Give Thanks

Psalm 100:4

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.

Philippians 4:6

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
 

This Thanksgiving as you sit to celebrate with family and friends, reflect and share about all that God has done for you. Say a prayer for our service men and women that are not able to celebrate with their loved ones and look for opportunities to bless someone. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

PRAYER

Father,

Thank You for all the blessing You have poured over my life. Holy Spirit I ask that you place someone in my heart that I can bless. I pray blessing over our service men and women and their families during this time they are spending apart. AMEN.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Jesus & Me

Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. The Greek word used here for alive is zaó (dzah'-o). It means to live, lifetime, alive, lively. For active the Greek word used is energés (en-er-gace') and means at work, active, effectual, powerful.
Now John 1:1 tells us that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Greek word for Word used here is logos (log'-os) and check this out, logos is preeminently used of Christ (Jn 1:1), expressing the thoughts of the Father through the Spirit. Let’s reread Hebrews 4:12 with this knowledge: For the [Son] of God (Jesus) is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, [He] penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; [He] judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Jesus speaks to you the thoughts of the Father through the Holy Spirit every time you read the Bible. He is actively at work in your life, effectually and powerfully transforming you into His image. The Father speaks life over you and builds you up. His words bring you comfort and strengthen you.
The next time you sit to read the Word of God, picture sitting down with Jesus and have a conversation with Him. As you read, it is Him speaking to you. If you get stuck on something you are reading or have a question, ask Him to break it down for you to help you understand. When you approach reading the Bible this way, you will truly come to understand just how active and alive Jesus is in your life.
In fact, the next time you read the Bible, read Psalm 98. As you are reading it, talk to Jesus and ask Him the following questions: 1. What do Your words here teach me about God? 2. What do Your words here teach me about people? 3. What would You like me do in response to the words You just spoke to me? Write these down and reflect on them throughout your day or week.

Psalm 98

1 Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3 He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.

PRAYER

Jesus,

Thank You for being active in my life. Thank You for powerfully and effectively speaking into my life. Thank You for spending time with me and for teaching me through Your words. Thank You for speaking the Father’s thoughts to me through Your Holy Spirit. AMEN.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Is Jesus Satisfied with Me?

My devotional today hit home. I know that God loves me and that He loves everyone. As a child I used to sing about His love for me… “for the Bible tells me so.” But is He satisfied with me?
I, of course, immediately defaulted to measure myself against my own standard in trying to answer this question. What a fallacious thing to do.

Romans 5:6-11

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Is Jesus satisfied with you? Yes. Because He has redeemed you!

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Nathan


Is Jesus Satisfied With Me?
Posted by Regi Campbell on December 19, 2013

Growing up Baptist, my mind runs to the B.B. McKinney hymn “I am Satisfied”. Written in 1926, it had a good tune, but bad theology. First verse…

I am satisfied with Jesus,
He has done so much for me:
He has suffered to redeem me,
He has died to set me free.

Good so far. But then the chorus….

But the question comes to me,
As I think of Calvary,
Is my Master satisfied with me?

That’s the traditional question that’s created so many good works but so little peace.

Let me cut to the chase. If you’re a ‘believer’, ‘saved’ by God’s grace, a ‘follower of Jesus’, then God is satisfied with you. When He looks at you, He sees the holiness of His Son who swapped His purity for your sin, meaning you’re now ‘pure’ in the Father’s eyes. What performance could you possibly render to add to that? Beyond placing your faith in Christ, you don’t have to do a single thing for God to be ‘satisfied’ with you. A lot of folks call this ‘cheap grace’…I say it’s anything but. It seems “cheap” because the price was paid by someone else. I think it’s unconscionably expensive, but overwhelmingly generous and loving beyond imagination.

But my question is “Are YOU satisfied with you?” Knowing the incredible price God paid to give us this ‘holy’ status, don’t we want to at least turn away from the stuff His Son died to free us from? To show Him gratitude? Our obedience gives Him glory, just as we get a little ‘glory’ when our kids do what we want. Because the Holy Spirit lives in us, we know right from wrong. We usually know what He’d have us do in a given situation or relationship. It’s mustering the courage to do the right thing and trusting Him to take care of us with the outcome. That’s the challenge.

I stirred something up with my group when I said “You can’t make God mad”. If I understand Scripture, God’s anger toward sin was cut loose on Jesus on the cross. His revenge for sin….my sin, your sin, all sin, past present and future poured out on His own Son. For stuff He didn’t even do.

The birth of Jesus put all this in motion. Imagine the Father’s angst as the day approached when Jesus…the Son who’d been there at His side forever….disappeared from heaven and showed up in a stable. Knowing how hard we try to keep our kids from having to suffer, imagine the knot in God’s stomach when, right off the bat, He sees Herod kill thousands of innocent babies hoping Jesus would be among them. And that was even before He started threatening the political and religious establishment with His message of redemption.

All because God wanted to be satisfied with us.

Thanks to Jesus, He is.

Question: Do you really believe God loves you regardless of your performance? That He’s satisfied with you?

Don't Promise When You're Happy

            On Sunday the message was about the condition of the heart. We took a look at King Saul and how he followed his heart. His heart led him to disobey God, disqualify himself from the throne, and ensured that his lineage be removed from the throne as well. Fear, intimidation, peer pressure, and impatience played a part in polluting his heart.

            Jesus teaches us the following in Matthew 15:18-20, “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

In my devotion time today, I came across this nugget of wisdom. It goes right along with the message from Sunday and offers wisdom on how we should handle emotions in our lives and how to make the best decisions. I pray the Holy Spirit inspires you and empowers you to use the authority of Jesus Christ and take control of your emotions.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Don’t Promise When You’re Happy

Posted by Regi Campbell on October 10, 2013

Don’t reply when you’re angry.

Don’t decide when you’re sad.

The first time my sweet wife flew on a small plane, she was scared to death. She was NOT going! Period. Her fear made the tiny risk of dying into near certainty. But as usual, she rallied, mustered up her courage, and took her seat in the snug little cabin. After a smooth flight and a soft landing, she was giddy. “We should do this again,” she said, beaming in happiness (and relief!). I felt a little like a drunk man’s friend. I said “Whoa it down there cowgirl…you gotta’ get back on this buggy in a couple of days to get home.” I knew the euphoria of the moment would again be replaced by abject fear once she was a little ways down the road.

Our emotions amplify what we’re thinking. When we’re on a positive roll, endorphins lubricate our happiness. Make it go higher and faster. We’re optimistic. We see abundance. And we can get carried away, buying stuff, making promises, and hanging ourselves out there with commitments that’ll look and feel a lot different when we come back down to earth and reality.

It works the other way too. When we suffer a loss… get turned down or rejected, our lack of happiness accelerates our fall like a pelican’s wings tucked into its body. We lose confidence, see scarcity, and think “I’m an idiot.” “Why didn’t I see this coming?” “What’s coming next?” “Bad stuff always comes in three’s, right? Where are the other two?”

And anger is the most intense. When someone sets us off, our adrenal glands dump epinephrine and cortisol into our bloodstream, firing up our heart rate, breathing, and muscle readiness. We’re ready for ‘fight’ or ‘flight’. Responding intelligently in this ‘red zone’ of hormones is about as likely as a pilot giving Boeing feedback on their new airplane while he’s trying to pull it out of a death dive.

God gave us these emotions for our good. He wants us to experience joy. I think that’s why we have music and worship and sex and sunsets and grandchildren. He gave us free will, which we then used to bring sin and sorrow and death and sadness onto ourselves. And He gave us anger, so we’d have the physical resources we’d need to do hard things in a hurry. Things like defend ourselves, run out of burning buildings, and swim to safety when the boat capsizes.

Here are the keys to finding wisdom… slow down the process and extend the time horizon. Big decisions need to be made slowly, and with long-term consequences clearly in focus. That means waiting until the hype wears off. Until the sadness clears away. Until the anger subsides and clear thinking returns. Good decisions come through thoroughness, thoughtfulness, listening, prayer, courage and the counsel of intelligent people who care about you and your success. All that takes time and calm clear-headedness.

To protect myself from myself, I have a personal ‘guardrail’ that says I don’t make any big decision the same day I’m confronted with it. I ‘sleep on it’. Give it 24 hours. I’ve been amazed at how different a decision can look the next day, after a little rest and reflection.

 Question: Can you remember a decision you wish you could do over? What effect did the ‘emotions of the moment’ have on the choice you made?

https://radicalmentoring.com/promise-happy/

Declaring God's Word

This past Sunday we learned how to deal with the walls in our life through the example of Hannah and Jesus (God Calls a Prophet). At the end of the service, we declared God's Word. It is important for every believer to speak the Word of God over themselves and others. This week for our devotional, let's continue to declare His Word.

Your servant In Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Your Mighty Hand of Prayer

We are going to continue our journey in learning about prayer through scripture. Before we start, however, you are going to need to acknowledge that God is creative and has passed on some of that creativity on to you. That being said, take a good look at your hand. Whether you picked your left hand or your right, it will serve as a great tool for you the next time you are in prayer. Oh, and by-the-way, we are now going to call the hand you picked, your ‘Prayer Hand’.

Looking at your prayer hand we are going to start with your thumb. The thumb represents Praise. As you enter your time of prayer, enter it praising God for who He is in your life. David teaches us this very approach in Psalm 100:

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Later in Psalm 146, David goes on saying, “Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” Jesus reinforces this same approach when He teaches us the Lord’s Prayer by starting with “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”
The next finger you want to focus on is the pointer finger. This finger represents Thanksgiving. It will naturally flow from praising God for He is in your life, right into thanking Him for what He has done for you.

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

- Ephesians 5:20

The next finger is the middle finger and it represents Intercession. This is when you begin to pray for others. We are encouraged in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We should always be in prayer for each other, whether we are found near or far.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

- Ephesians 6:18-19

We move on to the ring finger. It is with this finger that we ask for a hand in marriage and make a commitment with. So, this finger now represents Petition. This now reminds us that we can freely come to God and petition Him to intervene on our behalf with whatever weighs in our hearts and thoughts because we are His and He is ours. Hannah, the mother of Samuel knew and understood this part of prayer very well. Look at her testimony: “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.” (1 Samuel 1:27).

12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

- John 14:12-14

The last finger is the pinky finger. This little guy represents Confession. When confessing, ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your attention anything that is hindering your faith or obstructing God’s blessings in your life. This may seem intimidating at first, but don’t let fear try to stop you. Be encouraged by the words of 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
The next time you are in prayer, take your prayer hand out and begin to Praise, Thank, Intercede, Petition, and Confess. A great place and time to put this into practice is at our Sunday Morning Prayer time. Join us at 8 am in the Fellowship Hall and be strengthened and encouraged by other believers. However, I encourage you to start each day with prayer. Before you do anything else, pray. You will start to notice a difference in your life when you start your day with God.

PRAYER

Jesus,

I praise Your Holy name. You are the good shepherd. A wonderful counselor. There is power in Your name to set free and deliver. Thank You for providing for me and my family. For the strength You give me to continue and for the hope that can only be found in You. I pray for those at Calvary that have lost loved ones. Wrap Your loving arms around them and comfort them. We know that Your joy is their strength. I ask that you continue to inspire me and show more ways in which I can better serve you. Holy Spirit I ask that You please bring to mind any sin, any hindrance, and obstacle that is preventing me from being what God has created me to be. I confess my fears, my doubts, and rebellion to You. I lay these at the feet of Jesus to be crushed and take His forgiveness and freedom. AMEN.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Praying the Word of God

            In next few weeks we are going to be spending some time looking at prayer through the Word of God. I also want to take this opportunity to invite you to join us on Sunday mornings at 8 am in the Fellowship Hall for a time of prayer and praising God. It is a great place to put into practice what we will be discussing these next few weeks.

Jesus is the greatest teacher on the subject of prayer. Following His examples will lead to a vibrant prayer life and strengthen your faith. In the seventeenth chapter of the book of John, Jesus prays for all believers. He prays for unity between all believers to be as strong a bond as His unity to the Father is. In this prayer He professes to have given us His glory and His love. He set before us an example of how we should approach prayer.

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

- John 17:20-23

            In your next pray time with God, pray for all believers that they may be one with the Father as you are one with the Father. Thank God for His bond with you. Use this time to confess and ask for forgiveness if you have been holding on to unforgiveness. Forgive anyone you who has hurt or offended you. Ask God to help you to be in unity with other members of the Body of Christ. Put your faith in Jesus to practice and always strive to be a champion of unity.

            In the book of Hebrews, we are given further instructions on what we should be prepared to do when we gather together as a body of believers:

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

- Hebrews 10:24-25

            Never stop meeting with other believers and when you do, make sure you do so with the expectation and desire to encourage others towards love and good deeds. Pray for opportunities to engage other believers and step out boldly with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Jesus,

    Thank you for praying for me and for making a way for me to approach the Father. I pray for other believers to have the same unity and bond that You have with me. Holy Spirit I ask that You reveal in me any unforgiveness that needs to be confessed and released. I forgive anyone who has hurt or offended me. Please give me opportunities to bond with others in the body of Christ and empower me to encourage them towards love and good deeds. AMEN.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Praise Him in the Season

Our church family and as well as our immediate family is in a challenging season to say the least. We have had a loss of loved ones in the midst of personal breakthroughs and blessings. Through the pain one feels of losing a loved one, we have also experienced an overwhelming amount of love poured over us. While we may feel a void in our lives, there is an undeniable closeness with God and His presence is palpable.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

- Psalm 34:18

I praise God because He has not left our side and continues to comfort us. I praise Him because despite the pain of losing a loved one, I know they are not gone forever, and I will be reunited with them some day. I praise God because He is true, reliable, loving, merciful, and compassionate. I will praise Him through the pain, praise Him through the depression, praise Him through the darkness, praise Him through the doubt, and praise Him through the circumstance I find myself in.

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

- Acts 16:22-34

Paul and Silas praised God despite their circumstances. The unjust beating, they received did not change their perception of God. God was still just, loving, providing, comforting, merciful, and abounding in grace. They did not praise God to take the pain away, heal them or set them free. They praised God for who and what He was in their life—everything! They praised God and ushered His presence into the dark and hopeless environment of that prison. The presence of God cannot be shackled or imprisoned. In fact, the Word of God tells us that He is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom! (2 Corinthians 3:17).
In an instant, the prison’s atmosphere of gloom was invaded by the hope of the world! Its foundations shook, the shackles and restraints were loosed, the doors flung open and gospel was shared. Simply wonderful and amazing!
This is why I choose to praise and lift up the name of Jesus, because He has never and will never leave me nor abandon me. He is my refuge and His joy is my strength. I delight in the season I am in because I get to see the tapestry that is my testimony being woven together!

Prayer

Jesus,

Thank You for Your love and comfort! I praise You for being my strength and hope. I am blessed by the truth in Word. You truly are a friend that sticks closer than a brother. I praise You because of who You are. Thank You for weaving my testimony in the midst of a difficult season. AMEN!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

He Never Forgets His Promises

         This last Sunday Pastor Peggy took the gloves off and delivered a knockout message! It was encouraging, empowering, and spiritually emancipating. While the message was packed, beginning to end, with scriptural insight, personal testimonies and stories; there was one thing that particularly struck a chord with me.  It came from the main scripture she read:

Joshua 2:8-11

“Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”

         Pastor Peggy made mention that Rahab, twice, described the people of Jericho melting in fear. Twice! Now there are no coincidences when it comes to God and there is a meaning that goes deeper than what appears on the surface of scripture. I researched the biblical meaning for the number two and here is the finding:

The Biblical Meaning of Number 2 deals with separation, things that are divided, or things that brings about division. The number 2 being the first number that can be divided it is regarded as the fundamental number for division. 

         So, what is Rahab doing here? She is not just simply telling the spies that she knows about their God and that she knows that God will surely give them the land. She is literally dividing herself from her people and uniting with God. This is made clear in the conversation that continues between her and the spies.

Joshua 2:12-21 

12 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.”

14 “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”

15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”

17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 19 If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”

21 “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

         Rahab, despite her reputation, showed courage and honor by not just saving her own skin but that of her father and mother, brothers and sisters and their families as well. God honored the deal with Rahab and spared her and her family. But He did more than just honor the deal. You see, Rahab had divided herself from one not being a part of God’s family to longing to be a part of it. So, God literally brought the Messiah out of her lineage.

Matthew 1:1-5 

 The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

4 Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

         It was in Jesus’ DNA to separate—divide—Himself from His divine nature to become one us and gave His life up so that we would be saved and become one of God’s children. God honored Rahab in a far great way than she could ever imagine. Her faith in Him not only led to the salvation of her family but ours as well. This just goes to show you, that God never forgot the words He spoke to Abraham, concerning him and his descendants: “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3). 

I pray this is a reminder to you, God has not forgotten the words He has spoken over you. Don’t despair or lose hope. He is faithful and will do exceedingly more for you, than you could ever imagine!

Prayer

Father,

Thank You for speaking into my life. Your words speak life, encouragement, and comfort over me. Holy Spirit help me to hear the voice of my Shepherd and remind me of the wonderful things spoken over me. Amen!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

He Is With You

            Recently, our daughter Isa took her first Alameda Pool Association swim test—four tests back-to-back—she was determined to pass, and the cold morning did not deter her from giving it her best. The first test: Dive into the deep end, swim up, back float for 20 seconds and then torpedo to the nearest wall. Isa did it but swam to the farthest wall because she wanted to show me that she could make it. I can’t even begin to tell you how proud I was of her!

The second test: Back torpedo the width of the pool. What was Isa’s response? “Yup, I can do that.” In a matter of seconds, she completed the second hurdle. The third test, however, proved to be most difficult for my little lioness: Torpedo the width of the pool without taking a breath. Isa gave it her best. Each time she got closer but did not make it. Three attempts. After the third one we asked her if she wanted to stop and try it gain another day. She refused. She held on to the wall and just kept staring to the other side. Then something incredible happened. Her coach Christine walks over to Isa and asked her if it would help her if she got in the water with her. Isa lit up and agreed.

            So, what makes this incredible? Well, Christine would always get in the water with Isa when she struggled learning something new. Isa instantly felt safe and at the same time empowered because her coach would never let anything bad happen to her. No matter how challenging the task on hand was, with Christine by her side, Isa was always able to conquer it.

            Christine got in the water and swam to the opposite side of where Isa was and called to her. Isa put on her goggles, took a deep breath and launched herself off the wall. She gave it her all and made it to the other side with ease. Her coach being in the water with her made all the difference; it gave her the extra boost in confidence and encouraged her. Afterwards Isa said something interesting; she said it was easy that time because she was able to see Christine getting closer and closer to her. This reinforced in her that she had what it took to make it to the other side.

In the book of Isaiah, we get a glimpse of what is to come for us. It speaks of the birth of Jesus and that He is to be called Immanuel, which means God is with us (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). The God who spoke everything into existence is with you. He is not hidden from you or distant. He is a God that longs to dwell with you.

17 The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

- Zephaniah 3:17

            As you journey through life, journey through it knowing that God is with you. He goes before you, walks beside you, and dwells within you. He is a mighty warrior that fights for you and will save you from any situation you find yourself in. He takes great delight in you and His love covers the multitude of sin (1 Peter 4:8).  How amazing is it to know that He rejoices over you with singing? This is why it is written: “What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Walking with His favor over your life and knowing that He will guide you and keep you, will boost your faith and empower you to conquer every mountain, take down every giant, and overcome every obstacle that the enemy tries to throw at you.

            Experience, age, gender, and a list of other things the world judges you by, do not matter. Isa was the youngest girl taking the swimming test. In her class she is not only the youngest but also the smallest. Yet, she is just as strong and skilled as those bigger and older than her. Her fourth and final test: Tread water for 5 minutes. She did the whole 5 minutes with a smile on her face, becoming the youngest child to receive a fish. She was not intimidated, she was determined. Is this why Jesus tells you that you need to change and become like a little child to enter heaven? (Matthew 18:30).

            A child has unwavering faith, believes, and trusts God. A child takes God at His word and does not lose faith when things are difficult. You need to change and become just like the child Jesus speaks of. You need to see Jesus in every aspect of your life, in every situation. You need to see Jesus at the end of the finish line and give it your all. You need to take Jesus at His word that He is with you and that He has an abundant life for you, fully empowered by the Holy Spirit.

27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

- John 10:27-29

31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

- Romans 8:31-39

PRAYER

Father, 

I am comforted that nothing and no one can ever separate me from the love of Christ. I am empowered by Your presence with me and know that nothing and no one can come against me and triumph. Jesus, You are my good shepherd and I hear Your voice. Speak over my life and call me to Your side. Comfort me and strengthen me with Your joy. Holy Spirit, restore my faith, may it changed to be unwavering like a child’s. AMEN

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Battle Ready

        While we go about living our lives, following the ebb and flow of daily routines, God continues to watch over us—working ever so diligently on our behalf to strengthen and build our faith in Jesus—the pioneer and perfecter of faith. As we grow in our knowledge of Him and experience more of His presence, accepting our responsibility to live the abundant godly life promised to us, we need to be aware that there is a fierce, invisible warfare being waged against us.

         Our spiritual setbacks, strongholds, and struggles could be a direct attack by a spiritual adversary, a liar, a thief that seeks to steal, kill and destroy all the blessings that God is pouring over our lives. This enemy is forging weapons specifically designed to distract us; to take our eyes off Jesus and focus on anything else but Jesus. The devil is crafty, powerless and defeated, but his deception is effective when we are not focused on Jesus.

         Our comfort, strength, and hope in this warfare can only be found in Jesus. Though there are weapons specifically designed to target us, no weapon formed against us will prosper (Isaiah 54:17). Furthermore, through the life of Joseph, we are comforted by his revelation that even the evil intended to harm us, God will use for good (Genesis 50:20). As we surrender our life to God, He will stand with us in battle and if He is for us, who can be against us?

         As we stand with God in battle, we need to make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. We need to see to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Hebrews 12:14-15). This is key to our victory in warfare; we need to know who our enemy is and who our enemy isn’t.

Ephesians 6:10-12

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

         When I worked at a well-known coffee shop in town, I went through a training course on identifying counterfeit money. What was interesting about the course is that we never got to see or touch counterfeit money. We were only exposed to the real money. We touched, smelled it, and studied it; becoming very familiar with the real deal. During my almost six years of working there, I came across a few fake bills. What was fascinating was that I instantly knew it was fake. The appearance and the feel of the fake money sent warnings to my brain that what I had in my hand was not authentic.

         In spiritual warfare, we need to study the Word of God, yielding to the Holy Spirit, as He guides us and empowers us to more knowledge of Christ; the real deal. When we only focus on Jesus, we immediately know what is not of Him and come against it. We will reject every thought and silence any voice that is not that of our Good Shepherd. We know that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

         In warfare, the enemy will target your emotions. The enemy will make it personal. He will draw your attention off of Christ and turn your attention on you. He will try to put a target sign on the people around you and turn you against them and them against you. After all, the devil knows scripture very well and is aware of the words of Jesus: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25).

         We, however, know that unity in Christ will ensure our victory because we are His church and the very gates of hell will not prevail against us. His Word in Ephesians 6 tells us what we need to do in preparation of warfare:

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

         Notice that all, but one of the pieces of the Armor of God is defensive in nature. Only the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God is our offensive weapon. Not our words, His Word. The belt of truth is the first part mentioned. The truth is to be at the core of our being and not fitted loosely but buckled firmly. The Word tells us that we will know the truth and the truth will set us free (John 8:32). Next is the breastplate that protects our hearts with the righteousness of God and reminds us that we are not led by hearts, but that the righteous live by faith (Romans 1:17).

         We move on to our feet, that are fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace. We are called to preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction (2 Timothy 4:2). We must yield to His Word and not be mere listeners of it but do what it instructs us to do (James 1:22). Speaking of instructions, we are then instructed to take up our shield of faith. It is faith that moves mountains, it is faith that heals, it is faith that guards you and protects you. Every morning make sure to pick up your shield and let your faith in Him keep you safe.

         Now we have the helmet of salvation. It is our salvation in Christ that is the safeguard of our thoughts. It is in the mind that the battle begins and ends. It is in the mind that the battle is won. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). Finally, we have the Sword of the Spirit, our one offensive weapon. The Word of God is good for instruction, correction and living in right standing with God. We are to build each other up in His love and follow His ways.

Prayer

Jesus,

Help me to keep my eyes on you. You are my Good Shepherd and I hear Your voice. I am ready for the fight because You stand beside me. I am ready for the battle because I have Your armor on. I walk forward in Your victory. Holy Spirit give me a hunger and a thirst for more of the Word; for more of God. AMEN!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Follow Him Closely

Yesterday (last Sunday) during worship, God gave me a picture of me writing. Now I happen to write with my left hand and there is a telltale sign that someone is a left-handed—they have pen smears on their left hand, because when they write, the pen leads in front of their hand—the ink has not yet dried as their hand follows behind it.  On the other hand (see what just happened there), right-handed people, when writing, have their hand leading the pen.

God used this image of my left hand to illustrate that we are to follow closely behind Him, so that His mark (ink) will be on us. He encourages us to not hesitate or the ink will dry before it has a chance to get on us. Instead we should follow so closely behind Him to let Him to imprint on us. 

Matthew 6:33-34

“But *seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

*zéteó (dzay-teh'-o)

Definition: seek, search for, desire, require, demand.

 “But *seek, search for, desire, require, demand first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” 

            When you demand His kingdom first, you will gladly pick up your cross and closely follow Jesus because He is the way, the truth and the life—the only way to the Father. This is how you will be transformed to be more and more like Him, when more and more of Him gets imprinted on you. Let Him lead you.

Prayer

Jesus,

I demand Your kingdom first in my life. Help me, give me the strength to prioritize You. My desire is to follow You so close that you imprint more of You on me. Lead me and I will follow You all the days of my life. AMEN!

In His love,

Pastor Gena

Freedom In Our Atonement

            Yesterday, Pastor Gena brought an incredibly anointed Word. She had us camp in the wilderness of the book of Leviticus, to dive deeper into the atonement of God. This is a must listen to message for anyone needing encouragement in their life.

“Sometimes we can frolic in the freedom and forget about the fight that went into having our freedom.” – Gena Batres Montoya

            The Apostle Paul affirms for us that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). That freedom is only made available by our atonement—our Savior Jesus Christ—who was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; punished in our place, and wounded. All to bring us peace, healing and freedom (Isaiah 53:5).

Proverbs 4:23

23 Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.

            We need to make sure that we do not forget the fight that went in to give us our freedom. We need to make sure we guard our hearts from the lies of the devil, that seeks (take off s on seeks) to steal, kill and destroy your freedom. Remember that Jesus came to give you life and for you to have it to the full (John 10:10). Don’t allow shame and guilt to enter your thoughts and harden your heart over things that He has forgiven and forgotten.

            Pastor Gena reminded us of what really happened in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were the ones that hid from God. God never hid Himself from them. She pointed out that we do the same thing today; we hide in guilt and shame. Yet, God continues to be the same, never hiding Himself from us but instead inviting us to come and drink from the living water He provides (Revelation 22:17). Furthermore, His word in Joel 2:32 promises that those who call upon His name will be saved.

Hebrews 3:15

15 As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
    do not harden your hearts
    as you did in the rebellion.”

            This Sunday the heart and voice of God was loud and clear. He loves us so much, that He went to great lengths to make sure that nothing and no one could ever separate us from His love. He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to be our atonement. In the original Greek text used, the word for harden used here is sklérunó (sklay-roo’-no); which means to become inflexible (literally “dried out”); obstinately stubborn, resisting what God says is right.

            If you find yourself drying out and thirsting for more of Him, take His invitation to drink from the free gift of living water. If you find yourself wrapped in shame and suffocated by guilt, call on His name and He will set you free. Call on Him, He will hear you and you will hear Him speaking life over you. His joy will be your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

Prayer

Jesus,

I call on Your name. Forgive me and set me free. I accept your invitation to drink of the free gift of Your living water. Open my ears to hear Your voice and guard my heart. Reveal to me how much You truly love me. Let Your love flood my thoughts and fill my heart to overflowing. In my freedom, I will hold dear the price You paid for it and I will fight to never forget. AMEN!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Endurance

            Oswald Chambers wrote on persevering in such a profound and challenging way. Take a moment to read his devoted words and meditate on their wisdom:

            [1]Perseverance means more than endurance— more than simply holding on until the end. A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, and every once in a while the saint says, “I can’t take any more.” Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly. Entrust yourself to God’s hands. Is there something in your life for which you need perseverance right now? Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).

Faith is not some weak and pitiful emotion, but is strong and vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. And even though you cannot see Him right now and cannot understand what He is doing, you know Him. Disaster occurs in your life when you lack the mental composure that comes from establishing yourself on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the supreme effort of your life— throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God.

God ventured His all in Jesus Christ to save us, and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him. There are areas in our lives where that faith has not worked in us as yet— places still untouched by the life of God. There were none of those places in Jesus Christ’s life, and there are to be none in ours. Jesus prayed, “This is eternal life, that they may know You…” (John 17:3). The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we will take this view, life will become one great romance— a glorious opportunity of seeing wonderful things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.

            Jesus promised you an abundant life (John 10:10) and He persevered through ridicule, trials, humiliation, torture, a painful death on the cross and resurrection so that we may stand victorious with Him. He is all too familiar with what it takes to persevere, He is the master of perseverance. Oswald Chambers encourages you to entrust yourself to God’s hands, but how much more encouraging to know that Jesus first spoke this over you, with a promise that no one will ever be able to snatch you from His hand.

John 10:27-30 NIV)

27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

            Are you listening to Jesus? While persevering, you will be able to hear His voice guiding you, comforting you, and giving you strength to continue. Yet another great promise! So, ask yourself, Is there something in my life right now, for which I need perseverance? Lay it at the feet of Jesus, look up, take His hand, don’t look back, and don’t ever return to pick it back up. Trust Him, press in towards Him. Allow Him to delight in you.

Prayer

Jesus,

I entrust myself in your hands. I entrust every area in my life to You, so that faith may work Your purpose and will for me. Guide me, comfort me, and strengthen me through my trials and troubles. I hold on to your promise of abundant life. I hold on to the promise that I can and will hear your voice through every aspect of my life. AMEN!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Let Go and Let God

            Yesterday, during our Sunday Morning Prayer time God spoke to us and promised to break chains and set people free of afflictions and bondage. His promise came with a challenge. He challenged the leaders to open up the altar and call for those who needed to be set free. During worship we were led to open up the altar and call people forward. Many came forward and were met by a loving God. Words of encouragement were spoken, and people received prayer from others. To say that this is the highlight of my week is an understatement!

            In Psalms we are encouraged to cast our cares on the Lord, and He will sustain us. The word used in the Hebrew for sustain means: to be able to, can abide, bear, comprehend, contain, feed, forbearing, guide, hold, nourish, be present, make provision, receive, provide sustenance. No matter how insignificant your cares or insurmountable they may seem, give them to Jesus. He is more than able to bear them for you, and He will nourish, guide, hold you, and comfort you. 

Psalm 55:22

22 Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken.

            The second part of this psalm promises that He will never let the righteous be shaken. What a reassurance to those whose feet are firmly planted on the rock of their salvation, Jesus Christ. This assurance, however, comes with a challenge; you first have to cast your cares on Him and then He will not let you be shaken. If you persist in hold on to your cares, they will drag you, keep you down, hold you back, and leave you a shaken wreck.

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

            Jesus calls those that are weary and burdened to Him and promises them rest. He will take the heaviness of your burdens off of you and give you rest. The yoke He places on you is easy and will allow you to learn from Him. He will gently guide you and reveal His humble heart to you. He is calling for you to come to Him and give Him what is weighing heavy in your mind and heart. What are you waiting for? Why hesitate? Call on His name, praise Him for His gracious offer, and cast your burdens on Him; enjoy your rest and let Him strengthen you.

Prayer

Jesus,

I praise Your holy name. I praise You for the salvation You have given me and for the promise of rest. I let go and cast my cares and burdens unto you. I receive Your yolk. Teach me. Guide me. Nourish my soul. Let me rest in Your presence. AMEN!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

What Are You Looking At?

            In the thirteenth chapter of Numbers we come across an account of espionage. Moses puts together a group of twelve spies, one from each ancestral tribe, to go into the land that God had promised to them. Amongst these spies were Joshua from the tribe of Ephraim and Caleb from the tribe of Judah. Moses gives them directions into the land and gives them a list of things for them to report on.

Numbers 13:17-20 

17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)

            The spies were there for 40 days. They gathered as much information as possible and even brought fruit from the land. While all twelve experienced and saw the same things, not all felt the same about what to do. Ten of the twelve spies agreed that the land was indeed flowing with milk and honey, but fear set in and they said it was not a land they could possess.

Numbers 13:27-28 

 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.

            Joshua and Caleb, however, felt differently. They agreed that the land was flowing with milk and honey, they agreed that the fruit was delicious, they even agreed that the people that lived there were powerful, and the cities were fortified and very large. Where they differed was on what to do. Joshua and Caleb silenced the concerned spectators. Their faith in God’s Word gave them the certainty to go up and take possession of the land. The other spies, unfortunately, could not get past their fear and instead of telling people to trust in God, they spread their fear among the people.

Numbers 13:31-33

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there ``are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

            We face struggles and problems in life that, often times, are bigger than us and can cause us to fear. We can easily be like the ten spies and spread the fear to those around us, proclaim defeat and surrender. Or. We can be like Joshua and Caleb, that in spite of what they saw around them, they chose to focus on the blessings, the promises, the faithfulness, and the power of God. We need to remember that no matter how big the problems in our life are, God is bigger! Ephesians helps us keep our focus on Him.

Ephesians 3:16-21

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. 

            Look at His promise: He will strengthen us with power through the Holy Spirit that dwells with us, within, and around us. Because of His love for us, Jesus dwells in our hearts, which is why we are now more than conquers in Him (Romans 8:37). We are rooted in Him, established in His love. Focusing on Him will help us grasp just how wide, and long and high and deep is the love of Christ for us. His love alone overcomes the fear that comes with our limited knowledge. Not only does it overcome it, His Word says it surpasses it!

            So, what problems could there be in your life, that Jesus has not already given you the victory over? What areas of your life have you been hiding from in fear? What situations in your life have stunted your faith in God? What has distracted you from focusing on God? Will you become a Joshua and Caleb? Or will you be content on being one of the other 10 spies?

Prayer

LORD,

I trust in You and believe in Your Word. I choose to focus on Your blessings, Your promises, Your faithfulness, and Your power in my life. I thank You for the gift of salvation that You have given me and for Your Holy Spirit that strengthens me. I release my fear and will move forward with boldness and courage, keeping my focus on You. AMEN!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Crossing the Divide

Greetings from Elkton, MD! 

Have you ever been trapped in your comfort zone knowing you need to move on, but you put up with it because you’re afraid to let go? Trust is hard. You feel like you’re between a rock and a hard place, so you retreat to what you know. After all, you can’t see the future and you’re afraid of the unknown. It’s amazing what the Holy Spirit can do, however, when we have an open heart and an open mind! 

Step in. Push. Move. These are the words given to me this past Sunday in church as we were in worship. The Holy Spirit was moving powerfully and the more we pressed in and worshipped the Lord, the more He moved. A word was given based on two stories about the Israelites crossing water. In the first story they were fleeing Egypt and faced a terrifying decision to cross the Red Sea or be slaughtered by Pharaoh’s army. They cried out to the Lord and asked to be returned to their comfort zone, Egypt. But look at what God said to Moses: “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to MOVE on! Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can GO through the sea on dry ground.” (Exodus 14:15-16)

In a parallel story, the Israelites were later camped across the Jordan River looking into the Promised Land occupied by the Canaanites. Just like Moses was commissioned to confront Pharaoh, Joshua was commissioned to battle for Canaan. The Jordan was at flood stage and although the Promised Land was their destination, the Israelites had no idea how they would cross the river and then face the Canaanites. But God told Joshua: “Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant, ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters GO and stand in the river.’” They put their feet in the water, and it stopped flowing, rising in a heap. They then walked to the middle and stood until all the Israelites had crossed over. God moves when earth moves!

The Holy Spirit used these stories in the service to tell us to take the first step and walk into the living water. Push forward and move in our worship. He said that God has more to pour out over us. As I pressed in with prayer and worship, I saw a vision of me stepping into a river of water. As I did, I knew I was moving for Calvary, our leadership, you. I pushed the anointing of the Holy Spirit from Maryland to Alameda. Healing, deliverance, forgiveness, breaking of strongholds and comfort zones streamed to Calvary. I kept pushing as hard as I could, and the power of the Holy Spirit moved and rested over our church. What does all of this mean?

If you want to see true change, true victories in your life, you have to do something different. You can no longer sit in your comfort zone wondering when the Lord will show up. You can’t let fear of the unknown stop you from securing everything God has for you. You can’t sit in your seat waiting like a spectator for something to happen. He’s almost frustrated saying, “Look, I’ve brought you out of some rough spots before. Haven’t I shown you time and again that my grace is sufficient? I’m throwing a big party and I want you there…to participate in your own redemption and transformation…to step out in faith. It’s all here, right here. So, get up! It’s time for action! Trust me. Step In! Push forward! Move! And watch the chains break in your faith, your health, your finances, your family. 

Church, it’s time to face our fears and move forward. Even Jesus moved first. Ironically, He was baptized in the Jordan River before the Lord anointed Him and His ministry. He also took the first step for salvation by sacrificing His life for us so that we could be saved, forgiven and free. We serve an awesome God who loves us more than we can imagine. He has great plans for you and for us as a church. Let’s give Him the praise and glory He deserves. Press in and don’t stop moving until you receive all the blessings and breakthroughs, He has for you.  And this Sunday when we come together to worship, take the roof off the house! It doesn’t matter how you feel. It matters how you praise! Clap a little louder, visit a worship station, take communion, come to the altar, raise an extra “Hallelujah!" Step out in faith knowing that God has made a way. Walk into your freedom and embrace your future. He’s just waiting for you to make the first move. I’ll be there with you in spirit and watching from Maryland!

In love,

Pastor Peggy

Prayer

LORD,

Thank You for Your living Word; it strengthens, empowers, encourages and blesses. Holy Spirit, You give me power, love, and self-discipline. Guide me to step out and walk in my freedom. Jesus, I embrace my future because I embrace You and I am not letting go. AMEN!

Awaken The Prayer Warrior Within You

            The Bible tells us that the prayers of the righteous person are powerful and effective. So much so, that you can pray for someone and heal them (James 5:16). Prayer is important and vital in the life of a follower of Jesus. In fact, Jesus even took time to teach us how to pray:

Matthew 6:9-13

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, 
    but deliver us from the evil one.’

            Jesus teaches us the appropriate way to enter the presence of God is through praise and thanksgiving. David understood this all too well as evidenced this psalm: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4

            Entering the gates and courts of God with thanksgiving and praise is very easy when everything is going good for us. When we have food on our table, the bills are paid, we have money in our bank account, we are healthy, have a great job—you know, when we are having a:

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

My, oh, my, what a wonderful day

Plenty of sunshine headin’ my way

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!

            However, when our praise and thanksgiving are most powerful is when we come giving thanks to Him and praise Him through our pain and suffering. Many great men and women in in scripture pressed in towards God during the lowest, most stressful points in their lives. When they fully emptied themselves before the LORD, He showed up and transformed the environment around them and showed His signs and wonders.

            In the next part of the prayer Jesus teaches us to declare God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. We need to begin to speak abundant life in the areas of this world that are dying. We need to speak healing, transformation, empowerment, and freedom. We bring light into the darkest parts of the earth. To do this we need to pray into things from heavens perspective not ours. This is why the LORD tells us that our ways our not His ways and our thoughts are not His thoughts. From heavens perspective we take on His ways and His thoughts and bring them here on earth.

            We now move on to asking God for our daily needs. This last Sunday during our prayer time before service, God asked those in attendance to ask Him what we wanted to see happen in our lives and at Calvary. What proceeded was an incredibly powerful and intimate time of prayer. James teaches us that we do not have because we do not ask God. He goes on to say, when you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:2-3). Luckily, Jesus already takes care of checking our hearts and motives by having us first come to the Father with praise and thanksgiving, making it all about Him and not us—the heart of worship—leading us to worship in spirit and in truth.

            The next part of the prayer is one we often skip over and seldom fully understand. We ask for forgivingness as we forgive those who have hurt, offended, or wronged is any way. But it does not stop there, the Bible is very clear about what God does with our sins when ask for forgiveness:

[1]10 Things God Does With Our Sin 

1. He forgives our transgression (Ps. 32:1,5).

2. He covers our sin (Ps. 32:1; Rom. 4:7).

3. He does not charge us with iniquity (Ps. 32:2; Rom. 4:8).

4. He removes our sins from us (Ps. 103:12; John 1:29).

5. He washes away our guilt and cleanses us from our sin (Ps. 51:2; Isa. 1:18; 1 John 1:9).

6. He throws all our sins behind His back (Isa. 38:17).

7. He sweeps away our transgressions (Isa 43:25; 44:22). 

8. He remembers our sins no more (Isa. 43:25; Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:12; 10:16-17).

9. He casts all our sins into the depths of the sea (Mic. 7:18-19).

10. He nailed our sin debt to the cross (Col. 2:14). 

            We are not just called to forgive, but to cover, not charge, remove, wash away, throw behind us, sweep away, forget, cast away to the furthest depths, and nail any bitterness or memory of the offense. Ready to get your mind blown? God chooses to do this for us. He chooses to never again remember our sins! Why? Because He is a loving and just God!

What does this mean for us? When we sin, confess and ask forgiveness He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purifies us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). So, what happens when you make the same mistake after we have confessed and ask for forgiveness? What we do is come to ask God to please forgive us from making that same mistake “again.” The only problem with this approach is that God has no previous record of you committing this sin. The enemy wants to guilt and shame you into believing that you are a repeat offender. That is not the way you Heavenly Father sees you.

In turn, we need to choose to let go and forgive those who have wronged us. Not just forgive, but we have to choose to forget that it ever happened. After all, the prayer that Jesus teaches is say, forgive us as we forgive others. Allow God to work His forgiveness through you so you can be purified of all unrighteousness. No more “remember in the fall of 1995 when you…” “I remember it was May 5th, 2006 when you…” “you always do this to me…” “the last time you did this…”. It is this kind of forgiveness that Jesus calls us to. Remember that He said that the world will know that we are His disciples by the way we love one another (John 13:35), and love keeps no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Lastly, we ask God for wisdom, instruction and direction. It is written that He will refresh our soul and guide us along the right paths for His name’s sake (Psalm 23:3). God will never set you up to fail or lead you down a path to destruction. He will direct your footsteps and will keep His word to never leave you nor abandon you. Take comfort in words declared by the Apostle Paul and declare them over your life:

1 Corinthians 10:13

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

            Lastly, I want to leave you with another tool to help you pray. Just remember [2]A.C.T.S.

Adoration – “Praise be to God!” -Psalms 68:35
Tell God how much you appreciate Him. Express your love for Him. Praise His power and majesty. This is a great way to begin your prayer time. Sometimes I watch the sun rise, and praise God for the beauty of His creation. You should never run out of praise. “How awesome are your deeds!” -Psalms 66:3

Confession – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:9
Tell Him where you have fallen short. Be specific. I thank Him for the forgiveness I have in Christ and ask for help and strength to turn away from future temptations. 

Thanksgiving – Always “glorify him with thanksgiving” -Psalms 69:30
You have plenty of reasons to be thankful. Thank God for His love, His faithfulness, His patience and a million other things. Express gratitude for what He’s doing in your life. Thank Jesus for dying on the cross for you. Thank the Holy Spirit for indwelling you, and never leaving. Thank Him for being your conscience, your counselor and that “still small voice.” 

Supplication – “Make your requests known to God.” -Philippians 4:6
Tell God what you want, no matter how small it seems to you. Do you really think any of your requests are big to God the Creator? You should have lots of intercessory prayer here.

PRAYER

Jesus,

Thank You for forgiving me of my sins and for forgetting them. Thank You for teaching me how to prayer and showing me how to approach the Father with a sincere heart and pure motives. Holy Spirit give me the strength and courage to step out in prayer and boldly go to my Father with adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. I ask that my prayer life increases so that I may know You more! AMEN!!!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

Going Dark

[1]Going dark is military lingo for the sudden termination of communication. The term used to describe a scenario in which communication appears to have ceased, but in reality, has just moved from a public communication channel, where it could be monitored, to a private communication channel that prevents eavesdropping.

Luke 5:16

16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. 

            If the red letters in the Gospels point to the words that Jesus spoke, then the black one’s tell us the actions that He took. Here we have a short, simple, yet profound scripture, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed—Jesus “going dark.” It seems that He is terminating communication, but in reality, He is removing Himself from the public to spend private time with the Father, with no eavesdropping or distractions. As His disciples we should follow His example and learn to go dark, to have moments of rest where it is just Him and us—no distractions, eyes locked on Him, listening, taking in all that He has to offer.

            In the beginning, God established the sabbath, a day of rest. With it He gave us permission and instruction to go dark—to recharge, get new vision, dream again, be restored, be strengthened, and be transformed. Here are [2]several examples of Jesus going into solitude found in scripture that I believe are worth looking into.

1. To prepare for a major task Luke 4:1-2, 14-15. After Jesus was baptized, He spent 40 days praying in the wilderness. After this He was tempted by Satan and then began His public ministry.

2. To recharge after hard work Mark 6:30-32. Jesus sent the 12 disciples out to do ministry. When they returned, He encouraged them to separate from the people who were following them to rest.

3. To work through grief Matthew 14:1-13. After Jesus learned that his cousin John the Baptist had been beheaded, He went away by Himself. Yes, even the Son of God grieves.

4. Before making an important decision Luke 6:12-13. Early in His ministry Jesus spent the whole night alone in prayer. The next day He chose his 12 disciples.

5. In a time of distress Luke 22:39-44. Hours before Jesus was arrested, He went to the Mt. of Olives and went a short distance away from His disciples to pray. He was in great emotional agony knowing what he was about to face.

6. To focus on prayer Luke 5:16. Many times in Jesus’ ministry He spent time alone in prayer.

Psalm 31:19-20

19 How abundant are the good things
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
    on those who take refuge in you.
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them
    from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

            This Psalm speaks of more benefits of going dark. We find refuge in God and He hides us from human intrigues, while keeping us safe from accusing tongues. Going dark, however, does not mean, isolating yourself from the rest of the body of Christ. There is value when we come together and pray for each other. James speaks clearly of this:

James 5:13-18

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

            There is value in being a part of the body of Christ and receiving prayer. There is value in going dark and just focusing on Jesus. I believe that as disciples we need to be active weekly in both of these activities. Jesus is the example of how can achieve this.

PRAYER 

Jesus,

Thank You for being an example for me to follow. Help me reach out to those around me when I am in need. Holy Spirit help go dark and focus on Jesus so that I may be restored and strengthened. Thank you for hiding me in Your presence and keeping me safe. Thank for establishing time for You and I to connect. AMEN!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan

[1]https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/going-dark

[2]https://toeverynation.com/6-times-when-jesus-chose-solitude-over-people/

The Tongue and I

            One small bit can bring a horse to obedience and turn it in the direction we want it to go, one small rudder can turn a large ship in a new direction, one small spark can set an entire forest ablaze. These are the words that James pens at the start of the third chapter of his epistle. He is masterfully painting a picture, skillfully giving us objects that despite their stature have a great impact on things much larger. Then he drops the pen [mic] so to speak, when he continues to write that the tongue is no different. 

James 3:3-10

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

            The tongue, as James writes, is a fire that corrupts the whole body, setting the course of our life and itself on fire by hell. He definitely is not mincing words here. He is now showing us the great power in the tongue. He continues by telling us that creatures of all kinds have been able to be tamed by man, but that no human being can tame the tongue.

            For an animal to be tamed or broken it has to give up the fight; the fight of independence, freedom, individuality, it gives up on the very nature that made it what it was. The tongue according to James, however, is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. All hope is not lost and there is always a way with Jesus! After all, no mere human can ever tame the tongue, but Jesus did, and He gives us that same power and ability to not just tame the tongue but render it powerless to destroy. Instead, we will harness the power of the tongue to speak life.

Proverbs 18:20-21

20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
    with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.

21 The tongue has the power of life and death,
    and those who love it will eat its fruit.

            The tongue holds within it the power of life and death. It was by God’s words that the heavens and the earth were created. God spoke by saying let there be light and the power that flowed through His words brought forth light. In retrospect, satan through the serpent used the same words God spoke and twisted them to tempt Adam and Eve, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3). There is a reason why the serpent was used, and it is found in its description: it was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made.

Crafty – clever at achieving one’s aims by indirect or deceitful methods.

            The aim of satan in your life is to use your tongue to achieve his aims: kill, steal, destroy. He achieves this via two other body parts of ours: our brain (mind) and our heart. If he can poison our thoughts and fill our hearts with bitterness, the tongue will be eager to let death and destruction just roll off of it, stealing hope and love from us.

Luke 6:45

45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

 Romans 12:2

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2 Corinthians 10:5

5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

            But we are more than conquers through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37). Jesus, gave us the Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that strengthened Him when He was in the desert. The same Holy Spirit that brought the Word of God to Jesus’ lips when satan tried to tempt him and twist God’s words. We have that same Hoy Spirit dwelling within us and moving through us. He will give us the strength and ability to hold every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit will transform us and renew our minds and only store within our hearts all the goodness of God. Then will be able to fill our stomachs with the goods fruits spoken from our mouths and delight in the great harvest of our lips.

            Let us begin to declare war on the restless evil of our tongue, by dwelling on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—let us dwell on Jesus (Philippians 4:8). Let us begin to strengthen, build up, encourage and comfort ourselves through the words that God has spoken over us. These words reveal the character and power of Jesus over us. They will help us keep our eyes and focus on Him.

            Then, when we are strengthened by His joy over us, let us get up, put on the full armor of God and set others free by the power of His word rolling off our tongue—giving life, hope, and strength to those in need of it. Let us only speak life into others, let us only use our tongues to draw out the very best in each person we encounter. Let us build others up, encourage them, and comfort them so that all may come to the knowledge of the character and person of Jesus!

PRAYER

Jesus,

            Forgive me for taking eyes off of you. Forgive me for allowing bitterness to enter my heart and allowing my thoughts to be polluted. Holy Spirit bring to mind all the words spoken over me, the promises God has made to me, the dreams He has placed in my heart, the visions He has planted in my thoughts. They give me strength because they show me the character of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: faithful and true! Dress me with Your armor and send me to those who need Your freedom. I yield my tongue to You. I give my heart to You. I surrender my thoughts to You. AMEN!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Nathan