Don't Be Afraid (1)

'The word of the Lord came to Abram...saying, "Do not be afraid."' Genesis 15:1 NKJV

What a beautiful day today...Have you ever been afraid? Something new is happening in your life or changes you weren't sure of has brought some fear? God asked Abraham to do a very difficult thing: '..."Leave your country...and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing..." So Abram left, as the Lord had told him.' (Genesis 12:1-4 NIV) If you're afraid of changing jobs, houses or locations, stand on this Scripture because as a redeemed child of God you are entitled to the blessing of Abraham. All our fears basically come down to these two questions: First: 'Lord, will You protect me?' Secondly: 'Lord, will You provide for me?' With Abraham, God addresses both: 'Do not be afraid...I am your shield, your very great reward.' (Genesis 15:1 NIV) The words, 'very great reward,' literally mean, 'I am your unfailing, inexhaustible, ever increasing source of supply.' Awesome! You don't have to go to anybody else for protection or provision; God's got you covered! And notice what happened next. God entered into a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:18); He said to him: 'I'll take care of you and your descendants as long as you live.' But there was a problem. 'Then birds of prey came down on the [sacrifice], but Abram drove them away.' (Genesis 15:11 NIV) There's a lesson here. Even though God has promised to take care of you, you must drive away the worries Satan sends to prey on your mind. How do you do that? By standing squarely on the promises God has made to you in His Word. If your worries are overwhelming; the place to start is by admitting that it is through Christ and Christ only do you get your strength!

What Paul Prayed For

'...we have not stopped praying for you...' Colossians 1:9 NIV

Good Morning,
Ever wonder about prayer? In life we move from season to season and so goes our prayer life if we don't stay connected. The word tells us to pray for one another. Paul tells the Colossians in Colossians 1:9 that he loved them so much he would "not stop praying for them". Sunday I shared a message on how to stay connected in love. Prayer is one way. For Paul when it came to those he loved he prayed: (1) That they would understand the will of God. 'Asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.' Rome was not an easy place to be a Christian, yet Paul wrote: 'Everyone has heard about your obedience...' (Romans 16:19 NIV) Obedience to God's will should be your number one priority. When your name is mentioned, no one should have any doubt as to the level of your commitment to Jesus. (2) That their lives would be pleasing to God. 'That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way...' (Colossians 1:10 NIV) When you stand before God to be rewarded you won't hear the words 'well said' or 'well planned' but, 'Well done, good and faithful servant...' (Matthew 25:21 NKJV) (3) That they would prosper in the work God had given them. '...bearing fruit in every good work...' (Colossians 1:10 NIV) Nothing brings joy to the heart of a parent like seeing their child succeed. And God feels the same way about you. (4) That they would persevere by drawing on His strength. 'Being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance...' (Colossians 1:11 NIV) Like a light bulb, you depend on power from another source. So unless you stay connected to God you'll be spiritually weak. (5) That they would praise God. 'Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints...' (Colossians 1:12 NIV) In other words, live with an attitude of gratitude, a heart of praise, and one who always prays.

When You're Under Attack

'The name of the Lord is a strong tower...' Proverbs 18:10 NKJV

Good Morning,
Thanks to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday yesterday. Had a wonderful day with family and friends topped off by a fine meal @Texas Roadhouse. I wanted to share how awesome service was Sunday! The exclamation point being how marvolus was the moving of God's Spirit in our midst. We saw God touch many lives that brought about Spiritual break through. Our God is incredible...

Today we look at what happens when we come under attack?
Martin Niemoller, a former U-boat captain, was among those in Germany who spoke out against Hitler. Predictably, he was arrested and imprisoned. En route to face his accusers in court he was walking through an underground tunnel when he heard these words: 'The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.' Niemoller was shocked. There was nobody around who could have said them. Had God spoken to him audibly? In the end it didn't matter because God used His Word to strengthen and encourage one of His own. Apparently a Christian guard, who knew the acoustics inside the tunnel would allow somebody to whisper into the wall and be heard up ahead, had quoted the verse. Niemoller was acquitted but he was still imprisoned for another seven years. When the prosecutor asked, 'How can we imprison a man who's been acquitted?' Hitler replied, 'Because he's my personal prisoner!' Jesus said, '...when people...persecute you and falsely say...evil against you because of Me, rejoice...great is your reward in Heaven...' (Matthew 5:11-12 NIV) Charles Swindoll writes: 'When you're punished for doing the right thing, you've a "great cloud of witnesses" surrounding you (Hebrews 12:1)...faithful men and women who extended the Kingdom and made the world a better place...at great personal cost...Take courage...you fight for the winning side.' The Bible says: '...everyone who wants to live a godly life...will suffer...' (2 Timothy 3:12 NLT) The second that prison-cell door slammed shut, Niemoller joined a distinguished league of saints willing to endure hardship in this life in order to reign with Christ in the next one. How about you? "The name of the Lord is a strong Tower"

Change Can Happen for You!

'And He...said, "Behold, I make all things new..."' Revelation 21:5 KJV

Good Morning,

Thanks to those who took part in the week of Prayer @CFW. We had some amazing times in the evenings praying with one another. Prayer is the catalyst for relationship with God and allows God to make changes in your life and give you the push we sometimes need in this life. Observe: (1) Change means accepting risk. Your anxiety will kick in and say, 'What if I don't get the job? What if the economy fails? What if I make the effort to change but they don't?' We like ironclad guarantees. The predictable feels less threatening than sticking our necks out. But the price of our security often means remaining stuck with the status quo. Sometimes your greatest risk is taking no risk at all! God often requires you to leave the path that feels and looks safe, for the one that feels and looks risky. 'Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for...the proof of things [we] do not see...' (Hebrews 11:1 AMP) Your faith is foolproof assurance, God's confirmation, the title deed guaranteeing that the change you want will take place if you act on it. (2) Change will happen if failure is not allowed to stop you. Fear of failing often stops us from trying, yet many of God's best people experienced failure on their way to success. Consider Abraham, Moses, Elijah, David etc. All of them succeeded only after dealing with personal failure. Indeed, the richest, most profound change often happens after we've tasted failure. Until then we tend to be cocky and of not much use to God. Peter failed the Lord miserably, and at the most crucial moment. (Matthew 26:72) But he grew, becoming Christ's choice to lead His newly empowered church on the Day of Pentecost, winning three thousand souls. (Acts 2) Don't let anything stop you with God, "behold I make all things new."

This year 'launch out'

'Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.' Luke 5:4 NKJV

Good Morning,
Tonight is the last night in our week of Prayer and Amy has setup a special prayer walk in the fellowship hall that is an amazing journey of self introspection with God. Please take the time tonight to come and pray for not only your needs but of those in the body. We start @7 and when you are done you can leave or worship with the worship team while they practice, it's up to you? Sometimes you just have to launch out into new areas of your life that God is challenging you in. Let's take the step together:

Someone has said that mediocrity is just the best of the worst and the worst of the best. Is that what you want this year? If not, you must be willing to leave the safety of where you are, and go where God wants to take you. After fishing all night and catching nothing Jesus told His disciples, 'Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.' In other words, leave the safety of the shoreline and be willing to face the fury of the storm, knowing that God is with you. Helen Keller, who overcame incredible challenges, reportedly said, 'Security is a myth. The reason we don't experience it is because it doesn't exist. Avoiding danger or failure is no safer in the long run than out-right risk. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.' Launching out means setting goals, establishing a plan to reach them, and becoming accountable. It requires staying in sync with God's will, confronting your fears and discovering the rewards that lie on the other side of them. It demands looking in the mirror, and respecting or correcting what you're becoming. It calls for devoting your life to something greater than yourself, even when others don't understand. It's having an 'I will fear no evil for You are with me' attitude, and attempting great things for God. As you enter this New Year, stop and recall God's goodness. Check the price tag on His will for your life against what you're already paying, and compare the rewards of both. Then, 'launch out' and don't look back!

Who Is Influencing You?

'...But who do you say I am?' Matthew 16:15 NLT

Good Morning,

Wonderful time of prayer last night as we prayed for needs of many and believe our God will move on our behalf. It's wonderful to have a confidence in prayer that leads to answers. I hope you will join us again tonight as we meet @7pm here @CFW. This morning let's look at who's influencing your life...Matthew writes: 'One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that He show them a miraculous sign from Heaven to prove His authority.' (Matthew 16:1 NLT) The Pharisees were bound by tradition, so they opposed anything new. The Sadducees were bound by reason, so they opposed anything supernatural. Since Christ brought a new revelation of God and a new dimension of His power, both the Pharisees and Sadducees opposed Him. So Jesus warned His disciples: 'Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.' (v6 NLT) In a culture where people used yeast to make bread, Christ's point came through loud and clear. Just as yeast works silently and spreads slowly, so doubt and unbelief work the same way in our hearts and minds. Then Christ asked His disciples two questions. First: 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?' (v13 NLT) He wanted them to know when their thinking was being negatively influenced by those around them so that they would be on guard against it. Secondly: 'Who do you say I am?' Immediately Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.' (v16 NLT) Jesus replied, 'You are blessed, Simon son of John, because My Father in Heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.' (v17 NLT) There are things that people can teach you and if you're wise you will listen. But there are things that only the Lord can reveal to you and if you're wise you'll listen and do what He says.

You are loved!

Pray Every Day

'Devote yourselves to prayer...' Colossians 4:2 NAS
Good Morning,
This week we begin our week of prayer. This focused prayer time is set aside once a year for our church body to come together and pray for the needs of our church, community, and nation. Many of you signed up to pray for an hour a day and I pray that you will keep that commitment. Each night this week the church will be open for corporate prayer @7pm. On Thursday we will have a special prayer walk set-up for personal interspection. I hope that you can take sometime from your busy schedules to be a part of this incredible time. The bible tells us "to devote ourselves to Prayer". How do we do that?

One little girl threw one of her shoes under the bed before going to sleep. When her mom asked why, she replied, 'My Sunday school teacher said if I have to get down by my bed in the morning and look for my shoe, it'll remind me to say my prayers while I'm there.' If it helps, throw your shoe's under the bed! Prayer is the life force that sustains us spiritually. David wrote and we sang this song Sunday: 'As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You...My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?' (Psalm 42:1-2 NIV) In his book, The Power and Blessing, Pastor Jack Hayford writes: 'I had gone on vacation, and I needed it! It was delightful to get to the beach. But about the fourth day...I found I was feeling empty inside. Then it occurred to me that for four days I hadn't read a word of Scripture, prayed a prayer or sung a song of praise. It was just kind of 'Let's get away from it all.' We were so involved with church that we didn't want to do anything 'godly' for a while. But suddenly I was called back by the inner hollowness I felt. Through that experience I learned that I can't recover at a physical or emotional level, if I neglect the spiritual level.' The Bible says: 'Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.' Only when you've spent time in God's presence and drawn strength from Him, will you be equal to the challenges you face on any given day.