What if someone would give...

... you $10,080 dollars each week of your life. It would be up to you how you spent your money. You decided. What if you had to spend that money every week and what you didn’t spend would be lost. We all have 10,080 minutes.  What we don’t use we lose!  We all have the same. We need to give to Jesus TIME!

1. We need to give Jesus the gift of Time. Time to pray.  We may not all have the same amount of money but same time to pray…pray without ceasing. Time to be benevolent.  Go out of your way to bless someone else. Do random acts of kindness! Time to be thankful and remember His gift.  Jesus! Don’t rush this time…Time to worship. Time to understand God’s plan for us! Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV) “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.”

2. We need to give Jesus the gift of Intimacy.  Intimacy pertains to knowing the inmost character of a person…knowing them intimately. Philippians 3:10-11 (NIV) ^“ I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Intimacy can only be developed through spending time with God in prayer. Talking and listening.

3. We need to give Jesus the gift of Meditation.   Meditation is continued thought and deep reflection on the Lord and His goodness. Always have Him on your mind and in your heart. Meditation on Him and His Word will be a guardian and a gift. King David saw it protecting him. Psalms 19:14 (NKJV) “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.”  Psalms 64:1 (NKJV) “Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.”

  4. We need to give Jesus the gift of Evangelism.  Evangelism is a zealous effort to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mark 16:15-20 (NKJV) And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Jesus last Words were to be filled with His Spirit, and then, go and preach. Go evangelize! Acts 1:8 (NKJV) "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." If we don’t have time for intimacy with Jesus, if we don’t meditate on Him, there is a good possibility we will not make time for evangelism. This Christmas…give Jesus the gift of TIME!

As we approach Christmas my prayer...

... is that all of us will keep the main thing the main thing.  We all know this but sometimes we need to be reminded that Christmas is about the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He left the splendor and glory of heaven to be born in a manger, live His life among us, go to the cross, and be raised from the dead that we might have the most awesome gift of eternal life with God.  It should never be hard for us to worship Him at Christmas time when you consider all He has done for us.  A few years ago I preached a message “Wake Up! The Gifts Are Under The Tree!”  That is what my parents used to say to us on Christmas morning.  My sermon said for us to wake up because our gifts are under the tree...the cross!

Many get caught up with the pressure of making sure everyone gets a gift and unfortunately many go into debt to do so.  Christian financial expert Dave Ramsey says that we should never go into debt for Christmas but that we keep the main thing the main thing.  He said we spend what we have on those we can and trust that everyone will understand.  He goes on and tells parents not to get all stressed out over this issue but to sit down with their children and explain to them the best they can their situation.  He also says it is a great opportunity to share with them that the most important things are our relationship with God and each other.

  Mary (the mother of Jesus) had to learn Christmas was gaining and losing...how so?  She gained by being chosen to have the Christ-child conceived in her.  She had to be willing to lose her reputation and almost her husband.  Luke 1:35 38 (NIV) “The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.  For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.” As we choose this Christmas to be the Lord’s servants let us choose like Mary to keep the main thing the main thing!

Twenty-one days of fasting...

... to start January 1, 2018 and who can even believe that we are almost there.  How can we make our fasting more effective this year and what is it that God expects of us as we fast?  Isaiah 58:69 (NIV)  "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.  Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I...”

Please be aware that fasting is not intended to be a “quick-fix diet” for over eating during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year Holidays.  It is a time of seeking God with all your hearts and it is a time of searching our hearts and repenting for ourselves and our nation.  According to Isaiah, it is a time of seeing people set free by the power of God, a time of being compassionate to those in need, and about taking care of our own families.

I am praying this year that men will step up and take their spiritual responsibility as the leader in their homes.  I am also praying that women will adorn themselves with the glory of God and cause their homes to be a place of blessings and refuge.  I am praying that our children will seek God passionately and for those who are prodigals to return to the Lord with all their hearts.  Come on, Life Church Assembly of God, let us fast and pray as one in the Lord, let us see our light break forth in our community, and our healing to come quickly!!

There are many “catch phrases” that circulate...

... through Christendom...sometimes they have great meaning and other times not so much.  One such phrase is, “It is not about me” but reality tells us that most of what we do is about us and it is for us.  Max Lucado in his book with the same title as the phrase It Is Not About Me is attempting to help us see that whatever we do should be done for the glory of God.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV) “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  Whatever we do we should be doing for God’s glory but all too many times “me” gets in the way.

Lucado says, “Our society is not wired for this kind of thinking.  It’s a “me-centric” world out there, which destroys much of what should be good.  Marriages are ruined because one or both partners are focused on their own happiness.  Successful men and women are ruined by their own success, believing they don’t need anyone else’s input.  And for some, life’s troubles are magnified because they believe life is all about them.”  The Gospel of Jesus Christ seems to be completely backward to our self-centered lifestyle here in the United States of America.  We are taught and are even conditioned to believe that we have the right or entitlement to have what we want when we want it.

I have said for years that God is not so much interested in our happiness as He is our holiness.  He wants us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.  This seems so difficult when we are so comfortable taking care of number one.  Lucado says, “Our comfort is not God’s priority.  If it is, something has gone awry.  If we are the marquee event, how do we explain flat-earth challenges like death, disease, slumping economies, or rumbling earthquakes?  If God exists to please us, then shouldn’t we always be pleased?”  The truth is that God does not exist to make a big deal out of us but we should exist to make a big deal out of Him.  It is not about you and for a certainty it is not about me, it is all about Him.  Psalm 34:3 (NKJV) “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.” 

Joshua has always been one of...

... my favorite Bible characters, so much so that we named our second son by that name. I believe that Joshua (the one in the Bible) can be such an inspiration to us by the things that God commanded him and how he walked those things out in his life. Can you imagine trying to fill the shoes of Moses? Over and over in Joshua 1 God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous...I believe He is saying those things to us. As a review here are the points to the message God gave me to give to you comparing our lives to Joshua!

1. God wants us to put our past into perspective! Joshua 1:1-2(NIV)

2. God wants us to realize He has a place for us! Joshua 1:2-4(NIV)

3. God wants us to know that His power and presence will go with us to defeat our enemies! Joshua 1:5 (NIV)  

4. God wants us to know that He will keep His promise to us! Joshua 1:6 (NIV)

5. God wants us to have true prosperity! Joshua 1:7-8 (NIV) 

6. God wants us to take possession of what He has promised! Joshua 1:11 (NIV)

7. God wants us to be passionate about being obedient to Him! Joshua 1:16-17 (NIV)

A.W.Tozer said, “The true follower of Christ will not ask, "If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?" Rather he will say, "This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!"  What I am saying is that this is God’s truth and with His help we can and will walk victoriously in it! Be strong and courageous!

Jim Cymbala says, “Prayer links us...

...to the promises and power of the Almighty.  Calling out to God threatens Satan’s kingdom because it brings the blessings of heaven to earth and grants salvation to the ungodly.” We have been speaking for some time of growing to one thousand and I truly believe that we are. The truth is that to grow in God’s way and grow biblically we must pray and invite Holy Spirit every day!

The early church devoted itself to prayer (Acts 2:42), it prayed the Apostle Peter out of prison the night before his scheduled execution (Acts 12), and they responded to persecution for the first time by prayer (Acts 4:42). God responded by granting them a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit and a boldness to witness for Christ. When Ananias was so fearful to go in obedience to Saul who became Paul God gave him this sign to let him know he had changed: Acts 9:11 (NKJV) “...behold, he is praying.”

We all in one accord say that we want to grow and we all agree in growing to one thousand plus but that will come thru Holy Spirit prayer. Listen to the exhortation of our Lord: Luke 18:1 (NIV) “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” If you have not arrived at your destination yet...do not give up and do not stop praying. The Scriptures we read about putting on God’s armor also tells us: Ephesians 6:18 (NKJV) “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” Brothers and Sisters, keep praying and fasting and we will grow like they did in the Book of Acts! God multiplied His Church!

Today I want to do something that I have wanted to do for a long time...

...I want to tell all of you where to go!  Matthew 28:18 19 (NLT) “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”  Jesus has told us to go and we must be obedient!  First, we must go after God with all of our hearts.  The truth is: we will never go after “them” until we go after Him! Tommy Tenny, “We must go after God until we catch Him or He catches us!”

Second, we must go after the lost. Ezekiel tells us there is a great and mighty army just waiting to come up out of their graves to be used for God. Ezek 37:13 (NKJV) "Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.” Third, we must go to the church and say it is time to wake up out of your sleep! Eph 5:14 (NKJV) “Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." Fourth, we must go after revival!!! Revival is when you are tired of the status quo and you truly want Jesus to be Lord. It is when you are tired of altars not being filled with those who need salvation, when you want Holy Spirit to lead a service instead of a man, when dry bones come to life! It is when God’s Word is believed and acted upon with signs following, when children and adults alike are in the altars pouring out their hearts to God, and revival is a blast of the breath of God coming into a church and community changing everything in its path.

Fifth, we must go on to maturity. Hebrews 6:1 (NLT) “So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.” Finally, we must go to the gates of hell and rescue those who are about to fall off the edge. Life Church, Jesus said we must go, so we must go!! 

In 2 Kings 6 there is an incredible story...

... about Elisha and the sons of the prophets. The sons of the prophets came to Elisha and told him that they needed more space and could they have permission to go down to the Jordan River and cut down trees for building them more room.  2Kings 6:5-7 (NKJV) “But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Alas, master! For it was borrowed."  So the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float.  Therefore he said, "Pick it up for yourself." So he reached out his hand and took it.” 

  Why in the world would God feel like it was important for us to know that He could make an ax head float?  Was it that He wanted the prophet to save face and not appear to be irresponsible?  I don’t think so.  God was wanting the prophet to know and is wanting us to know that He has the power of reversal, annulment, cancellation, negation, revocation, and undoing when it is needed in our lives.  If God has the power to reverse the natural order of gravity and make an ax head float then surely He has the power to reverse our situation.

The Word of God has to be our final authority when we face situations which need to be reversed. Listen to the faith of Abraham in these verses:  Romans 4:16 21 (NKJV) “...as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed  God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;  who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."  And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.”  Please know that God has the power of divine reversal in your situation as you choose to stand in faith like Abraham did.  Amen!

Maybe you have a desire...

... to be faithful to Jesus but you are confused by so many voices speaking into your life. We hear so much political correctness and we have a fear of being intolerant of those who may believe differently than we do. The fear is further propagated by saying if you speak against certain lifestyles or people who may seem compromising to you that you are guilty of a “hate crime.” Even in the church there is confusion of where the lines are to be drawn between showing grace and mercy and being accepting of things contrary to God’s law.

So what is our standard?  How do we measure what is right and where we are to stand as a church? We want to reach the lost but we do not want to compromise our convictions to do so. Our standard has always been and will forever be the Word of God. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35 (NKJV) “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Political correctness should never dictate what our standard should be on abortion, same sex marriage, adultery, Israel, or any other social issue of our day.

We need to be so careful in these last days that we are not presuming on the grace of God by believing the doctrines of man instead of the Living Word of God.  The writer of Hebrews says: Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” It exposes sin and righteousness. Paul says: Romans 6:15 16 (NLT) “Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.” Obey God and His Word and you will be faithful to Him!

The Apostle Paul warns of something...

... in the New Testament that is definitely as relevant today as it was then, maybe even more so. In 2 Corinthians 10:12 (NLT) He says “Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!” Comparing ourselves with others is about as common as judging others but that is a subject for another time. We all get caught up in this trap of comparing ourselves with those around us.

My doctor tells me to lose weight but I can see others who are in worse shape than myself. When we are confronted with our disobedience before God we can always find someone else who is living more wrongly than we are. When our children do not want to be denied whatever the latest event that is happening, they want to compare themselves with their friends who seemingly get to always do whatever they want. “It is not fair” they say!  We always come back with the same proverbial answer, “If your friends wanted to jump off of a cliff would you want to jump off too?”

  What I believe the answer is for this horrendous habit of comparing ourselves with others is that we answer the question, “What is our standard?”  Is it my friends, are they my standard?  Is it the latest fad, is that our standard?  Is it that I am better than that person or the other?  What is our standard?  James 1:22 (NLT) “But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”  I make my choices based on what God’s Word says about my situation. Philippians 2:5 (NLT)  “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”  When I am faced with tough choices, instead of comparing myself with others, I should ask the question, “What would Jesus do?”  Comparing yourself to others is unwise...comparing yourself to Jesus can be life transforming! 

Hurricane Harvey devastates southern...

... Texas and Louisiana and our hearts are broken to see lives lost and property destroyed. I heard the governor of Texas say the water around Houston was the size of Lake Michigan…unbelievable!  Our hearts ached for the people there so we prayed and we gave. Then, Irma shows up…islands wiped out and the entire state of Florida is affected. Again, lives lost (elderly in a nursing home) and property destroyed from Key West to Jacksonville. Over half of the population of Florida was without electricity at one time and many are still without it. It is definitely easier to pray for others going through a storm and even, easier to give to help others going through such tragedy, than to go through it ourselves. 

Listen to the psalmist: Psalm 107:28-32 (NKJV)  “Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders.” He, God, calms the storm and He guides us to our desired haven. Do you just suppose God is trying to get us to return to Him? We should give Him thanks for His goodness, for His protection, for His provision, and for His unending love for us.

I kept hearing people say during and after the storm, “We have no power!” My friends and fellow followers of Christ, that is not true. We may not have electricity but we have power in the Name of Jesus. We have the power to pray, we have the power to help someone else in need, we have the power to give to bless those who are hurting…oh, we have power. Acts 1:8 “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” Let us use the power we have to be hands-on witnesses during this time of devastation. Who knows, this power we have may just lead someone to Jesus! 

We are getting ready to welcome...

...new folks into covenant membership in the next couple of weeks and we are so excited about that. In this article I want to speak about covenant and the vision of what it means.  We shared these verses from Matthew 19:4 6 (NLT) “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’  And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’  Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”  We have examined how God compares the covenant we have with our local church to marriage between a man and woman.

The difference between an attender and a member is the difference between living together and getting married. A lot of people want to date the church, but they don't want to get married.  If someone or some church hotter comes along they will drop you and go to something more exciting.  God is serious about marriage and about His Church, “... let no one split apart what God has joined together.”  

Many have viewed church membership as being non-essential and even a type of manmade bondage.  The truth is God has emphasized covenant from the beginning.  Pastor Brandon Hovey from Calvary Chapel in a article wrote “What is the big deal about church membership or covenants?  Church membership is a good idea. You see church membership is not about having your name on a dusty roll sheet. It's not about secret clubs, silly handshakes or more rules. It's about something many in our culture are terrified of: commitment. It's about making a public promise to live according to Scripture and support the work of the congregation.”  Come on, Life Church, let us be one and let us be covenant members serving God, one another, and reaching the lost!

Maybe you have a desire...

... to be faithful to Jesus but you are confused by so many voices speaking into your life. We hear so much political correctness and we have a fear of being intolerant of those who may believe differently than we do.  The fear is further propagated by saying if you speak against certain lifestyles or people who may seem compromising to you that you are guilty of a “hate crime.”  Even in the church there is confusion of where the lines are to be drawn between showing grace and mercy and being accepting of things contrary to God’s law.

So what is our standard?  How do we measure what is right and where we are to stand as a church? We want to reach the lost but we do not want to compromise our convictions to do so. Our standard has always been and will forever be the Word of God. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35 (NKJV) “ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Political correctness should never dictate what our standard should be on abortion, same sex marriage, adultery, Israel, or any other social issue of our day.

We need to be so careful in these last days that we are not presuming on the grace of God by believing the doctrines of man instead of the Living Word of God.  The writer of Hebrews says: Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest twoedged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”  It exposes sin and righteousness. Paul says: Romans 6:1516 (NLT) “Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.” Obey God and His Word and you will be extra faithful to Him! 

God has led us here...

... at Life Church Assembly of God to be faithful to the Lord in every area of our lives. He has spoken to us about being extra faithful because the days are evil.  Paul says:  Ephesians 5:13 (NLT) “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.  Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.” Paul was saying that as believers we should not be involved in the evil surrounding us in the world.

The apostle goes on to say:  Ephesians 5:1518 (NLT)  “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.   Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.  Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.  Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit...”  We can be upset and even filled with righteous indignation about the sin in the world around us but until we are upset with the sin in the church we are being very hypocritical. What a concept...be careful how you live. It is imperative that in these last days that we are extraordinarily faithful to the Lord and that we don’t live in a foolish manner.

It appears to me that it always comes back to this...we desperately need to be filled with the presence and power of Holy Spirit.  It only stands to reason that if we are filled with the Spirit of the living God we will not be involved in sexual immorality, impurity, or greed.  I just wonder if the greed that these verses are talking about would be, having the means to spread the gospel through missions and not do it.  Just a thought!  The key is this...don’t get intoxicated by the things of this world but be filled with the Holy Spirit.  As close as we are to the coming of Christ I implore you to ask God multiple times a day for Him to give you the Promise of Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul warns...

... of something in the New Testament that is definitely as relevant today as it was then, maybe even more so. In 2 Corinthians 10:12 (NLT) He says “Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!”  Comparing ourselves with others is about as common as judging others but that is a subject for another time. We all get caught up in this trap of comparing ourselves with those around us.

My doctor tells me to lose weight but I can see others who are in worse shape than myself.  When we are confronted with our disobedience before God we can always find someone else who is living more wrongly than we are. When our children do not want to be denied whatever the latest event that is happening is, they want to compare themselves with their friends who seemingly get to always do whatever they want. “It is not fair” they say!  We always come back with the same proverbial answer, “If your friends wanted to jump off of a cliff would you want to follow them?”

What I believe the answer is for this horrendous habit of comparing ourselves with others is that we answer the question, “What is our standard?”  Is it my friends, are they my standard?  Is it the latest fad, is that our standard?  Is it that I am better than that person or the other?  What is our standard?  James 1:22 (NLT) “But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”  I make my choices based on what God’s Word says about my situation.  Philippians 2:5 (NLT)   “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”  When I am faced with tough choices, instead of comparing myself with others, I should ask the question, “What would Jesus do?”  Comparing yourself to others is unwise...comparing yourself to Jesus can be life transforming!  

Joshua has always...

... been one of my favorite Bible characters, so much so that we named our second son by that name. I believe that Joshua (the one in the Bible) can be such an inspiration to us by the things that God commanded him and how he walked those things out in his life. Can you imagine trying to fill the shoes of Moses? Over and over in Joshua 1 God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous...I believe He is saying those things to us.  As a review here are the points God gave me to give to you comparing our lives to Joshua!

 1. God wants us to put our past into perspective!  Joshua 1:1-2(NIV)

2. God wants us to realize He has a place for us!  Joshua 1:2-4(NIV)

3. God wants us to know that His power and presence will go with us to defeat our enemies!  Joshua 1:5 (NIV)  

4. God wants us to know that He will keep His promise to us!  Joshua 1:6 (NIV)

5. God wants us to have true prosperity!  Joshua 1:7-8 (NIV) 

6. God wants us to take possession of what He has promised!  Joshua 1:11 (NIV)

7. God wants us to be passionate about being obedient to Him! Joshua 1:16-17 (NIV)

  A.W.Tozer said, “The true follower of Christ will not ask, "If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?" Rather he will say, "This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!"  What I am saying about 2013 is that this is God’s truth and with His help we can and will walk victoriously in it!

Genesis 12:13 (NLT)

 “The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 

 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.  I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” Isn’t it amazing that God would say, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt.” God’s heart has always been toward His chosen people Israel.

We have tried here at LIFE CHURCH Assembly of God to focus our attention on blessing and praying for Israel. Why? The simple answer is that God has told us in His Word to do so and we are trying to obedient to Him. We want the blessings of God to be upon us and upon our church so we pray for Israel every time we meet together. We believe one of the reasons God sustained us through the great recession wass because of our love and prayers for the Jewish people.

So what is God’s goal or purpose for the children of Israel and for us, the Gentiles?  Ephesians 2:14 (NLT) “For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.” God’s goal is that none should perish but that all would come to repentance and find LIFE!  God wants Jews and Gentiles to Live in Freedom Everyday!

What's Up?

Pastor Rick, you have preached so many sermons on the baptism in the Holy Spirit in the last few months...What’s up?  Let’s cut through the chase and get directly to the point.  There are so many benefits to being baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire but I believe one takes precedence over all the others.  Jesus said in Matthew that He came to seek and to save those who were lost.  When He gave us the Great Commission He gave us a mandate to go into all the world and reach and teach the lost.

That is definitely an impossible task without some kind of supernatural intervention to enable us to accomplish what He has called us to do.  He told His disciples to go and tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power.  Power to do what?  Acts 1:8 (NKJV)  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." We have to receive this power to accomplish His will for the lost being saved. We must obey His mandate!

So what happens when we get filled with His Spirit and power?  The same thing that happened to the apostles and the early church.  Acts 2:47 (NKJV)  “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”  As the disciples continued to walk in the Spirit look what happened:  Acts 6:7 (NKJV)   “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.”  The point is this...souls are added to the church and then multiplied!  Wow!  

All of us, if we are honest...

... with ourselves, have weaknesses and even sins that easily harass us.  As I am writing this I am watching a hawk try to dry it wings while sitting on a fence.  A pesky mockingbird does not think the hawk should be resting or drying out so he feels it necessary to fly at him over and over.  What is that thing in your life where the enemy is attacking you and constantly harassing you so you cannot rest in the Lord?

Maybe you have trouble loving someone...been there, done that, and have the

t-shirt.  Has life sucked out your joy and you are having trouble coping with one day at a time?  Peace is far from you because of trouble in the family or the events coming on our world.  You have no self-control when it comes to saying “no” to the temptation of the enemy or “yes” in your obedience to Jesus.  What are we to do?

In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul says:  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, selfcontrol. Against such there is no law.”  As we seek God and are filled with the Holy Spirit, He will provide everything we need for life and godliness!  Again Paul says Galatians 5:16 NKJV “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”  Be filled with the Spirit and walk in the Spirit and you will Live In Freedom Everyday!  

"Everything continues in a state of rest...

... unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed upon it."   Isaac Newton

In other words...we will continue just as we are unless there is a force that compels us to change.  What would that force be in the life of a believer...obviously it would be the power of the Holy Spirit!  If there is anything lacking in the church today, it would be the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

The disciples had the greatest teacher, the greatest preacher, the greatest prophet, and the greatest role model of them all.  Yet, they could not live for God without the power of the Holy Spirit.  They heard Jesus’ teaching and watched Him perform miracles but when push came to shove they could not stand with Him!  They all ran, fleeing from their Lord and those coming to crucify Him. All of them eventually went back to their previous life until they an encounter with Holy Spirit!

After they were filled with the Holy Spirit what was said of them?  Acts 17:6 (NKJV) "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.” Jesus, please let us be filled with the Holy Spirit and turn our world upside down and let us walk in LIFE!

In Congress, July 4, 1776...

... this declaration was published: THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. It said: When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

1. The first of these unalienable rights is life.

John 10:10 (NKJV)

10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  

2. The second unalienable right that they sought after was liberty.

John 20:3031 (NKJV)

18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD. '  

3.  The third unalienable right they stood in was the pursuit of happiness!

1 Tim 6:12 (NKJV)

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 

As we celebrate our independence let us not forget our dependence on Jesus for life, liberty, and our happiness!

Imagine a city like New York City...

... with its hustle and bustle.  Much of what happens in that city affects not just New York state but the entire world.  As you fly over the city at night or see photos of the city with lights beaming after dark one can only imagine all the activity that is taking place.  Imagine it if it lost all electrical power...what would happen in that type of blackout...the whole thing shuts down. New York City has all the potential in the world but without power it becomes useless and its potential is wasted. Not to mention the crime that would take place as the darkness invaded the city.

The same is true for us as believers. If we don’t have access to spiritual power, how can we accomplish what needs to be done?  Power to overcome sin!  Power to overcome the enemy of our souls when he launches his attacks against us!  Power to endure hardship and affliction!  Power to witness!  Power to speak!  Power to pray!  Isn’t more spiritual power probably the greatest need the Church has today?

Jesus had something very important to say to His followers before He ascended to the right hand of the Father:  Luke 24:49 (NIV) “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." He knew that if this gospel was going to be preached, if people were going to be set free, and if His disciples would be able to stand in adversity that they would have to be clothed with power. Is it any different for us?  No! We must be filled with the Holy Spirit and power!  Let us, Life Church, receive His promise and be endued with power!

Father’s Day!

A day set aside to celebrate our earthly fathers and to express love to them.  Many of us our fathers have passed away but I am sure that their influence is still with us in some way or the other. There are times that I do something or say something and I realize that is exactly what my dad would have done or said. The impact of a father on his children cannot be measured but rest assured that it is one of the most important jobs on the planet.

So how can we tie the role of a father to the power and in-filling of the Holy Spirit?  I am so glad you asked! The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 5:18 (NLT) “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit...”  What is Paul saying here?  He is saying do not be intoxicated by anything that will destroy your life but rather be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Many fathers are intoxicated by their work (or whatever) and spending way too much valuable time away from their families and away from their heavenly Father. I exhort you, fathers, to not get caught up with anything or anyone who distracts you from your God given responsibilities. Be filled with the Holy Spirit and lead your family into God’s presence at home and church!  Remember Jesus’ words: John 10:10 (NLT) “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”  Get baptized in the Holy Spirit and lead your family!

Genesis 12:13 (NLT)

“The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” Isn’t it amazing that God would say, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt.” God’s heart has always been toward His chosen people Israel.

We have tried here at LIFE CHURCH Assembly of God to focus our attention on blessing and praying for Israel. Why?  The simple answer is that God has told us in His Word to do so and we are trying to obedient to Him. We want the blessings of God to be upon us and upon our church so we pray for Israel every time we meet together. We believe one of the reasons God has sustained us through the great recession is because of our love and prayers for the Jewish people.

So what is God’s goal or purpose for the children of Israel and for us, the Gentiles?  Ephesians 2:14 (NLT)  “For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.”   God’s goal is that none should perish but that all would come to repentance and find LIFE! God wants Jews and Gentiles to Live in Freedom Everyday!

All of us, if we are honest...

 ... with ourselves, have weaknesses and even sins that easily harass us. As I am writing this I am watching a hawk try to dry it wings while sitting on a fence.  A pesky mockingbird does not think the hawk should be resting or drying out so he feels it necessary to fly at him over and over. In Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV) “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” 

What is that thing in your life where the enemy is attacking you and constantly harassing you so you cannot rest in the Lord? Maybe you have trouble loving someone...been there, done that, and have the t-shirt. Has life sucked out your joy and you are having trouble coping with one day at a time?  Peace is far from you because of trouble in the family or the events coming on our world. You have no self-control when it comes to saying “no” to the temptation of the enemy or “yes” in your obedience to Jesus. What are we to do?

In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, selfcontrol. Against such there is no law.”  As we seek God and are filled with the Holy Spirit, He will provide everything we need for life and godliness!  Again Paul says in Galatians 5:16 NKJV “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”  Be filled with the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, and you will Live in Freedom Everyday!  

As we approach Memorial Day...

...we want to give thanks for the men and women who have given their lives in the military to keep us all safe. We still have those who are serving and we still here on a regular basis those who are dying to defend our freedom. Also, thank you to those of you who were willing to lay down your lives by serving in the armed services. I see such a parallel between our military and believers who are called to fight the good fight. 

As I thought about this I was reminded of the Warriors Ethos (Part of the Soldiers Creed of the US Army).

A. I will always put the mission first. Soldiers are called to put the mission first. They know that nothing takes priority over winning the battle and defending the great USA! As believers, we should absolutely know that our Commander in Chief Jesus has commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel. That is our first priority…our mission.

B. I will never accept defeat. Those in the military know that there has to be this “Never say die” attitude when it comes to securing the victory. As Christ’s soldiers we know Jesus has already secured the victory for us so we keep marching toward the prize.

C. I will never quit. One thing I continue to love about those who volunteer in the U S Military, is that, the men and women who serve and fight are the best of the best and they do not quit. God, please help the church to rise up with the power of Holy Spirit and never give up!

D. I will never leave a fallen comrade. This has to be one of the most honorable commitments that our soldiers make because it means my personal safety is not an issue, getting my friends home is. I pray we all have the same attitude of making sure no one is left behind! 

May all of us give thanks this Memorial Day for the blood bought freedom we have!

When Jesus therefore saw His mother...

In John 19:26-27 (NKJV)  When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. Jesus turns to John and says, take care of her, and looks at his mother and says, let him stand in my place as your son.  John lived a very long life, and I believe he took care of Mary until she went to heaven. Jesus is on the cross, bearing the weight of the sins of the whole world on His shoulders, yet He sees to it to make sure His mother is taken care of after He is gone!  As God, Jesus is dealing with eternal matters, but as a man, He’s showing all of us today how important it is to take care and love our mothers! Here are seven ways we can build her identity.

1. Love her by what you say!

2. Love her by your touch!

3. Love her by being patient!

4.  Love her by your willingness to hear her heart!

5. Love her gratefully!

6. Love her generously!

7. Love her honorably.

Ephesians 6:1-3 (NLT)  “Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise:
If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” 

Wayne Cordeiro says ...

“There are four basic courses by which we can live. These may not be planned but they will be followed regardless. Every life follows a set of rules, a default of ideals that have been caught more than taught. What do we want our future to be especially in light of this battle we are in? Look at these four choices we have:

1. We live a life of reaction. With this paradigm we plod forward until something forces us to change...the loss of a job forces us to find another...the perceived acceptance or rejection of another will dictate our circle of friendships. Many times we only change when we are faced with the consequences of our bad decisions. Cordeiro says a life of reaction is disorienting, a dangerous way to live, but the majority of people have chosen this lifestyle, most of them, because they have chosen no other course.

2. We live a life of conformity. In this course of life, we live according to the view of the crowd. We float on the current of popular opinion. This explains how the crowd in Jerusalem could go from Hosanna to Crucify with Jesus. It is another dangerous way to live...it puts you at the mercy of opinion.

3. We live a life of independence. Men and women who choose this course for life cherish the illusion of autonomy...self-reliance, self-direction, and self-sufficiency. They are usually the smartest person in the room...just ask them. Proverbs 18:1 (NKJV) “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.”

4. We live a life of intentionality. A life of intentionality is the re-structured life that we must choose... as good soldiers of Jesus Christ we must discipline ourselves to fall in line and obey! 

2 Timothy 2:3 (NIV) “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” We must be intentional about our walk with God...we are no longer babies who are fed, clothed, and taken care of automatically. We choose to discipline ourselves, we choose to fight the good fight, we choose to run the race. If you do not live a life of intentionality you will gravitate to a life of reaction, conformity, or independence. Let’s be good soldiers of Jesus and serve Him gladly!