Our heritage…  Not only our heritage as Christians but our heritage as Pentecostal Christians.  You see, the visible church under the power of Satan, who has blinded their eyes that they believe lies, has slanted greatly toward the theology of the reformers, and the reformers bringing about a dogma, a doctrine, a teaching of cessation of the power of God, the miracles of God, the gifts of the Spirit, the infilling of the Holy Ghost.  And they have no scriptural authority to do that.  And we’re not going to take time to deal with those issues; we’ve spoken of them in the past.  I’m wanting us to remember our heritage.  Many of us even find ourselves out in public as we’re talking to other professed Christians, wanting somehow to be accepted of this camp, those that over the years have come from some of the great universities, those who are very learned theologians, fundamental Christians from Dallas Theological Seminary, men who we’ve profited from greatly. 

From our eschatological perspective, there is no better book available than Things to Come by J. Dwight Pentecost—who doesn’t believe in Pentecost.  Our heritage—born again, Spirit-filled, embracing our position in Jesus Christ as the redeemed of the Lord, justified and sanctified in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and not by works; amen?  Much of our Pentecostal heritage was bound in having to work before God.  And holiness demanded that we dress a certain way and that we refrain from certain activities, and holiness was always judged by outward actions.  The Pentecostals perpetually pursuing ministry of power…  And we’ll share a little bit that these are things that we should be seeking for; these are things that rightfully belong to us.  “I have given you power to go out and be witnesses.”  These signs shall follow them that believe in my name; they shall; amen?

It says we shall cast out devils, we shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  We need that back in the church if we’re going to stand in this last hour.  Jesus has spoken, the Word of God has declared that we would be looking up, our redemption is drawing nigh.  The Scripture made it very clear that the Lord is going to appear to those that love and are looking for His appearance.  The teaching missing today on the imminent return of the Lord.  It’s difficult to go find a Bible-preaching church that will even talk about sin anymore, about repentance, much less church authority about bringing reproof and rebuke to members in the church that are not glorifying and honoring God.  Dear Lord, try to preach that somewhere.

So here we are in these last days.  The book of Revelation says it over and over to the seven churches of Revelation: let him that has ears hear what the Spirit’s saying to the church.  There’s so much noise out there today, in the churches today that are humanistic, that are scholastic.  People want good teaching, but they don’t want to obey.  People want sound dogma, “I’m going to go to a church that preaches sound doctrine; I’m just not going to do it.”  They insist on it.  But Jesus said, “If you love Me, you’ll keep My commandments, and they’ll not be grievous to you.”  If you’re a hearer and not a doer, you’ve deceived your own self, James says.  There is no greater darkness than self-deception.

So here we are.  We’ve been proclaiming for these last months for us to look up; our redemption’s drawing nigh!  Jesus is coming back.  The trumpet of God can sound at any moment, hallelujah!  And then the dead in Christ are going to rise first.  Just buried Mom two weeks ago; she’s going to rise first, praise God!  I told her that as she was lying in the bed there—one of the last things I spoke to her—I said, “You’re going to beat me to see Jesus.  You’re going to rise first, (praise God!) and then I’m going to be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, hallelujah!  And we’re going to see Him and we’re going to be like Him.”

Does that excite you?  Preparation for the Lover of our souls.  He’s coming for a bride that is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, the Scripture says.  How do we guard our hearts in this hour?  How do we make sure our calling, and that we can finish faithfully as Paul just said?  He said, “I’ve finished the race,” praise God!  “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness… and not for me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”  He said, “I have kept the faith.”  Now, in this last hour, there’s going to be a great demonstration of signs and wonders.  And from our Pentecostal heritage, many of us say, “Praise God! That’s what we’ve been praying for.  We need more signs and wonders; we need miracles.”

I’ve seen a lot of miracles.  I’ve been in Kathryn Kuhlman’s meetings; I’ve watched Oral Roberts and all of the tent meetings.  Sure, there were a lot of things they did wrong, but I want to tell you something: the power of God was there.  I was there, I saw it with my own eyes, I’ve seen the results of it.  I wanted to be around those people and hang out with those people.  “Well, y’know, there’s no apostles and prophets today.”  You can’t find that in the Scriptures.  “Well, when that which is perfect is come….”  Let me tell you something, it’s very interesting: they don’t want to talk about the signs and wonders aspect.  In that same phrase, it says knowledge will pass, and they’re all chasing their doctorates around.