Thank God for an Awakening weekend!
It started with Sunday’s first service and James’s message about the road to Emmaus. (Luke 24:13-35)
I have never looked at this story the way I do now. Jesus was going on, He made as if He would have gone further, as He talked to them about the wondrous things of God but they went aside because they were home, they were at their comfortable place. Jesus was wanted to go on but they allow a comfortable spot to stop the burning within! When they realized who Jesus was it was too late. All they could do then was run back down the road and talk about what could have been. They talked about how their hearts once burned with in them.
As James told us, push on past your comfort zone and go on to a greater place with Jesus, He is leading you to greater things.
After the message it was great to see new people in the altar. One received the Holy Ghost! WOW, that’s the beauty of the Lord! One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. Psalm 27:4
Then again in the evening service there were new people in the altar seeking God! God is moving in great ways in this day. If you and I will bring people they will be touched and changed.
Some thoughts from Sunday’s second service.
• I wonder what is waiting for your life just on the other side of a cry out to God, a desire and willingness to change your life? What miracle is waiting for you just on the other side of a fresh commitment to Jesus?
• You will not be able to change your life or situation without a fight! You cannot wake to what God has fresh for your life without a spiritual battle. The dogs of hell are purposed to stop any new anointing and fresh commitment in your life. Yes, there will be a battle but with the battle comes the promises of God to make you a victor in the battle. Yes, there will be a fight but greater than that is the promised fact that you will win and you will get a miracle in your life.
• You must believe that the promises of God include you. We too often excuse ourselves from the promises of God by lack of commitment or simply a lack of faith. We too easily pawn the anointing off onto someone else. We believe God will do great things for everyone else but us.
Barak did this in Judges 4:8-9 and it cost him an honored blessing. God allowed a less talented person to get the victory Barak had been promised.
• Somewhere along the line, you will have to pray, you will have to fast, you will have to be faithful, you will have to make the daily commitment. If you want to enjoy the blessings and miracles of a life for God you will have to make the pledge to the Lord. You will have to wake up and get in the battle with a winning promise.
Here is a tweet I received yesterday that pretty much sums it up.
Opportunity awaits activity. The moment you get off of dead center and move forward opportunity is created. No movement = no opportunity
Here is another thought from Perry Nobles.
Seven Things I Cannot Expect!
#1 – I cannot expect to win arguments with those who don’t want to settle the argument, they just want to fight for the sake of fighting. (II Timothy 2:23)
#2 – I cannot expect people to read my mind. (I Corinthians 14:8)
#3 – I cannot possibly expect to have a complete and detailed plan from God that tells me exactly what His plans are for the next 20 years. (Psalm 119:105) – He doesn’t promise to let us see years in advance, but He does promise to show us our next step!
#4 – I cannot expect to be a follower of Jesus and keep everyone around me happy at the same time. (Proverbs 29:25)
#5 – I cannot expect to stay the same and see progress (Isaiah 43:18-19)
#6 – I cannot expect to please God without taking steps of faith (Hebrews 11:6)
#7 – I cannot expect to hear God’s voice if I am always running at an unsustainable pace! (Psalm 46:10)
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In going Beyond this year at FPB we have focused on doing such in our giving and our praying. We now need to go beyond in our loving. We must love people! Pray that God gives you and passion for souls, for humanity! Let’s go beyond in touching the lives of people who need the love of Christ, who need Jesus. Keep praying and giving and allow your anointing to make a difference in someone’s life. Matthew 25:31-46
Rude people in church are people who are not reaching people. Terry Shock
Monday, March 21, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
An Attitude of Repentance
I humbly want to praise and Thank God for a wonderful weekend! I hope you felt the anointing and wonderful power of God as I did. I have already heard positive words from some of you and I trust God will answer and move on the prayers you prayed. God bless.
Here are a few thoughts on my mind this morning.
On the Prayer Journey we took in Sunday evening’s service one of the area that stands out with importance and power to me is the place of repentance. The Brazen Altar was the largest of the tabernacle furniture. The fire was to be forever burning there and it was ignited by God Almighty (Leviticus 9:24). The fire from this Altar was to be used in the Holy Place. One place was to light the incense on the Golden Altar, the place where we make intercession for others and ask God to answer our prayer request.
The fact is many never get the power and importance of repentance and the attitude (spirit) that goes with it. Jesus taught us that God would forgive us like we forgive others (Matthew 6:12-15). We have no fire to give our petition with if we don’t have a true repented heart. Sad part many try to fake it here. Aaron’s sons tried this in Leviticus 10. Right after a fire went out from God at the end of chapter 9 these guys marched right in and tried to uses another means to approach God. The fire again went out from God and took care of them. God was so firm over this that Aaron was commanded not to mourn over their death or God would get him.
As we go through life we get blasted by things that are often not our fault. We get attacked by people who are self-centered and consumed in their own world to such a place that they blast words at us that hurt. We have to keep in mind not to allow these things to keep us from God.
We have lust and desires that are contrary to God’s way. We so easily run our life by our feelings and get out from behind the shield of faith in God. On and on the list goes but we need to repent and change if we want to approach God in His presences. We cannot approach Him with strange fire trying to ignite our intercession.
Along that line here is a thought from Max Lucado.
Patience is the red carpet upon which God’s grace approaches us.
The Greek word used here for patience is a descriptive one. It figuratively means “taking a long time to boil.” Think about a pot of boiling water. What factors determine the speed at which it boils? The size of the stove? No. The pot? The utensil may have an influence, but the primary factor is the intensity of the flame. Water boils quickly when the flame is high. It boils slowly when the flame is low. Patience “keeps the burner down.”
Helpful clarification, don’t you think? Patience isn’t naive. It doesn’t ignore misbehavior. It just keeps the flame low. It waits. It listens. It’s slow to boil. This is how God treats us. And, according to Jesus, this is how we should treat others.
If we can learn to let God produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, patience would help us go a long way in becoming such that we can develop a repented attitude.
Here is another thought from Perry Nobles. Little gross but he makes a great point.
I Never Changed My Sheets!!!
Ezekiel 33:30-33
I moved in to Anderson College (now Anderson University) in August of 1990. I remember putting a set of brown sheets on my bed… And I didn’t change/wash them ALL SEMESTER!
(Sorry for those who just threw up a little bit in your mouth!) Seriously…I NEVER changed them.
I thought about washing/changing them…but… I took my showers at night, so how dirty could they really be? Besides, changing them would take a lot of time and energy. No one really ever saw my sheets! It wasn’t a big deal, right? (Can you EVEN begin to imagine how gross those things were?)
Everyone reading this KNOWS that those things were gross! I will bet hardly ANYONE here thinks that I was wise in my decision not to change the sheets… However…
So many people do that every Sunday in churches all over the world.
They will show up every week…listen to a sermon and then go home.
Sometimes they think, “wow, I should do something about what I heard today.” But often times they decide against it because doing so would take a lot of work; after all, who is ever really going to see the area of their life that needs to be changed? When God deals with an area of our lives He isn’t doing so because He has nothing better to do but rather He’s doing so for our own good. If He is wanting to change something…then that something needs to be changed.
I am learning more and more as a follower of Christ that He is constantly changing me, my thoughts and my attitude by making me more aware of who He is. Because, becoming more aware of who He is really does make me want to be more like Him… And…in order for that to happen I’ve got to “change the sheets” when He clearly points out things in my life that cannot continue the way they are going.
Anyone need to change the sheets?
Let me ask you, what are you doing about that part of your life God has been telling you to change? If you don’t change it, you will not go any closer to Him. Come on; let’s allow the fire of God to consume our sins, or negligence, and the weight that keeps pulling us down. Repent, so that you can really get anointed. Change so you can be all God really wants you to be.
Here are a few thoughts on my mind this morning.
On the Prayer Journey we took in Sunday evening’s service one of the area that stands out with importance and power to me is the place of repentance. The Brazen Altar was the largest of the tabernacle furniture. The fire was to be forever burning there and it was ignited by God Almighty (Leviticus 9:24). The fire from this Altar was to be used in the Holy Place. One place was to light the incense on the Golden Altar, the place where we make intercession for others and ask God to answer our prayer request.
The fact is many never get the power and importance of repentance and the attitude (spirit) that goes with it. Jesus taught us that God would forgive us like we forgive others (Matthew 6:12-15). We have no fire to give our petition with if we don’t have a true repented heart. Sad part many try to fake it here. Aaron’s sons tried this in Leviticus 10. Right after a fire went out from God at the end of chapter 9 these guys marched right in and tried to uses another means to approach God. The fire again went out from God and took care of them. God was so firm over this that Aaron was commanded not to mourn over their death or God would get him.
As we go through life we get blasted by things that are often not our fault. We get attacked by people who are self-centered and consumed in their own world to such a place that they blast words at us that hurt. We have to keep in mind not to allow these things to keep us from God.
We have lust and desires that are contrary to God’s way. We so easily run our life by our feelings and get out from behind the shield of faith in God. On and on the list goes but we need to repent and change if we want to approach God in His presences. We cannot approach Him with strange fire trying to ignite our intercession.
Along that line here is a thought from Max Lucado.
Patience is the red carpet upon which God’s grace approaches us.
The Greek word used here for patience is a descriptive one. It figuratively means “taking a long time to boil.” Think about a pot of boiling water. What factors determine the speed at which it boils? The size of the stove? No. The pot? The utensil may have an influence, but the primary factor is the intensity of the flame. Water boils quickly when the flame is high. It boils slowly when the flame is low. Patience “keeps the burner down.”
Helpful clarification, don’t you think? Patience isn’t naive. It doesn’t ignore misbehavior. It just keeps the flame low. It waits. It listens. It’s slow to boil. This is how God treats us. And, according to Jesus, this is how we should treat others.
If we can learn to let God produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, patience would help us go a long way in becoming such that we can develop a repented attitude.
Here is another thought from Perry Nobles. Little gross but he makes a great point.
I Never Changed My Sheets!!!
Ezekiel 33:30-33
I moved in to Anderson College (now Anderson University) in August of 1990. I remember putting a set of brown sheets on my bed… And I didn’t change/wash them ALL SEMESTER!
(Sorry for those who just threw up a little bit in your mouth!) Seriously…I NEVER changed them.
I thought about washing/changing them…but… I took my showers at night, so how dirty could they really be? Besides, changing them would take a lot of time and energy. No one really ever saw my sheets! It wasn’t a big deal, right? (Can you EVEN begin to imagine how gross those things were?)
Everyone reading this KNOWS that those things were gross! I will bet hardly ANYONE here thinks that I was wise in my decision not to change the sheets… However…
So many people do that every Sunday in churches all over the world.
They will show up every week…listen to a sermon and then go home.
Sometimes they think, “wow, I should do something about what I heard today.” But often times they decide against it because doing so would take a lot of work; after all, who is ever really going to see the area of their life that needs to be changed? When God deals with an area of our lives He isn’t doing so because He has nothing better to do but rather He’s doing so for our own good. If He is wanting to change something…then that something needs to be changed.
I am learning more and more as a follower of Christ that He is constantly changing me, my thoughts and my attitude by making me more aware of who He is. Because, becoming more aware of who He is really does make me want to be more like Him… And…in order for that to happen I’ve got to “change the sheets” when He clearly points out things in my life that cannot continue the way they are going.
Anyone need to change the sheets?
Let me ask you, what are you doing about that part of your life God has been telling you to change? If you don’t change it, you will not go any closer to Him. Come on; let’s allow the fire of God to consume our sins, or negligence, and the weight that keeps pulling us down. Repent, so that you can really get anointed. Change so you can be all God really wants you to be.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Dominion Over Satan
Wow what a weekend!
I must say the anointing of the Spirit was great in both services on Sunday.
Two quick reminders from the sermons I preached;
1 Read Matthew chapters 24 and 25. Look at our day and all that is going on in the world. When you see these things happening, look up, God is about to come. Do you believe God is coming enough to live your life everyday like you believe it? Jesus is coming back for those who believe enough to live that way.
2 Every day when you pray ask God to help you live your life beyond yourself. Pray that God gives you power to operate not in your own faith but God’s faith. Ask God to help you go beyond what only you can do. Love the Lord with all your heart (emotions), your mind (thinking), your soul (attitude and spirit) and your strength (talents and abilities), love and live for God beyond the veil of your flesh. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. (Philippians 4:13)
Some months ago I passed out a prayer of taking Dominion over satan at FPB. You may still have a copy or since lost yours. Allow me to pass it along again and I encourage you to add it to your daily prayer life. Start taking dominion over the things that hinder your life and the demons that are giving you fits. In Jesus Name you have power over every force of darkness.
In the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and in the earth and under the earth; and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
In The Name of Jesus, I place upon me the full armor of God that I may be able to stand. The weapons of my warfare are not carnal, so I cannot depend on the principles of this world to provide victory but my weapons are mighty through God. In your name God, I pull down strongholds, cast down vain thoughts and imaginings and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
In The Name of Jesus, I enforce God’s original plans against the plans of Satan. I declare that in this battle, no weapon, be it emotional, financial, physical, spiritual, psychological, or relational, formed against me shall prosper.
In The Name of Jesus, I speak God’s anointing over me and my family and that this anointing will destroy every yoke of bondage. I invoke God’s divine order into my life and my family according to His will.
In The Name of Jesus, every diabolical, subverting tactic of the adversary which opposes the will of God concerning my life is now by faith, destroyed. Every evil activity against my life, my family, marriage, ministry, health and finances shall be made void.
In The Name of Jesus, I ask God to release warrior angels specially assigned to me to fight any satanic resistance to God’s purpose for my life. Father cause me to be watchful and have dominion over evil thoughts and evil speech. Grant me dominion over pride, ungodly habits, gossip, strife, waywardness, deceit, idolatry, slothfulness, greed and anything else that may hinder Christ being formed in me!
In The Name of Jesus, I ask you to lift ungodly burdens from me and remove feelings of heaviness, worry, fear and depression and replace it with joy and praise. I bind my mind to the mind of God. I ask that a spirit of wisdom, understanding, divine counsel, supernatural might, knowledge and fear of the Lord be upon me. As I move forward, help me to be continually empowered and fruitful.
In The Name of Jesus, I ask that a prayer shield and the blood of Jesus form a strong hedge of protection around me and my family which will cover me from demonic attacks. I ask for God’s favor, grace, honor and protection now replace all negative feelings, perceptions and thoughts concerning me and anything I am called to accomplish. I declare that God’s agenda is my agenda. I am not my own and have been bought with a price. I therefore submit to God and resist the devil. I am blessed of God and these blessings will not be reversed.
Father, be my shield and buckler and fight this battle for me. It is you Jesus that gives me stability, you have equipped me with salvation, Your right hand establishes me as victor in the battle. You have given me the rod of authority that I may take dominion over satan and his wiles. I thank You and praise You!
I didn’t write this but received it by way of the POA prayer ministry.
I try to include it in my prayer every day and have watched God do great thing in my life that I feel are a direct result of Him answering my prayer.
I challenge you to pray and seek God every day. Build a relationship with God and allow Him to order your steps daily. The difference it will make is powerful!
I must say the anointing of the Spirit was great in both services on Sunday.
Two quick reminders from the sermons I preached;
1 Read Matthew chapters 24 and 25. Look at our day and all that is going on in the world. When you see these things happening, look up, God is about to come. Do you believe God is coming enough to live your life everyday like you believe it? Jesus is coming back for those who believe enough to live that way.
2 Every day when you pray ask God to help you live your life beyond yourself. Pray that God gives you power to operate not in your own faith but God’s faith. Ask God to help you go beyond what only you can do. Love the Lord with all your heart (emotions), your mind (thinking), your soul (attitude and spirit) and your strength (talents and abilities), love and live for God beyond the veil of your flesh. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. (Philippians 4:13)
Some months ago I passed out a prayer of taking Dominion over satan at FPB. You may still have a copy or since lost yours. Allow me to pass it along again and I encourage you to add it to your daily prayer life. Start taking dominion over the things that hinder your life and the demons that are giving you fits. In Jesus Name you have power over every force of darkness.
In the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and in the earth and under the earth; and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
In The Name of Jesus, I place upon me the full armor of God that I may be able to stand. The weapons of my warfare are not carnal, so I cannot depend on the principles of this world to provide victory but my weapons are mighty through God. In your name God, I pull down strongholds, cast down vain thoughts and imaginings and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
In The Name of Jesus, I enforce God’s original plans against the plans of Satan. I declare that in this battle, no weapon, be it emotional, financial, physical, spiritual, psychological, or relational, formed against me shall prosper.
In The Name of Jesus, I speak God’s anointing over me and my family and that this anointing will destroy every yoke of bondage. I invoke God’s divine order into my life and my family according to His will.
In The Name of Jesus, every diabolical, subverting tactic of the adversary which opposes the will of God concerning my life is now by faith, destroyed. Every evil activity against my life, my family, marriage, ministry, health and finances shall be made void.
In The Name of Jesus, I ask God to release warrior angels specially assigned to me to fight any satanic resistance to God’s purpose for my life. Father cause me to be watchful and have dominion over evil thoughts and evil speech. Grant me dominion over pride, ungodly habits, gossip, strife, waywardness, deceit, idolatry, slothfulness, greed and anything else that may hinder Christ being formed in me!
In The Name of Jesus, I ask you to lift ungodly burdens from me and remove feelings of heaviness, worry, fear and depression and replace it with joy and praise. I bind my mind to the mind of God. I ask that a spirit of wisdom, understanding, divine counsel, supernatural might, knowledge and fear of the Lord be upon me. As I move forward, help me to be continually empowered and fruitful.
In The Name of Jesus, I ask that a prayer shield and the blood of Jesus form a strong hedge of protection around me and my family which will cover me from demonic attacks. I ask for God’s favor, grace, honor and protection now replace all negative feelings, perceptions and thoughts concerning me and anything I am called to accomplish. I declare that God’s agenda is my agenda. I am not my own and have been bought with a price. I therefore submit to God and resist the devil. I am blessed of God and these blessings will not be reversed.
Father, be my shield and buckler and fight this battle for me. It is you Jesus that gives me stability, you have equipped me with salvation, Your right hand establishes me as victor in the battle. You have given me the rod of authority that I may take dominion over satan and his wiles. I thank You and praise You!
I didn’t write this but received it by way of the POA prayer ministry.
I try to include it in my prayer every day and have watched God do great thing in my life that I feel are a direct result of Him answering my prayer.
I challenge you to pray and seek God every day. Build a relationship with God and allow Him to order your steps daily. The difference it will make is powerful!
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