The Return of Christ in 2021

That headline got your attention didn't it? 

Will Christ return in the year 2021? 

I don't know, but this makes us ask 2 very important questions to the church. 

1/ Will you be found in faith and ready if He does? 

2/ Will the church do what is required between now and then to bring that about? 

Continue reading to discover what is necessary and how possible it is for Christ to return in 2021.

"They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God." 

~Jesus Luke 13.29

Right from the times of the patriarchs is was apparent that God desired to bring all mankind of every race, tribe and nation into relationship with himself, this mandate of sharing the good news was ultimately passed on to the Hebrew people who held onto the truth of their revelation of God and mostly did not bring the gentiles into relationship with God and therefore the mandate of bringing the nations into the Kingdom of God was given to the church birthed through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit.
As we look around the world today we see that although the gospel has gone forth to some degree into most (but not all) nations, the majority of the church is still sitting in their pews, content to be pious or happy clappy but staying there. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." ~Jesus Matt 24.14
Christ will delay his return and the judgement and the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth until the church has completed its assignment - and then will the end come.


The exciting thing about the day in which we live is that with today's travel and technology capabilities,the size of the church and finances of God's people, it is possible to translate the scriptures into every language on earth, deliver the good news to every ethnic group and establish the kingdom of God in them within the next five years. If only we would get of our comfortable backsides in our comfortable churches where we play religion and have services for our own pleasure and enjoyment and get out there delivering the good news of the gospel to those who have not heard, and persuading those who have avoided the message to listen and compelling those that have rejected it to come in; then the kingdom would be preached to the whole world, and Christs prophecy would be fulfilled, the end would come, judgement day and Christs return and His Kingdom would be established on earth and this prayer answered "thy Kingdom come."

The indictment on the church is that at least since the 1980's we have had everything in place to do this within 5 years. Although there are some that are passionately working for this end, we must conclude that the church generally has failed in its mission in this generation to preach the gospel of the kingdom in the whole world as a testimony to all nations. It falls on a new generation to take up the mandate, build on the strength of the past without taking on the complacencies of the forefathers who allowed apathy, comfort, smugness and sense of security to lull them into inaction.

Will the leaders keep on tickling the ears of their congregations with more personal development or get fired up with the Holy Spirit, prepare Gods people for acts of service and send them forth empowered to complete a mission and fulfil a mandate "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Mark 16.15 

Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions.

For more details or to book Howard for your college, church or event see how to frame an invitation here.

If you would like to assist BFTF in its mission to equipping African and Asian ministers with the word of God to empower their own generation you can donate to BFTF here.

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Why Are You Asking People to Pray For You?

What we find through the history of God dealing with men and then through his chosen race, the Hebrews, that they found that God was too awe-inspiring, too majestic to have any relationship with individuals and so they decided that because he was so awesome and just and powerful and holy and couldn’t be approached because of all of this, and they were so evil and sinful and bad and couldn’t go near to God because he was holy and they were so bad, that they instituted a priesthood, someone who could be touched like they could be, yet was holy enough to approach God.

So the priesthood came and was the means of preventing the people of God from understanding the father heart of God because they said, “I am not holy enough because I have sinned. Therefore I will go to the priest and give him an offering so that he can pray for me to God because I can’t.”

You understand that concept of the Old Testament. Now think about these. That concept is still alive and well in a lot of Christendom. We think that we are not worthy of coming into the presence of God. Therefore we must have someone else to do that for us. One of the things that happens to me very often and still happens to me even when I’m not in a foreign country, they will come and they will say, “Please pray for me for ...” Please pray for my family. Please pray for my children. Please pray for their school. Please pray for my daughter to have a baby. Please pray for this. Please pray for that. Please pray for something else, as though I had somehow got more connection with God than they had.

No, I don't have any more connection to God than the next Christian, I have just realised the connection that I have with my father and they perhaps haven’t realised. You see the connection is that God made us his sons. He made us his sons, therefore he must be our father. If he’s our Father, then we can go to our Father. Now, it’s great that you can pray for somebody because they asked you to pray for them; but we don’t need someone to pray for us. We need to know that we have access ourselves. Amen?

Excerpt from coming book by Howard Sands
Your Kingdom Come


I would love to read your comments below how this message has impacted you.
You can listen to a live recording of this message here.

Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions.

For more details or to book Howard for your college, church or event see how to frame an invitation here.



If you would like to assist BFTF in its mission to equipping African and Asian ministers with the word of God to empower their own generation you can donate to BFTF here.

Your Word is Power

© Howard Sands 2016

Intro
You have the power to do good or to do evil
James 3.3-5 The Tongue has power to create or destroy
It boasts great things
Matt 8.8 Centurion said, speak the word only

A miracle is something that happens outside the natural laws
- we say God did that. 

Today we will see what God says about it. 

1/Speaking Creative Words
I have taken many team trips to India and Africa - we spoke creative words, even before we went we said , we will Go, see 100's saved, healed, Baptised in Holy Spirit, receive revelation.

"What you say is what you get" Jesus said that
Mk 11.22/24 Jesus publicly said, no one eat fruit of you ever again.
When they came back that evening, tree was withered and dried up, Jesus gave them a powerful truth.
Peter says He cursed the fig tree.
He just spoke death to it.
It had to obey him.
We have cursed ourselves and others by the words of our mouth,
“Its getting worse... there is no cure … I have to take this medication for the rest of my life … I'm feeling this cold coming on.”

Stop saying what the devil puts in your mouth and start confessing what God gave you to say.
Because whatever you say – Jesus said you can have.
Jesus said, Have faith in God, or more literally, "Have the God kind of faith."
Jesus explained how it works.
Speak God's words until they become part of you, "...out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
Some people say they can't, they're right.
Some people say they can, they're right.

If you say you can't, you don't, not because you can't but because you won't.
What you say is what you get.

eg. Flight, Sri Lanka to India, we were not allowed to confirm, we said we're going on that plane, plane 10hrs late, finally allowed on, we went.

Phil 4.13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Today you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

If you'll believe it you'll receive it; If you don't, you won't.

2/ Planting the word as seed in you
Today we are going to do some implanting into you, what the word of God says about you.
Today we are going to help you
AVOID STINKIN THINKIN AND HARDENING OF THE ATTITUDES. (Zig Zigler)

IF YOU SAY ABOUT YOU WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU, YOU'LL RECEIVE WHAT HE SAYS YOU'LL RECEIVE BECAUSE HE SAYS SO.
What are you believing
Do you fear, people, circumstances, your inabilities or do you say,
2 Tim 1.7 God has not given to me a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.

What about healing.
Do you believe God will heal you or can heal:
will is definite, can is a maybe.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that healing is the children's bread? 
... that Christ bought your healing on Calvary.

Rom 10.9/10 with the heart man believes unto Righteousness with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Your confession is saving you every day, but what is it saving you into. 

3/ Praying in faith.
Prayer is your legal right to use faith filled words to bring God on the scene on your behalf.

May Mark 11.24 live in you so you know that whatever YOU say, you will have.

Jesus said ask the Father in my name.
I want you you to see this -
Matt 10.33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. NIV
but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. ESV

Harsh words but He's not talking about salvation.
God and His word are one. Jesus is the word. So he who denies the word that God gave him denies Jesus.

Better read, but whoever denies me and my word (for they are one) before men (fails to say before men the word that I have given him about his circumstances), I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. (deny to give his negative, failing unbelieving prayer to the Father).

Jesus confesses to the Father what we say provided it agrees with the word. Then our prayer is made by Jesus to the Father, the Father cannot do anything but grant that prayer.
If you confess my word before men, I'll confess what you say before the Father. Your prayer gets an audience with the Father presented by Jesus the intercessor.

4/ But I need more faith
Its OK for you but ….
stop right there.
Don't 'but' the word of God.

You may not have got to the place where you immediately and instictively say the word of God at your situation as soon as it arises, if not there's something you can do about it.
Follow what the word says to do to get more faith. Rom 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

If you don't put it in in the good times you cant get out in the tough times.
Develop your faith muscle by speaking the word of God aloud to your circumstances, to your body, finances, family.

Mk 11.23 but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him  .
He doesn't have it now, its still coming.

Start saying what you want to happen NOT the worst that you fear might happen.
That's unbelief and you're believing in it.

5/ Salvation is in every area: Its a package deal,
you don't get one bit without the other

saved, Gk. sozo, saved, healed, delivered, made whole, preserved.

Nobleman's son near death
Jn 49/50 He believed Jesus word.
Matt 8.13 Centurion, as you have believed, so be it done.
Matt 9.22 woman with issue of blood, your faith has made you whole.

Captured on video, Mission to India
- a woman had a pain for many years, she came to the first day meeting,
we prayed for her, she believed, next day she testified of being healed
Man with heart condition took God at his word, came forward for prayer, believed and received his healing
Many received their sins forgiven because they dared to believe God's word and act on it, in 4 crusades about 500 people.

? Who is stronger, God or Satan ?
then why do some Christian folk still say: "the devil made me do it."
"The devil is having a go at me."
"I have this pain, disease etc."

1 Jn 4.4 Greater is He that is in you, than he than is in the world.

The devil didn't make you do, You believed his lie
2 Cor 2.14 God always causes me to triumph

1 Pet 2.24 By His stripes you WERE healed

2 Cor 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is their is liberty

Rom 8.1 There is therefore now, NO CONDEMNATION

Why do we say I can't:-  do it
                                       believe it
                                       afford it
when God says ask and you will receive,

Ps 23 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Phil 4.19 My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Church in Kovalam: no natural means, meeting in little hut, tiny piece of ground
stepped out in faith, put 1500 Rs down on bigger piece of ground, Our first crusade, BFTF team and ministry gave donations to land purchase, raised funds through sales of pictures when we returned. Since sent them enough to buy land to increase size of church.

Pastor told me later they have bought land for 25,000 Rs an impossible task in the natural
They believed and acted in faith, God provided
Things with man that are impossible; are with God Himpossible.

According to your word, because your word is power.


Lets confess what we are
I am as bold as a lion
I have the mind of Christ
God is for me
Greater is He thats in me than he thats in the world
I am the righteousness of God
I am speaking His word
I am filled with faith, power and the Holy Spirit
I am an overcomer
I am more than a conqueror
I am born again by His Spirit
His life flows through me
I've been redeemed and set apart & I'll love and serve God all my life
By His stripes I am healed
I have no lack, His abundance is mine
I invoke blessing on my life by being a generous giver
I am set free from pain, sickness, disease. 


I would love to read your comments below how this message has impacted you.
You can listen to a live recording of this message here. 

Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions. 

For more details or to book Howard for your college, church or event see how to frame an invitation here.
If you would like to assist BFTF in its mission to equipping African and Asian ministers with the word of God to empower their own generation you can donate to BFTF here.

LEARN TO SPEAK WITH YOUR EYES

Either your spirit or your mind is going to dominate your body. 

Which is it going to be? its up to you. 

When you were born again your spirit was recreated brand new (2Cor5.17) with the righteousness of God (2Cor5.21) made a participant in His Divine Nature (2Pet1.4) and was supposed to dominate your mind (Rom12.2) and body and bring them into subjection to the Kingdom of God. . . . . but. . . . sometimes your spirit doesn't dominate because you fail to act on what you know. You fail to speak the Word of God as God has put it in your heart, (Mk11.23) for if you did speak it in faith you would put God's own creative power to work in your circumstances. I'm not talking about blab it and grab it, I'm not talking about positive thinking or positive confession; I am talking about what the faith eye sees, the faith mind believes and the faith tongue speaks until it actually creates a living vital thing was was first seen by the eye of faith. 

What can you see with your faith eye? What are you believing? People can tell what you are believing because they can hear what you say and see what you do. Your spirit can be seen by how you speak and act; is it taking control or is your lazy, unfruitful, backslidden, unregenerate, carnal mind taking charge? The best practise for changing your circumstances is to let your faith eyes do some speaking. 

Dr Howard Sands 

Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions. 

For more details or to book Howard for your college, church or event see here.

What is Your Life Motivator

An unlikely farm labourer becomes warrior, hero, liberator, general and judge.

Shamgar – faithful and full of faith

Judges 3.31

Although the land we are told v30 had rest 80 years, we are also told Ch 5.6 that the roads were abandoned,

It seems that the rest (according to Matthew Henry) was not in the south east part of the land where Philistines still marauded, but rest in the north west from the Moabites. The Israelites had abandonded the roads because of these looting, pillaging Philistine thieves that controlled the highways.

Apparently one day Shamgar saw a raiding party and got up a Holy Spirit inspired anger.

The word says he killed 600 with an ox goad, 

(This implement, Mr. Maundrell informs us, in Palestine and Syria is of an extraordinary size. He measured several, and 'found them about eight feet long; and at the bigger end about six inches in circumference. They were armed at the lesser end with a sharp prickle for driving the oxen; and at the other end with a small paddle of iron, strong and massive, for cleansing the plough from the clay. In the hand of a powerful man such an instrument must be more dangerous and fatal than a sword. )

He took what was at hand.

The impulse was sudden and strong, He had no sword only the tools of his trade

God can make those whose family, finance and position are of no consequence (he was following the plough) and save a nation with them.

God can make ploughmen into judges and generals

Shepherds into kings,

Fisherman into apostles

It doesn’t matter how weak the weapon is if God directs and strengthens the arm that uses it.

Then the ox goad does more than Goliaths sword ever can.

Sometimes God chooses to work by unlikely means that the excellency of the power may be seen to be of God and not of men.

But what if Shamgar didn’t respond that day.

What if he hid in fear and the Philistines ravaged the land yet again.

Who knows how many times they had done it before and how many other men God had put the impulse in but they had shied away from the task.

Are we taken with a passion and love for His house that we won’t allow the marauding armies of the Philistines to plunder our land.

Are we the people who will stand and deliver a nation, a people, a community, an individual person.

Are we the ones that see ministry as doing what ever God requires (not just some high position that inflates our ego).

Are we consumed by a passion for His House that we come and do the work so that the house looks good, not out of a sense of duty,

Not out of a sense of “its my job”

But because I want to serve my Lord and do whatever it takes to make His house

• a place of praise,
• a place of excellence,
• a place of real spiritual worship,
• a place where others can find the presence of God that heals their hurts, bathes their emotions, softens their spirit and enables them to find the God who cares.

1 Cor 4.17 Paul spoke about Timothy as His faithful son, “faithful in the Lord”

he spoke about Moses as "faithful in all his house."

Faithful:- those that have the Lords best interests foremost in everything they do.

We are building His house full of this kind of people, not merely doing a job in church but faithful in a ministry to the Lord.

Here this message live here.

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