Praise Report

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This morning while reviewing my emails I saw one that I thought I should share with you. During the service the Lord released a word of knowledge that someone’s lower back was in need of healing. I asked if anyone in the service was having lower back pain and several hands shot up. The challenge was brought forth inviting the Church Body to lay hands on each other for God to release healing and creative miracles in response to our obedience and faith. When everyone was through praying Andrew Meza said that God had healed his back. We praised and thanked God for what He had done, and being pressed for time I proceeded to preach. What a surprise to read the following Facebook post from Paula Harkey:

“I want to thank all those praying people that laid hands on me yesterday …I’m thankful the Lord led Robert to pray for ALL those with lower back trouble. Heat always feels good on my back and sometimes I’ll stand in the shower and let the hot water hit on that spot. Yesterday the Lord radiated through His people’s hands and I felt His healing warmth and power. As the song says, “What a Mighty God We Serve.”

After responding to Paula’s post she wrote back stating: “I am still in awe of what took place. Like the song says, “My Jesus I Love Thee.”

I just wanted to share what happened so that we can praise the Lord together expecting and anticipating what He will do next as we gather in worship, praise and thanksgiving.

Freely Volunteering

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1 Chronicles 29:17 I know also, my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things. And now I have seen with joy Your people who are present here offer voluntarily and freely to You.

As summer time is in full swing we are seeking to bring God’s House into order. As Haggai 1:9 reminds us: You looked for much [harvest], and behold, it came to little; and even when you brought that home, I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because of My house, which lies waste while you yourselves run each man to his own house [eager to build and adorn it]. As I mentioned in a previous blog our connections truly are indicators of our relationship with God. They symbolize our relationship with God. If the House of God, we worship in, is in neglect and we don’t notice – could it be that the same is true of our spiritual lives? Again the Biblical principle conveys the thought that physical truths point to greater spiritual truths. All of that to say many thanks to those who have volunteered freely of their time and resources: Mary Quinn and her friend Carolyn, Lisa Drogan, Kent Lee, Vic Medlin, Jake Denofrio, Charlotte Price and the girls, and then those who have cared for Cass Thompson, Sherlyn Medlin, Lisa Drogan, Kristen Wagenmaker, and Mary Quinn. If I left anyone out please forgive me. Im saying all of this to say thank you to those who do the behind the scenes – unnoticed things that contribute to our church family becoming a home. God bless you! Our Church Home is getting into shape and I’m pretty sure it’s a reflection of our spiritual lives also.

Raise the Roof!

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“How often do you get a chance to reach deep into history and bring something back?”  –Rick Brown

“Raise the Roof” was a PBS documentary regarding the reconstruction of an 18th century, Polish wooden synagogue by acclaimed artists/educators Rick and Laura Brown, in the country of Poland. After working for ten years with hundreds of students, educators, scholars and craftsmen, the Browns’ Gwozdziec synagogue reconstruction project has become the iconic centerpiece of the new POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. “Raise the Roof” is the story of this epic journey.

But closer to our hearts a similar project began in Acts 15:16: “After this I will come back, and will rebuild the house of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its [very] ruins, and I will set it up again,…” James, the Pastor of the Church in Jerusalem, was quoting from Amos 9:11. Responding to a division that had occurred in the newly born church of Pentecost fame –  Gentiles, Goyim, or Peoples other than Jews were coming to faith in Jesus Christ as their Messiah – presenting a conundrum to the newly birthed Christianity which was still very Jewish. Should these “Goyim” be expected to observe the Mosaic Law, the Feasts and Festivals, and be required to have circumcision? Some believed, “Yes,” others like Paul believed in God’s grace and that the standards held by the Jewish people should not be imposed upon these baby Christians. Thus James alludes to a prophecy regarding the fallen Tent of David. What is the fallen Tent of David? The prophet refers to a time in the history of Israel – in which the Ark was brought up to Jerusalem to sit in a tent David had pitched for it. This was unprecedented in that the Ark had always remained with the Tabernacle of Moses, and it could only be seen by the High Priest once a year. David broke all of those rules by removing the veil that had been positioned to separate the Holy from the common. When that veil came down – King David himself would position himself in front of the Ark, or symbol of the Throne of God, for communion. Not only did David sit before it and interact with the Godhead, he would make sacrifices of praise, clap and lift his hands all to the worship of God before the Ark of His Presence. He would shout, dance, play instruments, seeking the Lord – encouraging others to do the same. None of these things had occurred in the worship of God in the Mosaic Tabernacle. But David knew something of the Mercy of God and his desire and longing to be in God’s Presence was unequalled or paralleled since the days of his Great, Great, Great Granddaddy – Enoch. But this should have never surprised the priests or the people of David’s day, for even Moses had taken his own tent and pitched it far outside the camp of Israel so that people could have the opportunity to pursue, seek and interact with the Living God. In fact the writer of Hebrews refers to this by stating: Let us then go forth [from all that would prevent us] to Him outside the camp [at Calvary], bearing the contempt and abuse and shame with Him. Hebrews 13:13 

Thus the true Church, and Christian must sometimes go outside the traditions and expectations of the organizations of men to commune and interact with Jesus. That’s the calling of every true, born-again, blood-washed saint of Jesus. The calling that hungers and thirsts to know Him – to be with Him – to interact with Him – to love Him. David repeatedly stated the same concept and idea throughout his Psalms to God: O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is. Psalm 63:1 Repeatedly Scripture admonishes the believer and sojourner to seek after knowing God; and being with God. Hebrews 11:6 states: But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. These longings of David to know and be with God are shared by the sons of David who, even up to this present time, question the status quo, writing such songs as, “This Is the Air I Breathe, “As the Deer Pants for the Water,” and “I Will Run to You.” The son and daughter of David raises the roof of David’s Tent higher and higher through abandoned worship, praise, prayer and thanksgiving. Moving from more than a song, or an outward expression of physical adoration, to outbursts of passionate, abandoned sacrificial obedience and service. Trapped in the camp they take the journey out from that ordinary, comfortable and expected place to the foot of the cross. Here, at His feet, they find the Living, Loving God. From the dying place they come to know the Living God and can never go back to letting His “Tent” droop to the ground. Rest is not an option for those discontented with the status quo, raising the roof with the Glory and Presence of God.

Are You Making the Connection?

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I don’t know if you’ve noticed the landscaping that has been done around the church lately – but it’s looking pretty good. This did not happen by itself. Last Friday Kent Lee, Vic Medlin, and Jake Donofrio mowed grass and edged for several hours to achieve a look exemplifying our care for God and His house. If you see them this Sunday say a simple thank you for their hard work, service and sacrifice. There are many more things that need to be done which reminds me of a passage of Scripture: Haggai 1:4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” Clearly stated the Prophet Haggai reveals an interesting connection between the physical condition of God’s house and the spiritual condition of the people. A similar connection is made between the messengers of God and Jesus: John 13:20 “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who receives and welcomes and takes into his heart any messenger of Mine receives Me [in just that way]; and he who receives and welcomes and takes Me into his heart receives Him Who sent Me [in that same way].”  Jesus is clearly stating that how people respond to His servants is a direct reflection of how they respond to Him. One more example is stated in 1 John 4:19-20 We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? The Apostle John is reiterating Jesus’ words, and I paraphrase their meaning, “How you treat your spouse, family member, brother, sister, neighbor, cashier, or waitress is a direct reflection of how you have been treating Me.” The “Cotton-Patch Version of the New Testament states it like this: “Because He first loved us, we ourselves are practicing love. If someone says, “I love God,” and is hating his brother, he is a phony. For the man who has no love for his visible brother cannot possibly have love for the invisible God.” 

I’ve often wondered what will really happen when I see Jesus face-to-face. Will I see Him as He really is or will I seek to impose on Him the god I made in my own image? The Bible is comparable to a mirror in that if you really look into it you will see yourself as you really are – not as you hope to be. In our narcissistic, self-centered culture, we of all people need to be looking into the mirror of God’s Word seeing clearly how our relationship with God is progressing, or digressing. Over the years I’ve been overwhelmed by the respect, love and generosity of God’s people. All of which I had never earned to receive. God’s people were simply honoring God’s messenger – a response that reflected  their relationship with God. The messenger may not have even deserved the honor, yet their God was more than deserving.

There’s a principle seen throughout Scripture, Physical truth often points to greater spiritual truth. In other words the physical object is actually a symbol of far greater spiritual truths. Mentioned above are several object lessons. Along with these you could add the Bible, prayer, church attendance, worship, etc., etc. Truth is all of these reflect the truth and reality of the relationship. The question is, “What are our interactions stating?” Returning to my introduction, “What does the condition of God’s physical building say about the condition of our spiritual building?”

 

Call to Rebuild the House of God

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Haggai 1:2-11  A Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies: “The people procrastinate. They say this isn’t the right time to rebuild my Temple, the Temple of God.” Shortly after that, God said more and Haggai spoke it: “How is it that it’s the ‘right time’ for you to live in your fine new homes while the Home, God’s Temple, is in ruins?” And then a little later, God-of-the-Angel-Armies spoke out again. “Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over. You have spent a lot of money, but you haven’t much to show for it. You keep filling your plates, but you never get filled up. You keep drinking and drinking and drinking, but you’re always thirsty. You put on layer after layer of clothes, but you can’t get warm. And the people who work for you, what are they getting out of it? Not much— a leaky, rusted-out bucket, that’s what. That’s why God-of-the-Angel-Armies said: “Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over.” Then God said: “Here’s what I want you to do: Climb into the hills and cut some timber. Bring it down and rebuild the Temple. Do it just for me. Honor me. You’ve had great ambitions for yourselves, but nothing has come of it. The little you have brought to my Temple I’ve blown away—there was nothing to it. “And why?” (This is a Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, remember.) “Because while you’ve run around, caught up with taking care of your own houses, my Home is in ruins. That’s why. Because of your stinginess. And so I’ve given you a dry summer and a skimpy crop. I’ve matched your tight-fisted stinginess by decreeing a season of drought, drying up fields and hills, withering gardens and orchards, stunting vegetables and fruit. Nothing—not man or woman, not animal or crop—is going to thrive.”

We are in the process of replanting God’s Church, but along with that comes a great need to repair, and refurbish the building and the grounds. Would you prayerfully consider sharing, in addition to your tithe, your time, and resources to help God’s be a place that glorifies Him? Here’s what we are needing:
 
* drought proof shrubs to replace the ones that have died and decayed
* washing of siding to remove mold on sanctuary and youth building
* removal of honey suckle vines, bushes, and weeds on the north parking lot between the church offices and prayer walk
* trimming of bushes around the youth building
* painting the blue plastic on the sun bleached playground equipment
* removal of dead trees and limbs in the northern part of our property
* painting the hallways, and church offices
* lawnmower for our volunteer landscaping crew
* new computer for sanctuary

Where Do We Go From Here?

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Back in the “eighties” a pop rock group called the Alan Parsons Project released a song titled, “Where Do We Go From Here?” It’s lyrics were:

“Where do we go from here now that all other children are growin’ up
And how do we spend our lives if there’s no one to lend us a hand
 
I don’t wanna live here no more, I don’t wanna stay
Ain’t gonna spend the rest of my life, Quietly fading away
 
Games people play, you take it or you leave it
Things that they say, Honor Brite
If I promise you the Moon and the Stars, Would you believe it
Games people play in the middle of the night”
They express a condition in the Church regarding our present existence and history. Church history depicts something of a spiritual shell game that has manipulated and duped Church leadership and members for centuries. Not to bore you, but a brief history lesson is required to even grasp what I am attempting to communicate. From the birthing of the New Testament Church at Pentecost communing with Christ was the central focus of the Church. According to Acts 2:42 they devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer. But in 326 AD Emperor Constantine shifted the church from Apostolic authority to Church authority, making the Church the centerpiece of Christianity. Unfortunately with that shift the Church became an economic, political, religious power-broker. Paganism infiltrated the Church and communion – common union with Christ – became ritualized and diluted. Following this major event, a schism occurred between Greek Orthodoxy, in the East and Roman Catholicism, in the West. Greek Orthodoxy emphasized mysticism, and the supernatural, whereas Roman Catholicism emphasized the intellect. This event occurred around 1054 AD. Polishing these events off was the Protestant Reformation which occurred in 1517 AD with it’s emphasis on the authority of the Word of God devaluing the Catholic emphasis on Church and Pope.
If you were attempting to track the “seed” under the Christian shell you would have noticed some slight of hand happening slowly moving the focus away from what mattered to things that were secondary. Thoroughly distracted, the Church and it’s members, have forgotten all about that “seed” beneath the shell quite simply becoming enamored with the shells. New Testament Christians for 326 years focused on knowing and communing with Jesus. So much so that they practiced it every time they came together. Wonder, awe and expectation kept the blessed event from becoming empty ritual. It’s practice granted the participant a front row seat in knowing, and fellowshipping with Jesus. Through it a portal was open-end into His Presence. Unfortunately, 1692 years of Christian history has succeeded in substituting knowing Jesus with the Church, the Bible and the mind. These three helped to create a new trinity – a substitute trinity. Through these the divorce was solidified and intimacy, communion, and a personal relationship with the Godhead was no longer an emphasis. Through simple, slight of hand, the Church Triumphant has become the Church of Impotence. Games are being played alright, through the middle of the night, the children are growing up, and the church seems to be quietly fading away – yet, always, always, God sets aside a remnant who say:

I don’t wanna live here no more, I don’t wanna stay
Ain’t gonna spend the rest of my life, Quietly fading away.
There’s a Christian song I really like called “The Motions” by Matthew West. The lyrics are appropriate for a such a time as ours:
This might hurt, it’s not safe
But I know that I’ve gotta make a change
I don’t care if I break,
At least I’ll be feeling something
‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life
I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking,
What if I had given everything,
Instead of going through the motions?
No regrets, not this time
I’m gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I’m finally feeling something
‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life
Cause I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
Maybe it’s time for a new reformation that ends this divorce, knocking the shells to the floor, exposing the “Seed” of knowing Christ.

National Day of Prayer at Red Classic Transportation

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Yesterday for the National Day of Prayer Robert Russell and I joined Ron and Lisa Drogan at Red Classic Transportation for the National Day of Prayer. We had a great time of prayer and intercession.

Being Saved and Seeing Jesus Are Not the Same

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Is it enough to “be saved?” Is there something deeper we are all called to? Do you only see what Jesus has done for you; what He can do for you? How big is your God? Is He big enough; bigger than your circumstances?

John 15:1 “I AM the True Vine…”

Vine in the Greek is “amphoteroi” which means “both the one and the other; both of the two.” How mind blowing is that? Mark 16:12 “After that He appeared in another form to two of them…” Oswald Chambers says the following: Being saved and seeing Jesus are not the same….You should always recognize the difference between what you see Jesus to be and what He has done for you. If you see only what He has done for you, your God is not big enough…. Have you seen Jesus? If so, you will want others to see Him too. “And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either” (Mark 16:13). When you see Him, you must tell, even if they don’t believe.”

Seeing Jesus drives you to promote Him to be first, foremost and pre-eniment. Your life becomes intertwined with His because He is your life. But there’s more. “Both of the two.” We are both of the Father and the Son. We are both of the Spirit and the Word. He is the True Vine and we are simply extensions of Him – we are His branches.

The root words of the Greek word “Vine” reveal more: “amph” = “around.” As we are around Jesus we are changed and transformed. What’s entirely mind blowing is that He grows as He is around us – we are His Body. Paul states: [Even] now I rejoice in the midst of my sufferings on your behalf. And in my own person I am making up whatever is still lacking and remains to be completed [on our part] of Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the church. Colossians 1:24

“Alon” = refers to a “ground plot or threshing floor.” We meet Jesus on the threshing floor as he cleanses us from the soil of Adam (Adamah = Hebrew for “dirt”). Within the “soil” of our hearts the Seed of His Spirit and Word are planted and He becomes the Rock of our planting. The Spirit and the Word working in unison to break us free from the packed, road ways of this world system, the blackbirds of the prince of the power of the air, and the thorns, weeds, and briars of the cares of this life. What is totally amazing is that God’s Temple in Jerusalem was built on a threshing floor: Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David his father, in the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2 Chronicles 3:1

According to the Apostle Paul you are the temple of the Lord: 1 Cor. 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body. 

And what’s entirely amazing is that the Apostle Paul referred his reader to another aspect of the foundations of God’s Temple: 1 Chronicles 21:18-24 Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and set up an altar to the Lord in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. So David went up at Gad’s word, which he spoke in the name of the Lord. Now Ornan was threshing wheat, and he turned back and saw the angel; and his four sons hid themselves. And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw him, and went out from the threshing floor and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the site of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar on it to the Lord. You shall charge me the full price for it, that the plague may be averted from the people. Ornan said to David, Take it; and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. I give you the oxen also for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for wood and the wheat for the meal offering. I give it all. And King David said to Ornan, No, but I will pay the full price. I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings which cost me nothing.

Jesus paid the “full price” to secure our salvation and the right to build His Temple in our heart.

Lastly there is the root word “Helisso” = “to coil; to wrap together.” Our dirt mixed with chaff and straw is crushed by the weight of His love, and the glory of seeing Him. We go beyond being saved to being wrapped in Him as He wraps His life around ours and we wrap our lives around Him. Through this intertwining and intermingling He pulls us up from the threshing floor – from the chaff, the straw, and the hard, packed soil. We are lifted from the soil into the Son, and watered by His Spirit. WE grow into the Vine as we see Him. Moving from simply being saved to knowing His resurrection and transformation.

Transformation Church Assessment Meeting Results

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Could you forward this to those you know aren’t necessarily reading the blogs or signed-up to receive them? What were the results of our Transformation Discovery Meeting? What are some ideas that I have regarding how to “flesh” these out over the next several months and year?

Following our Transformation Discovery Meeting with Dr. Bob Lohman we “roughed” out some goals that we would like to aim for in the next several months. The seven elements of Transformational Churches and our goals for each are as follows:

Missionary Mentality: 

  • Determine our spheres of influence including our specific neighborhoods
  • Look for opportunities to connect with people through our everyday activities (i.e. grocery store, eating out, hair cuts, etc.)
  • Missions training which provides ideas for making intimate connections, and practical models of outreach

Vibrant Leadership: 

  • prayer for leadership
  • understanding that we are all leaders (not just the pastor)
  • accountability for leaders
  • raising the standard (what does God say about leadership?)
  • follow-up with visitors (making disciples who make disciples)
  • discovering and developing our gifts and callings

Relational Intentionality:

  • New and Long-Term Members:
  • Monday night prayer group actively seeking support from members of the church
  • New members – conscious intention to sincerely engage new comers (Love for Jesus)
  • Make a church directory available (opt in)
  • All members – common interest get togethers/activites

Prayerful Dependence:

  • increase awareness of existing prayer room ad corporate prayer times
  • establish “go to” people/ social media – site to make prayer needs known and individuals available (for prayer?)
  • Prayer goals (corporate prayer)

Worship:

  • Bringing in freshness and innocence of and with children and youth
  • Finding the passion and excitement for all through the discovery of our spiritual gifts
  • Variety of styles of music (old and new)
  • Worshipping through song and prayer in different settings/days – in God’s creation (outside)
  • Worship through testimony
  • Uninhibited worship
  • Worship in the Community

Community:

  • Anchored on the Word of God
  • Being Kingdom Focused
  • Welcoming Environment – expecting and planning for guests
  • Look for ways to join God on Mission
  • Reproduce future leaders

Mission: 

  • Use the Acts 1:8 Model: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, Ends of the Earth
  • Examples include but are not limited to: Wells In India, Raise You Up!, Nicaragua Mission (Los Rayos de Esperanza), Weddington Middle School

Be praying about the leadership and members developing these goals and “fleshing” them out. Also pray about how you can contribute specifically to these goals.  The fundamental component tools for the implementation of these goals will be found in prayerful dependence. As I was reading the results of our Transformational Church Assessments and praying here are some things I brainstormed before our Discovery Meeting:

Component Tools

a. Prayerful dependence (Preach, Teach, Model, and Experience)

Will be accomplished through:

  • Monday Night Corporate Prayer
  • Wednesday Night Prayer
  • Prayer-Walking
  • ASAP Prayer Training and Discipleship: “Abiding”
  • “Bless Every Home” – Prayer Outreach and Contact
  • Incorporate Praying for the City of Weddington/ Foreign Missions and Nica Prayer Initiative 
  • Triad Disciple Groups – Abide in the Word and Prayer
  • Pastors, Elders, Deacons – Abide and Prayer Connect With Shepherding Groups

       

b. Relational Intentionality (Preach, Teach, Model, and Experience)

  • Triad Disciple Groups 
  • ASAP Prayer Training and Discipleship: “Seeking” 
  • Implement Proto-Type Go 2/42 Connect Group
  • Go 2/42 Connect Neighborhood Missional Home Groups
  • Softball Connect
  • Men’s Fellowship Connect
  • Sunday Bible Study Connect
  • Ascend Bible Study Connect
  • “Bless Every Home” – Acts of Service
  • Greeter Connect Ministry
  • Pastors, Elders, Deacons – Seek

c. Worship (Preach, Teach, Model, and Experience)

  • Encourage Active Participation in Worship
  • Encourage People to Actively Seek Throughout the Week through training, tools, and resources
  • Teach About Worship
  • Develop – Set – Communicate – Encourage Annual Outreach Goals
  • ASAP Seeking and Evangelism Training and Discipleship: “Applying”
  • Pastors, Elders, Deacons – Apply

 d. Community (Preach, Teach, Model, and Experience)

  • Triad Disciple Groups – Reach Out
  • Implement Proto-Type Go 2/42 Connect Group
  • Go 2/42 Connect Neighborhood Missional Home Groups
  • Softball Connect
  • Sunday Bible Study Connect
  • Ascend Bible Study Connect
  • Celebrate Volunteers Who Serve
  • Workdays for Ownership
  • Quarterly Church-Wide Fellowships
  • Understanding Spiritual Gifts Training
  • Weddington Christmas Events
  • Pastors, Elders, Deacons – Connect to Community

 e. Mission (Preach, Teach, Model, and Experience)

  • Develop Corporate Church Vision
  • Develop Corporate Church Mission
  • Acts 1:8 Concentric Circles of Outreach
  • “Raise You Up” Homeless Ministry or Equivalent
  • Volunteers in Union County Schools
  • Train People How to Share Faith
  • “Bless Every Home” – Relational Evangelism
  • Nicaragua Mission Partnership
  • Triad Disciple Groups – Share Faith 
  • ASAP Prayer Training and Discipleship: “Planting”
  • Pastors, Elders, Deacons – Plant 

     f. Vibrant Leadership (Component Leadership)

  • Prayerful Dependence Leader: Jackie Shaw

          Co-Leader: _________________

  • Relational Intentionality Leader: __________________________
  • Worship Leader: John David Price
  • Community Leader: ___________________________________
  • Mission Leader: ______________________________________

In order to insure that the mission is kept fresh in front of our people we need to have monthly leadership meetings to coordinate, plan, and implement monthly emphasis. Each month could highlight a different component tool building upon the previous month. For example:

2018-2019

May, September: Prayerful Dependence

June, October, February: Relational Intentionality

July, December, April: Mission

August, November: Community

January, March: Worship

Possibly with each new emphasis enlist a leader

Church “Prayer Works” Room Open for Prayer at 2:00 PM!

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Lisa Drogan will be in the “Prayer Works” Room to pray with anyone who wants to join her for National Day of Prayer. Please send her an email to let her know that you are planning on attending. Her e-mail address is:

lisadrogan@gmail.com.

National Day of Prayer Suggests the Following Prayer Topics:

Corporate Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, while we come to You in complete humility, we also come to You with boldness in the authoritative name of Your One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In Jesus’ name, fill us with Your Holy Spirit and lead us as we pray in Jesus’ name for America.

Oh God, we are burdened for our nation today. We turn from the sins that we have committed against Your Word and Your Name. We turn away from our contentious words and ways toward one another that has led us to division and polarization. We turn away from our disrespect and our lack of dignity toward each other, and we turn away from our continual devaluation of all human life from the womb until death in this world. We also turn away from and refuse to participate in skepticism, criticism, and cynicism in our nation. We turn away from anything that divides us, and we run toward the gospel of Jesus Christ that is the only thing that has the power to unite us together.

Lord, in this critical hour in our nation, we pray for unity in America. Only You can bring unity, harmony, and oneness in America. As Your word calls us in Ephesians 4:3, “Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace,” we ask You to empower us to make every effort to live in unity, to call for unity, and to forward unity in America continually.

We pray for the churches in America to unify in Jesus Christ and to pray as one unified spiritual family for America. May Your Church pray for America passionately, perpetually, privately, and publicly.

We pray for God’s power to unify families, workplaces, communities, and cities in America. By Your Spirit, lead us to forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, and unity.

We pray for all people of all ethnicities and races in America to come together as one, living in peace and unity together. Oh Lord, because You have created each of us in Your image, please give us the courage to stand against all racial and ethnic division, denouncing it as evil and sinful, while simultaneously coming together in unity with all persons, knowing this God’s will for us.

We pray in unity for the security of our nation. We ask You to preserve the United States of America from the forces of evil that are threatening our lives and our future. God, please guard all persons in public and private settings from anyone or anything that desires to harm us or take our lives. Our future is in Your hands.

We agree clearly, unite visibly, and pray extraordinarily for the next Great Spiritual Awakening in America. Oh Lord, wake up Your Church spiritually and convict Your people to agree clearly, unite visibly, and pray extraordinarily until the next Great Spiritual Awakening occurs in our generation.

Oh God, we stand together upon Your words in Psalm 133:1, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony.” Through Jesus’ name and by the power of God’s Holy Spirit, we pray for all Americans to unify and to live together in unity.

In the mighty and majestic name of Jesus Christ, who is the Only Savior and the Only Hope in this world, we pray. Amen.

How to Pray for America

HOW TO PRAY FOR UNITY IN AMERICA

1. #PRAY4UNITY IN AMERICA.

“Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3

  • Call upon God to empower us to make every effort to live in unity, call for unity, and forward unity in America continually.
  • Call upon God to empower the government, media, and those who finance them to be truth-bearers, life- givers, and contributors towards what unifies us steering us away from what divides us.

2.#PRAY4UNITY IN THE CHURCH OF AMERICA.

“Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.” 1 Corinthians 1:10

  • Call upon God to draw His church in America to unify upon the authority of the Bible and the centrality of Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world.
  • Ask God for thousands of local churches to unify as one body of Christ, agreeing together that God is our greatest need in America.
  • Call upon God for Jesus’ Church in America to walk in unity, harmony, and oneness, so His Church personifies, calls, and leads America to unity.

3.#PRAY4UNITY IN THE FAMILIES, WORKPLACES, COMMUNITIES, AND CITIES IN AMERICA.

“Also, the power of God was at work in Judah to unite them to carry out the command of the king and his officials by the word of the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 30:12

  • Call upon God’s power to unite our families, workplaces, communities, and cities in America.
  • Call upon God to empower our families, workplaces, communities, and cities to look to our only King, Jesus Christ, who is not only the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but also the Prince of Peace who can unify us.
  • Pray for America’s families, workplaces, communities, and cities. It is the spiritual energy that leads to forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, and unity.

4. #PRAY4UNITY AMONG ALL ETHNICITIES AND PEOPLE IN AMERICA.

“For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility.” Ephesians 2:14

  • Call upon God to tear down the walls of division among all ethnicities and people.
  • Pray that God will give us grace to trust only in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, to unify and live in peace with one another. 
  • Pray that we will stand as one people against all racial and ethnic division, denouncing it as sin and not God’s will for us.

5. #PRAY4UNITY THAT WE AGREE CLEARLY, UNITE VISIBLY, AND PRAY EXTRAORDINARILY FOR THE NEXT GREAT SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IN AMERICA.

“They all were continually united in prayer.” Acts 1:14

  • Ask God to convict the church in America to wake up spiritually, agree clearly, unite visibly, and pray extraordinarily for the next Great Spiritual Awakening in America to occur in our generation.
  • Call upon God to bring spiritual awakening now in America shaping the future of America, just as the Great Spiritual Awakenings in our history have shaped our spiritual heritage as a nation.

 

PRAY FOR THE SEVEN CENTERS OF INFLUENCE IN AMERICA

GOVERNMENT

  • Federal: Executive, legislative, judicial
  • State: Executive, legislative, judicial
  • Local: Executive, judicial, police and first responders

MILITARY

  • Leaders
  • Divine protection
  • Courage and dependence on God

MEDIA

  • Truth-bearers
  • Life-giving
  • Unity-contributors

BUSINESS

  • Leaders of integrity
  • Creators of economic blessing
  • Givers of resources to the community

EDUCATION

  • Truth-centered
  • Excellence-driven
  • Opportunity-afforded

CHURCH

  • Gospel-centered in message
  • Disciple-makers in mission
  • Spirit-empowered to unity

FAMILY

  • Return to the biblical model
  • Reconciliation in broken relationships
  • Restoration to love and unity

From Hiding to Abiding

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What do you do when you try to hear from God and hear nothing but your own thoughts bouncing around in your head?  How is it that we believe more in the power of the devil to deceive us than in the power of God to lead us? Why is it that we believe the devil or his assistants have spoken to us through temptations but don’t believe that we can hear God? How can we believe that unless God the Father drew us to know Jesus we would never have come to salvation in Jesus (John 6:44) yet not make the connection that the “drawing” utilized were words whispered in the form of thoughts from His heart?

Growing up in a Christian tradition that denied the unique ability a believer was endowed with to “hear” and recognize God’s Voice made it difficult to reach many of the conclusions I teach presently. Yet by God’s Grace He ordered my thoughts and steps revealing the testimony of Scripture. As I’ve gotten older I can’t help but thank Him for this gift. But through this journey of seeking to know God personally, “hear” and recognize the ways that He speaks I have had to face difficult challenges, set backs and my own personal doubts and demons. For example this Sunday I was seeking to connect with God through worship and prayer finding it difficult at best. I was tempted to be angry and annoyed, knowing that God knew, that of all the days I needed His Presence it was on this day. Yet God remained distant. That evening as I lay in bed I began praying about what the Lord would have me teach the following Sunday. While pondering, and “reaching” out to connect again, the Spirit reminded me of something I had been involved with. The event seemed harmless enough, even justifiable. But as Paul says, “All things are permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial.” (1 Cor. 6:12) Through this revelation from the Holy Spirit I realized that in my conversation with another that I had made the individuals offense my own. Once I began the journey down this road it led to anger, and judgment of the guilty party. My anger transformed into a righteous indignation, which resulted in my shooting off my mouth to anyone who would listen, about the perpetuators. God revealed the event which had led to our disconnectedness. I ceased having His heart, and moved into my self-centered, self-righteous stance. My anger, though justified, took a wrong turn when I became judge and jury, pronouncing my sentence of condemnation, maligning their character. One simple, innocent event had led to my being disconnected from God. He wasn’t condemning me, but correcting me. He wanted me to see that His child, His son, wasn’t reflecting the Son. I was being a poor representative of my Father’s Business. When He felt distant it wasn’t He that had moved away. Oh no. I’m the one that walked away from His Side. From His Side the blood and water poured out (John 19:34) for the accused and the accusers. I had walked away from resting my thinking on His heart. I had eaten the forbidden fruit of “doing this or that” to be God. My misstep had led me into the darkness of replacing my Savior with one of my own making – myself.

What do you do when you try to hear from God and hear nothing but your own thoughts bouncing around in your head? Go back to the place you last heard from Him, asking what happened. If that doesn’t seem to loosen the hold the situation has on you, imagine Jesus’ limp body on the cross, blood and water flowing down from His nail-pierced side, and you standing in the middle of it all. Bloodied and stained from your proximity, look up into His wonderful Face, and ask Him to reveal the condition or action that has led to this distance. Look up, wait, and listen. Ask Him to bring you to the place where you can rest your thinking on His Heart, and His love for you. Confess the offense, repent of it – changing your thinking, falling back into His embrace. Let the blood from His side cleanse away the obstacles that block your capacity to hear. Let His Blood get into your “hearing.”

Somethings Wrong?

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How is it that an individual can read, and study the Bible and not hear God speak? How is it that they can know about God but not recognize the various ways He communicates personally? Why do millions of church attenders rarely, if ever, compare and contrast their life to the lives of Biblical characters who heard from God – on a regular basis? Why hasn’t the connection been made that somethings missing in their walk with God? 

Within Evangelical Christianity there’s a contradiction between doctrine and practice. We are taught that we have a personal relationship with God. We are taught that prayer should be made  for direction regarding major decisions. Yet the question is, “How do you know God is speaking? How do you distinguish between your own thoughts, the devil and the Spirit of God in you? What prevents us from hearing God? Is there a connection between the Word of God and Hearing God speak? What is it – other than knowing how He has spoken in the past?

In John 15:3 Jesus states:You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you].

The Amplified Translations choice of words, “cleansed” and “pruned” come pretty close to the original meaning. The Greek word,“ka-tha-ros,” means to be: “purged, cleared away, purified; pruned and cut back from worldly idolatry, adulteration, and admixture; cleansed from dirt.” If the word sounds familiar it’s because it is. Our English word  “cauterize” is derived from it. It’s defined as “to sear; burn away; deaden; render insensible” The Hebraic understanding of cleansing conveys a similar idea. Holiness, sanctification and burning were words chosen to describe the process Christ spoke of. At the “burning”…. bush, God told Moses to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. Hebrews 12:29 states: “our God is a consuming fire.” Pentecost describes tongues of fire that came and rested upon the people’s “minds” as they were baptized in the Holy Spirit and with…Fire.

So is there a connection between being cleansed, pruned, “burned” or sanctified by the Word that enables us to hear and recognize the ways that He speaks? In other words, will how you relate to the Word insure your ability to remain in a relationship, communing, or conversing with Jesus? When you allow the Word to “burn” your life, thinking, actions, and intentions to the ground does that bring greater clarity?

What’s puzzling to me is that our generation has greater access to the Words of God yet seem much duller in hearing and recognizing the ways that He speaks. How did New Testament believers have a greater relationship with God while not possessing a written copy of the Bible? Even more puzzling is the fact that even though the Word has the power to connect it’s readers and listeners with the Voice of God there are so many who read, and even teach it, yet don’t hear God. How is it that you can read, study, and even memorize it and not have an intimate relationship with God? How is it that when we reached the conclusion we needed to embrace Jesus as our Savior and Lord that we heard His Still, Small Voice? Even though we were anything but holy, and our minds were elsewhere – we still recognized our need for Him. Was that a sovereign act of grace?

Church attenders for centuries have been distancing themselves from making connections between their lives and the Words of God. But what’s startling is that less and less people are reading it presently. In a comprehensive fashion our generation seems to be sealing their fates to ever knowing God. Romans 1 speaks of the Last Days in which the people do not think God worth the knowing. Can there be any doubt that we are living in the Last Days? I believe that cultural ways of believing and thinking are trusted more than God’s Word leaving church attenders unable to recognize how far they have fallen from God. Our spiritual senses simply grow duller and duller. May we all have an awakening, calling for a new reformation, leading to the transformation of the Body of Christ. Jesus is coming back for a Bride that is equally yoked to Him. Why would we ever entertain the idea that He wants a Bride that doesn’t know Him, or long to know Him?

Last Adam?

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Other than losing their “lodging” in the Garden what was the primary thing Adam and Eve lost in the Garden of Eden? Was it that they were going to be slaves of satan and sin? Read on to find out.

1 Corinthians 15:45 Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life].

What was really lost in the Garden that day that Adam and Eve took a bite out of the forbidden fruit? (And, No it wasn’t an apple) Was it that they had now sealed the fate of the entire human race to slavery? Was it that they had traded places with satan making him the god and guardian of this world? Was it that they now had to make a living by the sweat of their brow, and Eve had to endure child birth?

Some would offer that it was the fact that they had been separated from God. That would be correct but the statement has been made so often that many in the church fail to get the full ramifications. Genesis 3:8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. What’s implied here? Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden – in the cool of the day. They were in His Presence having conversation, communion and fellowship with God. In other words, they had a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Jesus, being the Last Adam, walked with God on earth as a Man, having relationship with Him. Scripture records that Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. It also records that Jesus was hearing the Father speak, and on occasion others heard the sound, but didn’t recognize what was being said. Jesus, according to Phil. 2:5-7 emptied Himself of His divinity. The passage states: Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, but stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.

Thus Jesus became the Last Adam, who walked as a man walked, yet filled with the Holy Spirit, and cut off from the curse of sin through the virgin birth. Jesus came to accomplish what the first Adam failed to complete. He redeemed what had been robbed and stolen, by walking in complete dependence upon the Father, and vitally connected to Him in relationship. Jesus as a Man, heard the Father speak. Jesus as a Man, walked in communion with the Father. Jesus has redeemed this for us as believers. But what do we believe?

2 Timothy 3:5 states that the Church will be in perilous times in the Last Days. One of the perils will be that many will have a form of godliness but deny the power of God. Was Jesus godly? Absolutely? Did Jesus hear the Father and walk in communion with Him? Thus it can be deduced godly people hear God the Father and walk in communion with Him. That’s godliness with power. Godliness without power denies that man can hear God or walk in communion with Him. That’s having a form of godliness. A form of godliness has “self” as it’s center, and does things by the strength of the soul. What is the soul? Mind, will, emotions, and personality. That’s soul power. The Bible states that this version of godliness hates God: Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

The word for hatred means to “disregard, detest, postpone love or esteem, to love less, or to slight.” What’s really scary is that in the Greek it also means “to be indifferent; to not care; to be apathetic.” Romans 1:24 states: Therefore God gave them up…” Why did God give them up? It lists several reasons but the top two? Romans 1:21, 28 Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks.. And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind…” A form of godliness without power hates God and reveals that hatred through not being thankful to God, and indifference to knowing Him. Why? Because they don’t think He is worth the knowing. In other words, they practice Church and Christianity as if He is not even there. 

This form of godliness is manifested perfectly in the Church of Laodicea found in Rev 3. They couldn’t see spiritually that Jesus wasn’t even in their worship services. They couldn’t see that they had left Him outside of the building. They couldn’t hear Himcalling – because they couldn’t hear or recognize His Voice. They couldn’t hear Him knocking at the front door of the Church. Why? They had closed the door to His entrance.

Jesus came so we could have godliness with power that sees and hears Him. A godliness that walks and communes with God. That power can only be provided and supplied by the Spirit. Are you practicing His Presence or a form of godliness?

Ghost in the Machine

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In 1981 the British rock band “Police” produced an album titled “Ghost in the Machine.” One of it’s songs “Spirits in the Material World” states the very thing Jesus was seeking to awaken us to. The French philosopher Rene’ Descartes proposed a similar idea when he coined the phrase: “cogito ergo sum” (English: “I think, therefore I am”). Proposing that because he was thinking he existed, and that he was not the product of a dream. The Bible makes references to these distinctions often. Are we simply a machine, or product of chemical reactions, ancient ancestors and an evolutionary process that has pre-determined our personalities and the ways we think and behave? Or are we more than machines? More than animals?

This sounds silly to most but you would be surprised at how much this thinking has infiltrated our society, culture and the Christianity that we practice. In essence our worldview has been determined by the environment in which we were raised. As a result that worldview will determine whether you trust Jesus’ truth, or the “truth” the world system seeks submission, and allegiance to. For example secular humanism’s proponents decided that the best way to rid the world of superstitious beliefs in the supernatural and eternal, other worldly existence was to begin within the framework of the public education system. As the Bible states: “Train up a child in the way that they should go and they will not depart from it.” This belief system has infiltrated our worldview and keeps us from embracing a world that we cannot perceive with our physical senses, or comprehend with our logical mind. This is why Paul exhorts the believers in Rome: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.” (Romans 12:2 J.B. Phillips Translation)

Jesus said in John 15:4-7 “Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.”

How do you dwell in someone Who isn’t physically present? How do you dwell in someone’s words when they aren’t available to speak those words? If your world view has not been shaped by the Word of God, or a supernatural encounter with Jesus, or both, you will quickly dismiss those words as being utter nonsense or you will use some intellectual gymnastics to dilute the truth and the impact of it’s meaning. Many within the church fail to be honest with themselves about these things and typically align themselves with those who believe this is superstitious hogwash. I recall when for the very first time I heard someone question, “Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?” The question stunned me because I quickly knew that having a relationship involved an interaction. A relationship would involve physical contact or proximity to the person, communication, emotion, and exchange. I knew that I didn’t have that with Jesus. Rather than going to God with my questions I deferred to the religious experts who were more than happy to dismiss my doubts about my own salvation. They explained that it really doesn’t mean that you can know Jesus or interact with Him. You simply need to reassure yourself that you prayed a prayer, you were baptized, joined the church, and tried to be a good person till you died. Never once did an advisor encourage me to pursue an encounter, or experience with Jesus. Yet Scripture repeatedly commands and exhorts us to seek, and pursue God and you will find Him. I was taught quite the opposite. I was taught a relativistic world view. That is you can’t trust experiences, but you can trust your five physical senses and what your brain interprets them to say. Can experiences deceive us? Absolutely. But did Jesus, the Apostles, Old and New Testaments Prophets, Teachers, and believers ever buy into the belief that you couldn’t experience and know God? Notice that I say believers, not adherents. True believers have been experiencing God since Adam and Eve walked in the Garden with Him. And from the beginning of time it’s been the adherents of religion that have sought to dilute and discount the experiences of true believers. If they can’t silence you they will kill you. That’s why Religion killed and still seeks to silence Jesus today; crucifying Him through the doctrines and dogmas of men, empty religious rituals, self-centered, feel good teachings and warm and fuzzy theology. Yet the “rocks” are still crying out that the stone has been rolled away from their hearts, that Jesus has walked into their lives, and they have been forever transformed by the embrace of His Presence. Popular Theologians announced in 1966 that God was dead. Time magazine called Billy Graham asking for his reaction to the stunning declaration. Billy simply replied, “That’s funny I was just talking with Him.”

 

Doubt Your Doubt

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John 20:25 AMP “So the other disciples kept telling him, We have seen the Lord! But he said to them, Unless I see in His hands the marks made by the nails and put my finger into the nail prints, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe [it].”

We’ve been exploring the Scripture that teaches that born-again children of God hear God. We’ve also seen that those with a relativistic world view have trouble believing this. But I’ve got a proposal for you: why not doubt your doubt? Put it on trial and seek to build a case for it.

This morning I was reading from Timothy Keller’s book, “The Reason for God.” In it he makes the following proposal: “I commend two processes to my readers. I urge skeptics to wrestle with the unexamined ‘blind faith’ on which skepticism is based, and to see how hard it is to justify those beliefs to those who do not share them. I also urge believers to wrestle with their personal and culture’s objections to the faith. At the end of each process, even if you remain the skeptic or believer you have been, you will hold your own position with both greater clarity and greater humility. Then there will be an understanding, sympathy, and respect for the other side that did not exist before. Believers and nonbelievers will rise to the level of disagreement rather than simply denouncing one another. This happens when each side has learned to represent the other’s argument in its strongest and most positive form. Only then is it safe and fair to disagree with it. That achieves civility in a pluralistic society, which is no small thing.”

One such skeptic was a lady by the name of Simone Weil. Born Jewish, she was raised by her parents to be completely agnostic. As she grew old she identified herself with communism, marxism, anarchy, and anything leaning to the left politically. But then something profound happened: In 1938….I was suffering from splitting headaches; each sound hurt me like a blow… I discovered the poem “Love” [by George Herbert], I learned it by heart. Often, at the culminating point of a violent headache, I made myself say it over, concentrating all my attention upon it and clinging with all my soul to the tenderness it enshrines. I used to think I was merely reciting it as a beautiful poem, but without my knowing it the recitation had the virtue of a prayer. It was during one of these recitations that, as I told you, Christ himself came down and took possession of me. In my arguments about the insolubility of the problem of God I had never foreseen the possibility of that, of a real contact, person to person, here below, between a human being and God. – From Waiting for God and The Notebooks of Simone Weil

Thus my proposal to you today is have you ever taken a hard look at what you really believe and why? Wherever there is doubt there is a corresponding belief in quite the opposite. That belief is faith. So if your faith is in relativism, and not the mystical teachings of Scripture, then why is that? Have you delved the depths of it and explored the X-File Possibility? “The Truth is Out There!?” Have you given listening for God a try? Not in a passive, “If you’re really there prove it” approach. But in an exploratory, experimental, trial period. Let’s say for example, that for the next 40 days you are going to try and explore the possibility that God will speak in and through a consistent quiet time or prayer time. Or maybe you could take some time going away on a hike to listen for God. Or more realistically possibly for the next 40 days you could consistently read the Word of God inviting the Holy Spirit to come alongside of you and teach you what you are reading. The “laboratories” are endless but the challenge is the same: are you willing to doubt your doubt? The Bible says, seek Me and you will find Me. Is it true or not? If you are of a more mystical world view persuasion, when’s the last time you actively sought to encounter God? To go beyond the summit you’ve reached thus far. You doubt that there is anything beyond the summit? Doubt your doubt. Step up, step out and take a stand. Thomas did. Simone Weil did. There are millions of saints surrounding the throne of God that can attest to the same thing. Why not join the cloud of witnesses?

Can You Hear What I Hear?

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John 15:7 AMP If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

In the 2016 movie “Copying Beethoven” a fictionalized account is made of the last years of Beethoven’s life depicting his struggle with not being able to hear his own music. In the movie a dialogue takes place between Beethoven and his young assistant Anna Holtz regarding how he creates his music:

Ludwig van Beethoven: “The vibrations on the air are the breath of God speaking to man’s soul. Music is the language of God. We musicians are as close to God as man can be. We hear his voice, we read his lips, we give birth to the children of God, who sing his praise. That’s what musicians are, Anna Holtz. And if we’re not that, we’re nothing.”

You have to listen to the voice speaking inside of you. I didn’t even hear it myself until I went deaf. Not that I want you to go deaf, my dear.

Anna replies: You’re telling me that I must find the silence in myself, so I can hear the music.”

Beethoven: Yes. Yes. Yes. Silence is the key. The silence between the notes. When that silences envelops you, then your soul can sing.

In John 15:7 Jesus makes the statement: “If you abide in Me and my words abide in you…” We naturally assume that the words He is referring to is regarding the Bible. Yet history reveals to us that at that time there wasn’t any written record of Jesus’ words. The New Testament had yet to be written. The Old Testament had been recorded on scrolls with  no chapters or verses, and the only way you could access them was by attending a synagogue service. The book hadn’t been invented yet, and the only people who had access to these scrolls were the religious elite. The question begs to be asked, “To what “words” is Jesus referring?” The answer to that question lies in the original translation of the passage. In that translation the word used for “words” is the Greek word “rhema.” The Greek language had two words for the word. One word referred to written words, called “logos.” We find this word used in John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word (logos)…” But in John 15:7 quite the opposite word is used, and that word is “rhema.” Rhema words refer to words that are spoken, and revealed. Jesus was teaching His Disciples that if they wanted to abide in Him they had to connect to the internal Voice of the Spirit, or what we would refer to as the “Still Small Voice” of God. Which is very profound. If you were to insert yourself into the story, imagining yourself listening to Jesus give directions to His followers the night before His crucifixion what would you be thinking? I know what I would be thinking. “How are we going to abide in your words if you are not here? If you die who is going to give us Your words? How am I going to remember what You said?” In other words I believe that I would be dumbfounded, shocked, even panicked at the thought. But Jesus comforts them at the end of this chapter with the following words: John 15:26“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truthwho goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.”  Before chapters and verses were created for the Bible this discourse of Jesus proceeded. And in this discourse He was seeking to comfort and address their concerns: John 16:6-15 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:  about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Thus you can deduce from this information that Jesus wanted His Disciples to be centered in Him and the Holy Spirit. In our modern day culture that is centered in the written word, more than what is said, this sounds peculiar and strange. Yet it shines light on the fact of how far down the modern day church has been plunged in darkness and ignorance. May we learn from the words of Beethoven that until we become deaf to the outside world we will never hear the “Voice” speaking inside us. May God give us grace to be deaf to the world but listening to Him and for Him.

What Would Jesus Do?

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John 15:4 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.

In 1896, Pastor John Sheldon, delivered a series of sermons to his church in Topeka, Kansas. From these messages the book, “In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do?” was published, which created the resurgence of the phrase in the 1990’s, “What Would Jesus Do?” or “WWJD?” What’s not known about this popular Christian movement is that the book which created the WWJD? movement of the 1990’s was based in Christian Socialism, and the heretical Social Gospel formed in the early 1900’s. Should we abandon this statement simply because of it’s association with heresy? Absolutely not. What the question  belies is that it doesn’t go deep enough.

Jonathan Welton in his book, “Normal Christianity:” Jesus and the Book of Acts are the standard of Normal Christianity. Remember the fad a few years ago when people wore bracelets reminding them, What Would Jesus Do? Christians state that Jesus is the example of how to live, yet this has been limited in many cases to how we view our moral character. When Christians tell me that they want to live like Jesus, I like to ask if they have multiplied food, healed the sick, walked on water, raised the dead, paid their taxes with fish money, calmed storms, and so forth. I typically receive bewildered looks, but that is what it is like to live like Jesus! 

There you have it. To live like Jesus, or do what Jesus would do, was not and should never be limited to us being good, moral people. That is to reduce Jesus, to a good, moral, teacher, and the Gospel, to another nauseating version of humanism, or relativism. And that’s precisely what is wrong with popular, cultural Christianity. You cannot do what Jesus did apart from being born-again of the Spirit. But you can be a good person. You can be a good person and remain a buddhist, or satanist. Being good doesn’t require being born-again, but doing what Jesus does….does. If we dwell in Jesus, we are extensions of Him. As extensions of Jesus or “branches” connected to the Vine you will hear what the Father is doing. Why? Presently, we could make the argument that Jesus is located at the right Hand of the Father. Because of that placement and positioning, those who are truly born-again of the Spirit, are connected to what Jesus is receiving from the Father. In other words, what He hears we hear, because of our connection to Jesus. That is, if we are abiding in Jesus. With that realization comes the responsibility on our part to remain connected. If we are not making the connection then we are simply wearing “WWJD?” bracelets, and we are only doing what we can do. And what we can do is quite simply humanism, and relativism. Which by the way, the Bible says is hatred towards God: Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. The word “enmity” is defined as “hatred, and being hostile, desiring ill will against another.” The question that’s begging to be asked? Do you want to wear a bracelet, or do you want to be connected to the True Vine?

Can You See Him?

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Luke 24:16 AMP Classic “But their eyes were held, so that they did not recognize Him.”

Scholars, theologians, and Christians for the past several years have debated why the Jesus was unrecognizable in His post resurrection body. Many have postulated, myself included, that since Jesus was in His glorified, resurrected body it was difficult for those who knew Him by His earthly body to comprehend that this was the One Who had been born of a virgin, lived, bled and died. But may I suggest to you an even deeper explanation? May I suggest that what kept them from “seeing” Him was the fact that they hadn’t yet accepted that He was their Resurrected and Living Christ. They hadn’t accepted the crucifixion of Christ was for their resurrection and as a result the stone that covered Jesus’ tomb remained rolled into place shutting the followers of Christ from seeing and receiving His resurrection. Mark 9:9 states: And as they were coming back down the mountain, He admonished and expressly ordered them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man should rise from among the dead. Oswald Chambers adds: “As the disciples were commanded, you should also say nothing until the Son of Man has risen in you— until the life of the risen Christ so dominates you that you truly understand what He taught while here on earth…Our Lord doesn’t hide these things from us, but we are not prepared to receive them until we are in the right condition in our spiritual life..We must have a oneness with His risen life before we are prepared to bear any particular truth from Him. Do we really know anything about the indwelling of the risen life of Jesus? The evidence that we do is that His Word is becoming understandable to us.”

As we proceed to Pentecost have we really answered the questions: Are you in the right condition in your spiritual life to receive Jesus as your Risen Savior? Savior from what and who? Do you have a oneness with His crucified life in order to have oneness with His Resurrected life? The evidence lies simply in the fact that His Words are becoming more understandable to us. You now see Him, and recognize the ways that He speaks, because you have been crucified with Jesus, and resurrected to a new, born-again life by the Holy Spirit. This is normal Christianity. This is the eternal life Jesus spoke of and defined in John 17:3. To know Him is to love Him. To love Him is to obey Him.

2017 State Convention – New Resolutions

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At this years State Convention, two resolutions were adopted. You can read them below.

Resolution Denouncing Racism

WHEREAS, The Bible clearly teaches that God has created all men and women in His image, from all tribes and nations of the world (Genesis 1:27; Acts 17:26); and

WHEREAS, Christ died for the sins of people from every nation, tongue, and tribe (Revelation 5:9); and

WHEREAS, Christians are commanded to make disciples from every nation (Matthew 28:19); and

WHEREAS, The Bible declares, “God does not show favoritism, but in every nation the person who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him” (Acts 10:34-35); and

WHEREAS, Significant racism still exists in our communities, as evidenced by recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, Durham, North Carolina, and other cities across our nation, and the devil uses these opportunities to perpetuate division and strife in our society; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina Annual Meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina, November 6-7, 2017, denounce racism in all its expressions as sin against a holy and just God, because it disregards the image of God in all people and denies the truth of the Gospel that Christ died for the sins of all mankind; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we affirm the sentiments of the resolution adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, June 13-14, 2017 titled “On the Anti-Gospel of Alt- Right White Supremacy”; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call on North Carolina Baptists to humble themselves before God, acknowledging that while the preservation of history is critically important for a nation, the demonstration of Christ’s love and the proclamation of the Gospel to all peoples must take precedence over the important personal preferences of individual Christians, including the preservation of history. Therefore, we call on North Carolina Baptists to joyfully set aside anything that might create a barrier for the sharing and hearing of the full truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That North Carolina Baptists commit to pray fervently for those who advocate racism, so that they may become aware of their sin through the light of the Gospel, repent of the sin of racism, and recognize that the love of Jesus Christ has been extended to all men and women of every race and nation.

Resolution On a Biblical Stance on Human Sexuality and Marriage

WHEREAS, God created two complementary and distinct sexes, male and female, and embedded their differences in the very biology of the human race (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:6); and

WHEREAS, The separation of one’s gender identity from the physical reality of biological birth sex rejects God’s perfect intent in creation, and undermines the ultimate purpose of humanity, which is to bring honor and glory to God (Isaiah 43:7); and

WHEREAS, God in His divine wisdom established marriage as the union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:18-24; Matthew 19:4-6; Hebrews 13:4); and

WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith and Message (2000) recognizes the biblical definition of marriage as “the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime,” stating further, “It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race”; and

WHEREAS, The cultural pressures of modern society have begun to sway persons even within the Body of Christ from holding fast to these biblical teachings regarding human sexuality and marriage; and

WHEREAS, The church is called to proclaim with conviction the biblical truths regarding human sexuality and marriage; and

WHEREAS, The Bible commands Christians to love all of their neighbors, which includes those with whom we may disagree; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina meeting in in Greensboro, North Carolina, November 6-7, 2017, affirm God’s good design that gender identity is determined by biological sex and not by one’s self-perception; and be it further

RESOLVED, That North Carolina Baptists affirm the biblical definition of marriage as being exclusively between one man and one woman, and the biblical truths regarding God’s purpose for marriage, being ultimately for benefit of mankind, especially as it relates to procreation and the establishment of strong families under the Lordship of Christ; and finally be it

RESOLVED, That North Carolina Baptists commit to pray for our neighbors who identify themselves as homosexual and transgender, to minister to them with Christ’s love, and, as they repent, to help them grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Day Three

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Day Three
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]; thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the [Holy] Spirit;…”

God’s Word Translation interprets verse nineteen as: “Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire.” Make the connection? Be joyful, happy in your faith, rejoicing and being glad-hearted continually, unceasing in prayer, and thanking God in everything. Want to pray continually? Give thanks. Want to be happy in your faith? Give thanks in and in spite of all circumstances. The result? Holy Spirit Fire! Do you desire to stoke those fires? Give thanks like your life depended on it. Give thanks for those unanswered prayers as if they are already a manifested reality.

Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, “Certainly the preacher won’t think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this.” Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, “We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this.”

In Budapest, a man goes to the rabbi and complains, “Life is unbearable. There are nine of us living in one room. What can I do?” The rabbi answers, “Take your goat into the room with you.” The man in incredulous, but the rabbi insists. “Do as I say and come back in a week.”
A week later the man comes back looking more distraught than before. “We cannot stand it,” he tells the rabbi. “The goat is filthy.” The rabbi then tells him, “Go home and let the goat out. And come back in a week.” A radiant man returns to the rabbi a week later, exclaiming, “Life is beautiful. We enjoy every minute of it now that there’s no goat — only the nine of us.”

Todays Challenge: Give thanks that your not sleeping with a goat. In other words, give thanks today in spite of the negative circumstances that assail you. When you are tempted to be angry – give thanks. Irritated – give thanks. Hopeless and despairing – give thanks. Anxious or worried – give thanks. Thank God through it, in spite of it and remember and recall – your not sleeping with the goats.

What ten things are you, or could you be thankful for today?

Day Two

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Psalm 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!

In his book FOLK PSALMS OF FAITH, Ray Stedman tells of an experience H.A. Ironside had in a crowded restaurant. Just as Ironside was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited him to have a seat. Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, “Do you have a headache?” Ironside replied, “No, I don’t.” The other man asked, “Well, is there something wrong with your food?” Ironside replied, “No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat.” The man said, “Oh, you’re one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!” Ironside said, “Yes, you’re just like my dog. That’s what he does too!”

When it comes to life and the rich blessings we have received many simply plow on through only taking notice when what’s expected isn’t manifested immediately. The response varies from mild annoyance to downright rage. Yet Scripture states that the creation is in the midst of praise to Him: Isaiah 55:12 “For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

My second favorite Greek word in the Bible is found in John 4:24 God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality). The Greek word for worship as used here is proskineo. It means”meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand), to fawn or crouch to, homage (do reverence to, adore): worship.” It occurs 59 times in the New Testament. It originally carried with it the idea of subjects falling down to kiss the ground before a king or kiss their feet. Mountains, hills, trees and dogs are all seeming to be thankful praising His Name. And Jesus adds in Luke 19:40 “He replied, I tell you that if these keep silent, the very stones will cry out.” Even rocks can’t help but give thanks and praise His Name.

There are plenty of gates we can enter into through life but the Gates of Thanksgiving lead us into His very Presence. Are you entering into His Presence?

Todays’ Challenge: Give thanks to God throughout the day like you are deliriously out of your mind. Give thanks repeatedly throughout the day until you know that you have entered into His Presence through it’s practice. Give thanks through the day imagining that you are joining in with the rocks, trees, mountains, hills, and even the dogs. Yes, even dogs praise Him.

What ten things are you, or could you be thankful for today?

Day One

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Day One
Romans 1:24-25 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin], because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it).

One of the scariest passages in the Bible: “Therefore God gave them up…”
But what were the reasons for God giving them up?
Romans 1:21 Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks.
Romans 1:28 And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome,…

They didn’t give thanks to God or think He was worth knowing. The emphasis of this fast is to seek God, and this weeks focus is on thanksgiving. Seeking God implies several things:
He can be found and discovered.
He can be known and encountered.

Truth be known He’s not lost, but we are. Quite simply when God calls to His people to seek Him it’s because they have quit looking to Him. In other words their trust has been misplaced. As good as some things are within the Church and Christianity when we begin to trust them instead of Him – we have misplaced our trust – and that misplaced trust is what the Bible would refer to as idolatry. Idols can be made of denominations, pastors, organizations, styles of music, and even the Bible. When listening to certain pastors you would think that the Holy Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Bible – while the Person of the Holy Spirit is side-lined and ignored.

Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an enraged bull. Instantly they darted toward the nearest fence. The storming bull followed in hot pursuit, and it was soon apparent they wouldn’t make it. Terrified, the one shouted to the other, “Put up a prayer, John. We’re in for it!” John answered, “I can’t. I’ve never made a public prayer in my life.”
“But you must!” implored his companion. “The bull is catching up to us.” “All right,” panted John, “I’ll say the only prayer I know, the one my father used to repeat at the table: ‘O Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful.'”

What ten things are you, or could you be thankful for today?

“Prepare the Way – Forty Days of Seeking God for the Feast of Trumpets”

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During this season God is drawing near to us inviting us to come up to His Mountain. Use this season of seeking the Lord to seek an answer to the following questions:
1. What does the Lord think about my relationship with Him?
2. What does He want to do to enhance our relationship?
3. What did you do in the past to get closer to Him when nothing else took priority?
4. What activities can you do together to develop greater intimacy – especially during this season of 40 days?
5. What ideas does He have about your getting closer to Him?
Isa 55:6-7 Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
Jer 3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not remain angry forever.
Eph 5:14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
The “Prepare the Way” Commitment
Q. How could Christians prepare the way for the Return of Jesus?
40 Days of Seeking God through…thanksgiving, praise, confession, prayer, QT, and the Word
40 Days of Seeking God through…a fast of turning off the distractions
40 Days of Seeking God through…partner prayer
40 Days of Seeking God through…prayer room deposits
40 Days of Seeking God through…committing to become sons and daughters of the Word
This Weeks Commitment?- Thanksgiving Journaling and Rigorous Thanksgiving.
10 things a day that you are thankful for – journaled and expressed aloud to God.
Throughout the day especially when you are tempted to be negative, critical, anxious, angry, discouraged – thank God for the opposite; through it; in spite of it.
Seek to enter in and remain in His Presence through thanksgiving.
Thank God for the things you’ve been praying that haven’t happened – as if they have happened.

God Speaks Through Signs and Wonders

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How To Interpret Symbols

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God Speaks Through Nature

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21 Day Fast – Day 20

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21 Day Fast – Day 19

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21 Day Fast – Day 18

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