Flourish- The New Life Church Blog

Dancing in Dry Ditches

2010-03-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 3:1-2, 5-18, 20-24

One of the paradoxical statements of Christianity is that we are strongest at our weakeset. To the carnal mind, this statement seems to contradict itself. To Christians, this statement is a profound truth.

In the above scripture passage we find 3 kings that are going to attack the king of Moab. The kings of Israel and Judah found an ally in the king of Edom. So, they decided to attack Moab by going through the Desert of Edom.

To a strategist, this would look like a good plan. One would expect the element of surprise traveling through a desert. The plan looked good on paper, but in its execution, they came upon a problem. They ran out of water.

How often do you make plans, only to see them not work out the way you thought they would? How do you respond to these situations?

King Jeshoshaphat responded in proper fashion. He decided to inquire of the Lord about their situation. Going to God should be our first response.

Do you think they asked God about their plans before they even started marching?

Seeking Godly direction should always be the first thing we do when making any plans. The scripture does not say anything about whether or not they ever asked God what He thought about their plan. It appears they just decided to go to war because they felt it was the right thing to do, without making God a part of their decision making.

Do you pray before making important decisions in our life? For major decisions, do you have people you can council with that God could use to give you direction?

For a moment, let's assume they did pray before going to war (through the desert) and that they did not receive any warnings from God. The problem of the lack of water came as a normal circumstance of life, then.

Problems are fertile ground for miracles. When obstacles come our way, we should face them with faith!

God gave instructions through the prophet Elisha. The request to dig ditches might have seemed strange, but the people obeyed and God delivered them!

When we are engulfed in tribulation, we feel weak. In those situations, there is nothing we can do to fix the problem. We have to totally depend on God. He loves to show Himself sufficient when we humble ourselves and ask Him for help. We are at our strongest when we are at our weakest, because it is God's strength that empowers us and delivers us. (Read Psalm 147, focusing on verses 10-11 especially)

If you are facing hardship today, put on some Christian music, praise God and ask Him for help. That is what Elisha did!

If God directs you to do something, obey! Some miracles require you to dig some ditches!

The request to dig ditches may seem strange. If God would have told them to dig a well in a certain spot, that would have made more logical sense. But God's ways are above our ways, His thoughts are above our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Obeying God is key to you getting your miracle.

Has God been dealing with you about some dirt that needs to be dug out of you? Pride? Selfishness? Apathy? A bad habit?

Remove the dirt and make room in your life for a miracle!

God will use desert times in our lives to teach us. His answer will come while we are in the desert. You can go ahead and dance in the ditches, the victory is near!

The Weapons of God

2010-03-25T14:05:00.000-07:00

Text: Joshua 6:1-5 and 1 Timothy 1:18

War is a culture all its own. If you have ever studied war in general or even a particular war, you no doubt found it to be fascinating. There are some definite keys to winning war - you must have the right weapons and overwhelming power.

The Christian is involved in a spiritual war. To forget this or to choose not to engage the enemy will be lethal. If we choose to engage the enemy, we must use the right weapons. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tells us "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds."

So, the question that comes to mind is: "What are the weapons of God?"

We can learn of 4 powerful weapons from the story of The Battle of Jericho mentioned in Joshua 6.

Weapon #1: Our Identity in God

Who we belong to brings fear to the enemy. "Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel" we are told in Joshua 6:1. Truth is, it was not because of the children of Israel themselves, but because of their God. For the Christian, Satan wants to introduce doubt into our concept of who we are.

Let me ask you another question, "Who are you?" No, not "What is your name?" but more specifically, "Who do you belong to?" If you and I belong to Christ, we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us. (Romans 8:37)

Weapon #2: God's Perspective

In Joshua 6:2 God told Joshua, "See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor." God wanted Joshua to see something from His perspective. God saw the victory at Jericho as something that was as real as if it had already happened. In fact, to God it already had! When we learn to see things through God's eyes, we wield a powerful weapon against our enemy.

Weapon #3: A Walk With God

God told the men of war to march around the city. Read that statement again. Did you catch that? Men of war walking around in circles. Sounds a little odd, don't you think? One of the most powerful weapons we have is just to walk with God daily. Just be faithful, even when it seems like you are just going in circles. Satan failed the "faithfulness test" and his desire is for you and I to do the same. If we will just get good at being faithful...we will deal a fatal blow to our enemy.

Genesis 5:24: "Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him."

God rewarded Enoch's faithful walk. He will reward ours too. Just get up every day and walk with God. When I was a teenager I was guilty of jumping with God. I would jump from emotional high to emotional high. In between the highs, I had not learned to walk with God, so the gaps between the highs were filled with doubt and defeat. When I learned to daily walk with God, I learned to enjoy the emotional highs, but to be steady in my walk.

Weapon #4: Faith Praise

Praising God in faith for what you believe will happen is another weapon we see in Joshua 6. In verse 5 God told all the people to "shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat." Notice the shout came BEFORE the walls fell. Yes, BEFORE. If we will learn praise in advance, God will bring the victory to us in His timing.

Remember whose you are as you endeavor to see things from God's perspective and walk with God daily in an attitude of praise as you thank Him in advance for what He is doing.

Points to Ponder

1. Think of specific times in your life when you let the enemy cause you to forget you identity in Christ. What can you do to fight against this tendency? How will you put this into action?

2. God's Word is powerful in helping us see things from His perspective. Make a list of Scriptures that you feel God wants you to remember so you can "see more clearly."

3. What impresses you about faithful people? What one thing can you do to walk more faithfully?

4. There are several instances in Scripture where people praised God in advance. Make a list and plan to read these stories over the next few days or weeks. If you have trouble thinking of any, ask a friend to help.

Leaving Changed

2010-03-09T12:26:00.000-08:00

This message was preached at New Life Church on Sunday, February 28, 2010.

Have you ever had to leave your car in a vast parking lot at an airport, shopping mall or hospital complex? While the answer for most would be an emphatic “yes” one task that cannot be forgotten is finding a way to remember where we left our vehicle! So, on any scrap paper that I might have handy, I’ve scrawled “Section T9” onto it, placed it for safe keeping so I don’t find myself aimlessly searching for my lost parked car at the later date or time. It’s important to remember our beginning.

While it is vital to pay attention to the trivial details of everyday living, I find it to be entirely important to acknowledge how we enter into the presence of the Lord. We should take notice of this in Ezekiel 45: 10-17, we find the prophet Ezekiel writing this to the people of God:

¹⁰ “You shall have honest scales, an honest ephah, and an honest bath. ¹¹ The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure, so that the bath contains one-tenth of a homer, and the ephah one-tenth of a homer; their measure shall be according to the homer. ¹² The shekel shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, and fifteen shekels shall be your mina. ¹³ “This is the offering which you shall offer: you shall give one-sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat, and one-sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley. ¹⁴ The ordinance concerning oil, the bath of oil, is one-tenth of a bath from a kor. A kor is a homer or ten baths, for ten baths are a homer. ¹⁵ And one lamb shall be given from a flock of two hundred, from the rich pastures of Israel. These shall be for grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement for them,” says the Lord GOD. ¹⁶ “All the people of the land shall give this offering for the prince in Israel. ¹⁷ Then it shall be the prince’s part to give burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the feasts, the New Moons, the Sabbaths, and at all the appointed seasons of the house of Israel. He shall prepare the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel.”

And again in Ezekiel 46: 8-10:

⁸ When the prince enters, he shall go in by way of the vestibule of the gateway, and go out the same way.⁹ “But when the people of the land come before the LORD on the appointed feast days, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate; and whoever enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. He shall not return by way of the gate through which he came, but shall go out through the opposite gate. ¹⁰ The prince shall then be in their midst. When they go in, he shall go in; and when they go out, he shall go out.

As mentioned in verse 9 above, Ezekiel outlines specific instructions as to how to enter into the house [of worship].

1. HONESTLY

When we enter into His presence it is so vitally important that we are honest about how we enter in. We must absolute recognize how enter in the house of worship. No better example can be found of how to reverence his presence than in Psalms chapter 24. We must be honest in our worship to God because we must leave changed.

If we enter depressed, disheartened, unloved or lonely; we CAN leave changed. Too casually we walk into and out of the presence of God. We mustn’t forget that He is the God of Glory, the Healer of our Body, and He is still Great, Glorious, Holy and Mighty! Our experience at church should be one of good fellowship, but the MAIN FOCUS is that someone can come into his presence and be completely changed. We can feel His presence and feel good, but we must refuse the tendency to leave the same way we came in.

2. ACKOWLEDGE the PRINCE

As Ezekiel 46: 10 states, the prince shall be on their midst- as long as we enter into and leave His house correctly. The ACTIONS of the Kingdom of God will determine the actions of the prince. How we determine to act in the house of worship will determine if the Prince shall come in or step out. Through this, we cannot get away from the sacrifice! (Isaiah 9:6) We must remember the sacrifice that the Prince made for us.

3. We must access worship CORRECTLY

God will not supersede human nature and force us into his presence- The Prince is waiting on someone to enter into the house of worship with Him! We must not wait for a greater moment- just simply worship Him now!

Scriptures continues to paint examples of how and when to leave the presence of God. A great example is that of Luke 24:47-49:

“⁴⁷ and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ And you are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem^[a] until you are endued (a reference of changed clothing or to array) with power from on high.”

It is safe to say we are to be in HIS presence, until it completely changes us!

4. WE must know ALL of who the Prince IS

John 5:1-9 tells us the story of the man at the Bethesda who had been waiting 38 for his healing. In verse 6, Jesus asks the man, “Do you want to be made well?” We an obviously simple “Yes” would have sufficed, the man explains he had no one to put him in the pool when the waters were troubled, and someone would rush in before he could get there (verse 7). The man had learned to merely “cope” with his condition, for he did not realize who JESUS is!

He is:

· The Most High over all the Earth, (Psalms 83-18)

· my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalms 18:2)

· The Chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20)

· Our peace (Ephesians 2:14)

· The resurrection and the life. (John 11:25)

· He is Lord of all (Acts 10:36)

· The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus(Acts 3:13)

· He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16)

· I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)

· The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 1:8)

· The Savior from our sins (Matthew 1:21)

· The sun of righteousness with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2)

· Our Salvation (II Peter 2:15)

· I am the light of the world (John 8:12)

And the list can go on, and on! The Prince is here, he is in our midst! He desires to do something immediately in our lives- NOW. Let’s leave his presence CHANGED.

Love

2010-02-16T22:58:00.000-08:00

The subject of love has been so powerfully communicated in music. Think of loves songs you remember. Every genre of music has its songs that tell the story of love in some form or another. How about a couple of songs from the past?

Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley

Love Is a Many Splendored Thing – Andy Williams

From the Book of Ruth, God gives us some practical ways to show love. This short, but, powerful story about Ruth’s love for her mother-in-law, Naomi, illustrates to us not only down-to-earth principles, but it also shows us a clear picture of God’s divine love.

In the story, Naomi lost her husband and two sons, who were the husbands of Orpah and Ruth. All three women had suffered great loss, but Naomi the most.

And she (Naomi) said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said:

“ Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you;
for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”

When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.

Let’s look at some practical ways to show love to each other from this passage in Ruth 1:15-18.

1. I show my love by sticking with someone through tough times. Love can best be shown in crisis. The valleys of life separate the fickle from the committed. One of the basic elements of love is “sticking power.” Ruth stuck with Naomi.

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

God himself models tenacious love!

Have you ever bailed on someone who needed you to stick with them? If so, how did it make you feel? Have you stuck with someone in tough times? How did that make you feel?

2. I show love by adjusting to others. Ruth illustrated this so well! She made drastic adjustments in her life so she could follow her mother-in-law and ultimately, Naomi’s God. Adjusting says, in a most powerful way, “I love you!”

What are some practical ways we can adjust our lives to the ones we love? Where is God asking you to adjust your life so you can better show love to someone?

3. I show love by offering encouraging words. Some things must be said! Ruth’s words to Naomi not only demonstrated her willingness to act in the future, but were a source of great encouragement as she spoke them.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue… Proverbs 18:21

How have you been guilty of offering "words of death" to a loved one? What words or encouragement do you plan to share this week?

4. I show love by putting the needs of others above mine. Not only did Ruth say it, she acted on her words, by making Naomi’s needs a priority. As the story progresses we see Ruth being rewarded for this act of selflessness. She found love with a man named Boaz.

What needs of someone else can you put above yours today? What are you waiting on? Do it! You will be blessed by your sacrifice.

This story of love in The Book of Ruth, as we mentioned earlier, gives us a clear picture of God’s divine love.

1. God will stick with us in tough times.

2. God adjusted to us. We sinned; He provided the sinless sacrifice for sin.

3. God’s Word encourages us.

4. God put our needs above His.

God is not a cosmic bully who waits for us to mess up. He is, rather, a loving Father who wants us to know His love and share it with others.

What's The Big Deal About Repentance?

2010-02-11T08:31:00.000-08:00

Repentance is a word that you don’t often hear in the workplace or in casual conversations outside of the church. So what is repentance? What does it really mean? If we are to repent, as the Bible has instructed, we must make sure that we have turned from our sin and have not offered God a mere apology.

Jonah 1:1-15 tells us the all-too-familiar story of Jonah. The occurrence of a man, called by the Lord to minister to Nineveh, a place of sin so great, that it needed some serious attention. Jonah was that man, and he was aware of Nineveh, and its ways. So instead of following the command of God, Jonah got on the first boat going as far away from Nineveh as he could get! He paid his fare, and to Tarshish Jonah sailed.

One could ask; “What caused Jonah to run and completely disobey God’s will?" could it be what they would say of this stranger coming to their homeland and telling them they live in a state of such terrible wickedness? God’s calling on our lives, as with Jonah, will push us from our comfort zones, into a place where we can fully trust Him. We must obey God to please God. Even if those times of obedience are not to our liking.

As the story continues, a great wind comes across the seas, rocking the boat is which Jonah was fast asleep. (1:5) The mariners began crying out to their gods, and woke Jonah asking him to pray to his God and maybe he would save them. The mariners knew Jonah was a Hebrew, and that he was running from the presence of the Lord because Jonah had told them so. In the fear of perishing in the storm, the mariners asked Jonah what could they do so the seas would be calmed.(1:8-11) God found a way to get Jonah’s attention. We learn that God’s purpose and will for lost people will be accomplished; even if he has to send a torrential storm to get our attention.

Jonah became very aware of what needed to be done to save those around him. He told the mariners to cast him into the sea, and it would be calmed. So, despite their own good judgment and attempts to get to dry land, the mariners did as Jonah instructed, and cast him overboard. (1:13-15) Jonah knew his environment had to change to put himself in a position for God to show up.

The passage continues that God had prepared a great fish- one that the Lord had planned in advance for the rescue of Jonah from the sea.(1:17) Despite Jonah’s disobedience and his flight from the God. It is here, in the belly of the great fish, that Jonah repents for his sin. Jonah prays: (2:2-9)

“ I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction,
And He answered me.
“ Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
³ For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
⁴ Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
⁵ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
The deep closed around me;
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
⁶ I went down to the moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,
O LORD, my God.
⁷ “ When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the LORD;
And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.
⁸ “ Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy.
⁹ But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the LORD.”

God then commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land.

Acts 17:30 states, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” The time to repent is NOW. In the midst of our storm, we need to repent and return to His calling. 1 John 1:9 instructs us to confess our sins and forsake our sins! To turn 180 degrees toward God, to where we are facing Him. If we can recognize God in our situation then we can change our lives and potentially the lives of others.

So, have you repented today?

Praise God that in our times of disobedience, he still prepares our rescue!

The Truth About Hell

2010-02-02T08:56:00.001-08:00

Like most other countries, here in America we have laws that help govern us and our land. Some laws we see frequently, like those that say “Speed Limit 45” or “REDUCE SPEED WORK ZONE”. Hopefully we take heed and obey them, knowing the principle of action and consequences if we choose to ignore them. While the laws of our land are significantly important; there is something far greater and of utmost importance to us...that something is the Truth about Hell.

What do you know about Hell?

What types of people will go to Hell?

What do you think about Judgment?

If you were to ask others these questions, you will probably find a variation of responses. Hell is often misunderstood, feared and ignored. What really matters is WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT HELL?

Psalm 9:17 shows us that the Lord is known by the judgment He executes.

In the New Testament, for every single time Jesus references Heaven, He makes mention of Hell double the amount of times.

Proverbs 7:27 refers to immorality as the pathway to Hell, the transgression of God’s moral laws is a sure road to an eternity in Hell.

Proverbs 27:20 lets us know that Hell is never full—the vacancy sign is always on.

Isaiah tells us that Hell has enlarged itself.

Have you ever been asked the question, “If God so loves, then why is there a Hell?” God’s WORD gives us the answer. John 8:44 says that God will deal righteously with the devil. Matt 25:41 tells us that Hell was originally prepared for Satan and his angels. Those who are unrepentant, those who are non-obedient to the Gospel are just punching their own ticket to enter Hell.

The Scriptures allows us to see WHY there is a Hell, and the PATH that leads to Hell and also, the all consuming NATURE of Hell; along with these it gives us further insight to four other characteristics of Hell.

a. Utter DARKNESS will entirely cover Hell… Absolutely no light of any kind…total blackness and beyond for ever and ever.

John 8:12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, Jude 12, 13, Matthew 8, 22, 25

b. Consuming FILTH will inhabit Hell…worse than any city dump…wasted lives, garbage filled minds, hearts consumed by wickedness. Hell will be a dwelling place for the garbage of disobedience, unrepentant, rebellious people. This is hard for us to really comprehend as Christians, because we have the Holy Ghost as a buffet to ward off the demonic and wickedness of this world. Consuming filth…that’s why we must avoid Hell at any cost.

Mark 9:43 warns us, whatever it takes…MAKE HEAVEN and AVOID HELL.

c. Unimaginable FEAR…the unknown of Hell. Matt. Chapters 8, 22, and 25 give us an analogy of the unrepentant, unprofitable people that were cast into Hell. There was whaling, weeping and gnashing of teeth there. Fear controls their emotions, anger is dominate because they missed out on Paradise, they are angry at themselves, God and others. No relief from this fear and anger.

d. Complete and total HOPELESSNESS…Rev. 20:10-14 “…day and night for ever and ever.”

There will be no rest, no relief, no better tomorrow, no comfort, no change, and no hope in anything. Never…Never…Never

For the Christian, we are not dominated by the fear of Hell; rather, we are motivated by Jesus Christ our Redeemer in Heaven. Here are some questions to consider:

Am I wise in my knowledge of Hell?

Am I confronting eternity?

Am I obedient to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Am I being mature with the actions of my life-doing all to avoid Hell?

Am I ready to face judgment with God…what have I done with what I know?

Am I teaching my family and sharing with others God’s plan of salvation? In Acts chapters 1, 2, the Bible says I must be obedient to the Gospel. Not only by hearing, but also by actions. I must repent, I must be baptized in His name, and I must be filled with His Spirit.

The TRUTH about HELL helps me understand the TRUTH about ETERNITY!

Whatever I’m doing with the GOSPEL determines my destiny!

Our Pathway to Blessings

2010-01-26T13:24:00.000-08:00

Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”And he said, “Here I am.”2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Genesis 22:1-2 (New King James Version)

Early in the Bible in the book of Genesis, there are life lessons that have the ability to shape who we are and what we can become. There are significant individuals in the Old Testament that bear witness to each of us on what can be done to find blessings that only God can provide. Abraham is one such individual that can serve as a marker for each of us during our walk with Him. In order to grasp the magnitude of the teachings exemplified through Abraham’s life we must understand and maintain the following truths:

• God is not a liar – we should be comforted in the fact that God always means what He says to us and says what He means. There are never any “gray” areas with God so we should take heart that He is true to His word. (Titus 1:2)

Has God not provided us with the Bible that recounts all the events He has manifested because of a people that were defiant? Does not the Bible recall the blessings bestowed upon those who have carried out His word?

• God does not overlook sin – we should give thanks to a God that does not look past committed sin, but instead convicts us of any unholy action we partake of; without conviction of our wrongdoing, we would never have the blessing of repentance that He uses to reclaim us. (Acts 17:30)

Has there ever been a time when you felt uneasy about a decision that you were about to make? Have you ever experienced confirmation of a decision that you felt was right? Could you have felt a spiritual nudging away from or towards a decision?

• God is compassionate, God is Love – without His love and mercy there would be no plan for our salvation or the opportunity of repentance. (1 John 4:8)

Have you had the blessing of being water baptized in Jesus precious name? Has there ever been a time when He spared you from a horrific accident, a major financial crisis, or experienced the miracle of healing for you or a loved one?

Therefore, what is the importance of these truths and how does it relate to the test that Abraham had to endure? Abraham always remembered that our God is a blessing God that will show favor on those who follow His divine direction. The path described to us in Genesis 22 is the path Abraham took without reservation allowing future followers to learn from his actions which includes:

1. Abraham realized blessings are on loan from God. Abraham did not lay claim to God’s blessings. God is the true owner of all blessings physical, physiological, or spiritual.

If asked to do something from an employer or a family member, how quickly would you act on the request? If God asked you to do something for Him, would you act on it without reservation or hesitate? Why is it sometimes so difficult to carry out a request from God, our Father in Heaven that ALWAYS has our best interest at heart?

2. Abraham heard God. It is as simple as that. The ability to listen for the voice of God is completely different from hearing God. We have to engage in order to listen to God, whereas hearing allows the distractions of the outside world to compete with the message given to us through Scripture, preaching, or spiritual “nudges”.

It is easy to be caught up with the idea that we heard God, but were we really listening? What can you do to drown out the distractions involved with hearing in order to listen to what God has to say to you personally?

3. Abraham was fully obedient to God’s word. When asked to go to Moriah, he went without question or hesitation. When asked to sacrifice the son God bestowed him, he made the necessary arrangements in faith.

Is there something God has asked you to do that you have done without reservation? Have you taken that first step towards His direction without being able to see the reason for the direction He is taking you? What can you do to allow your spirit to follow His direction without question or doubt?

Keeping these key points close to our hearts will give everyone of us, regardless of where we are in our walk with God, the opportunity to experience the blessings that only the Lord can provide. Should we choose to take our own direction we need only to reference Proverbs 14:12 to realize that it will only lead us to death and not life everlasting. By the same right, let us be prayerful that we will all experience the glory of the Lord by claiming upon family, friends, and enemies alike the blessings only He can bestow.

Neither let those who pass by them say, “The blessing of the LORD be upon you; We bless you in the name of the LORD!”(Psalm 129:8)

I've Got a Word!

2010-01-04T21:17:00.000-08:00

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;but happy is he who keeps the law. Proverbs 29:18 (New King James Version)

Hundreds of years ago King Solomon observed that without a vision people perish. This fresh revelation or prophetic word from God keeps us on track. It gives us purpose. Without it we are in big trouble. Big time. If we are not tuned into God's purpose through His divine guidance we tend to run wild....as the above translation of Proverbs 29:18 puts it..."people cast off restraint." God's revelation clothes us for what is ahead, it prepares us for the good and the bad.

Years ago a song by Andrae Crouch was popular in churches across the world. The song was We Need To Hear From You.

The song asks an important question, "If we don't hear from you, what will we do?" I have good news - God is talking!

Ephesians 6:10-17 give us a blueprint for being ready for what is ahead as we engage the enemy and fulfill the purpose of God by hearing from Him.

There are six things we are to put on:

1. We must protect our loins with truth. It is critical that we be able to reproduce truth.
2. We must have on the breastplate of righteousness. Our hearts have to be guarded by right living.
3. Our feet need to be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
4. Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
5. Put on the helmet of salvation that protects our minds.
6. Take hold of the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We must possess for ourselves God's Word. We must claim His Word for ourselves.

This last part of the armor of God is an offensive weapon to defeat the enemy. We will not have victory by sheer will alone. We have to have the sword. Take it up!

Here are four things God is saying to New Life Church in 2010 that we must make our own:

1. We must honor and protect our heritage. (Joshua 4:1-7, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 2 Timothy 1:13)

Read the verses listed. What will you do in 2010 to protect the heritage God has given you? How can you actively "pass it on" by building memorials? What are some practical measures you will take to "stand fast" and "hold fast"?

2. Prayer must be a priority. (2 Chronicles 7:14, Acts 2:42, 3:1, 4:23-31, 12:5-18)

Take time to read through the listed verses. The catalyst for healing our land sits on the pews of the church. According to 2 Chronicles 7:14, how is this true? What is God calling you to forsake? What will you do this week to forsake it?

3. God expects us to be good stewards or managers of what He has given us. (Matthew 6:33)

How is Matthew 6:33 a recipe for good stewardship?

4. Evangelism is key in fulfilling God's vision for New Life Church. We must have a system and practice of sharing the message of the gospel. 2 Corinthians 5:18

The goal in evangelism: Every born again believer at New Life Church searching and reaching for someone to win to God in 2010.

God wants us to reconcile lost people. That means to bring them into proper relationship with Him. What are you going to do this week to "search and reach" for someone?

Shall We Gather At the River?

2009-12-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

Are you familiar with the old song “Shall We Gather at the River”? My guess is that most of you are not. It is a traditional Christian hymn, written by American poet and gospel music composer Robert Lowry. It was written in 1864. The song is about heaven and the believer's hope of it. What a wonderful thought! On the heels of this blissful thought comes another one not so blissful – there are those that do not have that hope.
If we have the hope of “gathering at the heavenly river” it is because of THE CHURCH….and more specifically - a truth preaching local church. There is great value in the local, easily accessible church. How thankful we all are for the church that first brought us the message of Jesus Christ!

Paul, in Acts 16, is traveling with Silas and Timothy a missionary trip. They eventually end up in Philippi (which is a major city of

Macedonia

) after Paul was shown a vision of a man from

Macedonia

crying out, “Come over into

Macedonia

and help us.” On the Sabbath the missionary team went to a prayer meeting that was held by a river. From this encounter the church at Philippi was eventually established,

Lydia

being the first convert. The hope of gathering at the heavenly river was given to those in

Macedonia

. They had received the best gift they could be given!

There are three things we need to notice about Paul’s life:

1. He had a life-changing experience with Jesus Christ.
2. He realized that the message of Jesus Christ was what the world needed most.
3. He committed to plant churches as the means of most effectively proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ.

Read Acts 9:1-10, Acts 9:17-19

Paul was familiar with religion, but what he needed was relationship. In Acts 9, he had an encounter with Jesus that changed his life. Write about your own life-changing experience.

Who do you know that needs a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ? Will you commit to pray for them?

Read Acts 9:20

Paul acted immediately upon what he had received by telling others. Describe your own enthusiasm right after you came to Christ.

Read Acts 16:6-13

The Macedonian man was crying for help. How will you reach those that are crying out to you for help?

Read Acts 16:14-34

Make a list of the people whose lives where touched by the planting of the church in Philippi. How important was the missionary team's visit to these people?

How important is it for you to touch the lives of those God has called you to reach?

Read Luke 19:10

The Son of Man's gift to the world was Himself. Planting new churches costs. Will you give your best gift this Christmas to help plant new churches? If so, bring your wrapped monetary gift to church on Sunday, December 20.

Listen to this song by Andrae Crouch: Jesus Is The Answer For The World Today