Following The “Real” Jesus

Following The “Real” Jesus

by Pastor Roy Esposito

The “Wilderness Time” is not only inevitable for all people but for Christians — Necessary!

The wilderness and worship serve the same purpose: to create unbroken fellowship with God.

Midbar -(Heb.)  the place of His voice

Psalms 84:5-7   — Baca — “Weeping”

Hebrews 11:1  — Substance — “Realization”   —-   Evidence –“Confidence”

1 Corinthians 12:9  — Faith — a gift of the Spirit

Hebrews 12:2 (Passion)  —  Jesus — Author and Finisher of faith

Galatians 2:20  —  living from the faith OF the Son of God

For faith to be perfected it must be tested.  — PR

James 1:2-4  (NKJV)

Hebrews 11:3

“Only those who can see the invisible can do the impossible.”

Peace —  (Hebrew)  — Shalom — rest, harmony and wholeness

Peace  — (Greek) — Eirene  —  calmness,perfect well being

Questions:

1. Do I know the “Real Jesus” or is He just an illusion created by my mind?

2. Do I understand the gift He wants to give me?

3. Have I been looking for Him to protect me or to perfect me?

2 Corinthians 5:17  — a new creation in Christ

Revelation 1: 13-18 (Passion)

Romans 5:1-4 (Passion)

Surviving The Blessing

Surviving the Blessing

By Pastor Roy Esposito

The “Wilderness”  — Midbar (Hebrew) from root Davar  — to speak -“The place of His voice”

  —  “When God speaks, He creates stuff and it becomes what He speaks!”  – PR

Leviticus 19:2 — A decree 

Sa-tan -(Hebrew) the inclination towards evil

John 10;10 — “The thief”

John 19:30 — “It’s finished!”

1 John 3:16 — “Lust”

1 Corinthians 10:13 (Passion)

Worship — Our hearts changed, and our minds renewed.

Numbers Chapters 9&10 — 1. deliverance from bondage 2. 10 plagues sent by God  3. Released with treasures 4. The Red Sea parted 5. GPS Cloud / Pillar of Fire   6. Going to the Promised Land

Sinai — “My Thorns”  ———–  Paran  –“Beautifying” 

1 Corinthians 2:9

Three Ways of Knowing

1. Perceptual Knowledge  — Observation and sense experience  (Eye, Ear)

2. Conceptual Knowledge — Reason and intellectual inquiry  (Heart, Mind)

3. Spiritual Knowledge   —  Through love and moral and personal affinity  — vs 10

Purpose For Wilderness Time

1. Develop trust, faith, love, humility, and dependence on God

2. Become a habitation for the Lord

3. To be separated from our lusts.

2 Peter 1:3-4 (Passion)

2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV)

The Goal of both the Wilderness and Worship:

                     To restore us to an “unbroken gaze” / unbroken fellowship with God.

Psalms 78:1,4, 7-8,22,29

Numbers 11:29-32

Kibroth-Hattaavah — “The Graves of Lust”

Hosea 2:14-17

Living In The Perfect Tense

Living In The Perfect Tense

by Pastor Roy Esposito

Peace – (Hebrew) Shalom – a deep sense of wholeness and well-being, clarity of purpose and worth.

John 10:10

Philippians 4:7 – Peace that contains with it a transformative ability for the mind to perceive reality from God’s perspective  —  which is PERFECT.

Perfect Tense – Action that is finished thus complete and PERFECT

Imperfect Tense – Action that’s unfinished thus incomplete – IMPERFECT

Our Salvation through Christ is a PERFECT work from which we can live in victory! – PR

“It is finished!” – John 19:30, Mark 15:37

Leviticus 19:2 – “You shall be holy…”  – a Decree and a Promise, not a command.

Holiness – A state of common – union with God.

Sacrifice – To kill or slaughter for a purpose.

Hebrews 13:15 – We offer a sacrifice of praise through which we kill our pride or our fears or anything that hinders our worship of God.

Psalm 22:3 – God inhabits the praises of His people:

  1. We experience fellowship with Him.
  2. In fellowship, we become one with Him.
  3. Our original relationship is restored – we are restored.

John 14:30

The “Wilderness” – (Hebrew) – Midbar – “To Speak” – (root – Davar) – The place of His voice

Sa-Tan (Hebrew) – an inclination toward evil

Isaiah 26:3-4(AMP)

RESTORATION PROMISED

RESTORATION PROMISED

By Pastor Marie Esposito

I will restore to you the years the canker worm has eaten. Joel 2:25-27- the prophetic word about Pentecost- the receiving of Holy Spirit for restoration, empowering and purification. The Holy Fire, the Holy Wind.

Acts 3:21- “for He must remain in heaven  [Jesus] until the restoration of all things has taken place, fulfilling everything that God said long ago through His holy prophets.”

Restoration – all creation returning to how it was before the fall relating to the intimacy Adam and Eve had with God walking in the garden with all their needs met by ONE  Who loved them. And… going on from there

refers to the Davidic covenant being restored- the promise of an eternal lineage

Messianic kingdom without end. 

Jesus fulfilled the law of Moses as Messiah and David was prophesying His coming. 

This tabernacle of David marked a revolutionary change beyond the law of Moses as the Ark of the Covenant now rested in the middle of the people of God on Mt. Zion, in Jerusalem, rather than behind a closed curtain that only the high priest could enter into.

David encouraged the people to worship, give thanks, and praise the Holy God. 

Restoration- [ apokatastasis]  also [ in greek] 

Luke’s use of this term in Acts 3:21 is the only place in the New Testament where the greek is used and the meaning is a medical term that means ‘restoration of perfect health’ 

“The work of the Cross begins the restoration of paradise within the hearts of Christ’s followers.” We can be free from condemnation, legalized religion, and bondage.

Galatians 5:13-16- 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; [to a life of freedom IN THE HOLY SPIRIT] Freedom means that we become so completely free of self-indulgence that we become servants of one another, expressing love in all we do.14 For LOVE COMPLETES THE LAWS OF GOD. DEMONSTRATE LOVE TO YOUR NEIGHBOR! …16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.   “ As you yield freely and fully to the dynamic life and power of Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self-life.

  Repent, receive forgiveness and

RESTORATION will come.

Jesus is“The restorer of paths to dwell in…”Isaiah 58:12 as are we, after we have been restored to Him.

This is The foundation stone of truth that this church at RCF was established on.

Phil 1:6

Psalm 138:8

The FINAL RESTORATION

IS THE RESTORATION

OF THE TRUE CHURCH

Joel 2:12-29

Israel cried out and God answered.

He promised them the former and the latter rain and RESTORATION. Fullness, satisfaction and they were instructed to praise His Name: knowing that HE WAS IN THEIR MIDST

REFRESHING

Jesus told his disciples that everyone who left something to follow him would receive 100 times more. Mark 10:29,30 

RESTORATION PLUS.

Adam and Eve

Noah

Job

Joseph

Joseph’s life is an example of restoration as well.

He was abandoned, falsely accused, forgotten, and then favored and restored to the role God assigned to him. Gen 41:40-45

GOD IS THE RESTORER 

We try to restore ourselves to no avail.

We choose false gods instead of the Living God

We turn to listen to lies instead of His True Spirit

We try to find religious ways of redemption through rituals and works

In Isaiah 58 the Word says to Repent…. And lay aside our ritual fasting to return to practice TRUE FASTING. Let us listen.

Today, we have established the tabernacle of David here. Our worship here at RCF is based on the unconditional love of a Holy God. We discard condemnation, formality, and legalism to direct every soul to come to Him in repentance and receive His abundant Life.

The Restoration of the Father-son, daughter relationship

The restoration of the intimacy of God in personal relationship as Bride to Husband is clearly displayed through Jesus and His Church. He is purifying a spotless bride in the washing of the water by the word that WE be presented to Him without spot or wrinkle and that we would be holy and without blemish. Eph 5:25-27

We are to display more than what has been before. Remember biblical restoration means multiplication and addition.

The church is to display His love in reality.

John 13:34-36 we are to be known by our love. 

The restoration of the church also means the restoration of His power displayed through us. 

Eph 4:12-13-15

Col 1:27 

I Peter 2:5- “Ye also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Built on the Cornerstone.

Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief CORNERSTONE, elect, precious, and He who believes in Him shall never be disappointed or put to shame.”  Isaiah 28:16