Church on the Rock, Melbourne

Angelic Visitations!

2012-01-10T12:21:00.008-05:00

This past Sunday we looked at the story about Cornelius in Acts 10.
Cornelius was a Roman Centurion, but he had a reverence and a fear of God. As he prayed he had an angelic visitation. The angel told Cornelius that his prayers and his generous giving had come up before
God as a memorial. God took notice of Cornelius' prayers. God also took notice of Zacharias' prayers and sent an angel to him to tell him that his prayers had been heard and that God was going to answer them.

As I shared my own experience this Sunday with an "angelic visitation," two thoughts came to me concerning the year 2012. My first thought: God wants to encounter us in 2012 and may come in
ways different than we expect.

My second thought: Will we recognize God in those situations and
receive them as from God?

We serve an awesome God and He has great purpose for our lives in this new year. May the Lord open our hearts and minds fully to Him and man we not miss those moments when He draws close to us or communicates with us in some way.

As we were praying this morning at church, I was reminded of the following scripture
Romans 8:37-39

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who
loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing,
will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.

Together we are going to take hold of all that God has for us in this new year. Together we will celebrate the victories that we have in Christ Jesus. Be alert and look for God to reveal Himself in many varied and wonderful ways in this new year.

May God richly bless you and your family!

2011-11-22T13:23:00.000-05:00

Howdy Pastors,

Been giving a lot of thought to many aspects of Sunday’s message. Among one of the points that caught my attention was that of establishing clear priorities, principles, and practices. That captivated my attention in the context of thinking about the subject of establishing a worldview.

First, as I pondered those three governing dynamics (priorities, principles, and practices), I immediately thought again about my perspective about not needing a right worldview, but rather a right Wordview. I say that because the first thing I asked myself was, “what ought to be my priorities in life and where do I derive that governing dynamic from?” A Scripture almost immediately came to my mind. It is Matthew 6:33. Therein, Jesus says our greatest priority must be to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. In my estimate, that is a Wordview. I stress that because in the sense of a worldview, the last thing, if at all, that men give priority to is God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.

Next I noticed that Jesus said that if we have a Kingdom and righteousness centered priority, all other priorities will fall in line. But what are those other priorities? According to Jesus, those other priorities are set forth in Matthew 6:1-32! My point is that Matthew 6:33 is an example of how a Wordview affects my worldview. In other words, the Wordview of Matthew 6:33 adjusts or corrects the defective worldview outlined in Matthew 6:1-32.

So, If I am governed by a worldview, Matthew 6:1-32 is what my priorities will look like. And in that case, there is no possible way that Matthew 6:33 can possibly be my priority or my Wordview.

In short, I am saying that a right Wordview will by default lead us to set right priorities in our hearts and lives.

Secondly, I mediated on establishing governing principles that shape my character and impact my life for the good of myself and others. Here, I felt like I needed a simple working definition of principles. Webster’s gives these concise insights into the meaning of the word: a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption. A rule or code of conduct. Habitual devotion to right principles. Again, another Scripture came to mind. 2 Peter 1:1-3. It is God’s power – which is nothing but pure, boundless Divine power that produces a divine nature in me that affects my character. To me that says that all of the effects of gospel on my heart emanate from the Scriptures, which is the power of God (Romans 1:16).

So, what 2 Peter 1:1-3 says that it is the redemptive knowledge that I have of Christ that releases the godly, character forming power of the gospel into my life. As a result, the gospel itself becomes (to use Webster’s definition of principles) the fundamental law, doctrine, or rule / code of conduct for my life. The Word of God, the gospel is where my principles come from. God writes these life-principles on the tablet of my heart and I flesh them out (Ezekiel 36:25-27). I have to say it again: The gospel establishes godly principles in my heart and the Spirit of God empowers me to live accordingly. That is, if I choose to obey (Joshua 22:5, Ezra 7:10).

Thirdly, since yesterday, I have been considering the aspect of putting all this into practice. Well, again, another Scripture comes to my remembrance. This one is Ezekiel 36:25-27. That says to me that God will put His priorities, His principles into my heart via the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit and that is what will motivate me, cause me, empower me to flesh them out – to practice – these things so that I am not reduced to some delusional, self-deceived condition as a result of merely hearing the Word but not putting it into practice (James 1:22-25).

I’ve also been pondering another awesome thing you said during the message. You mentioned putting ourselves under the Scriptures, in other words under its authority and not putting ourselves over or above the Word as if we were in authority. That hit me because it sums up everything I’ve mentioned above. Meaning that if we come underneath the Scriptures – subject ourselves to its authority, the inevitable consequences or results will be the establishment of right priorities and right principles in our hearts and minds and the power to put them into literal practice.

Hope this made sense (lol). If not, pray for me.

John Kempf

Who is Building Your House?

2011-11-21T12:11:00.001-05:00

Aaron Heinly did a great job this past Sunday, as he reminded us about
the real purpose of communion. As part of his exhortation he read a
letter that his wife Brandi had sent to their House Church. I felt
like her thoughts were very encouraging and would be a benefit for the
entire church.

I have been thinking on the verse from Psalm 127:1-2:
1 "EXCEPT THE Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it;
except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to take rest late, to eat the
bread of [anxious] toil--for He gives [blessings] to His beloved in
sleep."

I particularly like verse 2 about working out of fear instead of
faith. It struck me even more several nights ago at the leadership
meeting with Pastor Mario. Pastor Mario spoke on our peace as the key
to winning non believers to Christ and winning our family to Christ.
He talked about children that are raised in a home of believers and
what happens when they grow up with the knowledge of God, but then
they see their parents getting a divorce, or struggling with sin, and
never having joy. He said something that really convicted me, he said
(basically) how are our children going to live a life for God when
they are seeing their parents frustrated, fearful, and discouraged?

Ugh, right through the heart! I have been trying to remind myself of
this the last couple days as things around us are breaking, as plans
are being changed, as schedules are filling up, and money is really
tight. What are Aaron and I saying to our children about what we
think of God when we are mostly discouraged and fearful? Are we
eating the bread of anxious toil? Working and worrying if God will
provide for us, and not taking rest in Him? What are we saying to our
children when we teach them about what the Bible says about God but
not trusting what the Bible says about God? That He is a peace-giver,
He is a Provider, and He loves us! If Aaron only knows about me but
does not trust me or enjoy me, or be at peace around me, what is
attractive about that kind of love? We need to go after the peace
that only Christ can give. We need to ask Him, beg Him for it! It is
a miracle when money comes unexpectedly and we can pay our bills, or
our car is suddenly running properly, but the bigger miracle for me is
peace in the midst of chaos. That is what the world wants! We all
want to know peace, peace that passes the understanding of man. The
only way to remove fear and bring peace is by replacing it with
confidence. We can not convince ourselves to not be afraid, but God
does make a promise that He can do that for us as we seek Him. None
of us can resist our children when they come to us for comfort, and
how much better is God at parenting, He invented it!

I say all this because I am challenged like never before to not be
afraid and to embrace my God and all that He has for me and my family.
I hope this encourages you as well.

Brandi Heinly

Thanksgiving

2011-11-16T14:33:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed that thanksgiving is intrinsically tied up in prayer?

(Phil 4:6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

(Col 4:2) Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
(1 Tim 2:1) Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,

It’s even at the core of worship in heaven.

(Rev 7:11-12) All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

I think it’s because we need the continual reminder of our dependence on God for everything. Otherwise we might get too clever and come up with something else to explain it all.

(Rom 1:20-22) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools,

In fact, being unthankful is a sign of the last days.

(2 Tim 3:1-2) But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, ...

Just something to think about for your holidays. Happy thanksgiving!

Breaking News

2011-11-07T09:02:00.002-05:00

As many of you are personally aware, jobs are getting tougher to come by lately. Jeremiah Gonda, our part time youth pastor, has good news and bad news. The good news is that after months of barely getting by, he’s found a job and situation that will be a tremendous blessing to his family. The bad news is that it’s in Charlotte, North Carolina. We told the youth last night that he’ll be leaving at the end of the month. He’s done a wonderful job with our young people, and hates leaving almost as much as we hate seeing him go.

Wondering who will fill his shoes? Well, after a five year hiatus, it looks like I’ll be getting back into youth ministry. I’m actually excited, and slowly beginning to get back into that mind set. We’ll see if I can still keep up. Youth ministry has changed a bit in five years, and there is one downside. It looks like I may no longer be able to avoid being on Facebook.

Building Assets in an Uncertain World

2011-11-01T14:02:00.000-04:00

It is an honor to have Randall Gladden from Lord and Gladden with us
on November 13 and 14. Randal will be hosting a practical and
biblically-based financial workshop entitled, "Building Assets in an
Uncertain World." He will be discussing such topics as Stewardship,
Assets and Liabilities, Basics of Investing, Legacy Planning,
Insurance, and Trusts and Wills.

Randall will also be available for personal financial and investment
counseling. These sessions are one hour long and are free for seminar
attendees. Please call the church office to schedule a session.

We live in some very unsure times economically. Now is the time to
understand how to handle finances from a biblical perspective and
prepare ourselves financially for the days that lie ahead. Please be
sure to take advantage of this seminar. Randall's desire it so serve
the Body of Christ. The cost of the seminar is only $10 per couple (or
individual). You may sign up for the seminar in the church foyer on
Sunday or call the church office. The seminar will be held at COTRM on
Sunday, November 13, at 6PM, and Monday, November 14, at 7PM. Please
call the church office if you need child care.

Alignment

2011-11-01T13:42:00.004-04:00

This past Sunday Ken Malone, from Forerunner Ministries, spoke a
challenging and encouraging word to us as a church. Ken made this
statement, "There is something that happens when civil government and
God's government come into alignment."

There is no doubt that the church is to be a place of God's love, a
refuge for His people, and a place to be nourished and grow in our
walk with God. However, we are not just called to be sheep, we are also
called to be warriors in God's Kingdom. The church, the ecclesia, is a
legislative body that should exercise authority and influence in every
level of our culture. The church should affect civil government,
education, arts and media, entertainment, every area of life. God is
trying to align us with His purposes so we can be who He created us to
be. As Ken said on Sunday, each of us is on assignment and we have
been sent to Melbourne/Palm Bay to turn the world upside down (or more accurately, up right again).

Acts 13:22 (NASB)

“After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king,
concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I HAVE FOUND DAVID the
son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will.’

God was looking for a man to do His will in the earth. David was such
a man. He was a true worshipper of God, but also a warrior. God is
looking for men and women to fulfill His will in our generation as well.

Acts 13:36 (NASB)

“For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own
generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent
decay;

The testimony concerning David after his death was that he had "served
the purpose of God in his own generation." God is again looking for
men and women to do His will in the earth today. He is looking for
people with a Kingdom perspective who understand that they are on a
godly assignment to further the Kingdom of God on earth, as it is in
heaven.

Will you be that man or woman?

Do we understand that as a Christian, God has given us an assignment?

Have you asked God what your assignment is and how you can fulfill it?

Justice

2011-10-12T15:25:00.000-04:00

It’s hard to see injustice all around us and not get angry. But it is comforting to know that, ultimately, no one escapes justice.

(Mat 12:18-21) Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; And in His name Gentiles will trust.

Jesus is coming again, and will see to it that every man, woman and child receives justice, except one.

(Acts 8:32-33) He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.

Jesus is the only man who will never receive justice. Throughout eternity the one great injustice will stand, an innocent man killed for the sins of others, and they will never be called to account for it. He chose to sacrifice His own justice to become a gift to us. Romans 5:8 calls this the demonstration of His incredible love. The next time you feel you’ve been treated unjustly, think about this.

The Act Goes On

2011-10-11T10:42:00.002-04:00

God's Word is rich and full of life. This past Sunday we completed our
look at Acts 1-2. There were several thoughts that were significant to
me as I studied Acts last week-

1. There is no effective witness without the presence of the Holy
Spirit, and the way to spiritual empowerment is to wait on God in
prayer.

This can be clearly seen as 120 disciples gathered together in the
Upper Room for 10 days to pray and wait on God for the promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:13-14).

2. The gift of the Holy Spirit came as God promised, but most likely
in a much different form than the disciples anticipated or expected.

What do we do when God answers our prayers differently than we
expected? Is our heart grateful and do we still offer praise up to
God? It is difficult to keep God in our neat little boxes (Acts
2:1-4).

3. Peter carefully balances God's divine sovereign purposes and human responsibility.

Jesus died as the result of men making decisions by exercising their
God-given freedom of choice, however, God was working in the events of
man's willful decisions to bring about His eternal purposes. God is
sovereign, but we cannot blame Him for our own actions, choices, and decisions (Act 2:23-24).

4. Christian Community was a very important part of the life of the
early church, as it should be today.

The disciples were very devoted to teaching, fellowship, the breaking
of bread, and prayer. In addition, there was a spirit of generosity and
people would give sacrificially to one another such that there was not
a needy person among them (Acts 2.40-47).

May God richly bless you as you continue your study of Acts. The Bible
is a book filled with life and my prayer is that as you read in Acts
you will Encounter the Life-Giving God behind the Word.

Read and pray your way through Acts and you will be much blessed!

Yet Even Now!

2011-10-04T11:07:00.001-04:00

At COTRM we recently completed a series on the book of Joel. One of the take aways for me was a clear picture of how God would have a people respond when their nation is in a time of national crisis.

There is much power in the "fervent prayer of a righteous" man, but when it comes to national issues it is going to take a corporate response. The church must gather together to seek the heart of God and intercede on behalf of their nation.

Two verses from Joel have spoken to my heart concerning how God would have us respond to Him in times of crisis:

12 Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“Return to Me with all your heart,
And with fasting, weeping and mourning;
13 And rend your heart and not your garments.”
Now return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness
And relenting of evil. (Joel 2.12-13)

To "return" means to turn back, not in the sense that I must turn back to the beginning and start all over, but turn back to where I drifted in my heart and devotion from God's heart. The word can also mean to turn away. We turn back to God and at the same time turn away from those activities that distract us from God and His divine purposes for our lives.

Jeremiah spoke to Israel some very encouraging and instructive words when they had wandered from Him:

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jer 29:13)

As we turn back to God, turn away from distractions, and seek God with all our heart, we will find Him. He is yearning for us to search for Him.
In the above verses Joel leaves us with incredible hope and gives us great insight into the character and attributes of our God:

He is gracious and compassionate,
He is slow to anger,
He is abounding in lovingkindness,
He is relenting of evil. (Joel 2.13)

I thank God both for His admonition to bring my life in alignment with His heart, and His reminder to me that we serve a good and gracious God. Yet even now! Can we find the time to pray and seek our God together for our nation?

Hard is Good!

2011-09-27T10:54:00.001-04:00

Hard is good? What! God has been calling our nation back to Him for a long time through the gentle urging of the Holy Spirit. When we do not respond, sometimes God allows us to experience difficulties to get our attention.

Sandy Hancock brought a very unique perspective this Sunday, to what it means to be a disciple. A good student works hard at learning. There is so much that God wants to teach and impart to us. May we become active “listeners" and aggressive “doers” of all that He speaks to us through His written Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.

We must be willing to change our behavior!

We must see our need of what is in the Bible!

We must work hard at being a good student sitting under the anointed teaching of Jesus Christ!

As Sandy said on Sunday, “We are not limited by our ability, we are limited by His ability (which is unlimited).”

Solemn Assembly

2011-09-27T10:38:00.001-04:00

The Elders of COTRM have proclaimed a Solemn Assembly this Friday, from 7 to 9 pm, to pray for our nation.

This nation is suffering greatly from having pushed God out of our lives both publicly and privately. Not only are we facing an economic crisis, we are also facing a moral and a spiritual crisis. The economic problems we are facing have touched each of our pocket books and have definitely gotten our attention. How much more should the moral and spiritual crisis that we are facing as a nation get our attention?

When Israel was facing a serious economic and spiritual crisis, the prophet Joel called the people to a time of fasting and prayer.

I encourage every member of COTRM to take this call to fasting and prayer seriously. Please consider how you might fast this Friday, September 30th. We will end this day of fasting with a corporate time of prayer for our nation, Friday evening from 7 to 9 pm.

Childcare will be provided from 0 to 3 years of age.

Help Wanted

2011-09-22T15:25:00.002-04:00

I can only think of one time in the entire Bible where God asks men for help. Jesus is in the garden, troubled because He is hours away from a horrific death, and He asks His disciples to pray with Him. (Mark 14) You know the rest of the story. Do you ever put yourself in the disciple’s place, wonder what you would have done in that moment?

Romans 8:34 & Hebrews 7:25 tell us that Christ is even now seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding. Can you imagine the things that trouble the heart of the One Who Sees All? Ephesians 1:20 & 2:6 says that we can seat ourselves in Him in that same position of intercession. What an incredible honor, and responsibility. He is still asking for our help. That’s why we pray.

Kingdom Come

2011-09-09T10:13:00.001-04:00

Jesus preached the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 4:23) Many of His parables began with, “the kingdom of heaven is like...”. He taught His disciples to pray for this kingdom to come operate on earth like it does in heaven. (Mt 6:10) He told us to seek the kingdom as our first priority (Mt 6:23), that it had to be forcefully laid hold of (Mt 11:12). The good news is that it gives Him pleasure to give the kingdom to us. (Lk 12:32) So what does this kingdom look like?

We know it’s heavenly, not of this world (Jn 18:36). It probably exceeds our expectation and imagination. But we do know it brings righteousness, peace and joy. (Rom 14:17) We also know it’s full of power. (1 Cor 4:20) In fact, Jesus said that supernatural healing was evidence that the kingdom was nearby. (Lk 10:9) And we know it’s founded on love (Col 1:13), and it is unshakable. (Heb 12:28)

When Jesus returns He will literally bring His kingdom to earth with Him. (2 Tim 4:1, Rev 12:10) Awesome! But we don’t have to wait until then to experience His kingdom. The truly amazing thing is that He’s already placed His kingdom inside everyone who believes in Him. (Lk 17:21) Consider Ephesians 3:20. “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” Jesus wants to flood the earth with the manifestation of the kingdom of heaven, but until He comes, we are the faucets.

When He taught His disciples to pray the Lord’s prayer, he was asking them to volunteer to be a conduit of the kingdom of heaven to the earth. How about you?

“Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power” (Psa 110:3).

Keep Watching and Praying!

2011-08-30T10:50:00.001-04:00

The night that Jesus was arrested He asked His disciples to watch and pray with Him for one hour. What happened? They fell asleep.

This past Sunday, I challenged the church to take one hour during this next week and pray. What will happen? We’re not much different than the disciples. We also struggle with fatigue and busyness in our lives. Jesus knew what men were like and what they struggled with when He asked than to watch and pray with Him. Jesus must have believed that they would be able to take one hour and pray. I believe it is just as possible today for us to “watch and pray” for one hour. This is a very critical day and hour in which we live. The answer to the problems facing our nation today will come as the church earnestly cries out to God in prayer. As we have seen in our study of the book of Joel, it is time to repent, pray, fast, and assemble ourselves together and cry out to God. Pray this week for God to bless our nation, to give our leaders wisdom, and to return the hearts of the people back to Him. I am encouraged by the words of Jeremiah:

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13

That word is just as true today as when Jeremiah wrote it thousands of years ago. We serve a faithful God who listens to the cries of His people and enjoys answering their prayers and blessing them.

As you watch and pray for one hour this week I am believing God is going to speak to each one of you. As God does speak to your heart, please post any thoughts or comments that might be insightful or encouraging to others.

Keep watching and praying!

Which God

2011-08-25T13:50:00.000-04:00

In my last blog I discussed proof of God in general. I did not specify any God in particular. So once you’ve established the existence of God, how do you go about choosing among the many gods available? Can God even be known? The short answer is, “only if He wants to be known”.

Consider that any Deity capable of creating the universe can certainly hide from us if He wants to. We can “search for God” diligently, but if He doesn’t want to be found, there is no finding him. My recommendation is that you scratch off your list any religion claiming to have found the way to God. If God can only be known if He wants to be, it makes more sense to look for where God has revealed Himself to man.

Take Jesus for example. He claimed to be God come to earth, backed it up with convincing Godlike character and miracles, even had men write down things about His life ahead of time so we’d know it was Him. Then He correctly identified that there was no way for us to reach God, explained how God would make a way from His end, and demonstrated unearthly love by suffering to become that way. Finally, rising from the dead and ascending into heaven visibly...no other religious figure even comes close to the Incomparable One. I guess the choice isn’t that difficult after all.

End-Time Gloom?

2011-08-23T13:31:00.003-04:00

Sometimes it is easy to walk away from the end-time message and feel a sense of hopelessness. The end-time message, however, is a message of hope.

As we look at the judgments God is going to bring upon the earth at the end of the age, we come away with the picture of a God that is more powerful than any army ever assembled or ever to be assembled on this earth. He is a God who is sovereign over all of creation. We see a picture of this as we read the life of Jesus in the four Gospels. Jesus commanded even the wind and the waves and they obeyed Him. It will be God who shakes, not just the social institutions of this world, but creation itself.

In Psalm 146:5 it says:
“How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.”

That word hope in the Hebrew means to look forward with expectation to a good and beneficial state. The end-time scenario might look frightening at times, but as children of God we can look forward to the end of the age with hope in our hearts. God is a good and just God. He is a God of love and mercy, but also a God that judges sin in the human heart. Why does He judge? He judges to cause us to look seriously at our lives, repent of our waywardness, and return to Him with all of our hearts. He judges because He wants to release blessing into our lives and into our nation.

God thinks so highly of man that He has given him a free will and the ability to make real choices that make real differences in his life. We can choose righteousness or sin, good or evil. Our choices open doorways that allow for the ministry of angels or demons in our lives. Today is the day for you and me to decide to make the choices that God can bless.

The God of the end of the age is the same God that created the earth and every living creature on it, including man. He is a God that loves mankind so much that He became human Himself. He loves us so much that He allowed Jesus Christ to die to set us free from a life of death and destruction. He loves us so much that Jesus did not remain in the grave but was resurrected into newness of life and is seated in heaven with God the Father praying for us.

Remember, “How blessed is he…whose hope is in the Lord his God.” With this hope, we can look forward into the days ahead with “expectation to a good and beneficial state.”

How about you? Are you putting your hope in the Lord? Do you see God as a good and just God? Do you believe that God is sovereign over all of creation?

The Challenge!

2011-08-16T10:56:00.004-04:00

The book of Joel can be very challenging, in particular if you read it with an understanding of how it applies to our lives today.

This past Sunday, I challenged us as Christians to examine our lives and ask God what adjustments we can make to respond to God’s call in the day in which we live.

If we are going to see the problems of our nation turned around, the church is going to have to fast and assemble together for prayer. In addition it is going to take humility, turning to God, and forsaking sin or anything in our lives that will hinder our fall, whole hearted devotion to God.

How is God asking you to respond to His call in your life? What can you do today?

2 Chr 7:13-14 NKJV When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Secret Mission!

2011-08-16T10:46:00.003-04:00

The Bible says that Jesus “would often slip away to the wilderness.” Why did He slip away without the disciples?

Jesus was busy going from village to village ministering to the needs of the people. He set many free from demonic activity and healed many others of physical illnesses. From time to time He would even raise someone from the dead.

How was He able to accomplish this? As it says in Luke-

“But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray” (Lk 5:16).

In order to perform all the amazing miracles that Jesus did among men, He had to first spend time with His heavenly Father. It was in this secret place, hidden away with God the Father, that Jesus received the wisdom and power to minister to the needs of men.

As believers and disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ we are instructed by the Lord to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations… We will never be effective at this great mission until we learn lessons from the life of Jesus Himself. We must also be willing to, “often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”

God is calling us to sit before Him in the secret place of prayer, so we can stand in the presence of men and minister to them the life, light, and power of God. The Christian life is a life of service, but that service always comes out of learning to rest in His presence.

Jesus lived a very busy life of minsitry. Today, most people would say that they also live very busy lives.

In the middle of your busy schedule, are you making time to slip away and pray?

Solemn Assembly Update

2011-08-09T15:29:00.001-04:00

I want to thank everyone who participated Saturday, in the day of prayer and fasting called by the Elders. The Solemn Assembly was also a great success. Many of you participated in that as well. It was exciting to see God's people give of their time to pray for our country. We are experiencing a very serious time as a nation, but I believe we can bring about a great change through prayer. As important as personal prayer is, it is going to take the church gathering together corporately to bring about a change in the spiritual climate of our nation. As a church we have a number of different times throughout the week where people can gather at the church to pray. Most of us have very busy schedules, but it is important for us to ask God how He would have us respond to the seriousness of the day in which we live. I would encourage you, if at all possible, to adjust your schedule so you can participate in one of our corporate prayer times. Again, thanks for your support and keep praying. Our prayer opportunities are listed below:

Tuesday 7am to 9am
Wednesday 12noon to 1pm
Thursday 7am to 9am
2nd and 4th Thursday 7pm-8pm
Sunday 7am to 9:45am

Do not forget our House Churches that meet around our community on either Wednesday evening or Thursday evening. You can find more information about our House Churches either on our website or in the church foyer. In addition, we have a Men's Meeting on the 1st and 3rd Saturday at 9am, and a Women's Meeting on the 2nd Thursday at 7pm (check the bulletin for location).

Double Spiritual Punch

2011-08-02T14:11:00.001-04:00

The prophet Joel had the difficult task of convincing the Jewish nation that God was unhappy with their waywardness and their sin. Does God have the same message for our nation as well?

"Yet even now," declares the Lord, "Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments" (Joel 2:12-13).

This week we have two opportunities as a church to respond to God in this time in which we live.

FIRST, this Friday night at COTRM at 7 PM is the monthly MyHop meeting. MyHop meetings are focused on prayer and worship. At MyHop you have the opportunity to pray quietly at your seat or to get up and pray at the microphone so others can pray in agreement with you.

SECOND, the Elders have called for a day of prayer and fasting and for a Solemn Assembly this Saturday, August 6th.

We are asking every member of COTRM to make this coming Saturday a day of prayer and fasting. The church building will be open from 11 am to 3 pm for a Solemn Assembly. Everyone is encouraged to come out for all or part of the time to pray for our nation.

As we study through the book of Joel, we will see that God was looking for a response from His people. Individual prayer should be a very important part of every Christian's life. However, the response we see God asking for during a time of national crisis is God's people gathering together to pray.

"Blow a trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, gather the people sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing infants" (Joel 2:15-16).

Our nation is indeed in crisis in many areas - fiscally, morally, spiriutally - in every area we are in need of turning back to a wise and benevolent Creator.

This weekend we get to throw a double punch at our spiritual enemies and demonstrate a grateful and yielded heart to our Lord.

We live in a very busy culture and everyone has a full schedule. Let me encourage you, if at all possible to participate in some way this Friday and Saturday. If you cannot throw a double punch at least throw a single punch if possible. Together we can accomplish much for the glory of God and His Kingdom.

Let's be the first to get out of our fox holes and go on the offensive for our nation.

Prove It

2011-07-29T09:25:00.000-04:00

It has been said, and generally accepted, that the existence of God cannot be proven. I disagree.

It is true that the existence of God cannot be scientifically proven. Since scientific proof requires observation, nothing unobserved can be scientifically proven. Of course, this means that no historical event predating photography can be reliably proven. Yet we confidently teach thousands of years of history. For this we rely on historical proof, based upon a preponderance of evidence. Incidentally, no historical figure has stronger historical documentation than Jesus, and no historical book even comes close to the reliability of the Bible. But there is an even better proof.

A simple rational proof considers observation, evidence, and clear rules of logic to reach a conclusion through reason. This is the kind of proof lawyers rely on. Ironically, Christians are accused of abandoning reason for blind faith when the existence of a Creator God is the most reasonable conclusion, requiring the least faith. Here we go.

When you see chairs lined up in a row, you conclude someone put them in order. A skyscraper implies both a designer and builder. A painting must have an artist behind it. It would be unreasonable to think these things happen randomly. Order, design, structure and beauty are proof of an orderer, designer, builder, creator. Even science teaches us that in the absence of intelligent direction, entropy rules. Consider that we have yet to design anything that approaches the order and complexity found in nature. The world screams “intelligent creator”. The proof is everywhere.

(Rom 1:19-20) because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

Wood Burns

2011-07-29T09:19:00.000-04:00

I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning...(Luke 12:49)

God gave me insight into a word being spoken at the Evangelism Conference I attended recently. We are all destined to burn with love and passion, but we are all different kinds of wood.

In the natural, some wood is very easy to light and some much more difficult. We are all going to burn, but some of us will burn easily and quickly, while others will burn with less ease and slowly...but we will all BURN.

Those of us who are burning now will impact the slow burners by staying close to the other wood. Logs never burn well alone.

The Day of the Lord!

2011-07-26T11:16:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday, we started a new series on the book of Joel. We started with a brief overview of the book and will get into the details over the next few weeks.

Joel is a key end time book that God is highlighting to His people in this season in which we live. I believe the church plays a key role in what will happen in our nation over the next several years. As we study the book of Joel I believe we will gain important insights in how we are to live as we approach the Day of the Lord.

I challenged the church to read the book of Joel this week in its entirety. Also, I asked everyone to write down one key thought or impression they feel God showed them as they were reading the book, and to bring that thought to the service next Sunday. I would like to have several people read what God impressed upon their hearts. Please keep your thought to a sentence or two.

These are exciting times in which we live and I believe we are going to see an increase of God's light and revelation as we explore His Word. May God show us how to live and glorify His name.

Have a wonderful week,
Pastor Gary

The Air Conditioner Man Cometh!

2011-07-26T11:02:00.002-04:00

Our God is indeed faithful. The "air conditioner man cometh." It has been a long and difficult process, but God has gone before us and made the way.

I am very grateful to God and for every member of COTRM who prayed and helped out financially. There are many who gave sacrificially. We have raised a little over $10,000 toward our air conditioner replacement needs. With the settlement we got from the insurance company, we have contacted our a/c contractor and installation will begin soon. Praise the Lord!

Along with the replacement of the air conditioners we have had to upgrade our alarm system to reduce the chance of the units from being stolen again. This upgrade is costing us about $3700. I am praying and asking God for another $5000 to help get us beyond any miscellaneous needs that might arise out of the new a/c installation and the upgrading of our alarm system. Please be praying with us over this need. We have seen God's faithfulness up to date and I am confident He is going to walk with us through this need to its completion. I do not want to take up another special offering if at all possible, and ask that everyone to be sensitive to the Lord and give as He leads your heart. God's provision is more than sufficient.

Thank you again for being a Kingdom builder. These are very serious days in which we live and there is much work to be done in God's Kingdom. It is exciting to be a apart of what God is doing in the earth today. Along with many other churches in the area, God is calling us to be a source of light and truth in a time of great darkness.

Keep praying and believing,
Pastor Gary

He Blinded Me With Science

2011-07-14T10:50:00.002-04:00

Stephen Hawking, renowned physicist, has recently declared that there is no God. Not surprising since science has been elevated above all other thought or reason. Two consequences of this philosophy are that science can now speak authoritatively on any topic, and nothing is true unless science says it is true.

What has been overlooked is a logical fallacy. The Scientific Method, taught in every high school in America, requires any hypothesis undergo testing and observation before reaching a conclusion. The fundamental methods of science limit it to speaking authoritatively only about those things that can be observed and tested. This leaves quite a list of topics about which science has nothing to say, evolution and the existence of God being two notable ones.

When science does speak authoritatively without applying the Scientific Method, I call that faith, and science becomes a religion. So beware the priests of science. It’s just another cult.

Special Offering!

2011-07-12T10:14:00.000-04:00

God has richly blessed our congregation in so many ways. I am very grateful for His years of provision. The people of COTRM are to be commended for their faithful and consistent giving over the years.

As many already know, about two weeks ago someone stole three of our A/C condenser units. It is our hope to have everything resolved with the insurance company this week and for the contractor to begin installing new units. Our financial exposure as a church will be our $10,000 deductible plus about $2,000 to properly secure the new and existing A/C units, to deter any further loss.

This Sunday, we will be taking up a special offering to raise the money to have the new units installed. As a church we have been richly blessed by God to be completely debt free. I would like to raise the necessary funds to replace the A/C units without going into debt. This would be a great blessing.

Please be praying and asking God how you might be able to participate in this offering. I believe as the family of God pulls together, we can meet this need. My wife and I are committed to help out with this need and I hope that you and your family will be able to help out as well. If we all pull together it should lessen the burden on any one person or family.

I know that these are difficult times for many, but I believe God is teaching us how to be a generous people even in the middle of hard economic times. As Paul said in Philippians, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Phil 4:11). Paul also understood that there is great profit when you and I learn to give, not just out of our abundance, but at times even out of our need. There is eternal value when we give to the work of building God’s Kingdom here on earth.

Thank you and may God richly bless you and your family for your generosity,
Pastor Gary

Be COOL!

2011-07-05T13:05:00.001-04:00

That term can have several different connotations, everything from being cool in the way you dress to being cool in the way you act. This week at COTRM, however, the term has taken on a much different meaning.

As many already know, last Wednesday someone stole three of our outside A/C units. When I learned about the loss my first impression was that God had a silver-lining in this storm cloud. I am very thankful for the many blessings of God. He has certainly showered favor upon us as a church time and time again.

We are currently working with several A/C contractors and our insurance company to resolve how we can move ahead and get new air conditioning units installed to replace the stolen ones. Please be praying with us for favor with the contractors bidding on the job as well as with the insurance company. Also, please take some time to ask God how you might be able to help out. Whether you consider yourself to be rich or poor, God may lead you to help out with the cost for new A/C units.

I want to thank those who have already given towards this need. My prayer is that God would bless you for your generosity.

Remember Paul’s instructions to the believers in the church at Thessalonika-

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess 5:16-18).

So in the middle of our current situation, I am rejoicing in the goodness of God , praying for His provision, and thanking Him for His love and care.

Have a wonderful God-filled week!

Who's in Who's Who?

2011-06-28T10:45:00.001-04:00

Monte Hancock, Chief Scientist for Celestech, and Program Mentor for the MS in Computer Science for the Webster University Space Coast Region, will be included in the 2012 Edition of Who's Who in America.

Monte joined Celestech, Inc. as Chief Scientist in 2009, after serving as Chief Cognitive Research Scientist, and Technical Fellow at Northrop-Grumman. His professional career spans over 30 years of increasingly responsible positions in software engineering, algorithm development, and mathematical research in machine intelligence, decision support, and pattern processing.

Monte's principal research interest is in numerical and semi-numerical algorithms for decision support applications that are based upon machine intelligence. He has served as Principal Investigator / Technical Lead on many advanced analytic efforts for both government and industry.

Monte is Adjunct Professor of Computer Science, and Space Coast Region Mentor for Webster University's Masters Degree in Computer Science. He has been a curriculum developer for the University of Florida, and has also served for 26 years as Adjunct Instructor in Computer Science at Rollins College.

Mr. Hancock has served on several national review boards (for the National Science Foundation, and for the U.S. Department of Defense), is the author of numerous conference publications, and has authored two books on data mining technology. He has also been listed for multiple years in Who’s Who in the Media and Communication, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, and Who’s Who in the World.

Thank You!

2011-06-28T10:33:00.001-04:00

Perhaps two of the most powerful words in the human language. When is the last time you said those words to someone you love? How about someone you do not love?

Everyone likes to be appreciated. Two little words, "thank you", can soften a human heart and show people around you that you care. Somebody once said, "Gratitude is the best attitude." As we discussed this past Sunday, perhaps it is time for an attitude adjustment. The Apostle Paul hits the nail on the head when he clearly expresses how God feels about gratitude-

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Paul does not say we are to be thankful for everything, but that we can find something to be thankful for in everything. Every morning as I am taking a shower, there is something that rises up in my heart that causes me to verbally thank God for the new day and another opportunity to bring glory to His name.

How about you? What are you thankful for? Do you have an attitude of gratitude? If you are a member of COTRM or regularly attend COTRM, you may have another reason to be thankful. I will randomly select one person from those who regularly attend COTRM and post something to this blog that they are thankful for. That person will receive a $25 gift certificate this coming Sunday (you must be present Sunday to win). So post away and let God and everyone around you hear you say "thank you" today.

You're Being Followed

2011-06-16T12:57:00.001-04:00

I love to pray Psalm 23:6 over people.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;”

The Hebrew word translated “follow” is very strong, meaning to “chase after”, usually used in the negative, as in a hunter on the trail of prey. God’s goodness and favor pursue us relentlessly. We don’t have to get God interested in us. We just have to accept Him as He is, and probably quit doing the hundreds of things we do to hide from His relentless love. Why not let His goodness overtake you today?

The Philippian Experience

2011-06-14T14:51:00.001-04:00

Next Sunday we will continue our series on Philippians. Let me encourage you to read Philippians from beginning to end in one sitting if at all possible (four chapters). We will be looking at Philippians chapter 4, so at least read this chapter. What verse in chapter 4 stands out as most significant to you? Please post your answers to our blog page.

False Division Between Word and Spirit

2011-06-14T14:38:00.001-04:00

This past Sunday Pastor Tony talked about the Holy Spirit. We understand that all believers receive the Holy Spirit when they first receive Christ as their Savior. But is there more?

Pastor Tony did a great job presenting the importance of a believer experiencing both the ministry of God’s Word as well as the work and presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. As I took notes on Sunday, here are some interesting statements that Pastor Tony made that stood out to me:

* Jesus: I give you the Holy Spirit, now wait for the Holy Spirit.
* We are not as effective as we could be in ministry because we do not know how to wait on God for the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
* On the Day of Pentecost after the people complained that the disciples were drunk, 3000 people got saved and were added to the church.
* God is asking us to surrender our lives to the “Mysterious One.”
* The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, but that does not mean that He is always going to make us feel comfortable.
* Many people are comfortable with consistent, written, instructions, but struggle waiting on the Holy Spirit to direct and guide them.
* God never intended the church to be a buffet where we get to select what we want.
* The Holy Spirit connects the Life of God to the Word of God.

Some of the above statements might not make sense out of the context of the sermon that Pastor Tony taught on Sunday. If you were not in church to hear his sermon, or would like to refresh in your mind what Pastor Tony said, click here to listen to his sermon or review his notes.

What statements, truths, or ideas spoke to your heart? What did you take away from the Pastor Tony’s sermon?

Praises to Jesus

2011-06-07T13:39:00.000-04:00

Jesus is my Lord and Savior
I can do nothing without Him
My daily life is such a pleasure
When I fellowship with Him

He leads me and guides me
Through all my trials
I love Him and exhalt Him
Always, not for just a while

He said He loves me, and will not leave me
I believe every word He said
He died on the cross for all my sins
My heart hurts for the blood He shed

So you see, there is no one
I would rather praise and glorify
Then my Savior Jesus
Who loved me and proved to me why

Press On!

2011-06-07T09:44:00.000-04:00

As we dig deeper into Philippians, God is releasing wisdom and insight into the hearts of those who are ready to count all things in this life as "loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus." Paul was certainly a man who had an incredible passion to know God, and yet he recognized that he had to continue to "press on" so that he would be able to "lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of for Christ Jesus." Can we do any less if we want to experience the incredible life and provision of God that Paul had? What has God been speaking to you as we have been studying through Philippians? We would like to hear your comments.

What Do You Think?

2011-05-31T09:49:00.000-04:00

God's Word is "living and active." As Paul says in Philippians, it is the "Word of Life." As you take time to read and study the Bible, the book will come alive to you. What is God speaking to your heart through our study of the book of Philippians? We would love to hear from you. Each week I will be highlighting a couple of the comments on Sunday morning.

This past Sunday we talked about the meaning of salvation. What does the following statement mean to you: Salvation is a free gift and a cost-everything commitment!

Please post your comments below or any other insights God has shown you as we have been studying Philippians.

What is God Speaking?

2011-05-24T09:00:00.005-04:00

This past Sunday, I challenged the church to read Philippians and then share a truth that God showed them through their reading.

God's word is overflowing with His abundant life.

What is God speaking to you through Philippians? I would like to share some of your thoughts in the weeks to come. Please post your comments below!

2011-05-17T14:04:00.000-04:00

Why or What?

I have found our Sunday morning walk through the book of Philippians to be personally challenging. As Christians when we experience difficult times in our lives, we often ask God, “Why?” Perhaps the better question should be, “What?”

Paul wrote to the church in Philippi about joy during a time in his life when he was a prisoner in Rome. He was facing possible execution. This certainly was a difficult time in his life, and yet we find him encouraging the Philippians. One reason Paul was able to maintain his joyful outlook on life was because he did not ask God, “Why?,” or, “Why me?” Instead Paul asked, “What?” Craig Groeschel suggests we ask ourselves the following “What” questions during difficult times:

What is God doing in my situation?

What is God’s purpose for me in this?

What does God want to show me?

What does God want to do through this situation?

The “What” questions as opposed to the “Why” questions help us look at our life from an eternal perspective rather than a inward focused “O poor me” response to life. Paul had learned how to put his trust in God in every situation he faced in life. He had learned the secret of contentment.

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. (1 Timothy 6:6–8 NASB).

How about you? When you find yourself in a hard place in life, do you ask God “Why?” or “What?” In the middle of difficulties how do you keep an eternal perspective on life?

What Are You Living For?

2011-05-10T13:14:00.000-04:00

As we have been studying Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi, it is interesting how Paul responded to the pressures of everyday life. Paul was in prison in Rome facing possible execution, yet we find him more concerned for the church in Philippi than his own life.

Paul makes some challenging statements in the first chapter of Philippians:

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Whether he lived or was executed, he wanted his life, or his death, to glorify Christ. He was more concerned for the Kingdom of God than his own personal life. If you were honest with yourself, how would you fill out the following statement:

For me, to live is ___________________________ and to die is ______________________.

i.e. For me to live is MONEY and to die is TO LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND.

For me to live is FAME and to die is TO BE FORGOTTEN.

For me to live is PLEASURE and to die is TO LOSE IT ALL.

As Paul goes on in his letter, it is clear that he believes he is going to be delivered out of his imprisonment:

“Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25).

Wow, if God granted to Paul his request to be set free, his desire was to help others in their walk with God. If I were Paul and just narrowly missed being executed, I might want to take a long vacation. “For me, to live” would be to go to the mountains and relax after such a trying ordeal.

May God bring us to that place where we can honestly say:

“For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

How about you? What are you living your life for? What is most important to you in life?

I was pondering three passages that describe the last days or beginning of sorrows. Understand that this isn’t the time of great tribulation spoken of in Revelation, but what immediately precedes that time, so even if you’re pre-trib, no one escapes these events. You can read them for yourself (Mt 14:4-12, 2 Tim 3:1-5, 2 Pe 3:3), but I’ll give you a short list of what to expect; deception, wars, famine, earthquakes, tribulation, martyrdom, hatred, offense, lawlessness, cold love, scoffers, lustful, self love, proud, disobedient, no self control, brutal, haughty, lovers of pleasure, haters of good, having a form of godliness but without power.

Sounds pretty bad, doesn’t it? And that’s what I was thinking about, how bad it’s going to get, when God pulled me up short with one statement. He said, “You’re already in the beginning of sorrows now.”

My first thought was, “this isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” But my immediate second thought was, “how desensitized to sin have I become that I’m living in the last days, don’t even recognize it, or think it’s that bad?”

Now What?

2011-05-03T11:12:00.001-04:00

Osama Bin Laden is dead! Many are celebrating his death as a great American victory. Now what?

There certainly is a place for us as a nation to celebrate this victory in the war on terrorism. Many feel like justice has finally been served after ten long years since the attack on the Twin Towers.

As I heard about the death of Osama Bin Laden, two thoughts slowly formed in my mind concerning our response as a nation.

First, I pray that our nation will experience a deep sense of thanksgiving and gratitude for God’s incredible mercy in delivering us from the hands of the enemy. As grateful as I am for the brave Navy Seals that went in and took out Osama Bin Laden, I see this as God’s incredible grace and mercy upon us as a nation. God is sovereign over the affairs of men.

Second, I pray that our nation will experience a deep sense of repentance. As a nation we have sinned in a many ways. In this victory on the war on terrorism, I see God’s incredible kindness towards us as a nation. His mercy far outweighs our sins. May this incredible picture of God’s love toward us bring us to a place of brokenness and repentance for our sins.

How about you? What has God spoken to your heart through this news event? As the world looks on what has happened in the natural, what is God doing and saying in the midst of this situation?

God, we thank you for your incredible love and mercy towards us as a nation. Thank you for protecting the men and women in our military and giving them a great victory. May your hand continue to be upon our nation and may you enable us to fulfill the destiny to which you have called us as a nation. Amen

Wonderful Celebration!

2011-04-26T11:26:00.000-04:00

This past weekend we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God greatly blessed us with a beautiful day Sunday, both at our Sunrise Service and our 10 AM Service. Between the two services we were able to touch upwards of 1000 people. We indeed serve a wonderful God!

In the resurrection of Jesus Christ we see:

God appealing to all mankind – Jesus is risen to save us from our sins and set us free from the fear of death.

God offering comfort to all men – Jesus is at the right-hand of God the Father praying for us. He wants each of us to succeed in this life.

God warning us – He is the eternal judge. There are consequences for continuing in rebellion against God and not being reconciled to Him.

God is calling us to freely give our lives to the Living Christ. As the Bible says, “…do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

As we learn to live and walk in the resurrected life and power of Jesus Christ, may we indeed glorify God in everything we do and say!

Go! Make disciples, baptize, teach – God will be with you until the end of this age.

What can you do to walk in the resurrected life and power of Jesus Christ?

True Zeal

2011-04-12T15:46:00.000-04:00

What does zeal look like? We all know the story of Jesus turning over the tables of the money changers in the temple, and His disciples remembering that it was written, “zeal for Your house has consumed me”. Don’t forget that whole incident was about the importance of prayer. Jesus spent a lot more time in prayer, not quarreling or crying out, not breaking bruised reeds or quenching smoking wicks (Mt 12:19-20), than he did in flamboyant displays of zeal. Yet I believe He was zealous all the time. So what did His zeal look like most of the time?

"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" (Mat 21:28-31)

I don’t know about you, but too often I’ve sung on Sunday, “Lord I want You, I want to do Your will, yes Lord”, and then, ignored Him on Monday. I really appreciate demonstrative worship, passionate prayer and stirring preaching, but I’m not sure these things are accurate indicators of zeal. Maybe true zeal is seen in daily disciplines, long faithfulness to a task, simple obedience. Maybe it’s less about emotion and more about making decisions in spite of how we feel. Maybe we’re most zealous when we’re dry and tired, but we’re doing it anyway.

Should God Lie?

2011-03-22T10:58:00.001-04:00

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19)

Recently I have re-memorized the above verse. Man was made in the image of God, but God is all together different than man. He is God, and “God is not a man, that He should lie.” We live in a serious time and it is so important that we have absolute confidence in God and in His Word. “Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He Spoken, and will He not make it good?” As the world around us is shaken, we must tenaciously hold onto the goodness and greatness of God.

We must not allow our belief and confidence in God be smothered by personal preoccupations. To survive in the day and age in which we live, we must keep God as first and foremost in our hearts. We must keep our focus pure from unnecessary distractions.

We are entering a season in which we must be watchful and alert. Two thousand years ago Jesus faced His crucifixion. He asked the disciples to “keep watch with Me” (Matt 26;38), but then fell asleep. Again, He asked them to “keep watching and praying” (Matt 26:41), but again they fell asleep.

We are in another season when watching and praying is very important. It is not a season to be asleep spiritually. Prayer holds the key to Gods’ power.

Together we can be an effective force in bringing God’s kingdom here to earth as it is in heaven.

Let’s provoke one another to keep watching and praying!

Time Is Moving On!

2011-03-15T13:56:00.000-04:00

In the Bible it says that the return of Jesus Christ will be at a time “like the days of Noah”. What was going on during that time? They were “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” (Matt 24:37-38).

It goes on in Matthew 24 and says that people “did not understand until the flood came and took them all away” (Matt 24:39). Wow! That would be disturbing and would certainly ruin a perfectly good day. And yet today, there are millions of people around the world, including many Christians, that have no idea that time is moving on.

I certainly am not a conspiracy theorist, and neither am I a doomsday prophet, however, it is difficult to ignore the many difficulties we see in the world today. Our world is filled with national disasters, wars, terrorism, the rise of anti-Semitisms increasing intolerance of Christianity, and the list goes on.

Perhaps this is why Jesus said, “therefore be on the alert, and for this reason you also must be ready” (Matt 24:42, 44).

How can we be “alert” and what must we do to “be ready”? These are challenging questions that I believe we as Christians must wrestle with.

I personally do not believe God is finished with our nation, nor do I believe that we are beyond the point of no return. It is my hope that we will still see a mighty revival in our country however, we must ask ourselves how we can prepare and position ourselves for the days in which we live and the days that are yet to come.

In Matthew 26:41 Jesus encourages His disciples to “keep watching and praying.”

Let me leave you with these questions:

1. How can we be “alert”?

2. What do we need to be doing to “be ready”?

3. How do we prepare for the days that lay ahead of us?

4. How do we “keep watch and pray”?

Let me encourage you to read Matthew 24 and other portions of the Bible to better understand God’s heart for the days in which we live.

Time is moving on!

Pastor Jim Maher

Pastor Jim has left a great legacy behind. Many of the values that we embrace as a church today are a result of Pastor Jim’s ministry.

When I heard that Pastor Jim had been killed in an automobile accident, it reminded me of the great influence he had in my life and in the life of this church. Pastor Jim may be gone in the natural, but in the Spirit his legacy lives on in our hearts.

It is with great sadness that we release Pastor Jim into the hands of God, and yet we know he is rejoicing in God’s presence today.

Our prayers are with Pastor Jim’s wife, Elizabeth, and the rest of the family.

Take Action Today!

2011-03-08T13:20:00.000-05:00

Would you like to guard your heart against deception? Deception proof your heart today!

Pastor Gary challenged the church on Sunday to help guard their hearts from deception by praying and reading God’s Word.

“Take Action Today!” is a 30 day challenge to spend at least 15 minutes each day in prayer and to read at least one chapter in the Bible each day.

If you did not fill out one of the action cards on Sunday, you can join the challenge by clicking here.

“Deception proof” your life today!

Rescue the Godly

2011-03-08T13:09:00.000-05:00

In the Bible it says that false prophets and false teachers will arise in the church and that many will follow them into deception.

I do not want to be among those who “malign” the way of the truth. In 2 Peter, Peter gives us a strong warning. He reminds us that God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell. He destroyed the ancient world by a flood because of their wickedness, and He destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by reducing them to ashes.

God will judge the sin of men and of angels. However, in the middle of God’s judgment, He preserved Noah and his family from the flood that destroyed the world. He rescued righteous Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

As Peter goes on to say, “the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptations” (2 Pet 2:9). Hallelujah! We see incredible darkness and deception in our world today, but God can and will preserve the hearts of those who follow hard after Him.

Today, we see many strange doctrines and philosophies pushing there way into the church. However, God is more than able to preserve and rescue His own people. As the Apostle John said concerning Jesus Christ, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:9).

Pray that God’s “light of life” would shine brightly upon human hearts and that He would “rescue the godly from temptation.” Pray that God would release wells of water in human hearts that would “spring up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

Incredible Faith!

2011-03-02T09:55:00.002-05:00

Monte certainly took us to places we never thought we would go on Sunday morning. His presentation was certainly meaty. What does it all mean?

Monte had a very profound word for the church this past Sunday. His goal was to build our faith and courage so that we would not be intimidated by the culture we live in. There are an increasing number of anti-Christian elements in our culture. They want to silence the voice of God’s church by making us feel like we are foolish because we believe in God and believe that the earth and man were created by Him. Should we be worried about the intellectual integrity of our faith?

Below I will attempt to summarize some of the points that Monte made:

Being a Christian is first and foremost about what you do with Jesus. It has nothing to do with how you understand geology or politics.

Monte presented two questions that as Christians we should be able to confidently answer:

1. Does anything exist besides the physical universe?
2. Is man basically “good”?
(Builders put the biggest stones on the bottom because the foundation must be able to support everything else.)

Does anything exist besides the material world? Those who subscribe to a materialistic belief system assume that “stuff” is all there is. Others assume that all “stuff” everywhere always acts the same way.

(Making assumptions is not “bad”. In fact, unless you are omniscient, you have no choice but to base much of your life upon assumptions. This is true for scientist as well. The effect of assumptions is to limit possibilities.)

Today many believe that man is inherently good and all the goodness in man cannot get out because of various elements of his environment. As a result everyone becomes a victim and there is no accountability for our actions. The Bible is very clear that man’s heart is bent toward sin because he is born with a sinful nature. As such he is in great need of a Savior

Monte asked the question, “Is it possible for a Biblical worldview to be scientific?”

Modern Science is designed to answer the questions, “What and How?” Scientism adds to science an additional assumption- empirical science is the only source of authentic knowledge. Is this really a necessary assumption? Is the Bible not another source of authentic knowledge?

(A Biblical worldview can be scientific, but it will not be scientistic.)

The Scientistic assumption allows those who believe in it to answer the basic question that science cannot: Why? Scientism defines what questions authentic science can answer and insists that no other questions can be asked.

The Scientistic assumption leads to the following implications:

* What we cannot sense is “non-sense”- there is no non-material reality
* Values, morals, beauty, etc., are totally subjective
* Truth is not absolute,but merely a subjective evaluation of personal experience
* There is no spiritual reality- if god exists, he is a creature
* Nothing has meaning

The assumptions of science are necessary, but the additional assumption of scientism is not necessary. Scientism is non-rational.

Nobel prize winning physicist Murray Gell-Mann said that, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” In other words we must erect artificial intellectual barriers to ideas contrary to our current belief system. This type of thinking sets up barriers to open, honest, and rational dialogue.

Should we be worried about the intellectual integrity of our faith? Absolutely not. True science is not a threat to the Bible or our belief in God and His role as Creator.

What about cavemen? They exisited.
What about dinosaurs? The Bible talks about them.
Did the flood waters cover the highest mountains? Perhaps the mountains were created as a result of the earth opening-up and releasing water.
What about radiometric dating? There are basic issues with this method of dating because of assumptions they have to make concerning the original creation (since nobody was there, how do we know if these assumptions are true?).
What about the fossil record? The strata you find various fossils in varies in different parts of the world. Perhaps because of a world wide flood?
How did distant starlight get to the earth if the earth is only 10,000 years old? There are a number of theories, including existing stars in a rapidly expanding universe leaving behind trails of light.

We can have absolute confidence in what we read in the Bible and in our belief in God. There is no need to be intimidated by science. Most of what is promoted as science today is more scientism than true science.

None of Your Business!

2011-03-01T13:47:00.002-05:00

Ahaa! Them are fighting words! Do not tell me that something is none of my business. It will be my business if I want it to be!

COTRM is a legal entity in the State of Florida and therefore we must have an Annual Business Meeting. This we did after the Covered Dish Dinner on Sunday. The business of COTRM is your business. As a member or regular attender of COTRM, it is important to understand not just what is happening spiritually at COTRM, but to also be aware of the business affairs of the church.

If you were not able to attend the Annual Business Meeting, let me assure you that COTRM is fiscally sound. As a church we are blessed to have no debt. God has been very good to us over the years.

The current state of our economy is affecting everyone’s life in one way or another. It has affected businesses as well as churches. With the downturn in our economy we have also seen our weekly offerings go down. Though we are fiscally sound, the lower offerings are making it increasingly difficult to meet our on-going monthly expenses.

As our Finance and Operations Committee (FOC) has reviewed the church finances, they are considering recommending to the Board of Directors (BOD) that they lay off one of our Pastors to reduce monthly expenses. This is a difficult decision for us as a church since we are as much a family as we are a business entity.

The FOC is an advisory board and the BOD is going to have to decide how to respond to their recommendation. Please pray for clear direction in this area. God can work out this situation in many ways. He can bring an increase in provision or He can provide a promotion for one of our Pastors into an even greater ministry opportunity.

Please also pray and ask God how He would have you respond? Our finances belong to God. Ask God how you can financially support the ministry at COTRM. Together as the family of God we can have a significant impact on the world around us.

It is your business! It is also your business to pray and to give under the leadership and anointing of the Holy Spirit. We serve an awesome, miracle working God, and you can be a part of that miracle.

Thank you for your faithful support and prayers!

Lights, Film, Action!

2011-02-22T11:36:00.001-05:00

Many movies today are filled with incredible action scenes. Special affects bring large battle scenes to life and allow heroes and heroines to accomplish incredible feats of strength and bravery.

As exciting as these movies are and as real as these action scenes appear, the reality is not what it appears on the big screen. Perhaps these types of movies are so popular because people are bored with life and are looking for excitement.

The Christian life may not at first glance compare to the excitement of today’s action movies, yet in reality God is calling us to a life of action with Him.

When I read the Bible, I like to look for action words and circle or underline them. God has called us to partner with Him in building His kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.

As I was reading Psalm 105:1-5, I underlined a number of action words. Words that call us to action in our walk with God:

Give thanks to the Lord
Call upon His name
Make known His deeds
Sing praises to Him
Speak of His wonders
Seek the Lord and His strength
Seek His face continually
Remember His wonders

God is calling us into an active and exciting walk with Him. Unlike the special affects we see in the movies, the actions that God is calling us into are very real. Many times they will take courage to walk them out in our lives.

Through the work and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we will experience God’s “special affects.” His “special affects” are not an illusion, like in the movies, but they are very real.

Enter with me into the action of living your life fully for the purposes of God.

Give, call, sing, speak, seek, and remember!

Sex is Spiritual!

2011-02-15T13:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, I thought that title might get your attention. This past Sunday Pastor Mario, from Guatemala, was with us and he had some challenging thoughts concerning purity in marriage. He brought the third part of a four part series on marriage called “A Solemn Promise”.

In the 1960’s the culture tried to separate sex from true love and relationships. The results have been disastrous for American families. There are always consequences for choices we make. We must be careful not to let the culture tell us what is right and what is wrong. Truth does not reside in the culture, but in the Word of God.

Many hundreds of years ago, Christian’s withdrew into monasteries under the assumption that you could NOT be holy and be married. Pastor Mario presented a very profound thought when he said that, “It is through marriage that character is formed.” He went on to say that, “One year of marriage creates more holiness than ten years in a monastery.” It is in the context of families where we learn to take off our masks and be who we really are. Through relationships with our parents, spouses, and children, we learn the true meaning of living holy and godly lives. We are confronted with what true love is all about.

Pastor Mario made another very important observation. He said that, “Love does not depend on our being in love, it depends on God.” Wow, that is a truth that has completely escaped our culture and many of our families today, including Christian families. Marriage was established by God for the betterment of mankind. The only way we can have a clear perspective on marriage is to go to the Lord and find His pattern for relationships and more specifically for marriage. The Christian life is about living and working together with imperfect people. Learning to love one another as God has loved us. Again, Pastor Mario said, “Marriage is a collision of ideas and ways of living, but this is where true character is formed.”

Good thoughts and some very profound insights. Thank you Pastor Mario and may the Lord bless your ministry in Guatemala.

Pastor Gary

Love is Never Satisfied

2011-02-11T10:05:00.000-05:00

Monday is Valentines Day. Love is in the air...for the moment. I have to be honest with you. Valentines Day doesn’t do much for me, but not for the typical guy reasons you may think. Don’t get me wrong. I’m going to take Rachel out to dinner and we’ll have a great time. But there is really nothing special about it because I always want to spend time with Rachel. It’s just as special when we get a free Saturday to go to breakfast together. The day isn’t special, Rachel is. I would never be satisfied with just special days or date nights. I like just having her around, a lot.

I’ve been praying lately that I would follow Jesus more because I’m captivated by Him than out of a sense of religious duty. I’m not sure how I’m doing, but I can tell you this. I’m not satisfied with Sundays and an occasional prayer meeting. What a great prayer, “Jesus, satisfy my deepest desires.” And the beautiful thing is that He could answer it every time I prayed it, and I could still pray it the next day. That’s why love is so much stronger than duty or obligation. Love is never satisfied.

In Hot Pursuit!

2011-02-08T13:49:00.001-05:00

We live in a culture that places many demands on our time. To keep our relationship with our spouse strong, we must diligently pursue one another. As we talked about Sunday…

Say it! Do it! Be it!

Say it! Speak words of encouragement and blessing over one another daily.

Do it! From time to time do something special for your spouse.

Be it! If you want something different in your marriage, then be something different.

As important as it is to pursue our spouses, ultimately if we want success in our marriage, we must pursue God as our # ONE.

Remember our first Solemn Promise.

I promise that God will be my # ONE priority and my spouse will be my # TWO priority.

One last thought: Bring more of Christ and less of you into your marriage and you will be an encouragement and a blessing to your spouse.

With Christ

2011-02-01T12:34:00.000-05:00

I am seated in heavenly places with Christ
I have His authority and power in this life
To rule the nations with a rod of iron
I overcame and my King is the Lion
We will govern and He will reign
The earth is the Lord's, it's His domain
Together we will bring the harvest in
The rewards for His suffering we will win
We will conquer and we will occupy
The New Jerusalem will come down from the sky
He is the beginning and He is the End
For this very purpose He is coming again

Celebrate Life!

2011-01-25T11:41:00.000-05:00

The unborn, elderly, disabled, terminally ill, have they become a burden to society or do they have some intrinsic value of their own? When we hear terms like abortion, euthanasia, physician assisted suicide, what do these communicate to people about the value of human life?
Many Christians do not understand the impact that Christianity has had on human history. When we are talking about Christianity, of course, we are talking about the life and person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

In pre-Christian history there were whole people groups that were not considered to be fully human beings. As a result they were enslaved, murdered, raped, and treated like property and not like people. Judaism brought to the world the idea that all human beings are made in God’s image, regardless of their race, sex, mental, or physical condition. This is why it is so important that we understand our Judeo-Christian values as a nation.

It was Christianity that brought to the world the idea that all human beings are equal in dignity. It is not that all people are the same, but they all enjoy certain basic rights because they are people. It is important, when we talk about people being created equal in dignity, that we understand that this does not mean all men have the same advantages in life. Some are strong, some are weak, some are beautiful and some are not, etc. But all human beings, by virtue that they are people, have certain rights and responsibilities.

When we talk about the sanctity of human life, we must be careful not to be distracted by peripheral issues. In the public arena we can debate-

sexual sin versus moral purity,
pro-life versus pro-abortion issues,
euthanasia versus prolonging life though life support,
the morality of physician assisted suicide, and more.

But the real question we should be asking is not what you or I think about these issues, but what does God say about the sanctity of human life? What does God’s Word communicate to us about the value of human life? It is not a question of what you or I feel or think.

God’s Word has a very high view of man. According to Genesis 1:26-27, man is the only creature in all of God’s creation that was made to reflect God’s glory. If you want to show people what God is like, there is no creature you can look at other than man, with all of his problems. When we look at mankind we can certainly see how far he has fallen because of sin. Yet the truth is still the truth, that man was created a living image of God and was created to reflect His majesty on the earth.

God celebrates life in all its phases and in all its forms, and so should we. All life comes from God, including our own, and we should rejoice in the value of human life.

Do you value life? Do you see your own life as precious and valuable in the eyes of God. What about the life of the unborn child, the elderly, or the mentally or physically disabled?

Everyone is Welcome!

2011-01-18T13:34:00.001-05:00

This past Sunday I talked about COTRM being a church where-

Everyone is Changed
Everyone is Welcome
Everyone is Needed

Certainly each of these characteristics are important for any church.

One of our major focuses as a church that helps us develop each of the above characteristics, is our House Churches. Our House Churches will be resuming this week from their winter break. House Churches are small groups that meet the 1st and 3rd week of each month. Each group is unique and reflects the people who make up the group. If you are not part of a House Church group, let me ask you to consider committing yourself to a group this year. There is something significant that takes place when we gather together as the church on Sunday mornings, but there is an altogether a different dynamic that takes place when we gather together in smaller groups.

Our House Churches are a place where you can meet new people and build lasting relationships, open God’s Word and look deeper into what was discussed during the Sunday sermon, pray for one another, and learn to identify and move in your spiritual gifting. If you would like to talk to someone about our House Churches, please call the church office. In the foyer we have a pamphlet that describes each of our groups. You can also click on the link below which will take you to our website where we also have information posted concerning each of the groups. Please feel free to call any of the House Church leaders to get more information about their groups.

House Churches

Intent to Live

2011-01-11T11:08:00.001-05:00

“But God…made us alive together with Christ…and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” (Eph 2:4-6).

Have you ever taken time to think about the reality of those verses and what they mean for you and me as Christians?

In the Spirit, God has seated us with Him so we can see life as He sees it, from His heavenly perspective. He has and is giving us an eternal picture of this world in which we live.

I believe God is asking us, as His people, to live our lives with intentionality. To view life from an eternal perspective.

This past Sunday I asked the following questions:

“Is there an overriding principle that guides the way I use my time and resources? Are there values that I have adopted that funnel my life in a specific direction or does life just happen and then I respond to it?”

Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained,
But happy is he who keeps the law. Proverbs 29:18 (NASB)

As we looked at Proverbs 29:18, if we do not live our lives from a place of vision and revelation, then we are uncovered and naked. We are exposed to the attacks of the enemy and to the desires of our own flesh.

Those who live their lives with a vision of God’s love and purpose for them will live with restraint. They will bring their lives into alignment with God’s divine order.

May God truly be Lord of our lives and may we live our lives with a sense of eternal purpose. After all, we are seated in heavenly places.

What does it mean to you to be raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places?

Extinguish False Light

2011-01-11T09:46:00.000-05:00

Word Given January 2, 2011 at Church on the Rock Melbourne, FL

By Sandy Hancock

During worship, I began to see a picture. It was a map of the United States.

I heard a voice say, "What do you see, Sandra?"

I said I saw the United States and darkness coming inward from all the borders, converging in the center of the US.

He said, "And so I will extinguish the false light that is guiding America, all the false light that people are using to find a way. I will extinguish the false light."

Then as I looked, the color turned to emerald green. He said, "What do you see now?"

I said, "I see emerald green covering the land."

He said, "It is my jealousy for the people. I am jealous for their affections. I will not tolerate false gods before them. I will bring the false gods down."

And then, in the green, I saw sparkles of light, flecks sometimes alone, and sometimes in groups. Tiny sparkles and the number was steady.

He said, "These are my people who will be bold during the hard time coming. These are the ones whose words will touch others who don't know Me that there is a way for them as well, and who encourage those who do know Me that they must continue."

And then the green turned to blood red.

He said, "Tell me what you see now."
I said, "I see the land covered in red."

He said, "It is the blood of My Son, shed to bring love to the people. Only through the blood can new life come. Only when the people come to the cross and accept the sacrifice can new life come to them. Only through the blood of Christ can they find the peace they seek, the love they must have. Only through the blood and the cross."

So be bold, My people, and be bold to speak when the hard time is here, and people will not have the false light to rely upon, and they will be willing to hear. Be bold and speak about the blood and the cross and what I've done."

Take a Hold of Your Future!

2011-01-04T13:13:00.000-05:00

As we step into a new year I believe we can look forward with hope and expectation. Whether 2010 was a good year or a bad year, an easy year or a hard year, the year 2011 can be a great year.

As it says in Lamentations, the loving kindesses and compassions of God never fail. They are new every morning. God’s heart is for His people and not against them. Well, 2011 is a new day and a new year filled with God ordained opportunities to advance God’s kingdom.

How do we step into those opportunities and the destiny that God has for us in 2011? Paul answers that question in part in Ephesians chapter 5…

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Eph 5:1).

God is calling us to carefully study and examine the life of Jesus Christ, and to ask Him to empower us to live as He lived. Paul goes on in Ephesians 5 and gives us this counsel…

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise making the most of your time, because the days are evil" (Eph 5:15-16).

Take care how you live your live and make the most of the time and resources that God has given you. Use these resources to step into the eternal destiny that God has for you in 2011. Even when faced with adversity we must advance God’s kingdom. Take a hold of faith and reach forward for your eternal purpose and destiny in 2011. God has great things for you!

Christmas is For-giving!

2010-12-21T14:06:00.000-05:00

More so than perhaps any other time of year, Christmas is a time when we think about giving gifts to other people. During the Christmas season we see many acts of kindness and charity. It is a time when we show our appreciation of others through the giving of gifts and the sending of Christmas cards.

The most important gift of all, however, is the gift that God gave to mankind. Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of the Christ child. In all the glitter and celebration of Christmas, it is sometimes easy to overlook the significance the the event that is central to the season.

What is Christmas about?

Christmas is about salvation. Speaking about Mary the mother of Jesus, the Bible says in Matthew 1:12 …

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Jesus was born to save us from our sins.

Christmas is about deliverance. Looking at Luke 4:18, Jesus said …

THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED.

Jesus came to set us free from sin, sickness, and the oppression of the enemy.

Christmas is about eternity. In Romans 6:23, it says …

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus was born to die so you and I could live forever with God.

Christmas is a time for-giving. God gave to us His love in the form of His only Son, Jesus Christ, so our sins could be forgiven and we could enjoy all the benefits of eternal life.

That is worth celebrating!

From the Pastors, Elders, and Staff of COTRM ...

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Blog

2010-12-17T09:27:00.000-05:00

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." (Mat 1:23)

God dwelling with man, walking among us, sharing every aspect of humanity. It’s easy to take this profound truth for granted after 2000 years, but we should never lose our amazement over this. Imagine the apostles and religious leaders trying to process something that had never happened before in the history of mankind. This is what we celebrate at Christmas, the day that split history, the day God came to live with His creation.

Jesus takes it a step further when He tells the apostles that He has to go so that they can have something even better than God with us; God in us! (John 16:7) Incredible! So as you enjoy all the lights and glory of Christmas, let it remind you that because we have Christ in us, we continually hope for His glory revealed through us. (Col 1:27)

We also hope in the promise of His return, when He will be in us and with us, the Righteous King ruling the earth with justice. I can’t even imagine how awesome this will be. But as I anticipate the fresh start of a coming new year, I can rejoice in the certain promise of a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Pe 3:13)

Happy Holydays! (misspelling intended)

The Gift of Giving and Forgiving

2010-12-14T10:46:00.000-05:00

I hope you are enjoying this wonderful time of year. The birth of the Christ child is a great cause for celebration. Christmas is a fun time for many, particularly for children who enjoy all the festivities, Christmas decorations, and especially the anticipation of receiving gifts on Christmas morning.

I believe that we have been richly blessed as a nation and as a church. This past year we had the privilege of supporting a number of local ministries, such as Pregnancy Resources, Love INC, Hope Ministries, and Special Gathering. We also had the honor of contributing to several oversees ministries like Fisher of Mens Ministries in Haiti, a missionary in Israel with Operation Mobilization, and our very own Chris Schoff in Guatemala. It is your faithfulness throughout this past year that has made this all possible. Thank you for your very generous support.

This past Sunday I started a Christmas series entitled, “Christmas is For-giving.” As I mentioned Christmas is a fun time for many, but for others it can be a very trying and difficult season. Sunday we looked at the incredible gift of forgiveness that God has graciously given to us. As we look at the Bible we understand that the Christ child was born to die. He died both for the forgiveness of our sins, and so we could forgive others as God has forgiven us. There is certainly no greater gift that we can give this year to someone, than the gift of forgiveness.

Another blessing we have as a church is that we have no debt. “We owe no man nothing,” so to speak. When we do use credit cards we use them for convenience and pay them off each month. We are however, running significantly behind our budget for the year. This means that our income has been below what we budgeted for ministry. In the short term we have been able to draw from savings to make up for the deficit. In the long term this will become a more serious problem. As I have prayed and thought about this I believe God has challenged me to believe for and pray that we would end up the year in the black against budget. This would put us on a good financial footing for entering into 2011. Please pray and agree with me that this would become a reality. Also please ask the Lord how you might be able to participate. Perhaps you would consider an end of year offering to help us meet our goal? I believe God is going to bless us as we look towards him in this matter and are willing to sacrifice for the building of His Kingdom here on earth. I do not believe God is calling us to draw back, but to advance in ministry. We serve a Mighty God of hope.

From the Pastors, Elders, and Staff of COTRM, thank you very much for your faithful support. May God richly bless you during this Christmas season.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas,
Pastor Gary

Filled With Gold Bars

2010-12-07T12:36:00.002-05:00

At our December MyHop meeting we were praying that the faith of God’s people would prevail in the middle of financial adversity. During our time of prayer and intercession the Lord gave Kim Nicholas, from Our Father’s House, a prophetic picture. She saw a picture of a jeep completely filled up on the inside with gold bars. As you looked through the windows of the jeep all you could see was the gold that was inside.

In the natural gold speaks of provision. A jeep full of gold bars would certainly meet our need and more. In the spiritual, gold speaks of God’s glory. Again, there would be an ample supply of God’s glory. The jeep itself is a vehicle built for rough terrain.

Kim felt the Lord was saying that there would be a rough ride ahead in the natural. There would be trying times that we would go through as a nation and as a people. However, there would be ample provision for our earthly needs as well as an abundant supply of Gods’ glory to take us through any and all circumstance that we might face.

As Paul said in Philippians…

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19).

Whatever difficulties we might face, we can be assured that there is no limit to Gods’ supply. He will meet all of our needs “according to His riches in glory.”

The Psalmist writes in Psalm 115:11:

“You who fear the Lord trust in the Lord;

He is their help and their shield.”

Today God is our help and shield just like He was when the Psalmist penned these verses. The Psalmist goes on and in Psalm 115;13 he says:

“He will bless those who fear the Lord,

The small together with the great.”

God is revealing His heart towards us so we can be strong in the days ahead.

Have you been able to put your full trust and confidence in the Lord?

Do you see God, in everyday life’s circumstances as your “help” and your “shield”?

God Is Good!

2010-11-30T10:35:00.000-05:00

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This can be a very busy time of year, and yet as we draw near to Christmas it is a wonderful time to remember the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I hope you are part of one of our House Churches. This is the season when many of them gather together for Christmas dinners and parties. You can check out our House Churches on our website just click on the Connect button on our home page.

God has been so good to us this past year. I am very thankful for the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of many people, our involvement with local ministries like Love INC, and Pregnancy Resources, and the blessing of being able to support mission works in Guatemala, Haiti, and other places around the world.

Let me ask you to consider making an end of year donation to God’s work at COTRM. As I have said the past couple Sundays, we have been running behind on our budget.

I do not believe God is calling us to draw back from ministry, but to advance. Help us end the year on a strong financial footing that will allow us to mightily advance God’s Kingdom in 2011.

You can now make donations on our website using your credit card. Simply click on About Us on our website and then click on Donate on the drop down menu. (We do not encourage the use of credit cards to increase debt, but rather as a financial tool).

Again, thank you very much for your support.

What can you do this week to advance God’s Kingdom?

Have a wonderful week,

2010-11-16T11:40:00.002-05:00

Faith Declared!

King David, older in years, is experiencing a difficult season in his life. What does He do? He declares his faith. God is calling us to declare our faith as well, TODAY!

David experienced many times of great success and prosperity in his life, as well as some very difficult seasons of time. In Psalm 71 he is in the middle of one of those difficult seasons and the cry of his heart is, God, “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails” (Psa 71:9). In response to this difficult time, how does he “fight the good fight of faith?” He publicly declares his faith and confidence in God-

my mouth is filled with your praise and glory
my mouth will tell of your righteousness and your salvation
I will speak of your mighty deeds
I will declare your wondrous deeds
I will not cease to declare your strength and your power to this generation
my tongue will utter your righteousness

Over and over again David speaks the life of God into his life circumstances by declaring truth about God.

In morning prayer recently someone prayed a prayer for COTRM that I felt was prophetic in nature. They declared that there would be

-standing room only on the inside of the building and parking attendants on the outside
-full hotels, restaurants overflowing, people flooding into the area, because of what God is doing
-the number of people being saved and healed on our sign each weekend

As David declared the goodness of God over his situation, I believe we can in faith declare the above to be true over our situation. Please pray with me that God would move mightily and that the above prayer would become a reality for COTRM and for the churches in this area.

May we, along with King David, declare the wondrous works of God.

Verbalize your faith TODAY,

He Gave Them Power and Authority

2010-11-09T11:23:00.000-05:00

At early morning prayer this morning, someone prayed and asked God to release His anointing so that every person at COTRM would become a “life-giving stone.”

In light of the Word that God spoke to us this Sunday, I believe God wants us to understand the supernatural element of the Church and our walk with God. When the two disciples were talking among themselves on the way to Emmaus, the referred to Jesus as “a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people” (Luke 24:19). Jesus not only preached the Word of God, He demonstrated the power of God through the works of the Holy Spirit.

When Jesus commissioned His disciples the Bible says that He, “gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing” (Luke 9:1-2). God is just as much at work in His Church today as He was 2000 years ago. Some of the last words that Jesus spoke to His disciples are recorded in the first chapter of Acts. Just before Jesus ascended to be with the Father, Jesus told His disciples that they, “will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth" (Act 1:8).
As a church, let me encourage us to pray and ask God to give us a fresh revelation of His power so we can take the Gospel to our world, as the early church did. Ask God to take us past the point of seeking blessings for ourselves and to take us to that place where He can use us to reach the world with the message of the Kingdom of God. As Jesus was, may we be known as the people of God who are, “mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people.”

This past Sunday I challenged the church to memorize Mark 16:17-18. As we spend time reading, meditating, and memorizing these verses, I believe it will build our faith:

Mark 16:17-18

7 "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;

18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." NASU

The above verses are from the New American Standard Bible. Please feel free to memorize these verses in whatever translation of the Bible you use regularly.

As I said Sunday, to do what Jesus did, we must get what Jesus had. May we learn to trust less in ourselves and more in the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit.

Urgent Call!

2010-11-02T10:22:00.002-04:00

For many today their religion has become little more than a consumer preference. What about your faith?

When Saul had an encounter with the Holy Spirit on the Road to Damascus he knew that his life had been changed forever. The transformation that he experienced was not just a preference, but a new life and a new way of living.

Immediately after this encounter, Saul began to “proclaim Jesus” (Acts 9:20). He recognized urgency in God’s call on his life.

When Jesus called Peter and Andrew and James and John to follow Him, the Bible says that they “immediately” left what they were doing to follow Him. There was an urgency that these men recognized in Jesus’ call on their lives.

Jesus is calling His people today and there is the urgency in His call as there was 2000 years ago. In 1 Peter 3:20 it says that “the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah during the construction of the ark.” God was patient because He did not want any man to perish. Yet the flood still came and many were caught by surprise and drowned.

God’s heart is still that none would perish but He is not going to wait forever.

Do we hear Jesus saying, “Follow Me!” and the urgency in His voice?

Not For You

2010-10-25T09:20:00.000-04:00

We know that God gives gifts of the Spirit to his followers. I wonder if because they’re called gifts and not commanded activities, and because they’re personal, we sometimes view them as optional. Maybe you feel blessed, content; you don’t need any more gifts. The problem is they’re not for you.

Ephesians 4:11-12 tells us that God gave the gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. It doesn’t say He gave men these gifts, but that He gave gifted men as a gift to the church to build it up. Leaders are gifts from God to the church, equipping it for ministry. So how does the equipped church minister?

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.” (1 Cor 12:7) The church ministers by the gifts of the Spirit in individuals for others. They’re not optional for a true disciple because they’re not for us. We’re just God’s spiritual delivery men and women bringing desperately needed gifts. You carry someone’s gift from God. What an awesome privilege and responsibility.

Now here’s your homework. Personalize 1 Cor 14:1 and make it your prayer. By the way, the Greek word for “desire” in this verse is very strong. I don’t think you can want His gifts too much.

God is Faithful!

2010-10-19T10:32:00.000-04:00

During the past 19 days of our church fast it has been an honor to pray specifically over the needs of the people of Church on the Rock. Many of our families are struggling with difficult issues. From the need for finances, to physical healing, from the restoration of marriages to the salvation of family members.

It has been very encouraging to see people cry out to their God during this season of prayer and fasting. From the very first day of our fast, God was answering the prayers of His people. There are many testimonies that are coming forth.

Testimonies concerning –

Physical healings
A sense of God’s presence
Provision for housing
Thankfulness of God’s love

I am confident God is going to continue to answer prayers as we complete our fast this coming Thursday. There is much room for celebration and the expression of thanksgiving for the goodness and faithfulness of our God.

May God continue to bless you and your family during the last few days of our fast!

As David said in Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction,
out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock
making my footsteps firm.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
and will trust in the Lord.

Miracles for Families

2010-10-05T10:57:00.000-04:00

I want to thank everyone who placed their prayer requests at the foot of the cross on Sunday. God is indeed doing wonderful things in our congregation. As I reviewed the prayer requests and prayed over them with a number of our intercessors, I could hear the cry of people’s hearts for their families and friends. Please join with us as we pray for the needs of our congregation. Pray for the restoration of marriages, healing, jobs, finances, the restoration of prodigals, and so much more.

The Bible is very clear, God hears and responds to the prayers of His people. Thank you for your participation in this season of prayer and fasting. As we continue to pray for the needs of our congregation, I believe we are going to see prayers answered and miracles take place.

To God be the glory!

“And may God supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him” (1 John 5:14-15).

May God bless you and your family during this season of prayer and fasting.

Click here for prayer and fasting details.

Feasible Fast

2010-09-28T14:03:00.001-04:00

Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, was facing the attack of a large and well equipped enemy. In 2 Chronicles 20:3, it says that Jehoshaphat “was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”

Have you ever felt afraid or so overwhelmed with life that you did not know what to do or where to turn? It was just such a time in Jehoshaphat’s life. What did he do? He “turned his attention to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast.”

As a nation we are facing some very difficult times. Morally and financially we are in great trouble. The problems of our nation are directly affecting many families. Many are afraid for the future.

As Jehoshaphat did, it is time to turn our “attention to seek the Lord.” In response to this time of trouble the Elders and Pastors of COTRM are calling for a church-wide season of prayer and fasting.

The Elders are calling the church to a 21 day season of prayer and fasting running from October 1st to October 21st. We are asking everyone in the church who is able to fast up until 12 noon during this season of fasting.

If you have never fasted before, we are encouraging you to participate in this season of prayer and fasting. Fasting until 12 noon each day should be within the reach of every member of the church. If you are on medication or have a physical condition that makes it impossible for you to fast food, then please consider fasting something else in your life such as TV, entertainment, etc.

Above all, we encourage everyone to take extra time to pray during this season.

May God richly bless you and extend His favor toward you during this season.

Click here for prayer targets and corporate prayer times

Faith in My Faith

2010-09-24T12:19:00.000-04:00

Clearly the Bible teaches that faith is required to receive answers to prayer. So have you ever tried to stir up your faith? That’s what I was doing when I had a small revelation. I was trying to increase something in me, thinking that if I had enough faith things would happen. I realized I wasn’t having faith in God. I was having faith in my faith.

This led me to ask, “What does faith look like that is focused on God?” There are lots of verses on faith, but the passages most helpful to me were Hebrews 10:35-39 and Luke 18:1-8. You can read them for yourself, but I’ll summarize my conclusions.

I don’t think true faith is about believing enough so much as believing consistently, long enough, with perseverance and endurance. I think we grow in faith through practice, and that it is inseparable from a life of intimacy with Him through prayer. (Heb 11:6) I think it’s having no confidence in ourselves, but being so confident in Him that when things look bad, like Peter, our attitude is “where else can we go? You have the words of life.”

Our faith is in He Who has proven Himself faithful. We’re either leaning on Him or working on plan B. My faith may be smaller than a mustard seed, but I think it will be enough if I can just direct all of it toward Him.

The Weighty Issues of Life

2010-09-21T10:54:00.000-04:00

The problems that we all face can loom as large, dark clouds in our lives. Yet God holds the weighty issues of life in the palm of His hand.

In the second letter that Paul wrote to his spiritual son, he reminded him that “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim 1:7). As a nation we are facing difficulties that we have not experienced for many years. In the natural we may be facing some great difficulties, but in the spiritual, we are in a season where God is asking us to step up and not step back. As Christians, we must stop looking at what can be seen and start looking at what cannot be seen. What is it that God is speaking to us today? What does the Word of God say concerning who we are in Jesus Christ and the life He has called us to live?

As Pastor Clyde Oliver declared recently:

“Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible.”

Living faith comes out of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Faith sees, believes and receives. As we read and study God’s Word it builds up our faith and our confidence in God’s ability to solve every problem we face. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ” (Rom 10:17).

As Pastor Tim Franklin said recently:

“The Word works for those who work the Word.”

In Hebrews it says that, “the Word of God is living and active…” (Heb 4:12). Jesus Christ is the living Word of God and He indeed holds the weighty issues of life in the palm of His hand. What beams so large to us is small to Him!

Have you taken your problems to God and found comfort? What part has faith and God’s Word played in facing the everyday problems of life?

Love is in the Air

2010-09-10T14:25:00.000-04:00

In the first three weeks of school I’ve heard at least three teachers ask, “How do we get these students to love God more?” I also had one of my students ask me how he could increase his love for God. I gave them all the same answer.

John said, “We love Him because He first loved us.” (I Jn 4:19) This short verse lays out a remarkable spiritual law. The truth is that there is nothing we can do to make ourselves love God more, since our love is a function of His love. None of us choose to love Him so much as we respond to His love for us. And that means there is only one way for our love for Him to increase, by our experiencing more of His love.

What we can do is put ourselves in the place of encounter, seek Him, and set ourselves up to experience His love. We can read the word looking for His love and mercy, and personalize it for ourselves. We can go to Him in worship or prayer asking Him to show us His love. This isn’t selfishness, its open desire for intimacy.

We can also “come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy”, and accept His forgiveness. (Heb 4:16) You’ll find that he who is forgiven much loves much (Lk 7:47).

Trust me, this is the only way, and it’s why practicing these disciplines is so important. Experiencing God’s love changes us.

Who is the Next Generation?

2010-09-07T10:10:00.000-04:00

Sunday I addressed those 25 years old and younger as the next generation to carry the torch of Christianity in our world. But what about those 35 to 45 years old, or even those 45 to 55? Are they chopped liver?

Those 25 years old and younger are definitely an important part of our future. Today we see God raising up some amazing leaders in the Christian world that are pretty young (at least compared to me). However, those 25 to 35 years old, or even those 35 to 45 years old, may be the ones who in reality take the reigns of leadership before those 25 and younger. Each generation has its turn at the helm. Each generation is important. If you are 55 or older then you have a great responsibility to help the next generations become all that God has called them to be. We can only do that if we are also allowing God to make us all that He wants us to be. You cannot pass on mediocrity to the next generation, but you can pass on passion. The next generations are looking for men and women who are passionate about what they believe and are willing to walk in the true reality of what it means to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We all have an important part to play in the scheme of God’s eternal Kingdom. No one and no generation is insignificant. Sunday I laid a challenge at the feet of those 25 years and younger. I would like to extend that challenge to all generations of believers at COTRM.

Someone once said, “Christ is Christianity.” I believe that is true. If you take Christ out of Christianity, then there is no Christian faith. Christianity consist of many principles and truths, but they all come out of He who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Sunday I ended the service with the following Bible verses:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:17-18).

If we want to become like Jesus we must learn to look into His face. How do we do that? The greatest tool that God has given us to know Jesus Christ, who is the exact representation of God the Father, is the Bible. The more we study about Jesus Christ, the greater longing it will produce in our hearts to be like Him. This longing helps to cleanse our hearts from pride and other fleshly desires.

As I challenged those 25 and younger, I want to challenge each generation, regardless of age, to take the next 30 days and read the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Learn to look in the face of Jesus. If you cannot do it in 30 days, then set a goal to do it in 60 days. The point is, set a goal. We will not become like Christ through osmosis.

Let me encourage you to take the challenge. The rewards will be eternal.

What has been your experience in reading the Gospels? What has God shown you or done in your heart as you have read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John?

How Important is it to Pray With Others?

2010-08-31T11:57:00.001-04:00

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul exhorts believers to “pray without ceasing.” Private, personal prayer should be an important discipline in every believers life. But what about gathering together with others to pray? How important is that?

Jesus makes an interesting statement in Matthew:

19 "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.
20 "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." (Mt 18:19-20, NASU)

There is great power when believers gather together, in agreement, for the purpose of prayer. When Peter was released from prison by an angel of God, he went to “the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying” (Act 12:12, NASU). The church had gathered together to pray for Peter’s safety and his release from prison. God heard and honored their repairs. In Acts 1, after the resurrection of the Lord, 120 believers had gathered together in an upper room where they were, “continually devoting themselves to prayer” (Act 1:14, NASU).

The church has always seen corporate prayer as an important part of a believers life.

Let me encourage you to take advantage of one of our corporate prayer opportunities. I have listed them below:

MyHop Meeting Friday, September 3rd, 7PM, at COTRM (1st Friday of each month)
Tuesday Morning Prayer 7-9am at COTRM
Thursday Morning Prayer 7-9am at COTRM
Sunday Morning Prayer 7-9:45am at COTRM

This Friday night COTRM is hosting the monthly MyHop prayer meeting. This is a great opportunity to gather together with Christians from churches around the county to offer up our prayers to God. Along with much time for prayer, there will be great worship and an anointed word.

See you Friday!

A High Calling

2010-08-24T11:44:00.000-04:00

The Greek word translated church in the book of Acts is Ekklesia. The word was used by the Greeks to describe a body of citizens gathered together to discuss the affairs of state.

As Stuart Greaves pointed out Sunday, this is an interesting word for God to choose to describe the church. Throughout the Bible, the church is described as the body of believers gathered together to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ. It is by no means a political entity. However, I believe the role of the church gives far beyond what we realize. As Stuart mentioned Sunday, the church is to be God’s governing body in a city built upon the revelation of Jesus Christ. The church is to be God’s place of government in the earth today.

However, that government will not be established by political agendas but by the prayer and intercession of God’s people. God does want to establish His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

The church of Jesus Christ should be a source of light and truth in any community. It should be a testimony of God’s love and the incredible destiny He has for every person and every nation.

What has the church meant to you? How important is prayer and intercession to the church fulfilling its mission?

A People for God

2010-08-17T15:28:00.001-04:00

I believe that the Body of Christ, God’s Church, is the greatest organization on the earth today. As a local church in Brevard County we are similar to other churches, but we are also unique.

No matter how crazy our nation, or even the world gets, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ must never give up. As the people of God we are called to “stand in the gap” and pray for the healing of our society through prayer and intercession. God is calling us to be a people who believe that we “can do all things through Him (Jesus Christ) who strengthens” us (Philippians 4:13).

Believing that everything is possible with God, we are not naive about life, but neither will we allow ourselves to become cynical. As the Church we must seek God and ask for understanding concerning what He is doing in the earth today and how we can be a part of the solution. We have an incredible call on our shared life together. As we stand together in unity and intercede on behalf of the church, our community, and our nation, we can make a significant impact. There is great power in coming together in agreement with God and one another, and praying for a particular situation. Together we can be the house of God, a place where people can experience the life, power, and presence of God, grow in their understanding of truth and reality, and step into their individual call. Our walk with God is much more than going to heaven. God has us here for a reason. Together we can make an eternal difference.

What does the church mean to you? What can we accomplish together that we cannot accomplish separately? Have you experienced the power of the church praying together?

John 15

2010-08-13T10:38:00.000-04:00

I love the first few verses of John 15 about abiding in Jesus. Basically He says that it’s the only way we’ll bear any fruit. In verse 9 He tells us He loves us just as much as the Father loves Him (wow!), and that we should stay in His love. Works for me.

But then in verse 10 he says if we keep His commandments we’ll stay in His love. Are you thinking, “I knew it, He does love me less when I break His commandments.” Well hold on, because I don’t think that’s what He means.

First of all, that would violate Romans 8:38-39, that tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God. But that verse also tells us that love is found in Christ Jesus. So we’re back to abiding in Him. Could it be that while breaking His commandments doesn’t change His love for us, it does take us out of the position of experiencing that love because we’re voluntarily “stepping out” of Jesus?

It makes sense in context with the next verse. If I can paraphrase verse 11, He’s saying, “I want you to stay in Me so you’ll have joy.” We need to stay in Him because that’s where the love and joy is, not in the enticements that cause us to break His commandments. And the good news is if we do step out, we can step right back in by repenting, and His love is there waiting for us.

Why Do We Fast?

2010-08-12T10:20:00.003-04:00

As I fast it is helpful to know others have joined me in this commitment. I don’t like fasting; it isn’t easy, and I’m not always successful in my attempts, so I really appreciate your willingness to make such a sacrifice. That being said, why are we doing this? What does it accomplish? We can fast just because the Bible says to, and accept by faith there are some intangible spiritual benefits, but that doesn’t motivate me much. The Bible does give us some clues that I hope will encourage you.

As we look at a few verses, keep in mind the Bible links fasting with prayer. It is assumed that both are working together in these passages.

Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. (Mat 9:14-15)

Jesus equates fasting with mourning, and specifically mourning His absence. Fasting expresses our longing for Jesus just rule in the earth, our lamentation over sin and darkness that oppresses His creation. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”. When we pray with fasting, we’re partnering with Jesus, the great intercessor, who continually makes intercession for us. (Rom 8:34, Heb 7:25) We enter into mourning over the things that concern Him, and receive the comfort of intimacy with Him.

Contrast this attitude with the one we see in the world, both before God judged the earth with a flood, and again before His second coming to judge the earth again.

But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (Mat 24:37-39)

In the last days the world will be satisfying their physical desires, unaware of what’s coming, but the church will be fasting and praying “come Lord Jesus”, longing for Christ’s righteous reign. Fasting is a cry for justice.

In John chapter four, where Jesus meets the woman at the well, He tells His disciples His “food” is to do God’s will and finish the work. He was choosing to focus on the eternal over the merely earthly.

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom 14:17) When we fast, we’re voluntarily choosing the surpassing pleasures of the Kingdom. Fasting is a cry for the manifestation of the Kingdom. Above all, returning to the first passage we read, fasting is a cry for the presence of Jesus, longing for the one we love!

Am I Proud of God?

2010-08-10T11:58:00.000-04:00

I read an interesting verse this past week about Jehoshaphat, King of Judah. When Jehoshaphat became King, God was with him because he, “sought the God of his father, followed His commandments, and did not act as Israel did” (2 Chronicles 17:4). Then in verse 6, it says this...

“He took great pride in the ways of the Lord and again removed the high places and the Asherim from Judah.”

The word pride can mean to be haughty, but in the Greek it can also mean “to soar.” In his heart Jehoshaphat greatly exalted God. As a result of his zeal and excitement about God, he went through the land of Judah and removed the “high places and the Asherim.” In other words he removed the the works and objects of idolatry. He wanted people to worship the one true God and set aside all their other gods and objects that they put their trust in.

I want my heart to be like Jehoshaphat’s, filled with “great pride in the ways of the Lord,” such that I am willing to remove those “high places” in my own heart. To tear down those things that I hold more dear than God, to put aside those things that I put my trust in before I trust in God. I want to see God as plan A, where there is no plan B.

Asa, Jehoshaphat’s father, when faced with war, “relied on the King of Aram” instead of looking to the Lord for deliverance. When his body was sick with disease he “did not seek the Lord, but the physicians” (2 Chronicles 17:7, 12). I do not believe the Bible is telling us not to go to doctors, but it is warning us that whatever we are dealing with in life, we need to turn first to God for our deliverance.

Jehoshaphat “took great pride in the ways of the Lord.” How about you? What does it mean to put God first in everything, even those things that we find scary? How have you looked to God first?

Do You Believe in Ghosts?

2010-08-03T12:21:00.001-04:00

This past Sunday we finished up our series on the Supernatural. Perhaps one last question to address would be the existence or non-existence of ghosts. When people say they have had a ghostly encounter, what is it that they actually experienced?

Many people are fascinated by tales of the supernatural and the idea of ghosts. What is a ghost? It is generally agreed that a ghost is the spirit of a dead person that lingers behind on the earth.

Sometimes you can see them and sometimes they are invisible.

There have been many TV programs and movies that deal with the existence of ghosts as if they were real. Do they exist? Are they real? Even the disciples mistook Jesus for a ghost when he came walking across the water (Mark 6:49).

The one true source concerning the reality of ghosts is God’s Word, the Bible. After all, God is Lord over both the natural and the supernatural world. The Bible never indicates that a person’s spirit lingers on the earth after they have passed away. In 2 Corinthians 5:8, Paul talks about preferring to be “absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” We have another picture of this in Luke 16:22-23, where a poor man dies and is carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom and a rich man dies and finds himself in hades. The implication being that both men, once they died, found themselves either with God or in hell.

The Bible does, however, affirm the existence of supernatural beings. In Mark 5:2-15 Jesus encounters a man inhabited by a multitude of unclean spirits. There are a number of other times in the Bible where people are oppressed or inhabited by demonic spirits. Demons are supernatural, but they are not God. They are opposed to God and His purposes and will do anything to deceive people.

In light of this I believe that ghost sitings are either something people have imagined, or else they are demons. Paul the Apostle gives us this warning in 1 Timothy 4:1, “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.”

One last verse to consider, Hebrews 1:27, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes the judgment.” Do you believe in ghosts? It is important that we have an accurate understanding of these matters and the Bible is our only real source for those answers.

(adapted from an article, “Do You Believe in Ghosts,” by Rick Barry, Answers Magazine, July-Sept 2010)

Back to School

2010-07-30T13:48:00.002-04:00

I’m back in the classroom Monday. I enjoyed a little rest over the summer, but I have to say I’m excited about getting back to teaching. I look forward to both the opportunity to help my students learn math as well as the ministry opportunities that are sure to present themselves. In contrast, I’m fairly certain that none of my students are excited about school starting back up, particularly math.

I wonder if it’s like that with God. Does He get excited about all of the life experiences He’s taking us through, knowing that we’re learning, and that He is getting opportunities to minister to us? It’s pretty clear many of my students don’t really grasp the value of their current learning experience. Are we similarly ignorant?

You should give that some thought. Consider it homework.

What Will Your Epitaph Say?

2010-07-27T10:31:00.002-04:00

Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, became King of Judah after his father passed away. Rehoboam did evil in the eyes of God. I doubt seriously that he set out with that intention, but that was his epitaph written in the Bible for all to read for generations to come. How did he get there?

Solomon was a great king and experienced an extended time of peace in the land of Israel. However things did not go so well for his son Rehoboam. The nation was divided and Judah was constantly at war with their brothers in Israel. There were times in his life that Rehoboam humbled himself before God, but in the end, his testimony was that he “did evil.”

Does the Bible give us any clue as to how Rehoboam ended up with such a horrible testimony at the end of his life? We gain some interesting insight into Rehoboam’s life that we can learn from in 2 Chronicles 12:14. Here it says that Rehoboam, “did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.”

What can we take away from this verse? If we do not exert effort to seek God and make Him first in our lives, something will always fill that void. That something will at best be indifferent towards those things that matter to God, and most likely will end up in opposition to what is good and righteous in God’s eyes. I do not believe Rehoboam intended to go in the direction he did, but by not pursuing God with all his heart, that is where he ended up. Nature abhors a vacuum, and I believe the same is true in the spiritual realm. If we do not fill our lives with God and His purposes, something else will move into to that place and we will find ourselves where we never intended to go.

What would you like written for your epitaph? What would you like people to remember about your life and the way you lived?

No Fear

2010-07-20T13:56:00.000-04:00

Political Correctness, Multicultural Sensitivity, Inclusiveness; how do these terms make you feel? The world would tell us these are positive concepts we need to embrace, but the Bible tells us the world is under the sway of the wicked one. (1 John 5:19) I say these are euphemisms the devil uses to hide his intimidation campaign. He uses fear to keep the church from speaking out.

I’m not saying we need to be rude or insensitive. I’m saying we have to quit being timid. We’re the ones with answers, not the world. We should never be afraid to speak the truth as long as we’re doing it in love. (Eph 4:15) That’s being salt and light in a dark, decaying world.

Feeling intimidated by the “threats” of the world? Meditate on Psalm 27:1, 2 Timothy 1:7, and 1 John 4:18. Pray for a revelation of God’s greatness, and His great love toward you. The world can’t carry out half what it threatens unless we just give in.

I’m praying the same prayer for the church that the apostles did when it was birthed. "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." (Acts 4:29-30)

As Righteous as God

2010-07-02T11:20:00.000-04:00

Most of us are probably familiar with 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 that says we’re ambassadors bringing God’s message of reconciliation, but the truly amazing part is the actual message we’re to give that’s spelled out in verse 21. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Do we realize what this verse is saying, what an incredible message we have to deliver? God wants to trade His righteousness for your sin. What a deal!
Let me tell you a story to illustrate just how powerful this is. You’ve probably prayed Isaiah 54:17 before, “no weapon formed against me shall prosper...” I was in a situation where I could actually feel the demonic oppression coming against a friend and me as we were interceding over an area of the city. So I prayed Isaiah 54:17, but I prayed it all the way to the end, finishing with “God declares my righteousness”. (Yes, that’s what it says. Look it up.) The oppression immediately ceased. Why? Because I’d claimed my righteousness from God, which meant the enemy had no legal right to me. And what’s more, since I’d pointed out that God said it, if that devil wanted to argue the point, he’d have to take it up with God.

It still blows my mind, and feels impossibly unjust and wrong, but as long as we’re “in Him”, we are the righteousness of God. He is so incredibly merciful, loving and good!

The Upside of Down

2010-06-29T15:49:00.000-04:00

Many today are experiencing difficulties or trials. Why? What do they mean? How do we respond to them?

I have been reading The Upside of Down by Joseph M. Stowell. The subtitle of the book is Finding Hope When it Hurts. These are difficult times for many. The trials that we experience can challenge our faith and our understanding of God. Regardless of where difficulties might come from, we know that God is fully in control of our lives. In general, we understand that pain can help us to grow spiritually and reveal in our lives the glory of God.

In the book of Genesis, God asked Abraham to take his only son, Isaac, up to a mountain and sacrifice him. Isaac was the son that God gave to Abraham and Sarah when their bodies were old and past the age of child-bearing. This son was a gift from God.

Child-sacrifice is difficult for us to understand and is certainly repulsive. I do not believe God is in any way in favor of child-sacrifice. Abraham lived in the land of Canaan where the people sacrificed their children to God. Sacrificing a child was the way that these people demonstrated their devotion to their god.

When we talk about our love and devotion to God, we sometimes ask the question, "Do we love the Giver more than the gift?" This story of Abraham helps to bring significance to this question. Isaac was definitely a gift from God. The son of his old age, truly a miracle child. Abraham loved Isaac, and yet he was faced with the challenge from God, "Who do you love more, the gift I have given you, or Me, the giver of the gift?"

God stopped Abraham at the very last moment from sacrificing his son. It was clear that Abraham truly loved the Giver more than the gift. This trial that God allowed Abraham to experience revealed what was truly in Abraham's heart and brought glory to God.

It is easy to say, "I love God more than the things He has given me," but how do we respond when these things are taken away? I want to be among those who love the Giver more than the gift. This can be difficult at times since it is easy to get attached to the blessings of God.

My prayer is that God would help us enjoy His blessings, but above all, love Him with all that we have.

Float Like a Butterfly!

2010-06-22T12:18:00.000-04:00

Mohammed Ali would often say, “Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” As a result many considered him to be an arrogant man.

Whether Mohammed Ali was arrogant or not, I do not know. I believe, however, when he went into the ring he went in with the attitude that he was going to win and not lose. Mohammed Ali did not become the great fighter he was in the ring, he became the best he could be during his many hours of preparation and practice.

When Jesus went into the wilderness to face the temptations of the enemy he did not go there to lose, He went there to win and be an overcomer. When He encountered the enemy He had prepared His heart and mind with the Word of God. He countered the temptations of the enemy by quoting the Word of God. He resisted the lies with truth.

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom8:29).

You and I have been pre-destined to be like Jesus. God is not looking for any to perish, but for all to be successful like Jesus was! The Bible says that Jesus, “kept increasing in wisdom and statue” (Luke 2:52). God is calling us and enabling us to increase in wisdom and stature so we can fulfill God’s eternal destiny for our lives. We have been pre-destined to be successful like Jesus was.

I like what Bill Basansky says, “God is preparing us for what He has prepared us for.” We are being prepared on a daily basis to be the men and women God has called us to be.

Mohammed Ali went into the ring to win. Jesus Christ went into the wilderness knowing He would face a battle, but He went into win, not to lose. We are pre-destined to be “conformed” to the image of Jesus Christ. We are called to win and not to lose, to be successful as Jesus was.

As Mohammed Ali said, “Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” You and I are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. Get in the “ring” and win the fight!

Too Busy To...

2010-06-17T10:53:00.000-04:00

Life just keeps getting busier. It seems every few months Rachel and I have to re-evaluate and prioritize how we’re spending our time. And all the technology that is supposed to increase efficiency just adds things we can do, making our lives even busier. I wonder how frenetic the pace of our lives would appear to someone of an earlier generation. I fear we’ve acclimated gradually without realizing what we’re sacrificing. And I suspect this isn’t just natural progression, but part of a sinister plot.

Afraid I’ve become a weird conspiracy theorist? Well don’t get me wrong. I love technology as much as the next guy, and see its value toward advancing God’s kingdom. The question is, are we using these tools, or being controlled by them?

The book of Daniel finishes with a description of the End Times, and one line has always stood out to me. “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” (Dan 12:4) This statement is a little cryptic, so I won’t be dogmatic, but I think part of the enemies plan is just to keep us too busy to focus on the truly important things in our lives.

If I’m right, the End Time Church must resist being swept away with the pace of the world, because when we’re too busy, the first thing we sacrifice is usually our intimacy with God.

So have you evaluated how you’re spending your time lately?

How Big is Your Sword?

2010-06-15T15:08:00.002-04:00

This past Sunday we talked about the spiritual battle that is raging around us between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. How does this battle affect our lives?

The Bible is very clear that we have a very real spirited enemy who is out to destroy the people of God. As we looked at Sunday, Satan tries to:

blind our minds to the truth,
steal God's Word from our heart,
trap us to do his will, and
hinder us from fulfilling God's purposes.

However, we understand from scripture that:

We have overcome by the blood of the lamb,
greater is He who is in me than who is in the world,
God's plans are to give me a hope and a future, and
He is working out all things for good to those who love God.

As we looked at the spiritual armor and weapons God has given us, two stood out to me:

1. pray at all times in the Spirit and
2. the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God)

I was struck with the reality that I will never be able to wield the sword the way Jesus did in the wilderness, if I do not know God's Word. That will only come as I prayerfully read and study the Bible. If I choose not to read God's word my sword will be no more than a small dagger.

Let me encourage you to make regular reading of the Word of God and prayer an important part of your life.
Consider joining our Bible Reading accountability group by clicking here.

Trade your dagger for a full length sword and be prepared to stand firm against the attacks of the enemy.

You Are Mistaken

2010-06-08T15:27:00.000-04:00

Many today believe that there is NO life after death. They do not believe in either Jesus resurrection or the resurrection of men when they die. In their mind or belief system “what you see is what you get.” Once man dies he is gone forever.

This idea is not new. Back in Jesus day there were some religious leaders who did not believe in the resurrection or life after death. To them when they died, it was all over, the lights go out, and that is the end of man. What was Jesus response to them?

Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?” Mark 12:24

As I read that, there was an immediate cry in my heart. I do not want to stand in the presence of God and have Him say to me, “Gary, I appreciate all your hard work, but you did not understand the Scriptures or My power.” My prayer at that moment was, “Lord, I ask for wisdom that I might understand both the Scriptures and the Your power.”

The Bible is a powerful tool that the Lord has given to His Church. It opens up to us the very heart and mind of God. As we read and study the Bible we will come to a deeper understanding of the principles of God’s Kingdom. I want to be a man who understands the Scriptures and the power of God. How about you?

Take the Challenge

Great Job Sunday

2010-05-25T15:33:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday was Youth Sunday, but there was no lack of God's presence or spiritual insight into what was said and done.

I want to congratulate the Core Youth Group and every young person that participated in the Sunday Service. The worship was very anointed, the presence of God was obvious, and the words that were shared were challenging. It is exciting to see what God is doing among our youth and young adults. As you see some of our youth this next week, please take some time to commend them for their zeal and pursuit of God. I also want to commend Pastor Matt and Jodi for the wonderful job they are doing with the youth. They both have a real heart for our youth and a desire to see each young person successful in their walk with God. Thank you Pastor Matt and Jodi (and baby Micah).

And Jesus Said, “Come!”

2010-05-25T15:24:00.001-04:00

It is easy in this current season to be fearful and intimidated by any number of situations that we see going on in the world around us. Perhaps you are facing some serious challenges in your own life. I believe Jesus is saying, "Come!"

As we move into the summer months, I do not believe this is a time to drawback out of fear nor to embrace the summer months as the “lazy, crazy days of summer.” Early on in 2010 God gave me several prophetic insights for our Church. As we are now almost half way through this year, it is good to look back and remind ourselves of God's Word so we can walk in faith and embrace all that God has for us as a church and as individuals.

This year is a season of:

1. Opportunity
The year 2010 will be a year with many challenges, but each challenge will bring opportunities with it. Opportunities are conditions favorable for our advancement and success.

2. Preparation
This is a season to make ourselves ready for the days ahead-
study God’s word, pray, fast (live a sermon on the mount lifestyle)
financially- get out of debt, live on less (simplify your lifestyle)
training- classes, certifications, first aid, gardening, improve yourself in some way
lay up provision for yourself and others (not for the purpose of hoarding but blessing)

3. Peace
Is your relationship with God secure? Are you at peace WITH God and do you know the peace OF God. Now is the time to learn to walk in an inner peace. Move beyond constant striving for your own personal salvation and begin to live and die for others (become Kingdom builders).

4. Confidence
God’s provision may not seem sufficient in the moment, but as we obey Him and hold onto Kingdom truths He will always be there for us. Learn to put your trust in God in every area of your life.

As we were praying at early morning prayer today, I felt God was saying that this was a “get out of the boat” season of time. In Matthew chapter 14, the disciples were together in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. They found themselves in the middle of a great storm, “battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary.” As Jesus approached the boat walking on water, ONE disciple out of 12 cried out to Jesus and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” I believe this is a season to cry out to God and ask Him to “command” us to “step out of the boat” so that we move into God's purposes for our lives and for the church in this season in which we live.

Jesus, command us to come to you! Now is the time, this is the season.

Are you ready to ask God to command you to step out of your boat into His Kingdom purposes for your life?

Ask God for wisdom to look through your current challenges and see the divine opportunities that God is calling you to step into.

It’s All Ministry

2010-05-19T15:47:00.000-04:00

Friday is the last day of school, and I made it. I survived a year of teaching high school math.

It’s also time to decide whether or not I’m going to teach another year. It’s definitely a challenge balancing my pastoral responsibilities with teaching, and I really enjoy aspects of both, but it may surprise you how we’re approaching the decision.

First, it’s not just a financial decision, though that’s certainly a factor, and the primary one that initially sent me looking for a second job. And I haven’t assumed that my “calling” as a pastor takes priority over my “job” as a teacher. In fact, it would be fine with me if God said to quit being a pastor and teach full time. (Don’t worry, I don’t think that’s what He’s saying – I’m just making a point.)

My point is that if it’s from God, every job is a calling, and none is more spiritual than another. I’m not just spiritualizing here; we need to learn to think biblically about this.

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Col 3:23-24)

Whatever your job, you work for God, and you’re called to bring the influence of His kingdom there.

And that simplifies the decision process. I just need to know I’m where God wants me for as long as He wants me there. The rest is just details, and those always seem to work out when I get the main decision right.

Sigh! Groan!

2010-05-19T11:30:00.001-04:00

As we talked about this past Sunday, the God of all Creation is interested in us to such a degree that He even hears our sighs and our groans.

Give ear to my words, O LORD, Consider my groaning. (Psalm 5:1)

As you read further in Psalm 5, it is clear that King David is crying out to God with all of his heart. There is great need in his life and he turns to God in prayer for answers. We ended this past Sunday with a thought from Billy Graham-

Heaven is full of answers to prayer for which no one bothered to ask.

Wow! That is a sobering thought. What I have I not prayed about? What have I left in the store house of heaven that God would have made available to me if I had taken time to seek His face?

Prayer is two-way communication to God. Absolutely amazing! You and I have access to the God of Creation. There is no way the average citizen of the United States would be able to pick up a telephone and talk to the President, but you can practice the discipline of prayer and talk to God.

Sunday I put forth a challenge to the church. Are we ready and willing to pray? Certainly there is no better time than the present to learn how to pray and build our relationship with God. The needs around us are great and will only be increasing.

My challenge is this: Are you willing to commit to pray 1/2 hour a day, five days a week. That is a total of 2 1/2 hours of prayer out of a total 168 hours available to us each week. That is less than 1.5% of the time you and I have available every week of our lives.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE!

Sign up now and lets PRAY! (click on TAKE THE CHALLENGE or the word PRAY)

God is waiting for our call.

Have a great day,
Pastor Gary

What Can I Offer God?

2010-05-11T13:51:00.004-04:00

Have you ever wondered what gift to give to someone who seems to have everything?

David poses to us a similar question in Psalm 116:12…
"What can I offer the Lord for all He has done for me?" (NLT)

Has there ever been someone in your life who has done so much for you and blessed you in so many ways that you do not know how you can possible bless them in return? As David considered all that God had done for him, he wondered what he could possibly offer back to God that would be of any value.

In the next verse in Psa 116:13 we find David’s response…
"I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me." (NLT)

David realized that the only thing that he could give back to God was his own devotion and thanksgiving for the incredible salvation that God had given to him. Have we taken time to reflect on all that God has done for us, from the incredible salvation He has given us to the many blessings that he has poured out upon our lives?

What can we give to God in return? Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 that the only true worship we can offer to God is to present to Him our lives as a living sacrifice. In other words, what we can offer to God for all He has done for us is our very lives. “Lord, here I am, how can I serve you? My time and my resources are no longer mine alone, but I present them to you freely and willingly. You have given me this life and I offer it back to you.”

As David goes on to say in Psalm 116:14…
“I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people.”

I believe David was saying that not only in the privacy of his own heart, but in the presence of the church, he would express his thanksgiving to God and his desire to honor God with all of his life.

I pray that God makes us willing, in the same way as David, to present our lives to Him as a living sacrifice.

David was not concerned for what he would have to “give up” for God. He was so aware of God’s blessing and provision for him, that it was a joy to offer his life and His resources in return.

May God give to us the same revelation that David had.

Thank you God for your incredible salvation!

Do You Believe What You Say?

2010-05-04T09:24:00.000-04:00

Every Sunday morning through song, testimonies, prayer, and the teaching of the Word of God, we say that God is just, that He is a God of love, that He heals our diseases, that He is our provider, and that He has a purpose for our lives. But do we believe what we say?

Pastor Mario challenged us this past Sunday when he posed the question, “Do you believe what you say?” Often our actions, our attitudes, and our thoughts speak louder than our words. What do we believe about God? What are we ready to stand-on, to hold-to, to live or die by?

What Pastor Mario was talking about this past Sunday was the importance of each of us having a Christian worldview. Statistics indicate that less than 5% of Americans today possess a biblical worldview. Even among Christians, less than 10% have a clear biblical worldview. So, what does it mean to have a Christian worldview?

Our worldview is how we look at the world. It is our overall perspective from which we understand and interpret the world around us. Our worldview includes what we believe about God, where mankind came from, the purpose for man’s existence, what we believe about life and death, etc. It is our worldview that ultimately determines how we respond to life and life’s situations. I do not think we realize how much of our understanding of life has been affected by our culture and the many philosophies of this age that we are constantly bombarded with.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 2:5, KJV)

The most simplistic definition of a biblical worldview is to have the mind of Christ. That would mean that one would think like Christ; love like Christ; act like Christ; walk like Christ: have the humility, patience, longsuffering and all of the other Galatians 5:22–26 fruits of the Spirit (Clyde F. Autio).

In other words, as we live our lives we respond to life according to the thoughts, ideas, concepts, and principles of truth that we find in the Bible. We allow God and His Word to adjust our thoughts, attitudes, perspective, and response to life. Of course that can only happen if we take time to read, study, and meditate on God’s Word. Only then can we understand how we are to interpret and respond to life from a Christian perspective.

As Pastor Mario said on Sunday, we must learn how to confront the issues of life, not with the patterns of this world, but with the patterns we find in the Bible. We must learn to live and believe that what we say on Sunday morning is true.

What do you say? How much of what you say do you truly believe?

Pastor Mario left us with more last question.

How can our nation be transformed if we are not allowing God to change our perspective and understanding of life?

Focus on the nations

2010-04-27T18:51:00.000-04:00

Pray for the nation and peoples of Bahrain ...

Bahrain is a small island nation between the Qatar peninsula and Saudi Arabia. Though petroleum production and refining make up the majority of its economy, in recent years Bahrain has become an international banking center in the Persian Gulf. More than 50 percent of the labor force is made up of expatriates.

Bahrain is 82.31% Muslim, 10.36% Christian, 6.25% Hindu. The primary ideology is Islam. The Head of State is President King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa.

Bahrain is more open than some of its Persian Gulf neighbors, but freedoms for Christians are carefully restricted. Shariah, or Islamic law, is the official source of law per the constitution. In its Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, the U.S. government reports it is illegal in Bahrain to hold a religious meeting without formal government permission. The Bahraini government currently blocks Christian Web sites. A large percentage of the Sunni and Shi'a population in Bahrain are fundamentalist Muslims. VOM's indigenous contacts report that Christians who share their faith and Muslims who convert to Christianity are persecuted by friends and family. Because of this, many choose to meet secretly. Those who witness openly pay a price.

Christian persecution exists in more than 40 restricted nations today, where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Please pray for these nations and peoples, including the country of Bahrain.

(Persecuted Church Global Report 2010 by The Voice of the Martyrs)

Persecution.com Restricted Nations

Listen!

2010-04-20T20:14:00.002-04:00

In Matthew 17, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on the mountain where He was transformed before them. Moses and Elijah appeared on the mountain with Jesus. The disciples were at a loss as to know what to do, though Peter came up with the idea of building tabernacles for Jesus, Moses and Elijah.

As Peter was presenting his plan, God interrupted him mid-sentence. Of all the profound things God could have said to the disciples, He simply re-affirmed that Jesus was the Son of God and told them to “listen to Him!”

The disciples walked with Jesus every day, they probably slept with Him at night. They heard every sermon He spoke, and yet God felt it necessary to tell them to “listen to Him.”

How much more should we hear the same warning from heaven, “listen to Him.” How do we listen to Jesus today? God speaks to His people in many ways, but certainly foremost is through the pages of the Bible and through prayer. Of course we must set aside time to read and pray if we are going to be able to hear the voice of our Lord.

To listen encompasses the thought of “doing” what Jesus says as well. We must practice the necessary discipline of obedience.

To obey we must listen, to listen is to obey.

If God the Father thought it necessary to remind the disciples of this, who lived with Jesus for a period of three years, should we not hear the same warning from heaven today?

I think we should!

Big or Little

2010-04-13T11:34:00.000-04:00

As I prepared for my Gospel Magic Presentation as my part in the Sunrise Service, I looked for something BIG and VISIBLE. I looked over my past presentations and found something that I performed and lectured with at a Fellowship Of Christian Magician’s Conference in Cedar Rapids in the early 90’s. (See the Pictures on my Facebook under the album Sunrise Service 2010) “God can only get BIG… When I get LITTLE!” The text was from John 3:22-30.

As with all scripture we need to understand a little of what is going on. John the Baptist was baptizing and some of his disciples saw Jesus not far from them with his disciples, and they were baptizing. They were concerned that people were going to Jesus instead of coming to John as they had been. It was here that John began to describe the Bridal Paradigm as we know it.

John said in verse 30, “He must Increase but I must decrease.” John the Baptist is beginning to understand that: He is not the light. John 1:20: He is not the Christ. John 1:21: He is not Elijah and not the prophet. John 1:23: He is just a voice crying in the wilderness. John 1:27: He is not worthy to unstrap Jesus’ sandals. John has humbled himself and exalted Christ .

He begins to understand to live in Christ is to make all of life’s issues around you small issues. That way, Christ can be victorious in your life.

The Attention must go to Jesus.

If you’ve got Financial Issues you get concerned with “I- itis” (Thinking about yourself, woe is me!) If you’ve got health issues, you get “I-itis” again. When you are so focused on what is being done to you, Christ can’t work in the situations!

John is becoming filled with the joy of Christ. See how verse 29 emphasizes John the Baptist’s joy: “The friend [that’s John] of the bridegroom [that’s Jesus], who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.” Those are strong words: “rejoices greatly” and “this joy of mine is not complete.” Great joy. Complete joy.

The Bridegroom is getting all the attention. The cameras are flashing all in that direction. The rice is flying in that direction. The honeymoon is in that direction. And nobody glances back at the silenced voice sitting on the church steps. The voice of the Bridegroom, the voice of the Shepherd, has replaced the voice crying in the wilderness. And in a few months, the sword of Herod will absolutely silence John’s voice (verse 24). And John’s response to this—to this diminishing, this decreasing? This great joy of mine is now complete (verse 29).

I must decrease so He can increase. Have you decreased today?