This morning began a brand new season for the congregation of Kempville Chapel. Today we "break the fast" that we committed to as a unit. I had a pancake for "breakfast" this morning and it was absolutely the finest tasting pancake that I believe I have ever put in my mouth, by the way, the cup of coffee was just "good to the last drop"! For lunch I had nothing, but for dinner this afternoon, hamburger steak, tater tots, and salad, em' em' good! I was speaking with a close minister friend of mine (my best friend actually) this morning about what God has already done in our time of fasting and prayer for a greater move of the Spirit and Salvation coming to those that are lost and he made this comment: "this morning you are having break-fast" in other words, breakfast - the night is over it's time to be replenished. This speaks to those that have been deligently seeking God in giving him the firstfruits of the year (21 days).
As I break-fast today I am still lending an ear to the voice of God and surrendering my all to him because I believe that the benefits, answers, INSTRUCTIONS or whatever you label it, are going to come all year long as well as it has in the 21 days. You see Moses seperated himself for 40 days to get "in the presence of God" not knowing that God would give him the commandments (instructions). We have already seen the mighty hand of God in Salvation to four young people in the last week and a half alone! I'm trusting that we as children of God allow ourselves the opportunity to be changed through prayer and fasting so that our hearts begin to break for the things that break the heart of God. You see some would say that fasting is not important, that they can receive and have prayers answered by just praying and still eating. Well, maybe so, but OH WHAT BENEFITS come to a willing vessel that magnifies the name of the Lord and his wonderous works.
Today's food that I consumed was great, but it doesn't hold a candle to the spiritual nurishment that has been consumed over the past 21 days. I praise the Lord for sustaining me in times of weakness and hunger. I praise the Lord for his guiding hand and I stand on his promise that he will see me through. Wherever the Lord leads me (geographically and spiritually) I want to serve Him!!!! Let us all have break-fast today and be replenished by the hand of God!
Friday, January 22, 2010
8th grade recognition
Absence
Sorry about the absence of posting anything since Monday but we are in the process of getting Blake back to health. He has battled double pneumonia this week, in the process, he is going "stir crazy" and I think that I am about to be in the same boat with him. To God be the glory, he is on the downslide of this sickness. Thank you for your prayers and calls in regards to Blake for his speedy recovery.
I will make another post this afternoon, but I want to release a blessing to you first. We were able to see the hand of God again this past Wed night with another young person receiving Christ into their heart! Salvation is on the rise!!! Praise the Lord for his wonderful grace, mercy, and salvation. I look forward to this coming Sunday morning worship!
Be blessed today is my prayer.
I will make another post this afternoon, but I want to release a blessing to you first. We were able to see the hand of God again this past Wed night with another young person receiving Christ into their heart! Salvation is on the rise!!! Praise the Lord for his wonderful grace, mercy, and salvation. I look forward to this coming Sunday morning worship!
Be blessed today is my prayer.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Weekend Reflections
"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"
2 Corinthians 9:15
I want to give God praise this morning for what he is doing in our church at Kempville Chapel. Yesterday morning we "opened the doors to the church" and accepted two new members and word has it that another one is going to join next Sunday!! Last Sunday (Jan. 10th) there was a young lady Saved in Sunday School and I had the honor to baptize her during the service yesterday and during the baptizing Natalie Jones received Salvation in the fellowship hall of the church! That's not all, last Wed. night Adam Kemp received Salvation after church at his grandparents house and they also had a feet washing before they left!!! I'm looking forward to next Sunday morning as to baptizing Adam and hopefully Natalie and also expecting more to be baptized as we continue to pray for salvation for the lost!!!
God is doing a work as we commit to Him! Praise God for his indescribable gift of salvation and the joy of being a Christian and seeing the hand of God move. I believe that we are beginning to see REVIVAL happen in our church and we are beginning to be "effective and productive" for the Lord!!!! Be blessed today and do something RADICAL for the Lord.
2 Corinthians 9:15
I want to give God praise this morning for what he is doing in our church at Kempville Chapel. Yesterday morning we "opened the doors to the church" and accepted two new members and word has it that another one is going to join next Sunday!! Last Sunday (Jan. 10th) there was a young lady Saved in Sunday School and I had the honor to baptize her during the service yesterday and during the baptizing Natalie Jones received Salvation in the fellowship hall of the church! That's not all, last Wed. night Adam Kemp received Salvation after church at his grandparents house and they also had a feet washing before they left!!! I'm looking forward to next Sunday morning as to baptizing Adam and hopefully Natalie and also expecting more to be baptized as we continue to pray for salvation for the lost!!!
God is doing a work as we commit to Him! Praise God for his indescribable gift of salvation and the joy of being a Christian and seeing the hand of God move. I believe that we are beginning to see REVIVAL happen in our church and we are beginning to be "effective and productive" for the Lord!!!! Be blessed today and do something RADICAL for the Lord.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Effective and Productive
"For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (II Peter 1:8 NIV)
The qualities that Peter was talking about are a very important part of our lives as Christians. It is of the utmost importance that we are among the "rich" when it comes to the blessings of God. What do I mean by "rich"? Peter said to have faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These are characteristics of a true disciple of Jesus Christ and I believe that if we are not practicing these qualities or do not have these qualities in us, we may not be right with God. Yes, this is a bold statement, but I believe that it's time to be BOLD if we are going to win the lost for Jesus and expect to receive blessings from God.
Peter goes on to say that "if anyone does not have them, (qualities) he is near-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins." (v 9) What have we caused in our own lives to seep in and make us blind to the characteristics of being a Christian? In my prayer time I find that I have been blind to some things of God and have had a case of near-sightedness of my own. As I was taking the family dog out this morning I was pondering on some things and I was reminded of the television series Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous made popular by Robin Leach that featured the extravagant lifestyles of wealthy entertainers, athletes and business moguls. I don't know why I thought of this show other than God leading me to this scripture this morning about the qualities of a Christians. Go radical with me just for a moment and imagine Peter doing a TV show in Heaven somewhat like Leach's show but it involved the Children of God! Would you be a featured person on the scroll screen of Heaven with your "qualities and characteristics" being that of what Jesus has set out for you to be? This makes me want to follow the instructions of Peter and "make my calling and election sure to receive a rich welcome into the eternal Kingdom of God." (v 10,11)
For me to be effective and productive, I have to reach for these characteristics of God and live a life that is pleasing to him and then he will make me "rich" with blessings of abundance! Be blessed today!!!!
The qualities that Peter was talking about are a very important part of our lives as Christians. It is of the utmost importance that we are among the "rich" when it comes to the blessings of God. What do I mean by "rich"? Peter said to have faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These are characteristics of a true disciple of Jesus Christ and I believe that if we are not practicing these qualities or do not have these qualities in us, we may not be right with God. Yes, this is a bold statement, but I believe that it's time to be BOLD if we are going to win the lost for Jesus and expect to receive blessings from God.
Peter goes on to say that "if anyone does not have them, (qualities) he is near-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins." (v 9) What have we caused in our own lives to seep in and make us blind to the characteristics of being a Christian? In my prayer time I find that I have been blind to some things of God and have had a case of near-sightedness of my own. As I was taking the family dog out this morning I was pondering on some things and I was reminded of the television series Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous made popular by Robin Leach that featured the extravagant lifestyles of wealthy entertainers, athletes and business moguls. I don't know why I thought of this show other than God leading me to this scripture this morning about the qualities of a Christians. Go radical with me just for a moment and imagine Peter doing a TV show in Heaven somewhat like Leach's show but it involved the Children of God! Would you be a featured person on the scroll screen of Heaven with your "qualities and characteristics" being that of what Jesus has set out for you to be? This makes me want to follow the instructions of Peter and "make my calling and election sure to receive a rich welcome into the eternal Kingdom of God." (v 10,11)
For me to be effective and productive, I have to reach for these characteristics of God and live a life that is pleasing to him and then he will make me "rich" with blessings of abundance! Be blessed today!!!!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Stinkers
Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. (Charles Swindoll)
This quote was taken from my morning devotional and it talked about counting our blessings and the attitude that we must have as Christians. Sometimes I think that our attitudes cause us as individuals to stink, and if we as individuals stink, then the people that are around us are going to stink. I heard it said one time that you can put a person with an awful, rotten, mopey attitude in the room with several happy, enthusiastic people and after a period of time some of those people begin to have a change in their attitude because of the influence of this rotten attitude. Have you noticed how easily influenced that people can be? How are you influencing the people around you, or, are you being influenced by someone else's rotten attitude?
Philippians 4:8 says "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (NIV) If we would do what Paul was saying we will have better attitudes about life, about our home, about our church, about our jobs, about our situations, about everything! Think on the things of God today and let him change your attitude about things. Let's not be stinkers when it comes to being Christlike!
This quote was taken from my morning devotional and it talked about counting our blessings and the attitude that we must have as Christians. Sometimes I think that our attitudes cause us as individuals to stink, and if we as individuals stink, then the people that are around us are going to stink. I heard it said one time that you can put a person with an awful, rotten, mopey attitude in the room with several happy, enthusiastic people and after a period of time some of those people begin to have a change in their attitude because of the influence of this rotten attitude. Have you noticed how easily influenced that people can be? How are you influencing the people around you, or, are you being influenced by someone else's rotten attitude?
Philippians 4:8 says "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (NIV) If we would do what Paul was saying we will have better attitudes about life, about our home, about our church, about our jobs, about our situations, about everything! Think on the things of God today and let him change your attitude about things. Let's not be stinkers when it comes to being Christlike!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Haiti Earthquake
As we pray today the people of Haiti need our prayers desperately. I was watching the news and looking at the Internet coverage of the earthquake and I have a since of urgency to pray for those that have lost loved ones and for those that may still be trapped alive. There is an image on FOX News of a father holding his infant daughter that had been pulled from the rubble and you can see the anguish on his face. Headlines are reporting that bodies are piling up on the streets from this devastating earthquake. Those of us who can not go to them can send prayers to our Heavenly Father in their time of need. Join with me today in prayer for the people of Haiti.
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