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Monday, December 24, 2018

Balanced in the Lord

   

"Today, I encourage you as you face the stormy winds, earthquakes, and chaos of life that you not try to survive it in your own strength.  Your strength won’t be enough.  But His will be.  Rely on Him.  Let Him be your harmonic balancer, the tuned mass damper of your heart."

Saturday, December 22, 2018

An Unkempt Christian

   

Let us not be unkempt, unfaithful, disheveled Christians.  Let us diligently pursue godliness and the disciplined Christian walk.  Let us practice what we preach and live our faith.

 

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Encouraged in the Lord

   

Honestly, it seemed a little trite: “Yeah yeah, David encouraged himself in the Lord…that’s nice.  I don’t feel like encouraging myself in the Lord.  I am not in a worshipful mood here.  I don’t feel like singing.  I don’t have the energy to sit and meditate on high and lofty things.  All I can think about is what am I going to do now?!”

Listen as Pastor Rick transparently shares a message of encouragement based on the story of David and Ziklag from 1 Samuel chapter 30.

Monday, December 17, 2018

Biblical Principles of Giving

   

Pastor Rick wrestles with and carefully addresses the important concept of Biblical Giving.  Pastor Rick discusses firstfruits, offerings, and tithes.  We profoundly hope this message will help you with your perspective and your stewardship of the resources with which you are blessed.

Sunday, December 16, 2018

2018 Christmas Variety Show - Joy to the World!



Today, several of our children shared their Christmas Perspectives in word and song.  I hope you enjoy it!

Saturday, October 20, 2018

Our Priority Toward God

   

"God’s number one priority toward us is to restore us into proper relationship with Him.  This is so that we can then fulfill our top priorities toward Him which are to love Him entirely and then love others.  When we do these things, we not only keep the commandments, but we fulfill the original intent of our design to rejoice in one another and be good stewards of everything entrusted to us."  Listen as Pastor Rick explains this today.

Friday, October 19, 2018

God's Priority for Us

   

Does God want us to be happy?  Is our happiness God's priority?  Listen as Pastor Rick considers this.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Nothing Can Separate Us

  

"I am persuaded and convinced today without any uncertainty that you are secure in the love of Jesus.  If you have repented and confessed your sins – you have been born again – adopted into the family of God.  If you are walking in obedience to the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit serving Him as Lord of your heart and life, then you are His child and NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING can separate you from His love!  You can rest in His love.  You can relax in His love.  You can let go and float in His love! You can completely let go of all your fear and worry and concern.  His love is wrapped tightly around you!  His grace will keep you!  His strength will sustain you.  He will KEEP you in His love!  And in that place of trust and faith, you can remain and know that not only will you not be separated from His love, but you will win a resounding victory through that love – you will be more than a conqueror!"

Monday, October 8, 2018

YIELDED

Pastor Rick's notes on the idea of "letting go" are shared here for your review and study.

Today I am going to walk you through a little bit of a mind journey to help you understand how I got to where I am today in this message.  For many days I have had one word in my mind around which I expected to build a sermon.  That word is “Let.”

Now the word, “let” has several definitions or modes of use in the English language, but the primary meaning is the meaning that my mind was fixed on: “To permit; to allow; to suffer; to give leave or power by a positive act, or negatively, to withhold restraint; not to prevent.”  The idea is to permit someone to do something or to give them permission to do something.  I was thinking of it in terms of the scripture, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5).”  But when I went to that passage to look at the Greek word for “let” I discovered that there was no Greek word for it.  It was simply an English word necessary to translate the idea of the Greek words.  I thought, well, maybe I’m missing something.  Maybe there is another place where the word “let” is used in the New Testament where I can find the idea I am looking for.  But in the 300+ instances where the word appears in the King James New Testament, I did not find a Greek word that communicated the idea of “letting” or “letting go.”

I thought, Lord, I know you’ve had this thought in my mind and heart.  I know I am supposed to preach on this idea.  What now?  I turned to Google.  I typed, “Letting God have control.”  That led me to an article on Christianity.com that tried to answer the question, “How do I let God take control of my life?”

One of the first scriptures referenced by the author there was the familiar passage from Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” 

I felt prompted to go look at that Scripture.  I did.  And as I looked at cross references for that Scripture, I came to Romans chapter 6 which we will read in a moment.  But in Romans chapter 6, I discovered the word I was looking for: that word is “Yield.” 

Now before we read our Scripture, I want you to understand the meaning of the English word “yield.”  After we read our Scripture, we will talk about the Greek word that is translated as “yield.”

Per Mr. Webster, the word yield has a lot of depth but for our purposes here today the word yield means,
To allow; to concede; to admit to be true; as, to yield the point in debate
To give, as claimed of right; as, to yield due honors;
To permit; to grant 
To resign; to give up
To surrender
To give up the contest; to submit 
To comply with
To give way
Not to oppose
To give place as inferior in rank or excellence

Now, LET us look to our scripture passage in Romans Chapter 6.  Please read aloud with me the verses in Bold.

 1 ¶ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
 3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)

Now we are going to focus on verses 12-19 in a moment, but you can see that the word “yield” appears 4 times in that passage.  Now if you just plug in some of those meanings for the word “yield” into those verses, they look something like this.
“13 Don’t resign your body as an instrument of unrighteousness unto sin…Don’t surrender or submit your body as an instrument of unrighteousness unto sin… but permit yourself to be surrendered unto God to comply with His ways”
“16 Know ye not that to who you give yourself, surrender yourself, submit yourself to obey, his servants you are…?”
“19 Even so now allow your body, permit your body, resign your body, surrender your body as a servant to righteousness unto holiness.”

That sounds pretty good.  That seems like we are getting at the meaning of things.  And we are, but we are not quite there yet.  Why? because the Bible was not originally written in English.  The King James Translation in all its beauty is not the original language.  So while the word “yield” has a lot of depth and meaning and teaches us a lot about the concept, we are not quite there.  We need to go one step further.  We need to look at the Greek word that is translated to the English word “yield.” 

That word is the word I posted on Facebook last night: “Paristemi” – not pastrami!  (How many of you looked it up?)  The word means “to bring, to present, to stand by.” 

Now let’s read our text passage with that in mind:

 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
 13 Neither yield [bring, present, or stand by with] your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield [bring, present, or stand by] yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield [bring, present, or stand by] yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield [bring, present, or stand by] your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Interestingly, if you go back to Romans 12:1 where it says “present your bodies a living sacrifice” guess what word it uses?  Yes!  Paristemi!  “I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God, that ye present [bring, present, or stand by] (or you could say “yield”) your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Pastor Rick, you have bored us to tears with your word study what is the point?  It is simply this: The Apostle Paul is urging us to completely yield our bodies and souls unto God – to surrender utterly to His will, His life, and His commands.  He is saying that we must present ourselves to God in submission to stand before Him in obedience.  We are LET Him reign over us.  We are to PERMIT Him to have our bodies and all that they do.  A fundamentally key element of this is obedience. 

See, a lot of people get the wrong idea of surrender.  They think they can make a brief confession, acknowledge Jesus as Lord and move on with their lives.  They think it is simply some sort of ceremonial action and that is all.  A thousand times no!  This is a full blown surrender of enemy forces to a conqueror and then an occupation of the property by the conqueror.  Let me try to illustrate. 

There are several famous surrenders in history, but what some believe is the most famous is the surrender of Japan to the Allied forces at the end of WWII. 

Likely the most famous surrender ceremony in history, the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945, was meant to reinforce the might of the Allies and celebrate the end of the war.
Held in Tokyo Bay on the deck of the battleship USS Missouri, it featured an original flag from the ship of Commodore Perry, the naval officer who opened Japan to the West. Representatives from Japan and all the Allied nations signed a formal document of surrender. Then thousands of Allied planes flew overhead in formation, and Japan's occupation formally began.

After years of chaos, violence, and the deaths of tens of thousands of human beings, the war came to an end with an unconditional surrender of the Japanese nation.  At this point, the nation of Japan was occupied by Allied forces who took control and totally re-shaped the nation.

That is exactly what we are talking about here in Romans chapter 6: unconditional surrender of ourselves to God, and a full on occupation of our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  And under this benevolent occupation we must obey His will.  We must keep His commands. 

When an enemy land is occupied by an invading force, the invading force imposes their own laws & requirements.  The populace must obey or suffer consequences.  This includes curfews, yielding to military vehicles to have right of way, and often a suspension of their previous customs, norms, and laws.  In the case of Japan it meant a complete re-writing of their constitution and a remaking of their way of thinking and way of life.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
You have now surrendered yourself to Christ.  You CANNOT allow sin to reign in you anymore.  You cannot let it have control.  Sin is dethroned, superseded, kicked out.  In this earthly, dying body, you are not allowed to obey it anymore.  You cannot continue in sin.  It is not permitted.  You cannot obey the lusts and desires of sin.

 13 Neither yield [bring, present, or stand by with] your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield [bring, present, or stand by] yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
    You are not unconditionally surrendering your body to be the tool of unrighteousness to sin.  No.  You are unconditionally surrendering yourself, yielding yourself, presenting yourself unto God.  You are surrendering your sword of resistance against His rule.  You are no longer walking the path of death eternal.  Instead you are now walking in the path of peace and life as one alive from the dead and you are yielding your body as tools and weapons of righteousness unto God.  You no longer are on the side of sin.  You are no longer its soldier.  You are now on God’s side and are to be His tool, His vessel, His soldier.

 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
    For sin SHALL NOT have dominion over you anymore.  You are no longer under the consequences of the law or penalties of sin.  You have surrendered to God and are now in receipt of grace!  When the Japanese government surrendered to the Allies, the government told its people that they needed to brace themselves for total chaos when the occupation came.  They expected their nation to be ravaged not rebuilt.  Instead, the Allies came to rebuild their nation.  The people did not need to fear.  They were no longer the enemy.  They had been conquered.  They were no longer under the impending doom of attack and assault and punishment by the violence of war.  They were now under the benevolent rebuilding hand of restoration.  You might say they were no longer under the law but under grace.

 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
    Was the expectation now that since Japan had surrendered they could do whatever they wanted?  Could they say, “Oh yeah…we signed the paper but we are going to keep doing our own thing”?  Of course not!  Now that they surrendered to the invading force, they had to submit to it in every way.  Why do we think any differently in our regard to surrender to God?  Shall we continue in sin…God Forbid! 

 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield [bring, present, or stand by] yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
    Don’t you understand that whomever you are standing by and whom you are obeying, you are his servants?  When you are picked for a team to play sports, what do you do?  You go stand by them, right?  Then when the game begins, you are supposed to follow the leadership of the captain of the team.  You obey them.  You yield yourself to them.  Somehow, many “Christians” think they can be on God’s side and still play for the sin team.  You cannot do that!  “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield [bring, present, or stand by] yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
    Please notice the tense of this phrase: you WERE the servants of sin – not any more.  If you are still serving sin, then I need to break some news to you: you are a sinner.  You cannot serve sin and serve Jesus.  They are incompatible with one another – they are like oil and water – ice and fire.  They do not mix.  If you are sinning, then you are a sinner.  If you are a sinner, you need to humble yourself, you need to repent, seek forgiveness, and surrender yourself unconditionally to God.  You need to let Him take over.  You need to walk away from sin unto God.  You need to obey Him from the heart!  “…ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.”

 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
    Hallelujah!  We can be made free from sin.  Anyone who tells you otherwise is not reading and interpreting the message of this book accurately.  Jesus died that we might be made free from sin!  COMPLETELY!  What does it mean to be free?  Does it mean that you have no rules or laws to follow?  No.  But it does mean that you are out from under the bondage of slavery and coercion and no choice.  It means you have the opportunity to fulfill your design – to live within the boundaries of your design – to fly within the envelope you were created for.  Being made free from sin – you became the servants of righteousness!  You were set free from involuntary slavery to voluntary servitude: very different things!

 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield [bring, present, or stand by] your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
    In other words, I speak plainly and simply so you can understand – Just like you yielded yourselves with abandon to the things of the flesh and sin, uncleanness and iniquity, now abandon yourself to God.  Let Him have you completely.  Present yourself to Him.  Stand on His side.  Yield to His ways.  Obey His rules.   Become His servant.  Do not hesitate to fling yourself upon His mercy and capitulate to His will.  Then, serve Him with love and walk in complete obedience.

How were you a sinner?  Did you resist sin?  No.  You yielded to it.  You followed the impulses of anger and lust and pride and hatred and unforgiveness and self-loathing.  You committed sin recklessly and did what you wanted to do because you wanted to do it.  Now serve God the same way.  Let the impulses of His Spirit now drive your actions.  Yield no longer to sin, but to righteousness.  Let the anger be replaced by balance and self-control.  Let the lust be replaced by devotion, purity, and faithfulness.  Let the hatred be replaced by selfless love.  Let the unforgiveness go and be replaced by forgiveness and humility.  No longer wallow in self-loathing or self-pity, but discover the self-esteem of understanding you are designed by God, you have eternal purpose and meaning, you are loved madly by Him, and He wants to unlock all of your intended potential through your obedience to His Word and ways and by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in you.   God wants you to be an obedient servant to righteousness and in so doing you will discover holiness – purity and sanctification.

So I present you the question today:  Are you “Letting” God have you and your ways?  Are you yielded to His Lordship and ruling over your heart?  Are you presenting yourself before Him for His disposition and use?  Are you on the Lord’s side – on His team?  Are you unconditionally surrendered to Him?  Have you let Him occupy your heart?  Have you committed to obey Him completely and yield to His grace?  Are you still living in sin or have you forsaken sin to walk in righteousness? 

12:1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

6:13 Neither yield [bring, present, or stand by with] your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield [bring, present, or stand by] yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Sunday, October 7, 2018

What Hinders You?

Today's Message was not recorded so here are Pastor Rick's notes for your perusal:

Today’s sermon is not a Father’s Day Sermon.  I would have liked to preach on our “Abba” Father today or to talk about the attributes of God’s Fatherhood as I have in the past or admonished us to be godly fathers ourselves.  But that is not what I feel on my heart.  Instead, today, I feel on my heart this question: What Hinders You?

Hebrews chapter 11 is the Biblical Hall of Fame or Hall of Faith as some have called it.  Beginning in Genesis and continuing down through the time of the prophets, many are listed who had great faith.  Toward the end of the chapter the writer says,

Hebrews 11:32 ¶ And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens [invaders].
 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Then turn the page: Let us read together Hebrews 12:1-3
1 ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Here in Hebrews, Paul is using the metaphor of the games held in the great Roman amphitheaters.  Surrounded by the spectators, the runners would strip naked, laying aside every burden, removing anything that would cause resistance, so that they could run at their very best without any encumbrance.  They wanted nothing in the way of victory.

Paul also uses this metaphor in another place as he addresses the Christians of Galatia.  Into their church had come strong influences that were leading them astray.  Paul questions them with our text today:
Galatians 5:7 – “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?”

Let us consider today: What hinders you from obeying God?  What weight is holding you back in the race?  What sin besets you?  What hinders you from obeying the truth?  What is going to keep you from winning the race?

I want to share with you a few metaphors as well and use them to apply this thought to our hearts. 

What are some other words for hinder or hindrance?  Block, Blockage, Hamper, Impede, Impediment, Weight, Encumbrance, Burden, Problem, Resistance, Obstruction, Prevent, Delay, Interference, Slow Down, Set Back, Hold Back, Barrier, Restraint, Limitation.
As I thought on this a few pictures/things came to my mind:
Barbed Wire/Fencing
Jersey Wall
Cones/Barrels
Ball & Chain / Ankle Weights
A Plumbing Blockage – Hinders things from working properly. (Parking Lot/Objects/Tree Roots)
A Hearing Blockage – Hinders communication (Birth or Situational)
An Airway Blockage – Hinders Life!  (Sudden & Emergency)
A Heart Blockage – Hinders Life! (Brought on by diet/lifestyle)
A Heavy Burden
Light Pollution

Of these, I want to take 3 of them and apply them.

Heart Blockage
Plumbing Blockage
Light Pollution

Heart Blockage – When I think of heart blockage, what I am really thinking of is coronary artery disease.  (There is “heart block” which is a different medical condition involving the electrical impulses of the heart – I am not thinking of that.) “CAD is caused by plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart (called coronary arteries) and other parts of the body. Plaque is made up of deposits of cholesterol and other substances in the artery. Plaque buildup causes the inside of the arteries to narrow over time, which could partially or totally block the blood flow. This process is called atherosclerosis.  Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle.”  How you reduce your risk for CAD is by eating less sodium and less fat, increasing physical activity, avoiding obesity, and reducing high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  While not entire, most of the cause of CAD is poor diet and exercise.  Over time, these bad habits result in serious damage to the body.  As the blockages build, they can literally result in discomfort, pain, and even death.  Spiritually I would ask you today, what hinders your heart?  What is your spiritual diet and exercise like?  Are you feeding yourself a constant diet of spiritual junk food?  Are you avoiding or skimping on healthy reading and meditation on God’s Word?  Are you spiritually exercising your muscles?  Are you walking in humility, loving your neighbor, putting God’s priorities first?  Are you exercising the spiritual disciplines of reading and meditation, fasting and prayer?  Or, are you building all the wrong spiritual habits of neglect, laziness, apathy, and carelessness?  Are you committing sin and letting it leave its debris in your heart?  If so, you are setting yourself up for a spiritual heart attack – spiritual death!  Are you following Christ closely on your way to being a spiritual athlete or are you lagging behind to become a spiritual couch potato?  What hinders you?
Plumbing Blockage – A plumbing blockage usually occurs in only a few ways. One, something is flushed or inserted into the pipe that doesn’t belong there.  Two, a slow buildup of grease/minerals/debris can eventually clog the pipe.  Three, a slow creeping of tree roots into the pipe to constrict and obstruct the flow.  I want you to think of this in terms of the Holy Spirit in your heart.  The Holy Spirit is often thought of as oil that flows.  It is like oil in a lamp…particularly think of an oil menorah: In each of the menorah branches, olive oil flows into the wick.  But imagine if one of the branches had an obstruction or blockage?  The oil eventually would cease to flow to the wick through that tube and that flame would go out.  We want nothing to obstruct the spiritual plumbing of our heart that would hinder the work and movement of the Holy Spirit in us.  We don’t want this to happen quickly with an action or spoken word that blocks the pipe.  We don’t want it to happen over time because we don’t maintain the pipe and it becomes greasy and obstructed by the buildup of various things.  Hebrews 12 also talks about roots of bitterness springing up (15).  We don’t want anything to creep in and begin to obstruct or hinder the flow in our spiritual plumbing.  What hinders you?
Light Pollution – Thursday night, Emma and I went grocery shopping.  It was after dark when we got to Wal-Mart.  As we left the van, we noticed the planet Venus shining brightly in the sky.  Emma asked why we couldn’t see other stars.  I told her it was because we had too many other lights around us that were hindering us from being able to see them.  It’s known as “light pollution.”  That immediately struck my heart.  Think about it: the brilliance of our spectacular universe obscured by pitiful man-made electrified night.  Immediately I made the connection spiritually.  How often is our view of the holiness and brilliance of God obstructed by the dimmer lights of earth?  What is obstructing my view of Him?  Is it media, politics, entertainment?  Is it my own dreams and ambition?  Is it someone else who is more important to me and outshines God in my mind?  What earthly person or thing keeps me from seeing Jesus as I ought?  What hinders you?

And may I say that I am talking to all of us today wherever we are on our spiritual pathway. 
If you are not a believer, then I ask, “What hinders you?”  What prevents you from taking hold of faith?  Lay it aside.  Do not be like King Agrippa who was “almost persuaded” to be a Christian. 
If you are a believer, but not yet sanctified, I ask, “What hinders you?”  What prevents you from making a full and complete surrender?  What prevents you from receiving the infilling of the Holy Spirit and His purging fire? 
If you are a believer, born of God, washed and cleansed, and filled with the Holy Spirit, I ask, “What Hinders You?”  What is holding you back from fulfilling His perfect will?  What tempts you, what causes you to stumble?  What is in your way to prevent you from walking in complete obedience?  What battle are you facing in which you need the victory? 

This brings me back to our Scripture texts.  In the first, Paul says, “Lay aside everything that obstructs your ability to run the race.  And set aside the besetting sin – that is the all-encompassing sin – the sin that surrounds you: whether this is external in your environment or internal from a carnal heart.  Lay it all aside, and run…run the race that is set before you patiently, persistently, and without faltering.  Fix your eyes of faith on Jesus Christ who is the example.  He ran His race with the greatest endurance – even embracing the cross, despising its shame.  He did not even let the cross slow Him down or hinder Him from completing the course that had been set before him.  He ran without wavering.  We are to follow in His footsteps and run the race.  What hinders you?

Finally in the second text, Paul makes it clear that it is possible to lose sight, lose faith, lose hope, lose perspective, lose momentum, and lose the race: “You did run well…who hindered you?”  Don’t take your eyes off Christ.  Don’t give in to the tempter.  Don’t hold onto your carnal selfishness.  Don’t listen to the voices of earth.  Don’t let your spiritual heart get CAD.  Don’t let your spiritual plumbing get blocked from allowing the free flow of the Holy Spirit within.  Don’t let the things of earth block the light of His glory in your life.  Don’t let anything hinder you!

1 ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the thr
one of God.

Saturday, October 6, 2018

God Wastes Nothing

   

Listen as Pastor Rick discusses how God wastes nothing:

"As I tried to formulate this thought into something coherent I wrote what many of you saw on Facebook: “God wastes nothing: no good thing, no bad thing; no joy, no sorrow; no gladness, no sadness; no circumstance, no heartache, no tragedy; not even evil. He alone can accomplish good amid it all and bring His eternal purposes to pass.”

As I turned this over and over in my mind, one of the questions I posed to it was the question I pose to everything: is this Biblical?  Is it true?  Is this in alignment with what really is?  I examined the journey of thought that brought me to the conclusion and then tested it against the Bible to see if what I supposed was true."

Friday, October 5, 2018

Intimacy with God

   

Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”  This is an utter abandonment of self to God.  Every fiber of our beings must be completely surrendered to Him.  In holiness circles we frame this theologically as begun in the new birth or salvation, anchored and empowered through the filling of the Holy Spirit in sanctification, and continued all the lifelong by walking in the spirit in perfect love.  This is simple and accurate.  But however you want to frame it, it all boils down to letting go of yourself to the control of Christ knowing He made you and cares for you.  It is a complete trusting of Him with every part of you good or bad.  Just as a husband and wife totally surrender to each other in private uninhibited unrestrained intimacy, we must surrender utterly to Him with nothing held back.  It is in this place of full surrender that real intimacy with Christ begins.

Thursday, October 4, 2018

A Study of Love

Pastor Rick was unavailable this week, but here is the study made available to us.  We hope it is a blessing.

TOPIC
Love – What does the Bible say about love? We know about the Love of God…or do we?  We are familiar with the Greek terms and types of love mentioned in the Bible and literature.  Can anyone name them and define them?  What are some famous scriptures about love?  Everyone is encouraged to look for one and find one in advance.  Are there any unusual ones that are beautiful but not as ready to mind?  Who can find the most unusual one?  Some great verses can be found by searching the phrase “love one another.”  Here are a few good ones to introduce the ideas:

John 3:16
John 15:12
1 John 4:8

The last verse here comes from our primary passage of study today.

PRIMARY SCRIPTURE FOR STUDY

Read 1 John 4:7-21
7 ¶ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
 14 ¶ And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
 17 ¶ Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
 19 We love him, because he first loved us.
 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
(KJV)

Notice the paragraph markings and study those sections together – we always want to keep Scripture in its own context.
Discuss together what this passage means.
Define the word Propitiation (verse 10) and see how it fits in its verse and in the larger passage.
Again, teens and children should be encouraged to participate.

Ultimately, what does this passage teach us?  How does it practically apply to our lives in the year 2018?  How should we live the commands of this passage?  Are they OPTIONAL?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  • What does it mean when it says “God is Love?”  Is love God?
  • How did God show His love for us?
  • Why should we love one another?
  • How does this passage relate to John 13:34? (Hint…it is interesting that verse 21 is the last verse of this section)
  • Why does the Apostle John talk so much about love?
  • Verse 12 is deep – does anyone want to tackle it?
  • What is the significance of verse 13 as we talk about loving God and loving each other?  What is the fuel for that engine to run?
  • What is one of the benefits of living in love highlighted in verse 17?
  • How big of a deal is verse 18?
  • In this passage, which verse speaks to your heart the most today?
  • Can anyone think of a story in their own life or a person in their own life that exemplifies truths from this passage?

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Hearing the Word of the Lord

  

Have you ever asked questions like these:

“Lord, why am I struggling so hard to know your will in particular situations?  Lord, why do I feel so lost when you have promised wisdom?  Lord, why do I sometimes feel separated by days and weeks from the sense of your voice?”  And then for you, my people, “Lord, why are they struggling to hear you amid their grief or suffering or pain?  Lord, why are they going so long without answers to personal prayer and cries of the heart?  Lord, why are they struggling to grow closer to you or achieve their spiritual desires and goals?  Lord, why are they closer to the things of earth than the things of Heaven?”  Finally, “Lord, why is it so hard to hear your voice?  Why didn’t you make it easier to hear?”

Listen as Pastor Rick talks about these today.

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

The Soil of Your Heart

  

Today, I ask, what is the condition of your heart?
  • The Way Side – Hard and resistant to the farmer and the Word?
  • The Stony Places – Thin and a surface Christian only as much as you need to be to fit in?
  • The Thorny Ground – Once strong and growing but now being choked out by the cares of life?
  • The Good Ground – Soil of a surrendered heart – letting the farmer have his way with you completely and embracing every new touch of His hand – nutritionally balanced and bearing fruit for Him through the strength of Him in you?!

Monday, October 1, 2018

A Call to Prayer

  

In the Middle East, and in Muslim countries around the world, the muezzins - selected for their sonorous voices - ascend the minarets of the mosques or pick up their microphones five times per day to utter the Adhan, the haunting Muslim call to prayer.  Sadly, as millions bow in answer, they do not pray to God in Christ as we do.  Thus as our brother Nabeel Qureshi shared so often, how great is the darkness amid their prayers.  Today, I do not utter haunting cries across the landscape, but I am under a burden that began to grow in me last week.  It is a burden to urge us at Water of Life Fellowship to pray. 

Sunday, September 30, 2018

Planted in Death Raised in Life

   

Listen as Pastor Rick gently shepherds our hearts through the grief of losing one of our own.  Mama V you are missed!

A Meditation on Psalm 27

Sermons are often appropriate for the spiritual moments of our lives.  God enlightens our minds to understand a passage of Scripture: teaching us, convicting us, calling us, changing us.  Sermons take many forms and follow many structures.  But sometimes, we need the strength that comes from simply focusing on and meditating upon the words of the Word.  For today, I felt my heart drawn to Psalm 27.  It is a passage of only 14 verses.  We will read it together responsively in the King James version and then I will step through it in the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) as we meditate upon it.

1. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
 2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
 3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
 4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
 6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
 7 ¶ Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
 8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
 9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
 11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
 12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
 13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (KJV)

Adam Clark outlined it this way:

  • Freedom from Fear with Confidence in God (1-3)
  • Love to God and His ways (4-6)
  • Prayer for Assistance & Support (7-13)
  • Exhortation to Dependence on God (14)

That is as good an outline of the passage as any I’ve seen.  If you want to snap a picture of that, feel free to do so.  So let’s ponder this for a little bit this morning.  And as I walk through this I encourage you to relax your mind and let it think on these good things.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life – whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident.


David was a warrior: one of the most valiant & successful warriors in the history of Israel.  This Psalm is full of military terminology and perspective.  Some scholars suppose that this Psalm was written by him after the events of 2 Samuel 21:15-22 where David was almost killed by the Philistine giant Ishbibenob.  One of his men, Abishai, came to David’s aid and killed the giant before he could use his new sword with deadly effect.  After this close call, David’s men said to him, “Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.”  In other words, “David, you are our hope and inspiration.  You are to be king.  We cannot risk you being in such mortal danger again.” Some suppose that David then penned these words as part of his response or reaction to that sentiment.  “The Lord is my light and my salvation.  The Lord is the strength of my life, whom should I dread?”  Whether or not this is the background of this Psalm, there is no way for us to know.  But I pose the exclamatory questions to you today: “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom should I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life – whom should I dread?”

Can you say emphatically in faith with the Psalmist that you are not afraid of evildoers?  Can you state with confidence that your enemies will not prevail?  Can you express assuredly that you are not afraid of even the armies arrayed against you – because you are not trusting in yourself but in the Lord?  Too often we say with our mouths that we are trusting in the Lord, but we don’t really mean it.  We mean that we are trusting in our own strength most of the time and today we feel good about it.    Unfortunately, that is not the same thing.  David is not saying “Today I feel like worshipping God so I am expressing my faith and praise.  No.  He is saying that in the toughest of times – in the fiercest battles when I should fear all is lost, I don’t fear.  For I am not trusting in my own strength; I am trusting in the strength of the self-existent eternal Jehovah God!  I am not resting behind hastily constructed defensive positions of shallow sand, sticks, and rock.  I am taking refuge in the mighty stronghold of God. 

When soldiers take up a defensive position from enemy fire, they are limited to whatever cover they can find in the immediate environment: whether it is a shallow ditch, a wall, a building, a tree, they will hug the ground and hunker down behind whatever they can.  If they have a few moments of time they will scoop out a shallow hollow to help them get lower and hopefully out of the reach of enemy fire.  This is what it is like if we trust in our own strength…it may get us through for a little bit, but it can’t last as a defensive position.  For true defensive positions, walls are erected, barbed wire is strung, guard posts are elevated, gates are placed, barriers are spaced about, bunkers are dug, weapons are positioned at key locations with intersecting fields of fire, and a watch is set.  It becomes a heavily fortified place of defense, refuge, and safety.  This is the comparison David was making.  “The eternal God is my light in the darkness and my salvation.  He is not my foxhole – He is my stronghold: whom should I dread?  Whatever comes – no matter how fierce the battle or how strong the enemy, I need not be afraid for I am safe in the hand of the Lord.”

4 I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.
5 For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6 Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord.

This section the passage is interesting to me.  At first it seems David is now turning his thoughts away from battle and war and difficulty and instead focusing on worship and praise.  But we quickly discover that is not the case.  As he begins to talk of the beauty of the Lord, we discover that He is not contemplating an absence of adversity or imagining a life without enemies.  Rather, he is expressing his reliance on God in spite of them.  His is not an expectation of peace without struggle but rather a rest amid the battle that comes from utter trust in God.  He wants to remain God’s presence continually, fixing his heart upon Him.  He wants to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and rejoice in His glory.  He wants to anchor every moment of living – even the battles – in eternity. 

When the enemies surround, when trouble comes, when hardship besets him, he takes refuge in the tabernacle of God.  God is his camouflage, his shelter, and his protection.  He also continues his military terminology: “He will set me high on a rock” & “my head will be above my enemies around me.”  For thousands of years, holding the high ground has been recognized as an important military tactic.  The ancient strategist Sun Tzu advised military leaders to take the high ground and force enemies to attack from the lower position.  Not only does it provide a superior position to observe and fire upon the enemy, it also forces large heavy armor whether elephants or tanks to stop because they cannot climb in steep terrain.  It also forces cavalry to dismount and attack on foot whether in chariots or Strykers.  What he is saying, is that “I will hold the high ground.”  Strategically I will have the advantage over my enemies when I trust in the Lord.

Whether it be physical enemies, emotional enemies, or spiritual enemies, as believers, we must go to the high ground of faith, trust, and worship.  When the battle is fiercest, then is when you need to run to the shelter of His arms.  You see, when we are in the midst of the battle with its chaos and fear and destruction, Satan wants to separate us from our sanctuary.  He wants to inhibit our prayers.  He wants to interfere with our worship.  He wants obstruct our faith.  But in the middle of the fiercest battles, we need God more than ever.  Ask Mr. Jesse sometime what it is like to radio for fire support and receive it!  When under fire, infantry units will call for artillery fire or for close air support and in will come the Air Force or Navy pilots to support and suppress the attack of the enemy.  We have the same option as believers in God.  We can cry out to Him and call in that “air support.”  Sadly, we too often do not.  We rely on our strength.  We sweat and struggle and stress and shout instead of taking refuge in Him and letting Him have control.  Instead of letting Him hold the high ground.

May I encourage you today to stop struggling so hard and center your heart directly on God?  Cry out to him.  Let Him take you into His tabernacle.  Let Him shelter you in the fortress of His arms.  Rest in His strength.  Let Him fight the battle for you. And never forget, these battles are temporary – for we are eternal beings serving an eternal God and we will leave these temporary battles behind to be with Him forever.  Rest in Him!  Sing with joy and worship in your heart placing all of it in His capable hands!

7 Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me.
8 My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face.
9 Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation.
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.


I love this because the Psalmist gets even more real here.  He honestly confesses his fears and worries.  He talks about his fear of abandonment, his lost earthly relationships, and his concern that God might be angry with him.  He admits that his heart had been convicted to seek God and that he is responding to that urging of conscience and praying to Him now.  He relies on the graciousness of God.  He confesses his deep need of God and expresses his faith that God will hear and answer his prayer. 

Did you know that it is okay to be real with God?  Prayer is not supposed to be limited to only our fanciest words and most worshipful phrases.  Prayer is not some sort of creative writing exercise whereby we please God and impress our friends.  Prayer is supposed to be visceral and real and right where we are.  We should always pray with respect and reverence for Who God is, but we should also talk to Him honestly and genuinely.  It’s okay to pray, “God, I’m angry with you!” “God, I’m hurting right now!” “God, I feel alone!”  “God, I’m lost – I don’t know what to do!”  “God, I don’t understand!”  “God, I don’t want to forgive.”  “God, I want you to take revenge upon my enemies!”  “God, help!”  How do I know it’s okay to pray this way?  Because the Scriptures – and especially the Psalms – are full of such prayers as people cried out to God whether in faith or despair. 

We need to be the same way.  If you’ve been trying to figure out how to impress God with your prayers or pray fancy things so other people think you are spiritually special, STOP IT!  Talk to God!  Get real with Him.  Stop thinking of Him as imaginary and far away.  He is real and He is HERE.  He is listening and ready to hold a conversation with you if only you will be honest with Him and then listen when He whispers His reply.  Seek His face.  He is our helper and He will not abandon us.

11 Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path.
12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence.


We are going to face adversity.  Whether from human context or spiritual warfare, we are in a battle.  We need to have level footing for our feet in order to fight.  We need to be stable as we enter combat.  All too often Christians are not balanced in their battles.  We are not fixing our eyes on Christ.  We are not listening to the whisper of the Holy Spirit.  We are not concentrating on the Word.  We are not living in a place of constant worship.  As a result, when the battle begins, when the combat comes, we are not balanced with stable footing.  Our feet are not set.  We are not on the level path of the Lord.  Because of this we stumble, we falter, we fail, we fall.  The only way to avoid this is to be walking with the Lord in His way on His path. 

The conflict is fierce.  The skirmishes are hot.  Violence is the order of the day in the battles we face.  Have you experienced physical violence…emotional violence…spiritual violence?  You say, well, “Pastor Rick, “I don’t know.  I mean, I’m just facing life like everyone else.”  Well, let me ask you this: when life goes “wrong” or things don’t go right…what is happening in your heart?  When your car doesn’t work or your body doesn’t work or people fail you or relationships struggle, what are you tempted to do?  You are tempted to give up on relationships.  You are tempted to give up on living.  You are tempted to give up on worship.  You are tempted to give up on God.  You are tempted to stay away from all that is good because things just aren’t going like you expected or planned.  You want to escape the violence of the battle.  You want to run away.  You want to leave behind the struggle. In these moments we must stop relying in our own strength.  It is in these moments we need God most of all.  We cannot begin to imagine we can triumph alone.  We cannot win on our own.  We must have our feet anchored on the Solid Rock of Christ Jesus and be balanced by living in His presence and walking in His ways.  We need to be on the level path!

13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.


Here, the Psalmist expresses a powerful faith: “I am certain, confident, sure that I will see the Lord’s goodness and joy here on earth while I am alive.”  This is not just some vague hope or confidence that the future will be better by and by.  This is not an expression of future faith that all will be right in the end.  This is not saying, I know that God will redeem all things in eternity.  This is an expression of faith in the present goodness of God. 

It reminds me of the story of Lazarus after he had died.  Martha, the sister of Lazarus hears that Jesus is coming and runs out to meet him.  An interesting conversation ensues.
“John 11:21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.  But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.”
Jesus replies, “Thy brother shall rise again.” 
Martha says, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus says, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
She replied, “She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” Then she went to call her sister.  I think she scarcely comprehended at all what Jesus was saying.  Jesus was saying, “You are about to see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living” – not just in the future eternity but in the here and now!

Are you trusting in the Lord for help and strength refuge and comfort in the here and now or is He some imaginary person you pretend to talk to and claim to believe?  Trust Him for His goodness to be extended to you now in the land of the living!

The Psalmist concludes with a simple exhortation: “Wait on the Lord: and he shall strengthen thine heart: when all around your soul gives way, let Him be your hope and stay – wait on the Lord.”  May I gently ask today how much you have been waiting on God?  Have you been seeking refuge in His presence – I don’t just mean desperate calls for help as you are drowned by life – I mean the intentional waiting upon Him and seeking His face?  Get out of your self-made foxhole and run to the high ground and seek sanctuary in the fortress He is.  Retreat from the battle you’ve been fighting in your own strength and let Him take over.  He has superior fire power!   Call in His air support!  Let Him be your light and salvation.  Stop being afraid.  Stop being fearful.  Stop trusting in yourself and trust in Him.  Be real and tell Him how you really feel.  Pray with honesty and faith.  Let your feet walk His balanced and level pathway.  Find peace in worshiping Him.  Discover His goodness here and now in your life.  Be strong and courageous – but not in your own strength – rather in the strength that comes when you wait on the Lord. 

I hope this meditation is a strength and help to you today.  Rest in the Lord.  He is good even in the present, in the land of the living. 

Gilbert Carter - God's Grace

 

Gilbert Carter visited our church and shared his powerful testimony.  What a blessing!

To See & Know Jesus

 


Saturday, March 10, 2018

The Internal God


I urge you to reject the lie from Satan in the beginning that we can be gods within ourselves.  I also urge you to go beyond the place where you merely believe in an External God “out there,” but come to know Him as the INTERNAL God “in here.”  Get to know the Eternal One Internally where you are His and He is yours; where your spirit is intertwined with His Spirit; where you are never alone, but Christ liveth in you!  Live with the constant undercurrent of joy that sustains you no matter what the circumstance and that daily refines you to be more like Him!

Friday, February 16, 2018

REMEMBER, REFLECT, RENEW






"It is when we reflect upon things that we learn to filter the emotions.  It is when we reflect we learn to go beyond just how the memories make us feel.  It is in the place of reflection where we can ponder our experiences and bring them into focus with the Word of God."  Have you looked at your memories through the lens of God's Word and perspective?