designed to call all believers but especially
those in the Black Community to STAND in three primary areas. Our
Aim is to motivate all to pursue prayer,
embrace a prophetic perspective and
move forward with practical application toward
increased Kingdom Impact. We will share topics such as:
A.
Prayer
1.
Contending for the
Habitation of the Lord – Psalm 132
2.
God enjoying is in our
weakness
3.
The necessity of the
knowledge of God Jn17:26
4. The centrality of God's word
5.
Singing the word
6.
Prophetic worship
7.
The End Time worship
movement
8. The call to the house of prayer Isa 56:7
B. Prophetic Perspective
1. Knowing times and knowing what to do. 1 Chronicles 12
3. A vision for revival
4. The Glorious Gospel
5 Beauty: The sustaining power of worship
C. Practical Outworking
1. One King: loving Gods purpose for the
Jews
2. How to start and sustain corporate
prayer
3. How to sustain personal prayer
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