first assembly

Men, do you realize the effect you are having on your families? Here's the truth; as the husband, father, leader of your family you are having a profound effect on your wife and children! Reading through Genesis 17 & 18 we see this truth illustrated for us.

The Lord appears to Abraham and tells him that Sarah his wife will have a child at the ripe old age of 90? So how does Abraham the father of our faith respond to God? He laughs...what? That's right, he laughs at the promise that God gave him. I'm sure that Abraham told Sarah about this "promise" and we see in the next chapter that the the Lord appeared again to Abraham right before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. What was one of the things that the Lord said to Abraham? He gave timing for the birth of the baby. Sarah was listening and what was her response? Laughter! Here's the reality...how we respond to the promises that God gives to us will be duplicated in our families! Abraham laughed...so did Sarah.

I truly believe that if Abraham had not laughed, that Sarah wouldn't have either. We multiply our belief in the promises of God into our wives and children! How are you responding to the promises of God over your life and family? Are you in confident expectation and words/actions that are consistent with that? Don't miss this...you are more important to your family that you think! If you take serious the promises of God and speak "that" into your family, your family will believe them too!

Genesis 14 we see that Abram has just gotten back from a raiding party. Bringing his nephew Lot and all his peoples back out of captivity from the King of Elam and the other kings aligned with him. Abram and his 318 fighting men accomplished what they set out to do...get Lot and his family back. But a funny thing happened on the way back...The King of Sodom wanted to get "connected" with Abram. The King of Sodom said in vs. 21 Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.

Abram thought differently...he knew that this exchange was more than the exchange. This connection would have meant a tying together of sorts. A bonding, that Abram knew wasn't what he should do. In chapter 12 we already see where God has made a covenant with Abram...He was a man of God! And so connecting, bonding with the King of Sodom {who's city and peoples reputation was well known} would have meant that Abram was in some ways approving of their wickedness.

In the New Testament we see that we're not to be unequally yoked. Sometimes that scripture is thrown around for marriage. But it's more than that...it's don't bond yourself to someone who's value system, paradigm and lives are not consistent with yours. I'm not by any way saying don't have friends that are different, {how will you be able to reach people for Christ if all of your friends are already saved} the Bible tells us clearly; Jesus gives us a new command...Love One Another. That includes everyone, people like you, people different from you, people you like and people you necessarily don't like! But should you not go into business, get married, etc. with anyone who's flow is different than yours. You'll end up where you don't want to be.

With all of this, be like Abram...be careful about who you bond yourself with! It has profound effects...just ask Lot's wife.

As we prepare to enter into the new year and the 21 day Daniel Fast, I want to encourage you to take serious what a huge moment this can be for you! The decisions that you make at the beginning of this year can set your course for the whole year!

What is it that you have been putting off? What has God been speaking to you that you have been hesitant to respond to? What place do you need victory in? What is the thing that has been holding you back? All of these questions can be answered and set in motion as you begin the year by "seeking first the Kingdom of God" through a dedicated time of prayer and fasting!

The Father doesn't want you to be in the same place at the end of 2012 where you ended 2011 at. He wants you to be in a place of favor, abundance and anointing! But you will not get to that place by accident...It will be because you were intentional in your choices.  Sunday we will be inspired by the Holy Spirit into the audacious place of faith that He is leading us to. Every call of God, every assignment in the Kingdom of God, every gigantic step of faith starts somewhere...this time of fasting and prayer will be a field where God sows these dreams, assignments and calls into our lives. Get ready! Let this time at the beginning of your year...set your course!

You know, it so often happens that we end up in a place that we don't want to be in. (a feeling, a wound, a hurt, an attitude, an addiction, a relationship, a life) I know; it's happened to me!

How is it that we do that? We don't generally, knowingly walk into wrong emotions, a wounded heart, sour attitudes, addictions, etc. But we do end up in those places. It happens in baby steps. So often we tend to minimize the little "things", the things that ultimately lead us into the wrong places by giving no credence to the truth that sin taints. Even a little sin.

In Luke 12:1-3
Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

There's a couple things in this passage of interest...

1. Jesus used the picture of yeast...an ingredient that gets folded into the recipe of life...if you will.
2. Jesus talks of religious hypocrisy. Jesus is tough on those that "think they have it all together" but really don't. He's all about extending grace to those who know and say they need it!
3. What's hidden will come out, you can't hide it. Little stuff tends to become big stuff

In Galatians Paul tells us that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough. We don't end up in those places that we don't want to be in overnight. Nope...it happens moment by moment, it's because we allowed a little thing, a little sin to reside and not do what we should do...get rid of it! It will work through the whole of you and that's how you end up in those places you never wanted to be in!

So whether it's a little thought, hurt, hypocrisy, attitude, a bad habit, whatever...don't play it down like it's no big deal. It may not be now, but if you let it stay...it will turn into something you don't want!

 

In the middle of 1 Chronicles chapter 12 we see the tribes of Israel coming to support David as King. Verse 32 says this...the men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do...

This is a very powerful statement in the middle of the numbering of men. Here is the reason, unless you understand what time you're in, you won't know what to do.

What do I mean by that? Let's look at a farmers life; a farmer knows there is a time to plant, water, care for, harvest etc. Farmers don't expect to harvest at planting time and they don't think to plant when they're ready to bring the crops in at the end of the year. They know the times of the year and what they're to do in those times.

Problem is, we don't always know the time of the year, the season of life we're in, like a farmer does. Because of that unknowing, I see people all the time trying to do the wrong thing in the season they're in. Oh...it may be "a" right thing. But it's the wrong thing in the season that they're in. Knowing the season you're in is key! How do you know? The Holy Spirit will tell you if you stop to listen...remember what it say's in Ecclesiastes...there is a season for everything. Your time is coming...you just need to know where you are and you do have someone who will tell you.

I'll say it again...Take the Time~Slow Down~Stop and Listen~

“But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” Psalm 131:2

The raging waves of the world’s worries crash against the shore of our soul. At work it may be missed deadlines, or mismanagement of money. At home it may be miscommunication, or a monster of a child. At school it may be the misconduct of others, or the misfortune of feeling alone. Life is loud, and, sometimes, its deafening tones tune out our trust in God.

Only in silence can our soul be resuscitated by our Savior Jesus. He works wonders when we wait before Him. We are clamorous without Christ, but by grace our soul is subdued and soothed. Calm and contentment come forth by faith, when we are stilled and quieted before Christ. One example is the emotional word picture of parental love.

“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:13).

A mother is a comfort to her weaned child, even though she has denied him or her comfort. So as you linger quietly with the Lord in anticipation, it may not be what you want, but what you need that He gives you..

 The Holy Spirit may be weaning you off of someone or something, so you will only want and need Him. So, still and quiet your soul by inviting your heavenly Father’s warm embrace. You can sleep well when He holds you.

Therefore, by God’s grace, remain childlike in your faith and character. Keep your heart humble and honest under heaven’s hope. Like a child looks to it’s mother for comfort and security, look to your Savior Jesus for His quiet confidence and strength. A heart kept by Christ, lives for Christ. Settle your soul in stillness and solitude with Jesus.

                                                            -received from Chris Lopez

 

This morning I have the opportunity to minister to a family that is burying their mom. Sometimes these moments are filled with great memories and celebration, other times they are littered with hurt and pain. Every family dynamic is different...but the one thing that is similar is that the Comforter wants to bring comfort in the midst of the loss.

Unfortunately in this situation I've heard first hand of family dynamics that were "less than perfect". But in spite of the life that was lived, they've determined to release the pain and hurt, allow closure to take place and do the right thing regardless of the circumstances leading up to this point in life. Thank you Holy Spirit!

I'm amazed at this moment! Very often I see people that don't deal with these kind of familiar situations in the same way. Last night as I was preaching in Revelation, this statement flowed out of me..."too often we allow our feelings to filter the Truth, instead of allowing the Truth to filter our feelings."  In this moment, this family has the equation in the right way. How are you doing in that department? Are you allowing Truth to filter or feelings?

Getting that equation right changes everything!

mo·men·tum

[moh-men-tuhm] 

noun, plural -ta  [-tuh] 

One of the great things in life, relationship, leadership...heck...snow sledding down a hill!  Without it, sledding isn't so much fun...in fact, it's more like sitting! Which is entirely less fun. The same thing is true in life...it's better when you have MOMENTUM!

Last week there was this word that was released in our service...not a lot of fanfare, but it resonated with my spirit. God is giving us momentum! So what do we do with momentum? We have to be faithful...It's like God is taking a huge boulder, starting it rolling and saying now you keep it rolling! We can't start it rolling on our own, but when He does His thing...and we are faithful to do our thing...we can keep it rolling. He wants our lives to be filled with momentum, because with it...we can do things we can't do without it! God is stirring in this place (our hearts and this gathering of people) Fan the flame that God has lit...He's releasing momentum for our lives, this church, our community and our world...be faithful! Don't let up...let the Big MO (as John Maxwell calls it) carry us into our destiny!

 

As a pastor I get the opportunity to hear lots of stories of redemption, either through my own life or from other people in our community. I also get to pray with a great many people about a lot of things. One of the things that comes up quite often for people is the idea of not feeling certain in their faith. Whether they grew up in Church, or not the uncertainty or insecurity usually bubbles up to the surface with someone that is sincere about wanting to follow Christ (if not they generally wouldn't be asking these questions) but "struggles" with the idea of forgiveness. Sometimes it's because they're struggling with habits that they know they want to rid themselves of, sometimes it's because they've grown up in eternal insecurity.(answering altar call after altar making sure I'm really forgiven this time!

Not having a true understanding of God's grace and forgiveness. Either way we need to understand this. Our salvation is based on the grace of God and that is a gift, therefore anything we try to put into the equation apart from grace, is just "good works"  and with that we've missed the boat of grace. Our righteousness is based on what happened at the cross...He (Jesus) who had no sin became sin for us, through faith in Christ, the exchange at the cross means we step into forgiveness and we are seen now as the righteousness of Christ and He took our sin. Best Deal Ever! Does that mean we can live anyway we want? Actually when we step into faith our desire and nature is to live the very best way possible (because we have a new nature!)...which is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Can you walk away from God...

The Arminian/Wesleyan/Holiness tradition, and the Assemblies of God that grew out of it, have both historically rejected the belief in eternal security. The official AG Web site states, “The Assemblies of God has taken a stand against the teaching that God’s sovereign will completely overrides man’s free will to accept and serve Him. In view of this we believe it is possible for a person once saved to turn from God and be lost again.”

So yes definitely if you really want to walk away from God, you can because you have a free will...But do you lose your salvation because you feel like you messed up? Nope...just let grace overtake you!

And just remember:1 John 1:9-10 NIV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Want a fuller Biblical explanation of eternal security/eternal insecurity? Check the link below:

Does the Bible teach eternal security?

Do you ever notice that life sometimes seems like a hit movie? Meaning...it's playing everywhere! There's comedies, and we need more of these! There's drama: anyone...anyone...Bueller? There's action/adventure: I like that! Love stories: ok I'm kinda sappy. 

So let me ask you...What is normally playing in your theatre? I find that most of the movies playing in our lives tend to flow out of our relationships. Starring in a comedy? Probably because you choose to have fun and surround yourself with similar people. Drama? I find that the people that complain about drama alot have allowed people into their life in such a way that it's not just the other people any longer...you've also become a "drama queen" or "king" Action/Adventure...living life on the edge (with a walk of faith it looks more like moving mountains than climbing them)  Love Story? You've chosen to be intentional about living a life of love! Really none of these stories happen accidentally...we choose what kind of movie we're going to be in! It doesn't ever mean that "drama" doesn't find us...we simply choose not to subscribe to that movie channel. 

Make a choice and live the life you want...star in the movie of your dreams! You can do it! I promise.