Nate Staton

Failure and abandonment, two frequent and unwanted visitors these days it feels. Thankfully, God says He is neither of that. That’s a breath of fresh air. He says “I won’t fail you, I won’t abandon you.” While I currently may live in a time where church family and friends seem to be dipping out at a record pace (not whining, actually looking in the mirror at me more as opposed to looking at others. People may go, but I want to GROW from the pain, it cry about it), this truth gives me more confidence in the hope that is the anchor for my soul. JESUS. And not just my souls, but for every Christ lover and follower out there.

What God says He means. And what He means He makes manifest in His peoples lives. Those are the words to focus on. This is the presence to rely on. This is the love that never fails and never ends.

In Christ there is anointing. In culture and clicks there is momentary and irrelevant affirmation which ultimately can lead to the very real soul punch feeling of abandonment. I’ll choose anointing over abandonment.

I admire the stubborn resilience of the Ukrainian people who are staying back not not fleeing, but fighting.

Church, take note of their courage. If we only fought for the kingdom and unity as intensely instead of packing our bags like primadonna priests every time things get hard and head the to the place of worship that will scratch our ears or run to the people who will falsely affirm that which Christ has called to be crucified in Him.

This goes for us pastors too. FIGHT the good fight! Fear God, not man. We’ve forgotten to fight for the kingdom from a place of victory and so many walk around pouting when the devil attacks. WAKE UP and MATURE UP believers.

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

-1 Peter 1:13 KJV ( perhaps the only time I’ll use this translation).

It’s fight or flight season. Has been for the past two years. Gird em up. ENDURE TILL THE END!

Peace and holiness, both seem out of reach from time to time. Peace seems so momentarily elusive. It is felt for the moment and then, boom. It’s attacked upon by the enemy and his agents. Holiness seems the same way. The more I experience the more I empathize and confess in prayer Paul’s words from Roman’s 7:15 “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”

Thankfully feelings and my inability to understand “things” are the the anchor of the soul. Jesus is. Jesus’ heart trumps all else. Jesus has empowered me to do that which He calls me to do in His Word.

So when His Word calls me to strive for peace with everyone, I have strength and power in Holy Spirit to do so. I have the freedom to seek empowerment and anointing during tough times not an excuse to get away with avoiding obedience to the Lover of my soul.

When seeking holiness I need not rely on my good works or lack there of, but to rest and rely exclusively on His finished redemptive and reconciling sacrifice on the cross.

So while there may be momentary struggles, there is eternal hope in Christ. And He who started this good work will surely finish it. In Christ alone my hope is found.

Amnesia: severe forgetfulness.

Christian Amnesia: severe and deliberate disobedience and discord with the Lord. Professing our love to Him on Sunday and on social media platforms, then prostituting ourselves to the orgies of Babylon the other days of the week and pretending that God endorses that life.

Be doers of the Word, that is God’s will for our lives. That His dwelling in my heart would lead to me moving and doing His Word with my hands and feet. This is one of the most black and white scriptures there is. No, I don’t mean racially. If your mind went there, you are too woke and incredibly lost. I’m talking about the deep crystal clarity that this verse speaks.

If we do the Word, we are His. We are His because He has written His word on our hearts, and our hearts now beat for Him (Hebrews 10:16). If we do the opposite, then we are deceiving ourselves. We are living His Word because He has given us a NEW LIFE.

If I hear His Word, but deliberately don’t “do” it, I’m lacking the victorious “verb” in my life. A verb is an action word. And if I have a verb issue it’s because I have a victory issue. Jesus came to redeem that.

If I’m struggling living the Word, I need to run to the Father and ask for VICTORY in Jesus. In Him and through Him only will I be able to DO HIS WORD.

Be one who does the Word and dwells in His presence. Don’t be one who dupes others, and most dangerously, dupes yourself.

There is a war at hand. It’s been going on for thousands of years. This is the great unspoken war of the spiritual.

People wake up, read their Bible app, listen to their Ted Talk or podcast, and feel armored up for the day. Yikes. What a terrifying reality.

The church has been given the most powerful arsenal and battle equipment, yet, when it’s time to fight the good fight she is silent, unarmed, and disinterested in the battle.

This war requires and demands for the warriors of the Kingdom of Light to FIGHT the Kingdom of darkness. Dear “ Christian” if you won’t fight, then go home. Stay home. If you won’t jump into battle because you have far too much too lose in the flesh, then go home.

Your cowardice and selfishness might spread to the rest of the troops. Just as Levitical priests would check the house for lepers to prevent transmission of disease, so to must the generals, captains, etc, of the LORD’s army do today in their encampments.

Keep the flock ready to fight darkness!

This verse hit me hard today. I was walking around the neighborhood spending time listening to the Bible and praying and this verse came to my ears.

If there was ever a time for the people of God to cry out to Him and ask Him to confuse the language of the enemy, it certainly seems like now. The enemy seems to have such a strong communication stronghold in the secular and even in the midst of the people of God.

There is a great need for divine confusion. Lord, confuse the language of the enemy, consecrate the ears, hearts, and minds of your Beloved.

Starting tomorrow, we will be seeking the LORD through a church wide fast. We typically do this every year as an offering of worship of giving the LORD the first fruits of our year, but, also to use this as a time to make sure we are calibrated in a healthy relationship with God and with others.

We handed out Fasting Guides today at worship for this corporate pursuit of God. This is nothing wild or crazy, nor is it religious list without prayer to lord over His people.. This is simply a fasting guide. Giving a daily focus on what we are fasting for as the body of Anothen. Feel free to expand your fast and follow Holy Spirit as He leads you.

I am excited to see how we grow closer to God and each other as we fast to increase our Priesthood. I believe that we are in covenant community for such a time as this, and am excited to see the LORD open heaven over His children.

PN

In case you missed worship today, or you were not able to grab a fasting guide as you left today, here is a downloadable document. There will be more to pick up for this Sunday’s worship when we meet again. Until then, feel free to use this!

I was blessed to grow under our Care Pastor’s sermon today at worship. He preached from a portion of John 15.

V.12- Love has a par and standard. Jesus’ love is the only acceptable measurement and manifestation of love that we are called to give towards one another.

V.10- This love is accessible and absorbable when abiding in Christ. In order to dispense this love I must be in the delivery source.

V.12 – Love is not optional, it’s a worshipful act of obedience

– There is joy in obedience when abiding in Christ.

Thankful to receive the Word of God that was prepared for the House of Anothen today.

I get to listen to a sermon tomorrow. I really enjoy listening to sermons. I love to hear the Word of God declared and decreed all around me. I don’t care if they are 70 in a suit in tie or 20 with a scarf and skinny jeans, I just want the messenger to give the WORD.

The Bride of Christ so desperately needs the WORD. She has banked on the charisma of salesmen in the pulpit and pimps to preach with a passion that doesn’t match the lifestyle outside of their 45 minute impartation. She’s malnourished, hungry, and doesn’t even know it. She wonders why the church is falling apart and generations are selling their souls to idols of this world. The answer is so obvious.

“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.”

-2 Timothy 4:3; Paul

Tomorrow, we have a chance to be taught if we get over our urge to be tickled. And yes, I need to be taught. Yes, you need to be taught. Holy Spirit has anointed men to proclaim the Word and shepherd the people of God with that Word.

If this generation does not repent of its itching desires, there will be nothing but a few for Jesus to return to. God is calling us to intimacy with Him if we would just repent of our whorish itching.

I have an opportunity tomorrow to grow in intimacy with the God of the universe. Will I listen? It will I follow my itching?