11
Jan '21
Behold Your God 3 The Weigth of Majesty Week 3
11
Jan '21
WEEK 3 – LESSON 3
Week 3 Lesson 3 part 1 Outline
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Week 3 Lesson 3 part 2 Student Sheet Outline Click the button –>
Listen to or Watch Lesson 3 Pt 1 & 2 Here–>
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Beginning Thoughts:
“You are a sea without a shore, A sun without a sphere; Your time is now and evermore, Your place is everywhere.” – John Mason
Day 1 – God is without limit! He cannot increase or decrease…He is perfect! All of His attributes are equally unlimited and work in harmony with each other perfectly. That is why the Word can say about God in Romans 8:28 that God causes all things to work together for our good and His glory (for those who love Him and live according to His purposes).
Awe Factor with God: (Day 2)
A new appreciate for Grace is discovered in week 3 as we see a new angle of Grace. God’s Truth (unmovable and set in stone), based on absolute FACT and PERFECTION; combined with God’s Love (unconditional and all-encompassing), expressed ultimately through Jesus, the Christ; the God-Man and Son-of-Man… When all of this is brought harmoniously together –> creates GRACE!
– Without truth, grace would be turned into a sentimentalized religion in which we use God’s love for self-indulgence.
– Without grace, truth would present us with an unbearable reflection of our spiritual pollution and God’s relentless rage against every sin.
God’s grace, His truth followed hard by His love, creates an undeserved favor that is constantly poured out on my life, mind, actions, decisions…even the consequences of my actions are covered by ever refreshing waves of God’s Grace; all because He loves me! All because Jesus died to take the punishment for my failed choices. The reality of the waves or domino effect of my failed choices are overwhelming…but where sin is great, Grace is greater. Where the consequences of my iniquity is overwhelming, Grace overwhelms more!
John 1:17
“For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”
WOW Moment about God: (Day 3 page 59)
When you call upon the living God, you are calling on the same God that Abraham called upon. God has not grown older nor has He changed. No “time” has passed for Him.
Every time you take shelter in God, you are finding refuge in the same God that Moses did. The same God your mom or grandma prayed too; or any significant spiritual mentor that has passed on in your life, you are praying to that same precious Father. He held their hand and He is holding yours too!
This makes me think of those movies or shows where someone shook the hand of someone famous and then did not want to wash their hands. We have been touched by the same God who touched George Washington, Billy Graham, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul…
Definition of Terms: (Day 4)
Repentance: “…turning from our inadequate ideas of God.” (We all often form them).
Faith: “…submitting our minds to God’s self-revelation.” (Pg 60) (God will reveal Himself to anyone who consistently and diligently seeks Him).
Sobering Thought:
During this pandemic, Moses’ situation certainly can give us perspective in God’s provision of unchanging hope, even when we are not seeing it or feeling it now! “Moses was given the awful task of leading a generation of Hebrews in the wilderness until that generation died. These people were faced with a hopeless journey that ended in death. Days, months, and years passed while the land was being filled with their graves. It is easy to see Moses feeling a sense of purposelessness and despair. This is a significant help for us. The Christian life is often overrun with sorrows. Life can at times seem like a relentless march of mundane tasks with little hope of better days here on earth. How do you live with the eternal God at such times?” You run to the same refuge that every man or woman of God has run to: Let God be your Home and Dwelling!
During this pandemic, one of the solutions that has been propagated is “stay home”! That has not worked very well. But when it comes to God: When He is the HOUSE, When He is the Refuge, you are inside an air tight and ETERNALLY solid SAFE PLACE!
Reality Check: (Day 5)
– We looked at in our study how short life is and what a reality this is for us…the greatest and most historical individual organization, nation or movement you can think of in human history is still just “withering grass”.
– Psalm 90:7-8 reveals a reality check for us… Our sins are carried out before God’s very eyes. And since God is not “IN TIME”, He is not just going to be there…He is there. Here is the scary part of what that means:…unrepented sins are not in the past for God, they are ever before Him until we ask for forgiveness and repent! Wow!
A Prayer:
Lord Jesus, please return soon! LORD, as we await Your return, revive Your people in such a way that the joy they have in You will far outweigh the sorrows they have experienced from their lives of compromise. Work Father, in Your Church, in such a manner that the young people will see things about You that they can never forget, no matter how long they live! My hands are inadequate to rescue anyone. But take my weak labors for Your Kingdom and give them purpose for the now and years to come in the spiritual realm. In Jesus powerful name I pray. Amen
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18
Dec '20
Behold your God 2 The weight of Majesty Lesson/Week 2
18
Dec '20
Week Two Student Sheet pt 2 Lesson 2
WEEK 2 – LESSON 2
Bible Gateway is a free website where you can read several different translations of the Holy Bible. You can even set them up parallel to each other if you so desire to compare translations. This is an excellent Bible Study tool.
The Student Study Guide Handout for Week 2 Lesson 2 Part .(Click button)
The Student Study Guide Handout for Week 2 Lesson 2 Part 2.(Click button)
CLICK Banner to Listen to Lesson 2 On Media Page
The Wow Factor – A Beginning thought:
Imagine how frustrating and pointless it would be to live a decade pursuing God and Him reveal Himself to you; And then Him CHANGING ON YOU!??
I started out thinking, okay, this is an easy one. I know God does not change. We are told in Malachi and Revelation etc… and Hebrews 13:8 where it said: “He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
But after Day 1 of Week 2, I am in awe of how important this attribute of God is. So much about God hinges on His Immutability (The God who does NOT change). Just think of His Love…I’m glad He does not Change His unconditional Love for me when I let Him down. I’m glad His Grace and Mercy toward me does not become fatigued as I struggle to grow my roots deeper in His truths.
I agree with the Workbook, “Humanity desperately needs a God who cannot be modified, altered, or adapted.” Page 27
An Amazing Word from God:
As we were digging into this marvelous meal in Malachi, I am moved to Worship and Praise God! Even though God’s people have shifted and turned away from God in different ways through the generations, God has never shifted or turned completely away from His people. “He has freely made promises to them and freely kept those promises.” “Jacobs’s family (God’s people) always changed–But nothing they did, right or wrong, can alter the covenant-faithfulness of God.” When they turn away from Him, His call to come to Him remains firm (like the prodigal son). So when we return to Him, He promises to meet us as we return. He even promises “I will return to you.” – Page 34
What a Wonderful and Faithful God
As a Christian today, God’s plans for you have not changed! “…NO changes in situation–your family, your job, your home,your health, your church, or your nation–can alter these plans” (even a pandemic!). Pg 35
This is such a wonderful promise to consider. I know if you read through these first few days of Lesson 2 and the verses and scriptures, you are encouraged too. If you would like, share in the comments at the bottom of this page what the Lord is speaking to you. Remember others can read it also.
Relevant Truth:
[Book page 39] “This world is not conducive to (does not make it easy for) obedience…the World constantly strives to lure us away from God and into sin. Lies regarding who God is, who we are, and what sin is – relentlessly bombard us. Our enemy seeks to destroy us, and we are susceptible to his lies. Therefore, to live unto God, we must know how to deal with sin’s attraction; we must know how to resist temptation.”
This truth has never been more true this week. As we see the world rapidly changing and moving toward a demonic and Anti-God/anti-christ momentum in a strong way; I am reminded of Psalm 2:4 “God, who sits in the heavens laughs, the LORD scoffs at them.”
Lord help us through this very timely study to see Your strong and steady hand, even in an ever growing dark day. Let us see the contrast that the Psalmist did in Psalm 102 and be impassioned with the contradiction. The condition of mankind vs. Your nature is so stark and even more clear as we see YOU; let it motivate our prayers and our choices!
Word Definition: (day 4 pg 42)
Death, in the context of James 1:15 is talking about “separation from God”. When Adam sinned, he did not die physically immediately, but he was instantly separated from God. This leads to all other forms of “death”. Even ultimately the “second death” in hell. Hell is a bad and awful place mainly because you are cut off from God’s love, protection, life, provisions, and Grace eternally. All the attributes of God that were promised in His faithful love-covenant will be unavailable because the individuals who go there refused to accept God’s Covenant-Love offer. When God said to the “children of Jacob” in Malachi 3:6, you will not be consumed”. It was in the context CONDITION that they receive the Messiah, that is spoken about in verse 1. For the Messenger of the Covenant, Jesus, fulfilled all that God promised and He restored everything. (not just a man made temple, but God’s very own people becoming the Temple of His Holy Spirit.) If not, the implication here is that one day, on Judgment day, the Lord will say instead: Children, you are consumed.
Interesting note: God is described as an “All consuming fire” in Hebrews 12:29 and in Deuteronomy 4:24 and suggested in Matthew 10:28. So I believe that HELL FIRE is a manifestation of God’s presence in the pure form of Wrath…never to be escaped or satisfied. This is just my theory based on these scriptures. Only God knows…but one thing is for sure…it is worse than anything the human mind can imagine or comprehend.
Praise the Lord, we still live in the Dispensation prophesied about in Hosea 11:9b “I will not come to you in Wrath.”
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29
Nov '20
Behold Your God The Weight of Majesty Lesson/Week 1
29
Nov '20
Week 1 – Lesson 1
Bible Gateway is a free website where you can read several different translations of the Holy Bible. You can even set them up parallel to each other if you so desire to compare translations. This is an excellent Bible Study tool.
Click the button to visit this resource.
Once there, Click on the block that says “Select version(s)” to select NASB1995 OR WHATEVER TRANSLATION YOU PREFER.
Listen to the Lessons: Click the Banner:
Student Notes Outline Week 1 (Click on the link to open PDF File and you can print the outline):
Click here to return to the Main Page of this Bible Study,
BEHOLD YOUR GOD WEEK 1
As we navigate through week one’s devotions and Bible Study, we are faced with many reminders of God’s unsearchable and unfathomable characteristics. Together, we are recapturing a healthy view and awe factor for God again. He is so Wonderful (Mysterious) and someONE who fills us with wonder.
Human history with God has gone from understanding His character, so glorious, in words etched in stone; to His character now being revealed in a new way that is so much greater – The Holy Spirit is giving us life and making us right with God! Through Christ, the more we see His glory, the more we are brought inline with GOD. 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 “The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. 11 So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!”
PRAISE THE LORD!
Study Bible:
One thing I learned in my studies and that God has brought me in awe again with is: Exodus 20:5-6 Let me share with you the NLT Study Bible notes: “It is important to keep both sides of this equation together. God does not punish children for their parent’s sins. Rather, He is saying that our sins affect future generations of descendants. But He is also restricting the natural effects of those sins to three or four generations, while GRACIOUSLY EXTENDING the effects of obedience to a thousand generations.”
Wow, did you see that. God is so FAITHFUL in His character that He will limit the effect of sin on generations to come, but will EXTEND and keep pouring out–filling us up with blessings for obedience for 1,000 generations! HOW AMAZING IS OUR GOD!
Lesson Learned:
Okay, so we definitely need to AVOID being “practical agnostics” right? I never want to feel like studying God’s word, to get to Know Him better, is a failed effort! I don’t want to just “USE” God’s word for a Facebook quote or even just to get another sermon. Nor just draw from the same few scriptures that have given me an emotional response from the past (chill bumps etc…) I want a FRESH Word that reveals God! I can’t put Him under a microscope. I can’t calculate Him nor investigate Him…but I can LISTEN to see, hear and feel Him revealed! God gives a REVELATION of HIMSELF to those who want more of HIM.
What impressed me most about Week 1 in the book?
A completely NEW definition of Eternal Life from a different direction. I must admit, I have missed this before! Page 9 John 17:2-3 and 1 John 5:20
Quotes:
“Sin and obedience certainly affect humanity, but these do not GIVE to, nor take from, the essential majesty of God.” page 13
Question: Here is an easy one for many of you: After reading Acts 17:22, on Day 4 page 17, is the goal of our Bible Study, in Beholding our God, to become more religious?
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01
Oct '20
Prayer 31 2020
01
Oct '20
Prayer 31 – Day 31
Jesus, Yeshua. Our Deliverer, salvation and rescuer! We want to be ready when You come for us Lord. In You, Jesus, embodies all that God is and what the Father desires us to be. We surrender all! All to You our blessed Savior! You are worthy of worship and today we magnify Your sweet and powerful name!
Father, in Your Word you have given us a guide for life and have asked us to meditate on Your Word day and night. Place that desire within our hearts. Give us a sincere hunger for Your Word, that we may know You better and know more clearly how You want us to live. Keep us feeding on Your Word, that we may honor You in all we say and do. (Colossians 3:17)
Your Word instructs in Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”
We pray for those who are lost, or on the edge of backsliding. Father, do whatever it takes to bring them home to You. Please help those who are lost to be saved before it is too late. (2 Peter 3:9 NIV)
Lord, we pray for those who are running for public office again. Guide our nation. Protect Your people. Prepare all things according to Your Word and plan and purpose. We pray that each of these men and women will desire the same. In Jesus name!
We pray today for a Great Awakening and Revival in America and for Your Church. We pray for a consistent devotion to You Father and Your Kingdom Work! We pray for a spiritual alertness; avoiding the pitfalls that would lead us away from You! We pray for growth and maturity as Christians and leaders. Thank You for working in our lives, our family, our church and this nation! Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to You God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever! (Ephesians 3:20-21) Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 30
KING of kings! Father, we consciously make You King Now! We will honor You, heed Your voice, obey Your commands, watch Your example and Worship You! We will not wait till every knee is made to bow, we willingly and excitedly bow right now to Your majesty! You are worthy of all praise!
O Lord, let us never forget to praise Your holy name. You are a wonderful God. You are slow to anger and patient, with an unconditional love that has no end. Let us bless You each day and lift up our thanks in praise for the wonderful things You have done for us. May we forever give honor to Your name, for without You we are nothing.
“O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise.” Psalm 51:15
We refuse to be discouraged today. You are the God of all hope. (Psalm 112:7) You have proven Your power by resurrecting Jesus Christ from the dead, and we claim in every way Your victory over all satanic forces against our life, and we reject these forces and rejoice in the Freedom You have provided Lord. Sustain us with Your power! May we remain blameless until You return. (1 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:23)
Father bind the people of Grace Family Fellowship together in Love (Colossians 3:14). Help us as a church to be a Hospital for the broken and the sinner. May our ministries accomplish Your purposes. May our facilities be used to glorify You and disciple others. May our decisions be God honoring and the use of our finances be led of You so that we are good stewards. Provide for Your church and add to it daily (Acts 2:47). Protect our church family from this virus and bring us on the other side of this stronger! We pray all these things with Thanksgiving in our heart; in Jesus strong and mighty name! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 29
Our Great God and Savior, We worship You today! Father, thank You for allowing us to awaken this morning. We approach You first, love You first, and give You our day. You are so worthy of praise! Inhabit our praise today Father and fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Speak to us today Lord and show us Your way. We are Your children and the sheep of Your pasture. Lead us today Lord, we are the remnant that believe in You and follow hard after You!
Lord, our nation needs Your guidance and direction. Give leaders of this nation the wisdom to make decisions that will honor You. We pray fervently for peace both here and abroad. Let us live with reverence for You and with peace in our hearts for our fellow man. May we always remember that You are our God and Savior!
“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 9 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance.” 1 Timothy 4:8-9
We pray for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands today. Father bless these areas and sweep over these lands with revival!
Today we pray for those who work in secular job environments. Guard their ears from the profanities, their hearts from toxic attitudes, their bodies from hurt or sickness, their minds from carnal thoughts as they strive to live for You and shine for You in dark places. May they wear the Full Armor of God and be fully prepared in Jesus name!
We thank You Father that Your word says that every member of Christ’s body is equally important. (1 Corinthians 12) So we thank You for those who clean the church, cut the lawn, decorate for events, fill the pews with envelopes, provide coffee in the foyer, pick out sheet music, lock the doors, repair plumbing for the baptistry, maintain AC/heating units, chain light bulbs and help maintain all the maintenance needs in our church. All the behind the scene jobs Your people do to help Grace Family Fellowship be a church that aims to please You with excellence. Bless them and reward them Father. In Jesus name we pray! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 28
Yahweh, the “I AM”, You have always been, You are now and You will always be. Your name God also speaks to us about Your eternal presence with Your people. You are always there to help us, comfort us, guide us, and so much more… Your presence never leaves us, and You will always be with us. That is the greatest comfort we can ever find, and we learn it from Your very name: I AM.
O Lord, strengthen our faith. Help us never to doubt Your Word or Your faithfulness. Lift us up that we may boldly proclaim Your truth each and every day. Let us be sensitive to the leading of Your Spirit and never forget that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Lord, we praise You because Your mercies are new every morning and Your faithfulness is great!
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night.” Psalm 92:1-2
We pray for Guam and the Midway Islands. Father bless and protect these areas and sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for teachers of the word, preachers of the word, mentors and those who will submit to Your command to make disciples. Father, raise up students of the word who will passionately turn around and train, equip, and teach other generations. But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? (Romans 10:14). Father, drive back this pandemic so we can get back on track with many of our ministries we pray. In the great commissioning name of Jesus we pray. Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 27
Yeshua, The Lord our Salvation. Father, this is Your Son’s given name in Luke 1:31. And we Worship Him today as our Savior! You and the Son are One and we worship You today! We glorify You our Savior and Lord! There is nothing more precious than the Good News of Your Coming to us in the flesh! You gave Your life so that we could be restored to Life! Glory to Your righteous Name!
Father, True wisdom is a gift that only You, Father, can give. May we always be in right standing with You. Let the words we speak honor You, and let us never speak Your name in vain. Let us stay steadfast and live in such a way that Your light will shine through us wherever we go. Thank You, Father, for Your mercy and love!
“The godly speak wise words and promote justice.31 The law of their God controls their thinking; their feet do not slip.” Psalm 37:30-31
We pray for Washington, DC and American Samoa. Father bless and protect these areas and sweep over this land with revival!
Today we pray for teachers and administrators of our education system, that they would be positive, God-honoring influences in students’ lives. Father, protect them, strengthen them, and help them rise above the challenges of today’s secular school system. Give them creativity and patience as they teach all kinds of students. And protect them from this virus.
We pray for the Jail & prison ministries. Even though these are on hold during this pandemic, God willing, one day this too shall pass and many of these ministries can continue! Thank you for those Shining Your light in these institutions and bringing hope to the captives as they obey the instructions of Matthew 25 to do this to the least of these, as though we are doing it to You Lord. Protect, anoint and bless those who minister in Jails and prisons. In Jesus Liberating Name we pray. Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 26
Rabboni, the Lord our Teacher (John 20:16). We are at awe of Your complete wisdom and knowledge. You promised to share with us Your wisdom when we ask, and we praise You for Your generosity (James 1:5). Father, You teach us and lead us to truths that set us free. We are Your students and we have the privilege to sit at Your feet. Lord, help us to absorb Your lessons and receive Your teachings with joy! We desire Your Holy Spirit to lead us to Your word and to the mysteries of the Kingdom (Mark 4:11). We worship You Teacher today, in the classroom of life and eternal life!
Father, You are so wonderful. Thank You for caring about our burdens. Open our hearts to your Spirit and let us listen to Your voice. Strengthen us, O God, with confidence in You, that we may live for You and glorify Your name. Father, we praise You for all the gifts that You have given us. Draw us close to You that we may see Your glory.
Your Word encourages us in Psalm 55:22 “Give your burdens to the LORD, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”
Today we pray for Wisconsin and Wyoming. Father bless and protect these states and sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray that there will be a growing number of people in our town and community trusting in Christ as Savior and Lord…unto salvation. Open eyes and may walls come down so the broken can be made whole in You Lord!
We pray for our sound and media department at Grace Family Fellowship. Bless each one who are helping in this ministry and raise up young and passionate youth with a grasp of technology who can help us further this ministry that becomes ever more critical for a growing church in this day and have been critical during this pandemic. Thank You for bro. Jay Whitaker and his commitment and passion for the sound ministry and his patience to work with the praise team and the pastor. Thank You Jesus for being the head and Lord of Your Church! We praise Your mighty name! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 25
Alpha & Omega (Revelation 22:13). You are the first of all things and will be the end of anything that has an end. You will always stay constant. You are always first and will decide who is last; You are decisive and the One who is coming soon. Only You know Lord when You will send Your Son to rescue us, but we desire to stand ready for Your return. We worship You: the Beginning and the End!
Lord, there are so many times when we have burdens almost too heavy to bear. Our nation faces hardships and pain; we need Your wisdom and help in all areas. Strengthen us as a people and lead us in the way that will bring honor and glory to You. Lord, You have promised that if we humble ourselves and seek Your face and pray, You will heal our land. May we forever be humble in Your sight, and may we experience Your blessings in the midst of our great need.
Your Word encourages us in Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Today we pray for Washington and West Virginia. Father bless and protect these areas and sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for Christian business men & women; may their ventures and work flourish with success and blessings. May those who work for them be blessed and may all see the light of Christ by their integrity.
We pray for The Hispanic Grace Family Fellowship church in Robersonville and those abroad. May the harvest be reached by Your drawing power. May people be discipled and leaders and workers be raised up. Give Your people a heart for You that overflows into every part of their lives! Bless every leader, worker, and volunteer that serves Your Kingdom Father! May every Latino, Mexican, Puerto Rican and Spanish speaking soul in the area be brought to Christ and find solace even during this pandemic. In the strong name of Jesus we Pray! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 24
Father God, our All in all (Colossians 3:11). As we are made new in Christ, You Father become more and more our source, our breath, our purpose, and our hope. You indeed are everything to us who call on Your name. We are the people of God. Your very own Lord. Help us to honor You with our lives. Help us to represent You well so that Your name is glorified and all those around us see that You are All in All!
Father, help our nation with its unbelief! Lead us into a renewed relationship with You! Forgive us when we find fault in our brothers. Help us look beyond their shortcomings and look deeper within ourselves to become better people. Forgive us when we fall short of doing all that You’ve called us to do, and when we fail to demonstrate love and forgiveness toward those who wrong us. Thank You for the blessing of knowing that we are forgiven—no matter what!
Your word says in Mark 11:24-25 “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive your sins.”
We pray for Vermont and Virginia. Father bless and protect these areas and sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for the sign ministry at Grace Family Fellowship. Thank you for Jeff Barbour’s commitment to place scripture inspired sayings that uplift and minister to hundreds everyday as they drive by our campus. May the power of the Holy Spirit draw people from the North South East and West; as they since Your presence Father, and know there is a place of Hope and a people of promise inside our church. We pray for all these things in the authority of Your mighty name alone! Our Jesus! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 23
El-olam, the Everlasting God. (Isaiah 40:28, 31) You had no beginning, You will have no end! You are forever present, forever good, forever loving, forever creative, forever Holy, forever worthy of our praise! We could praise You forever and still be in debt to Your Everlasting Greatness! Oh Lord, we Worship You today with a desire to live with You forever. Thank You for giving us Your promise of everlasting life, made possible by Your Son Jesus, whom You gave for us.
Lord, we are so blessed that each day You come to us with the gift of Your Spirit to help us and strengthen our purpose for Your glory. Continue to work in us, O Lord. Thank You for Your continued goodness even when we stumble; thank You that You are ever present to hold our hands and lift us up. Your unconditional love has been promised forever. Thank you for Your gracious mercy to us each day.
1 Chronicles 17:25-27 “O my God, I have been bold enough to pray to You because You have revealed to Your servant that You will build a house for him—a dynasty of kings! 26 For You are God, O Lord. And You have promised these good things to Your servant. 27 And now, it has pleased You to bless the house of Your servant, so that it will continue forever before You. For when You grant a blessing, O Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”
We pray for Texas and Utah. Father bless and protect these states and sweep over these lands with Revival!
We pray for our Greeter and Ushers ministry. I pray that Grace Family Fellowship be the most welcoming place in the region. Where saints and sinners are welcome. Where we are eager to help set the atmosphere where God can speak to lives. Let creativity, kindness, hospitality and love be the first sanitized touch and first impression upon all who pass through our doors. We thank them for sanitizing doors, pews, and door handles and opening doors for us so we can all stay safe during worship. May we all help make this possible. In Jesus anointed Name we pray. Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 22
Jehovah-Eloheka, (Exodus 20:2,5,7), Elohav (Zechariah 14:5); Eloheenu (Psalm 99:5,8,9) The Lord your God, the Lord my God, the Lord our God. Wow! What a beautiful picture of You Father (in names). You are all inclusive. You are for each individual. You are also personal. And You are corporate. You are for all Mankind (1 Timothy 2:4). We thank You for being accessible to all of us, at all times, anytime of the day, morning or night. You are constant! We worship You Father as our all accessible Abba Father, Oh Lord!
Father, we recognize that there are those who would speak evil against You when hardship knocks at their door. Let us forever stand firm in the foundation of our faith. Let us live in the center of Your will. We will come to You each day for strength and endurance. Help us, O God, to be the people You wish us to be, for we trust in You.
Psalm 16:8 “I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”
Today we pray for South Dakota and Tennessee. Lord bless and protect these states and sweep over these lands with revival!
We draw the blood line around ourselves, our family and our church family today! Hands off satan! You cannot have our homes, marriage, children, grandchildren! Protect them from sickness and disease. They belong to You, Father God, and You are their Salvation!
We pray for Discipleship to take place at Grace Family Fellowship. May we never abandon this work or diminish the call to fulfill this command of our Lord. May we always be Your students Lord and be willing to sit at Your feet. May people grow, mature, become leaders, step out of their comfort zones, and sense Your calling as You call them upward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) And it’s by the mighty Authority of Your name we Pray our Advocate, Jesus! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 21
Jehovah-Hoseenu; The Lord our Maker. You are not only our creator, You are a trustworthy God. We place our lives in Your loving & capable hands, and what better hands could we be in? You made us. Now you make us Your family; adopted son’s & daughters. You make us ransomed. You make us free and forgiven. You make us strong and confident in You. You make us a people, Your very own; full of joy and gladness. You make us servants with Your very own anointing and glory. Today, we excitingly declare: we are God made! (Psalm 95:6)
Father, we praise You for Your grace, mercy, and loving-kindness. May we as a nation look to You with thanksgiving in our hearts for the blessings You have poured upon us. Let us forever rest in the shadow of Your wings and shout for joy with praise, for You are a most gracious God, and You bless us even beyond our understanding.
Psalm 63:3-4,7 “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name…
Because you have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.”
We Pray for Rhode Island and South Carolina. Lord Bless and protect these areas and sweep over these lands with revival.
Father, touch those who suffer with chronic pain. Pain levels, begin to decrease right now in Jesus name! Heal them, comfort them, drive out arthritic and all inflammatory causes and diseases Lord!
Today, we pray for those in need and the Benevolence ministries of Grace Family fellowship. May our church be blessed so we can be a blessing. May our cupboards be full so we can give to others. May we be cheerful givers and benevolent in our desire to serve and help others in our community. May we have the ability and the heart to meet needs, even during this pandemic; reflecting Your Grace to people all around. (Galatians 6:10) We pray these things in the precious name of Jesus. Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 20
Jehovah- Elyown; the Lord Most High! You deserve endless songs to be sung about Your greatness! You are the only One who holds the melody of our hearts. Our songs of praise are for You and You alone! We lift You up; yet You are already above all, but as we lift You up, it helps us realize how great and mighty You are! You are the King of all the earth! We honor, revere, and worship Your supreme Name. (Psalm 7:17; 47:2; 97:9)
Father, we thank You for hearing our petition. Strengthen us by the Power of Your Spirit to live in such a way that glorifies You. Forgive us when we do things that displease You and separate us from Your presence. Lead us each day, that we might live lives that are pleasing to You. May You forever be praised.
Exodus 15:2 “The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.”
Today we pray for Oregon and Pennsylvania. Father Bless and protect these states and sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for a spiritual awakening across the nation, that the Gospel would be communicated across the full spectrum of American society and that people of all ages, races and backgrounds would be drawn to You Christ and receive Your life and salvation and before it’s too late. May the church arise and be ready for Your coming, our Bridegroom. (Matthew 9:15; Revelation 19:7)
We pray for the Stitching sisters and the prayer Shawl ministry. Thank You Father for the personal touch these ladies give and the prayers that have touched lives both spiritually and by proxy all over the world; most recently to nurses & healthcare providers on the frontlines of Covid. May this ministry continue to bring comfort, encouragement and an increased faith to those who touch the prayer Shawls and may You bring the supernatural miracle that each one needs. We pray all of this in the Mighty Name of Jesus! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 19
Jehovah-Shammah, The Lord is present. Father, thank You for never leaving us or forsaking us. You are everywhere, but You specifically make Your presence known to Your children. We are thankful to be adopted into Your family and know the benefits of Your presence! We magnify You oh Lord, the God who is there! Glory to Your Name!
Father, You are so wonderful! Through Jesus Christ, we have an open invitation to come to you in prayer. We give thanks for this blessing and each day find joy in all That You give us. What a blessed people we are to know and embrace Your unconditional love.
Praying Your Word in Psalm 25:10 “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, To all who keep His covenant and His testimonies.” Lord, as we walk in You today, may we walk in Your mercy, it is greatly needed today and may we display it to others, they greatly need it too.
We pray for Ohio and Oklahoma. Bless and protect these states Lord and sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for the genuine conversion and successful rehabilitation of those who have committed crimes in America. Let the men and women who are incarcerated and imprisoned surrendering their lives to You Lord. And keep them safe from this virus.
Today we Pray for Pastor Manuel and sister Ruth Medina and their family! Bless them with health, strength and protection. Provide for their every need Father. Anoint them for every ministry task that You Lord have called them too. May they and Eddie and Neddie see such continued fruitfulness in their life and ministry And work miracles through them at home and abroad. IN Jesus strong and mighty name we pray! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 18
Jehovah-Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts! Your servant David used this name when facing Goliath, because he knew that although it looked like he was out numbered, when serving You, the Lord of large groups of warrior angels, saints, and people of faith all over the world, united as one by Your Holy Spirit; we are in the majority! Thank You Father, that growing closer to You, and being aware of Your power and greatness, brings us a peace and more confidence! Glory to Your Mighty Name!
O Lord, we beg You to hear our supplications. Do not let our words fall on deaf ears. Let us come to You each day with hearts full of joy, for You are our Most High God, and everything we have comes from You. Bless us that we might bless others. Let us always look to you for every provision. Let us each be an open vessel filled with Your wisdom, that others might know Your saving grace. May we not leave the crops in the field to ruin, but even during Covid…Let us see a Harvest! Use us Lord we pray! (Psalm 5:1-3)
Today we pray for Martin County and Robersonville and our surrounding region; but also for the state of North Dakota, Bless and protect these areas and sweep over this land with Revival!
We pray today for those battling drug and/or opiate addictions. We rebuke and bind the evil spirits that hold minds and bodies in bondage to these life destroying substances. We call them out as the false gods and evils spirits they are. Father loose those who are in those bonds in Jesus name! And deliver them so they can run to You and see You!
Father, as we gather in Your house this morning for worship, may You meet us there. May we open our ears and our hearts to You so that You can speak. Speak to us through Your anointed ministers; from singing to the Word; bring Life and let being in Your presence impact our lives for the better. As our lives are challenged and changed, anoint us to affect change in those around us this coming week. For the Glory of Your Kingdom we pray and ask all these things, in Jesus name, Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 17
Jehovah Mekaddish-kam, The Lord our sanctifier! Father, You are Powerfully Holy – Mind-blowingly Righteous – and You have required us to be Holy, but we can’t be…so You made a way for us to be sanctified – set apart for You! You gave Your Son to cleanse us and cover us with a powerful and divine life blood. As we surrender to You, we are sanctified! Praise to the Lord, our sanctifier!
O Lord, we lift our voices and praise Your Holy name! May You forever be the center of our thoughts, that in all things we may lift You up in worship and song. Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our hearts be a sweet aroma to You, (Psalm 19:14) for You are our King—our joy comes from You! Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; therefore, we praise Your holy name forever!
Psalm 104:33-34 “I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD.”
We pray for our great State of North Carolina. Father, bless, provide for and protect our state and let Your Holy Spirit Sweep over this land with Revival! Guide our leaders and bless Your church! From the Coasts to the Mountains, protect from storms, natural disasters, and harmful weather. And drive out this virus Father!
We Pray for candidates for public office, that they would be moved by God to seek what is honorable, just and moral.
We pray for our Choir and Praise team. Bless the music ministry at Grace Family fellowship, Lord. Thank you for those who are faithfully serving. Anoint them as we lead people into worship and into Your presence! May those with such talent continue to serve as a team and work together. Continue to send new talent. IN Jesus name, people who can play instruments and who can sing – they are coming Lord! Add to Your church daily Lord and may our worship throughout the week culminate explosively with hearts and voices Praising You and worshiping You together! Keep us safe! In Jesus worthy name we pray…Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 16
Jehovah-Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness. Thank You Lord for imparting Your righteousness to us through Your Son Jesus Christ. We worship Your Holiness! You are Holy! You are Good All the Time!! It is a pleasure to worship and trust One who is so virtuous as You. There is no one like You. You alone deserve worship! And we freely magnify You Lord!
We bow before You in humble thanksgiving for Your gifts of power and strength, fortitude and might! We claim the riches of Your glory and the fullness of Your grace that come through the indwelling of Your Spirit within us. We pray for our nation to remain firm and steadfast in the knowledge of Your truth and the promise of the victory that is ours through Christ, who loves us. We want You in America again! Forgive us as a nation for straying from You.
Praying Your Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-16 & 19 “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
We pray for New Mexico and New York. Bless and protect these states and may Your Spirit sweep over these lands with revival.
We pray for those who serve as prosecutors, defenders, judges and Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, that they would be vigilant in service and wise in Judgments.
We pray for our Prayer Teams, our Hope Ministry. Those who set aside their prayer needs often in order to intercede for others. Even as these ministers must keep distance during this pandemic, may they still feel the call to intercede, knowing they will be greatly needed when this precaution is lifted. Fill them with Your Holy Spirit and may spiritual gifts flow freely through them. Guard their minds & may their faith grow everyday! In the Powerful Name of Jesus we pray. Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 15
Emmanuel, Our God who is WITH US! Wow, Father! Thank You for coming to us. We were hopeless to come to You and You came to us! You sent Your Word – in Bodily form – through Jesus, and healed our disease! We were terminal, on death row! And You came at just the right time and brought us to LIFE! You are with us! Glory to Your Name!
Father, may Your love flow through and around us. Speak to our hearts and open our minds that we may see You and the light of Your glory. Cleanse us, O Lord, that we may stand before You without blemish. Help us as a nation to be a discerning people with moral voices who will bring honor and glory to You, O God.
Praying Your word for the saints today in Philippians 1:9 & 10 “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10For I want you to understand what really matters, what is excellent, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.”
Yes Lord, help us be drawn to You more and more! You are excellent in every way!
We pray today for New Hampshire and New Jersey. Father bless and protect these states and may Your Spirit sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for those who serve as police officers, Firemen/women, state troopers, Sheriffs, EMT workers, and all first responders and their families. Father bless, protect and keep well all of them as they serve.
We pray for Missionaries all over the world today. Bless, protect, provide for, anoint them, and bring forth a harvest for their labor! Use them to bring Nations to You Father! We pray for sis. Cathy Smith and the Mission’s Board of our church. Even though we cannot fund raise during this pandemic, help the missionaries not to suffer…provide Lord we pray. In Jesus Strong and famed Name! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 14
Jehovah-Rohi, The Lord my Shepherd. I rejoice in Your oversight of our lives. Thank You Lord for watching over us, guiding us, and leading us to green pastures of peace. We rejoice that You restore our souls to righteousness through Your Son Jesus. Our cup can truly run over with blessings (Psalm 23); for You have provided everything we need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) Glory to Your name!
Father, we humbly come before You and ask that your Spirit reach across the lands to all who are hurting and spiritually lost. Restore their hearts with hope everlasting; comfort them with Your tender, loving arms. May we be sensitive to their needs, whether physical or spiritual, and be eager and willing to share Your love for them, just as You have bestowed Your love upon us.
Colossians 1:3-4 “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints.”
Today we pray for the household of faith everywhere. Oh, our Shepherd, please guide believers in Christ through troubled times, around temptations, and into battle against the enemy of our soul. We pray for victory for Your children! We pray for strength for Your ministers. We pray for unity and love for all the saints. Bless us and enlarge our territory for Your Glory Lord!
Today we pray for Nebraska and Nevada. Bless and protect these states and sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for the Women of our church and our Women’s Ministry. We pray that our women maintain a life of purity and truth. May they be women of prayer, so that the Word of God and the will of God is crystal clear. May their life and choices in You be exemplary to all generations. Bless them with health and anoint them to heed Your voice daily; in the Precious and tender Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Prayer 31 – Day 13
El-Shaddli, our all sufficient God of the Mountain! You are The Almighty and the source of all blessings! We have no problems bigger than You. We worship You today as the keeper of our souls. The trustworthy One! We Praise You today Lord and laud all glory to Your Name. Just as You confirmed Your covenant with Abraham, You have confirmed ours with Your own Holy Spirit dwelling in us. (Ephesians 1:14)
Father, we direct our praise and adoration to You all through-out the day and night! May we never forget that You are merciful and gracious, and that You, our Creator, receive our devotion and prayers with an attentive, listening ear. Give us eyes to see the splendor of Your holiness and ears to hear the majesty of Your voice as You lead us to holy and righteous living.
Your word says in Psalm 55:17, “Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.”
Lord, help us to constantly be reminded that You are here and that we need to pay attention to You more than the world. With this, we can be vigilant until You return.
Today we pray for Missouri and Montana. Father Bless these states and sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for the safety of those who live in our community—specifically safety from conflict, accidents and crimes. (Psalm 122:7).
We Pray for our Men of the church and Men’s ministry. Father stir inside of our men a love for You that grows…without limit. Give them courage and integrity with purity and power! Help us be the example to the younger generation & love our wives as Christ loves the Church. Help us love our children enough to tell them God’s Word without fail. May we as men echo the call: “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15) Raise up much needed leaders in our church among men! IN Jesus strong name we ask and pray. Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 12
Adonai, my Great LORD, you are majestic and have total authority and power. We submit to You, we submit our day to You, we submit our decisions to Your perfect will today; we submit our all. I bow my every whim to Your Truth God. I relinquish my rights that I may hold tight to You; may You be glorified! Praise Your Name!
Lord, You are the Rock and Strength of this nation. You are the only One who can deliver us from our enemies. We trust in You and pray humbly for Your guidance and direction for this great nation. Give us wisdom to make the right choices. Help us live in such a way that Your name will be honored in all things. May You forever be praised!
Praying Your word in Psalm 18:2-3 “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.”
Today we pray for Minnesota and Mississippi. Lord Bless and Protect these States and sweep over these lands with revival!
I pray for those who suffer from any form of anxiety or depression today. Father heal them, encourage them and repair the paths that have led them there. (Philippians 4:8)
I will not be afraid today because You Lord go before me and never leave me! (Deuteronomy 31:8)
We pray for our Girls Ministry on Wednesday nights. I pray for an anointing on those that teach and Lord, send us more teachers so that when this pandemic is over, we can return to showing our young girls Christ in creative and life changing ways. May they grow and mature to become young ladies of faith, always trusting in You Lord. Let our church make that eternal difference! We pray all these things in the Mighty Name of Jesus! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 11
Jehovah-Shalom, “The Lord is Peace”, You alone Father can give us the peace that surpasses all of our understanding. When men in Your Word, like Gideon, faced insurmountable odds, and there was nothing about the situation that was “peaceful”, You showed up strong on their behalf. You always showed up to bring deliverance out of a fear-filled day. We join Gideon today in building an altar of Praise and worship You as Jehovah-Shalom! You alone can bring peace even in the midst of greatest darkness! Glory to Your Name!
Thank You, Lord, for the gift of Your Spirit, who continually helps us overcome our weaknesses. We confess that all things are possible through You and nothing is possible without You! Open our hearts and intercede with the Father that we may humble ourselves in Your presence. We thank You for Your forgiveness. Strengthen us to live with purpose and empower us to serve You.
Your Word says in Romans 8:26 that Your “Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Today we pray for Massachusetts and Michigan. Father bless and protect these states and sweep over these lands with revival!
We Pray for Your Kingdom to come and Your will to be done in my life and my family! (Matthew 6:10)
We pray for the Sunday Morning Worship services at Grace Family Fellowship. Move mightily in our midst Lord and may Your Word go forth with clarity and power! Work in transformative ways in the hearts and minds of all who attend or watch online. May people be healed in Body and Soul. May people be edified, encouraged, uplifted and equipped to Live this Life for You victoriously! It is in Your Mighty Name Jesus we ask all these things! – Amen!
(Hebrews 10:25; James 5:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Ephesians 4:12)
Prayer 31 – Day 10
Father God who provided our Redeemer! You ransomed us from sin and death. You alone payed the very high price to perform this ultimate miracle. It was impossible, yet Lord, You did it for us! We can never repay the debt we owe for Your Loving Ransom through Your Son Jesus! Praise Your Name Father!
Your word says in Isaiah 35:10 “Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy.
Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.”
We receive that Joy today; the joy that sustains our faith, knowing we will live eternally with You! Nothing can take that away!
Father, the joy of the Lord is our strength; therefore, let us rejoice as a nation and as a people who have been blessed beyond all that we could ask or conceive. Let us pray each day for Your divine guidance, O Lord, and never forget Your benefits. Thank You, Lord, that You welcome us to Your throne of grace to receive Your blessings.
Today we pray for Iowa and Kansas. Bless and protect these States and may the Holy Spirit sweep through these lands with revival!
We pray for soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen/women and guardsmen/women of our Armed Forces. Bless them and their families with strength and protection!
We Pray for our Royal Ranger boys ministry. Bless our leaders and help us find more men and women who are willing to work with young boys, so that when this pandemic is over, creative teachings and life skills will lead them to know You God and grow in You Lord! This we pray in the Strong name of Jesus our shield and protector! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 9
Jehovah-Rapha, Healer, the Lord who heals us. We worship You today. We give our lives to You today. We lean on You today. We depend on You today! All things are possible with You. We praise Your wonderful Name!
Bring healing Father to our land. Drive out this virus. Even while living in a fallen world, Your people are calling out to You Lord! You are the answer. Heal those who are sick with the virus. Heal those in our church with pain, disease, sickness, depression, anxiety, and all forms of physical struggles. Heal relationships. Heal emotions. And most importantly, for the lost Lord Jesus, Heal the soul we pray.
Father, Your Word says that if we delight ourselves in You, You will give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). Please direct our paths in Your ways everlasting so that Your will becomes our desire, so that Your way becomes our delight. Fill us with the power of Your presence and bind us together as a people of one nation under God. And through each day, to you be the glory for all goodness and blessings that come our way.
Today we pray for Maine and Maryland. Bless, protect and provide for these States and may the Holy Spirit sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for Our Next Generation Kids Church. God, grant them a hedge of protection of body, soul, mind, and spirit; especially as they face going back to school. Place in them a respect for You, a zeal for You, a love for You and Your house and a Faith to always believe in You. And as this pandemic passes, and kids return to church, help our Children’s church grow and attract young families Father, that Your house may be full. (Mark 10:14) In Jesus precious name we pray, Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 8
Jehovah-Nissi, The Lord my Banner – You are our protector, overseer, deliverer, miracle worker, and sovereign God. Your leadership guides, directs, and counsels us. We worship You today as our covering. You divinely direct us to victory. Like Moses keeping his hands raised declaring You as the One who brings triumph; we surrender to Your Lordship Father. Praising You as our fount in a dry land!
Father, give Your guidance and strength as we honestly confess our sins to you and to one another. And give us compassionate hearts as we pray for each other and our leaders across the country and the world. Rid us of judgment, condemnation, and pride, and fill us with a spirit of grace, mercy and love. Create in our hearts a fervent desire to pray every day for Your leadership to reign in our lives. Prepare us and may we be ready for Your coming!
Your word says in James 5:16 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
Today we pray for Kentucky and Louisiana. Father Bless and protect these States and sweep over these lands with Revival! We pray for the Peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). May America and its leaders honor and defend Your Holy land and may we continue to be blessed.
Today we pray for our teenagers and Next Level Youth ministry. Bless and protect them as they face going back to school during this pandemic. May a revival birth, even in our young people…opening eyes and hearts to Your reality and power! Even in a dark day, let Your light shine brighter, exposing the Anti-Christ, anti-God deceptions all around them! It is in the precious and protective name of Jesus we Pray. Amen.
Prayer 31 – Day 7
Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord will Provide. You are the provider of beats that allow blood to flow throughout our bodies, air to go through our lungs, and energy for our muscles to move and brain to function. You are the Provider of water and You make vegetation grow. You gave mankind the mind to create and produce. You are the provider of all and we Glorify Your name in acknowledgment today!
Lord, we the people have become self-absorbed and busy with activities that bring temporal value. Help us turn our hearts back to You and Your Word so that we and our nation will bear the fruit of righteousness and be set above all other nations! Strengthen us with the power of Your Spirit in our inner being as we strive to abide in You and to continue in Faith that You will do more for us than we could ever imagine.
You said Lord, in John 15:7 & 8: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples”.
Today we prayer for Illinois and Indiana; Father, bless and protect these states and sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for all our Representatives and Senators who serve in the U.S. Congress, that they will govern with God-honoring discernment and preserve the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.
We pray for our Senior Adults and our spirited saints and golden saints ministry. Even during this pandemic where gatherings are on hold. May we as a church continue to call them, show love to them, pray for them, and appreciate their years of commitment. (Psalms 92:14). We honor their sacrifice and kingdom work that has paved the way for us to continue ministry in our beautiful church. Bless them in Jesus name we pray and ask all these things! Amen.
Prayer 31 – Day 6
El Shaddai, our mighty God. You loved the world so much You gave Your only Son so we would not have to die in our sins lost and hopeless; but instead know the blessing and promise of everlasting life. (John 3:16) You have told us to not allow our hearts be troubled, that we believe in the Father, believe also in You Jesus; that You will come back to receive us into Your Kingdom. (John 14:1-3) We long for that day. We look forward to being with You! I can only imagine!
Lord, You have commanded us to make disciples of all nations—may we begin within our own hearts! You are the way, the truth, and the life, and we thank You for Your promise to be with us always. Give us sincerity of heart and unfailing courage to spread this good news, whether with our neighbors across the street or with lost souls across the world. We trust in You to work through us—without You, we can do nothing! (John 15:5)
Today we pray for Hawaii and Idaho. Father, bless and protect these areas and sweep over them with revival!
We pray for President Donald J. Trump and Vise President Mike Pence, that their hearts would be guided by God, that their decisions would be wise and that their leadership would be principled. (1 Timothy 2:2) May them and their families be well and protected. Touch our president and may he make a full recovery.
We pray for our church facilities. Protect and provide for the beautiful campus that You Father have provided through the hard work and vision of those who have gone before us! Protect it from evil, from Virus, from weather, from fire, and from any harm! Help us to repair and maintain what You Lord have blessed us with. May we always be willing to use it for Your purpose and Your Kingdom Work! May Your house be a soul saving station, a Hospital for healing and a training ground for disciples! May people from all over this region find this House of Worship to be a place they can seek Your face, in freedom and experience Your powerful presence!
In Your Strong and mighty Name Jesus, we ask all these things! Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 5
El Roi – The God who sees” – I love Your grace, kindness and care! How You see our failures, yet love unconditionally anyway. I love that you chase after us and draw us to Yourself. You truly love me. Thank You Father.
I pray that I can love myself, not in an unhealthy, selfish, worldly way. But in a healthy, “love others as you love yourself” kind of way. Help me to see that You have touched my life and You see everything! I can trust You with me. So today, we thank You Father for helping us Love. We want our love to stay strong so we are ready when Christ returns.
Father, we know that Your heart’s desire for us is to be at peace with You and with those around us. Place within our hearts the desire to live for You and to listen to the leading of Your Spirit. Let us diligently search for You. Open our eyes that we might see what is good, honorable and just for the well-being of all people.
You God, have said in Your word Lord in Jeremiah 29:11-13 “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Today we pray for Florida and Georgia. Lord Bless and protect these states and may Your Spirit sweep over these lands with revival!
Today we pray for Unity in our Church, Grace Family Fellowship. May we be a church that Glorifies You Father, not our enemy. Disunity and division allows satan to thrive; we rebuke him in Jesus Name!! We rejoice in knowing You Father and allowing our desire to pursue Christ, keep us unified… Doing what please You today. In Jesus mighty Name: Amen! (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Prayer 31 – Day 4
El Elyon – Our God Most High! You are high above all! You are bigger than any problem we might come up against in life. You are greater than any force of darkness in this world. You are in control! “I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.” Psalm 7:17
Father. Humble our hearts today so that we will hear Your voice. Help us as a nation to obey Your voice in all that we say and do. Continue to bless us, O Lord, and give us a compassionate and giving heart toward those around us. Hold us to a higher calling, that we will carefully observe Your commandments and be a “nation under God with liberty and justice for all”. (Deuteronomy 28:1-3)
Draw the Broken to Yourself Lord. Save the lost we pray. May people see Jesus in us and Your church so that lives can be made Whole. We know that You are the answer! You bring clarity to the impeded, joy to the sorrowful, Power to the weak, healing to the sick, and forgiveness to the sinner! You are the One who makes us Whole!
Today, we pray for Connecticut and Delaware. Father, bless and protect these States and may Your Spirit sweep through these lands with revival!
We pray for our church secretary and office manager: Elaine Stalls. Father bless her and her family with health, strength and encouragement. As she has many responsibilities for our church, anoint her and help her. As she prays with people over the phone and ministers to others, send out blessings and answers. Be with and provide for her family! In Jesus’s powerful name we ask all these things – Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 3
Yahweh, our Lord! The I Am. We worship You today as the Divine over all things. We submit our day to You Yahweh; You have complete authority. Your covenant with us is one of Grace, Favor and Blessings; we long to live under Your great canopy of love for us. Praise Your Amazing Name!
Father, The worries of each day are ever around us. Conflict, both within and without, threatens the peace we so desperately want and seek. Father, we come to You with open hearts, seeking Your guidance and being content with all that You have given us as a people and nation. Guard our hearts, O Lord, so that we will be faithful to You, and let the peace of Your presence surround us each and every day.
Your word says: Philippians 4:6 & 7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
We ask that You heal those battling sickness today. We pray for President Trump and the First Lady Melania and any and all his staff that have test positive for Covid. Heal, strengthen and deliver them Lord. Help this season of Virus to end Father, in Jesus name!
Today we pray for the States of California and Colorado. Father open the eyes of those in these states and sweep over these lands with revival!
We pray for our Pastor’s wife and first lady of GFF: Christy Bryan. May she have a fresh season of spiritual renewal and joy. May she grow as a woman of faith and discernment while ministering to others. Use her and anoint her in mighty ways. Bring healing to her body. Continue to build within her the leadership she needs to fulfill Your purposes. Thank You Father for her! And it is in Jesus precious name we pray these things…Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 2
Father, Elohim God! Supreme and All Powerful! Trustworthy and true! We Praise You as the God of Heaven and earth! There is nothing You cannot do!
Prepare us Father. Even in our weaknesses, prepare us so that we may remain blameless until You return. (1 Thessalonians 5:23, 1 Corinthians 1:8). We see the signs of the season; we hear the winds of the Anti-christ in the air; we feel the results of hearts and lives distant from You! But we believe that You can awaken our land!
Lord, You have asked us to call to You, with the promise that You will answer when we do. We humbly seek Your guidance for our nation. Give us wisdom so that we will be a people filled with Your presence and guided by Your Holy Spirit. Help us, O Lord, to honor You in word and deed, that we as a people will have Your blessing and favor. Do great things Lord, even things we don’t know!
Your word says in Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
Today, we pray for Arizona and Arkansas. Father, bless and protect these states and may revival sweep through these lands! Be with Wayne, Jessica, Josh and Brittany as they serve You in ministry in Surprise Arizona…May Your church thrive!
Today, we pray for the Official Board of our Church; bro. Danny Smith, Jack Nicholson, Danny Stalls, and Bubba Smith. May these men walk with You in confidence, health and ever strengthened faith! Guide them in the ways of integrity and wisdom. Anoint them and bless their families Lord. Use them in ministry and may their lives be guided by a servant’s heart in You. Set them on fire for You, Father and may their example encourage those all around them. In the Sovereign name of Elohim we pray all these things, Amen!
Prayer 31 – Day 1
Abba-Father, we Praise You and worship You today! You are bigger, larger, smarter, more powerful, merciful, showing Love and Grace to all! There is no one like You!
Father, We seek Your sovereign blessing on our nation. Forgive us for our shortcomings and for the times when we have failed You. Draw us back to Your love and strengthen us as a nation to serve and honor You in all that we do. May we forever be faithful to the calling that You have given us. We respectfully and humbly give thanks for Your continued blessing.
Your Word says: 2 Chronicles 7:14 “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.”
Today we pray for the states of Alabama and Alaska. May your hand be upon them and may Your Holy Spirit sweep over these lands with revival!
Today, I ask the church to prayer for me as their Pastor. Father, cover me with Your Grace; strengthen me in body, mind and spirit. Cover my family that we may be well and blessed. Help me to grow as a leader, especially during these difficult days. You are the Great shepherd, but as your servant, help me to encourage the saints, preach Your word with anointing, and with Your help and our Grace Family, lead our church into a season of growth again! I need You Father! These are different times. Help me to lead my family and Your church, and be an example in this community to bring You glory! In Jesus name I pray, Amen!
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Jun '20
Pastor’s Blog pg3
22
Jun '20
Tis the Season to Sing!
I love Christmas Music at Christmas time! But did you know your life can be a song? Jesus’ life certainly was. From birth till His death and Resurrection until now and forever; songs will be sung about His life, His glory, and the difference He made in this world and in our lives! How about your life? It can also be a beautiful melody unto the Lord. Psalms 42:8 says “The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day, and at night His song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life.” Our lives can be a love song to the Lord and a song of praise to our God. God’s gift of life to us through Jesus, the Messiah, should stir us to sing songs of praise and devotion! But not just in form of music. But with our whole lives! Casting Crown’s Mark Hall wrote a song that says: “Let my lifesong sing to You, I wanna sign Your name to the end of this day. Knowing that my heart was true. Let my lifesong sing to You!” We desire our lifesong to be written by the acts of love we do and show toward others. Be kind, respectful, and careful to think of others better than yourself (Philippians 2:3). Build others UP instead of tearing others down with your words. Your lifesong can make others feel good, just like the music you love!
One of our songs we are singing in the Christmas Cantata is titled “Speak Oh Lord”. As we become more like Christ and allow His life to shine through ours; we desire God’s voice to speak through us and sing through us more and more. We desire God’s truth to be planted deep enough inside of us that it dictates our thoughts and actions. So much so that others can see and hear it. May your song this Christmas season be heard by all around you; and may it bring glory to God’s name!
Is it Hard to be Thankful?
Well, it depends upon your perspective. If you are mostly negative and your outlook of the future is pessimistic and bleak…you may find it hard to be thankful. If you focus upon your problems and meditate on them too much, you will find it hard to be thankful. If you get caught up in the trap of “what if” thinking and always fear the worse happening…you will find it hard to be thankful. If you replay bad experiences in your mind or live with a victim mindset…you will find it hard to be thankful. But God’s word challenges us… Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” If we allow our PERSPECTIVE to be governed and shaped by God’s truth and choose to meditate on His promises and the things that please Him…Thanksgiving will come naturally! You can’t help but be thankful when you see the Lord’s hand all around you. That should be the PERSPECTIVE of the Christian believer. God’s word challenges us to be transformed, and He mentions first our minds (Romans 12:2b). And the Lord instructs us in Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:” Our perspective determines a lot of how our attitude will be, our mood, and how our day goes. It can influence your decision making. Your perspective, if unhealthy, can even become a drag on others; pulling them down with you, instead of doing what God’s word says; “build others up”! (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Now don’t get me wrong, the Lord can understand when we have a bad day and our mood is not the best. He can sympathize with our weaknesses. But let us all strive daily to steer our minds toward a perspective that is guided by God’s truth, not just by the situations of life. And when we do, we will be a thankful people, a healthier people, building others up and glorifying the name of the Lord.
Understanding the Antichrist “spirit”
Many believe that the “spirit of Antichrist”, that John spoke of in his Epistle (1 John 4:1-3 & 2 John 1:7), is somehow an evil opposite of the Holy Spirit. This is not true. Remember, the devil is just a fallen angel. The devil is not all powerful nor is he omnipresent (everywhere at once). At the very best, satan and his devils (millions of fallen angels), work on people to spread their lies and deceptions. John uses the example in 1 & 2nd John, of people who were saying that Jesus was not God in the flesh (bodily form). John said that such people were deceived and that this was the “spirit” of the antichrist. In other words, this is a false belief that spreads and creates the wrong “spirit” and attitude in people toward Jesus. The Holy Spirit is a “Person” of the Godhead: He is God and has all the powers of God; can be grieved, sinned against, and lied too. He, the Holy Spirit can teach, comfort and lead to all truths! The antichrist spirit (which is separate from The Antichrist, who will be a man, perfectly possessed by the devil), this spirit is simply the ideas, beliefs and lies that go out into the world that lead people away from belief in Jesus, and who HE really is! This “spirit” (idea and belief) against Jesus is very dangerous and can spread to lead many away from God. The only comparison that could be made between God’s Holy Spirit and satan’s “spirit” is that God’s Spirit works to bring people to Him, where as the “spirit” of antichrist works to spread lies leading people away from God. But the Holy Spirit can work on His own accord and partner or become the ally inside the believer. The “spirit” of antichrist is limited and can only work through the atmosphere of lies through the minds and hearts of people. We the Church, allied with the Holy Spirit, can combat these evil “spirits” by SPEAKING Truth into our society and world and LIVING the LIFE for Jesus! We can be confident in this because God fights for us! And one day EVERY KNEE WILL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that HE is LORD!!! (Philippians 2:10-11; Romans 14:11; Isaiah 45:23)
Do you have a “NO TURNING BACK” Faith? Hebrews 10:39 (NLT) “But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.” During this season, we need a strong commitment to God unlike EVER BEFORE! So many in “the church” seem to be backing down from commitment when it is high time to UP OUR COMMITMENT for such a time as this! We have talked recently about how God does not have an “agenda” (an intent to do something); He has a Purpose! God does not intend on doing something, HE DOES IT! Psalm 115:3 “Our God is in Heaven and DOES whatever He pleases.” We need to stop “trying” to get things right or do better and start DOING! God has called you and I for such a time as this for HIS PURPOSE; not to be floundering or lax, but to be more committed, alert, and prayerful! Let us be among the number of believers that anchor our heels in deeper with the LORD instead of turning back. May the Power of the Holy Spirit rise up in us and bring us all closer to God! The purpose for God’s church is to 1. Reach the perishing with the Gospel of Jesus. 2. Teach others God’s word through Discipleship (both with our words and lifestyle). 3. Connect believers with other believers (Biblical fellowship & accountability) and 4. Send (or release) believers into the world to minister and make a difference! And all this for God’s glory, which is worship! So, are you postured and ready to fulfill God’s purpose? Or do you need to make a deeper commitment today? “Forward Momentum!” “Speak Life + Live the Life” “The Love Agenda” God is speaking to us as a church. LORD help us to listen in THIS season.
The Year of the “+”
With Disney+, Paramount+, Apple TV+, and LGBTQIA+…the world is offering a lot of additions that in most cases, are not adding anything good for us as Christians. And many of the things they are trying to add to our hearts and minds are straight from satan and hell! But God offers a Plus that brings GREAT benefits to our lives; both in the now and into eternity! Let’s look at 2 Peter 1:5a-8 “…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 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.” We can’t go wrong adding God’s nature and knowledge of who He is into our lives. Doing so will be the only way to avoid adding worldliness instead of godliness. The pressures to conform only get stronger…and we will be filled with something. But God is calling us to fill our lives with more of Him! Let us heed the call to add more of Him and less of me. John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.” God’s +
The God who Never Changes:
The Wow Factor – A Beginning thought:
Imagine how frustrating and pointless it would be to live a decade pursuing God and Him reveal Himself to you; And then Him CHANGING ON YOU!??
I started out thinking, okay, this is an easy one. I know God does not change. We are told in Malachi and Revelation etc… and Hebrews 13:8 where it said: “He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
I am in awe of how important this attribute of God is. So much about God hinges on His Immutability (The God who does NOT change). Just think of His Love…I’m glad He does not Change His unconditional Love for me when I let Him down. I’m glad His Grace and Mercy toward me does not become fatigued as I struggle to grow my roots deeper in His truths.
“Humanity desperately needs a God who cannot be modified, altered, or adapted.” (Page 27 Behold Your God: The Weight of Majesty)
An Amazing Word from God:
As we were digging into this marvelous meal in Malachi, I am moved to Worship and Praise God! Even though God’s people have shifted and turned away from God in different ways through the generations, God has never shifted or turned completely away from His people. “He has freely made promises to them and freely kept those promises.” “Jacobs’s family (God’s people) always changed–But nothing they did, right or wrong, can alter the covenant-faithfulness of God.” When they turn away from Him, His call to come to Him remains firm (like the prodigal son). So when we return to Him, He promises to meet us as we return. He even promises “I will return to you.” – Page 34
What a Wonderful and Faithful God
As a Christian today, God’s plans for you have not changed! “…NO changes in situation–your family, your job, your home,your health, your church, or your nation–can alter these plans” (even a pandemic!). Pg 35
This is such a wonderful promise to consider. I know if you read through these first few days of Lesson 2 and the verses and scriptures, you are encouraged too. If you would like, share in the comments at the bottom of this page what the Lord is speaking to you. Remember others can read it also.
The Broken made Whole!
Our world is hurting! And a hurting world creates broken people. I have personally never met anyone, who has lived very long, who did not have some brokenness in their life. But I have also never read a Christian Bible that failed to point to the solution! Jesus!
Not a cliche – but a powerful Name that can bring Powerful results. Just add faith and a lifestyle surrendered to Him and there is Nothing God cannot do! Isaiah 61:1-2 says:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to announce that captives will be set free and prisoners will be released from darkness. To proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, so comfort all who mourn…”
Jesus quoted part of this in Luke 4:18-19, because He was the fulfillment of this scripture.
God has designed us for His purpose. Yes, sin messed things up, but God fixed that too by sending His Son Jesus to live among us, teach us of the Kingdom, die for our sins and then resurrect victoriously over death, hell and the grave, & prove our blessed hope!
But what about now? You have been dealing with the Coronavirus/pandemic… you may be struggling financially, dealing with loss, sick in your body, battling with daily pain, worried about your family, fighting temptations, terrified by anxieties and/or depression issues, living with past mistakes, battling to keep your faith or spiritual disciplines strong… The list could be endless! How can God expect you to rise to your fullest potential with so many things pressing you down? Here’s what the LORD says:
#1. He has given us His promise that though we will face trials and tribulations on this earth, (John 16:33) Jesus said He had overcome the world so we could one day overcome. God has promised to be with us always, even in the battles, fights, storms and fiery trials! (Deut. 31:6; Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20).
#2. God has given us His Holy Spirit to live inside of us (1 Corinthians 6:19;
1 Corinthians 3:16; Romans 8:11). If we will walk by the leading of the Holy Spirit and Holy Scripture, we will be strengthened (Read Psalm 119). God literally offers His presence to us! Emmanuel! He will comfort us, fight for us, give us wisdom, and heal us from the inside out! Your life will even bare life fruit’s that are a result of His Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). These are all things God promises us if we will walk in Him.
#3. God will anoint you! Our Father does not just anoint His Son Jesus. When He anointed Jesus, He was making provisions to anoint you too! I love Acts 10:38 “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” God will anoint you! God will empower you! God is with you! The devil really has no chance UNLESS we forfeit these promises from God! If it was done for Jesus, it is the Christian’s also: Ephesians 1:11,14; Romans 8:17; But this does include suffering. Anointing is developed in our lives by a mix of ingredients that includes our own experiences and pains, our hard lessons learned, and God placing upon us and in us His Holy Spirit. It is a mix of the natural meeting the supernatural! It is a mix of the beautiful and the ugly! It is beauty coming from the ashes!
Well, that is enough for now. Meditate on these 3 and we will be sharing more with you as the year unfolds…God willing! Also check the Home page that contains the New Theme Emphasis and Scripture for 2020-2021. I love you and am praying for you!
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16
Mar '20
Coronavirus News
16
Mar '20
BREAKING NEWS.
We are now opening our Sanctuary for Service. Start time is 10:30AM and we will end around 11:30AM. This will be done with extreme caution and with strict precautions.
1. Please wear your mask and gloves if you feel comfortable doing so. You can bring your own mask or bandana, but we also have a good supply at the church; so we will provide one for you if you desire.
2. Please arrive early enough to get parked and enter the Church building keeping more than 6 feet apart from others as they enter.
3. Please Enter the building using all entrances, even if that means you come in a different entrance than usual, if you see several people entering the same entrance, use a different entrance.
4. Please do not linger in the hallway or foyer. Move as quickly as you can to the sanctuary to be seated in a section as the Ushers guide you. They will direct you to use every other pew, making sure you and your family are a safe difference from others.
5. Please honor our One at a Time Restroom precaution. The door will indicate if the restroom is being used. Please wait until that person is finished and then take your turn.
6. Please Use hand sanitizer on the wall in the foyer when needed. Our restrooms have a No Touch paper towel system.
7. During the Offering, you will not need to touch offering bags, just drop your tithe or offering envelope into the bag as Ushers come by.
We are excited about coming together, but please avoid shaking hands, speaking too close to others, even with masks, & no hugging. Thank you for helping us stay as safe as possible.
If you feel UNCOMFORTABLE returning at this time or you have a lung disease or a immune deficiency problem, you still have the option of watching live on Facebook Live. The link is below. 🙂
Click here to Watch: GFF Facebook Live
BREAKING NEWS FOR NORTH CAROLINA:
Our area of Martin county and several other NC counties are beginning to see a new strain of the Covid-19 virus that the media is calling the “delta variant”. Whether you have been vaccinated or chosen not to be, you need to be very carful and continue to use caution as this variant is much more contagious. As of now we are not requiring masks, but if you have not been vaccinated, professionals say that when gathering in any area with more than 10 people indoors, you should continue to wear a mask. Please do what will make you comfortable and keep you and your family safe.
Below is some of our ARCHIVED NEWS, but can still be relevant. 🙂
Breaking News:
During this Time Of uncertainty because of the Corona Virus or Covid-19…ChurchES have had to cancel SOME OF OUR meetings because of the potential of spreading this very contagious Virus that has caused a Pandemic in our Nation.
But don’t loose heart. – WE are here for you!
If you are unable to attend church, we are providing a way for you to continue to stay connected. Just make sure you have “Liked” our Grace Family Fellowship FACEBOOK page and you are all set. If you need help navigating there or setting things up please let us know. you can call Pastor David at 1-(252) 430-9491
To Get Started, Click here Online Church
If you do not have access to facebook, maybe you know someone who does and can share with you.
Also, please continue to give your Tithe, you can do that here too. Securely and easily. Just click Here:
Or you can mail your Tithes to the church Post office Box.
P.O. Box 995 Robersonville NC, 27871
Thank you.
If you need any help, please Call, we will be glad to help you. (252) 430-9491
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Oct '19
Pastor’s Blog pg2
31
Oct '19
March 12, 2020 Blog post:
March 12th 2020
Don’t Worship Convenience.
Why are so many panicking over the Virus that is sweeping the world? It not only potentially threatens our life. It certainly threatens our CONVENIENCE. Whether we get sick or not. This nation celebrates and I dare say worships our conveniences. I would be a hypocrite to say that I’m not affected. But we love our comfort AND our conveniences.
This is a political year again; and of course, with the Presidential election season comes talk of Abortion. I have been shocked on how bold and straight forward some have been about abortion. Why is it that in such an advanced, educated, enlightened age, people are still holding on to such an immoral, barbaric and horrible practice? BECAUSE IT IS CONVENIENT! That is of up-most importance to people who have no Higher Authority to answer too. Having the “right to do what we want with our bodies”; which translates: “I want the right to do what is most convenient for myself at any given moment without anyone telling me what I should or should not do”.
Let’s be honest. We want the light to come on when we flip the switch; the air to come on when we turn on the AC; the car to crank when we turn the key and our knees to bend and straighten when we try to stand…and if these things don’t happen…we panic or get very frustrated at the very least. There is nothing wrong with all our MANY MANY conveniences. But we do not need to allow it to become so out of control that we will kill a baby in the womb when it cramps our style, interrupts our life, or causes us discomfort.
What is the solution?
A greater Value placed on God and His Will; than our own personal Convenience. I believe that this would require a REVIVAL. For me and you to hunger more for God’s move than for my convenience. I must press toward the LORD! Strive, strain, push, and climb toward His high calling. There are PLENTY of “low” callings from the world and ourselves. People want marijuana to be legalized for goodness sake! It is not enough that Alcohol ruins millions of lives A DAY in America…some want people to numb their mind further with another mind “lite” habit. Why? Because this would make peoples decisions to worship their CONVENIENCE less condemning. But sadly, there is a JUDGMENT DAY coming! And we need to rely on the wisdom of Proverbs 3:5-6 (the whole chapter for that matter) to capture our hearts again! “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your steps.” God would certainly direct us away from these acts of Convenience!
Stop right now and ask God what acts of convenience in your life could possibly be keeping you from being hungry for more of God and experiencing Revival.
God help us all. HE will, in HIS WILL!
January 21st 2020
Being an Intentional Wall Climber
In This New year, instead of being someone who feels like climbing the walls in a frenzy; how about we climb the walls of life with intention. Now there is no doubt, some walls just need to COME DOWN! God can help with that too. Some walls need to be leveled. Others are there and need to be there, but we need to climb them. Sometimes, like for Nehemiah, it is to lead a people to repair our first line of defense. A wall of protection. We need our first line of defense to be our trust in God. If that “wall” has been damaged or has holes in it…you need to repair that.
Isaiah 62:6 the Bible says: “…I have posted watchmen on your walls, they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.”
Here Isaiah is speaking to a people who need to intercede for Jerusalem. I am calling on you, as God wills, to intercede for Grace Family Fellowship. I believe God wants us to do 3 things as we “climb the walls”.
1. Rebuild any damage done by or regain any ground lost to the enemy (satan). Especially your ability to put God first and Trust in Him. We also desire to do our part to serve this community and win the lost. God says: “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18) but as the Body of Christ, we must do our part. God uses us; our skills, talents, personalities etc. to do His Kingdom work. Let God use you as we build and rebuild Grace Family Fellowship TOGETHER.
2. Be a “watchmen” on the wall. Keep your eyes open and don’t let the enemy take you, your family, your church family off guard! Be mindful of the attacks that may be on the horizon and identify them for what they are. But don’t let them stop you from doing what God has called you to do. Be a watchmen Night and Day. Isaiah said: “take no rest”. This means, don’t take a break from being a Christian in service to Your King Jesus. Serve the Lord with gladness. You are apart of God’s Kingdom work force as a believer. Your primary responsibility is to be His ambassador & witness of Jesus and His Gospel. WATCH for souls hanging in the balance, letting your life speak well of the Lord you say you serve.
WATCH for opportunities to serve the Lord and others; recognizing that when you do it to the least, you are doing it unto Jesus. Matthew 25.
WATCH for Christ’s return that you are not caught unprepared.
3. Praise the Lord! Praise Him in the good times and in the bad! Recognize that all good things come from Him (James 1:17). Always WATCH for reasons and ways to give God Glory and Praise for the blessings, provisions, and protections that He has provided. There are many that we are not even aware of, yet He has provided!
If we stay busy climbing the walls with purpose to tackle the tough challenges this day and time brings; and keep our focus on doing God’s work as a priority; then we will not focus as much on our problems. This will disarm the devil of one of his tricks; which is to keep us down and paralyze our zeal to serve because we are overly focused on what we don’t have or how damaged we are.
It is time to Build! God will provide the tools and He will fight for us. Praise His Name!
November 15th, 2019.
During this Season of Thanks; Consider the Source of ALL THINGS GOOD! (James 1:17) Consider the Originator of all that you ENJOY! Consider the Voice of God!
The Bible says: “The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. For when God spoke, the world began! It appeared at His command.” – Psalm 33:6,9. Eleve
n times in Genesis chapter 1 and 2 it begins a sentence or paragraph with “God said” and He spoke something into existence. From Light to space, day and night, earth and sea to plants and animals…God spoke and it was! Being that God’s voice is THAT POWERFUL, imagine what His voice can do for you today! His word is right there on your smartphone or tablet. It is right there in between the leather bound pages of your Bible. His Voice echos through your soul with every reading of God’s word or sermon you have heard preached or taught. His powerful words are speaking in the still small voice of the Holy Spirit inside of every true believer. God’s word speaks to every situation we may face or are facing in one way or the other. Do not underestimate God’s voice!
n times in Genesis chapter 1 and 2 it begins a sentence or paragraph with “God said” and He spoke something into existence. From Light to space, day and night, earth and sea to plants and animals…God spoke and it was! Being that God’s voice is THAT POWERFUL, imagine what His voice can do for you today! His word is right there on your smartphone or tablet. It is right there in between the leather bound pages of your Bible. His Voice echos through your soul with every reading of God’s word or sermon you have heard preached or taught. His powerful words are speaking in the still small voice of the Holy Spirit inside of every true believer. God’s word speaks to every situation we may face or are facing in one way or the other. Do not underestimate God’s voice! It is God who spoke and gave you taste buds to enjoy good food, ears to hear good music, eyes to see the beauty all around you, hands to feel the soft skin of a baby and feet to carry you to His house to worship God in His presence! God gave you a voice too! A voice to ACTIVATE His word when you speak it. Isaiah 55:11 says: “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Accept the challenge to enlarge the Power, authority and importance of God’s word in your day and in your life! Stop underestimating God’s Voice! He deserves Praise and Thanksgiving for all He has created and provided for us. To God be the Glory for His Amazing Word and powerful Voice! When God speaks, it does not just say something once…it continues to be and to speak and to say something FOREVER! His word is NEVER idol, mute, or still! It Works, Moves, Creates, Delivers, Encourages, Corrects, Transforms, Guides, Judges, Loves, Provides, brings Peace, Protects, and always Succeeds! So put God’s word in Your Heart – It will cause you not to sin against Him. Put God’s word in your mouth and you will make declarations and decrees that will bring Blessings and prosperity to your life and soul. Put God’s word on display in your life and everyone around you will see His glory and will be blessed! WOW – What a wonderful God! “Give Thanks unto God, for He is good and His love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1) “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) To receiving a blessing, click on the media below to hear Jimmy Swaggart sing: “His Voice Makes the Difference.”
October 31st 2019.
Don’t Be Scared!
Yes, there is such a thing as Ghosts…but I really only know of ONE. The HOLY GHOST! And we are not supposed to be scared of Him at all!
He is the 3rd manifestation of the “Triune God Head”.
His duty is to:
1. Convict the world of sin (John 16:8)
2. Be a Helper, Comforter, Advocate and Guide to the Believer (John 14:16)
3. Dwell in the heart of a Christian. (Romans 8:9)
4. Teach and guide us into all truth (John 16:13)
5. Give the Spirit filled believer Power to be a Witness for Jesus (Acts 1:8).
6. Help us bear His Fruit – evidence that God is in our lives and we are growing more like Him (Galatians 5:22-23).
7. Give Christians gifts to operate in God’s will and ministry; even in supernatural ways. (1 Corinthians 12).
8. To help us pray when we don’t know what to pray (Romans 8:26).
So the Holy Spirit does not want us to be scared of Him. In fact, He would like us to fully immerse ourselves into Him and allow Him to control our lives in harmony with God. (Galatians 5:16-17). This is not suppose to be scary either. Because if you learn to Trust God, you know He will do nothing to hurt you, only to help you, protect you, provide for you and bless you. The Holy Spirit’s function in our lives is what makes it possible for God to work all things, ultimately, to come out for our good (Romans 8:28). The Holy Spirit also anoints us to do those things Jesus taught us and modeled for us to do. Acts 10:38 is one of my favorite scriptures: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. For God was with Him.” Wow, what a powerful scripture. And this same Holy Spirit is with us like that too!
You know the scripture, 2 Timothy 1:7 that says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
So actually, God wants us to have a WAAAAAY opposite reaction to His Holy GHOST. God desire’s His Spirit to give us confidence in Him, never fear! This confidence comes from a pledge that is confirmed in us and our soul when we allow and desire the Holy Spirit to work in our lives (2 Corinthians 5:5). In fact, having the Holy Spirit working in our lives will help us be less scared, anxious and afraid. So if you struggle with anxiety, fears, or weaknesses of any kind (Romans 8:26) I would suggest you draw closer to the Lord and ask Him to work more through you, by way of His Holy Spirit. And He will! Never be scared to let go and let God have more control.
Be Blessed!
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02
Jul '19
Pastor’s Blog
02
Jul '19
Do we sometimes display a Judas lifestyle or make Judas decisions. Obviously, we don’t want to do this if we are true believers with a longing to please the Lord. At our Men’s Ministry conference event called “Band of Brothers”, we heard a powerful message concerning this. So it got me thinking and I wanted to share some of the points that were made with all of you; men and women alike. So let us look first at the 5 characteristics of a “Judas” based on the Judas in the Bible:
- A Judas mindset rejects change. John 6:70 “Then Jesus said, ‘I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.’” At this point, Jesus had been working with His disciples for some time. Possibly for months or longer… All of these disciples were “little devils” when Jesus called them. They were some very messed up individuals. Some more than others…just like us, right. But after all this time, and while some were deserting Jesus (John 6:66 – hmm, that’s interesting). But the original 12 stayed with Jesus; Peter even declared, “to whom else will we go? You alone have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68). So obviously these disciples had changed; EXCEPT JUDAS.
– God has called us to change. He has called you to change. What area in your life are you allowing the devil inside? Is there an area where you refuse to change, even though the Holy Spirit is dealing with you? A complete surrender to an Almighty God will change you. Let us make sure we are surrendering to the Lord more as we grow in Him. - Judas had a mindset of giving some things to Jesus, but NOT giving ALL to Jesus. John 12:3-6 Mary took a very expensive jar of perfume and poured the whole thing on Jesus feet; representing that she valued Jesus, far more than money or the worth of the jar of perfume. Judas immediately felt, what a waste! Judas cared more about the value of the jar of perfume than he did Jesus. Judas felt that she should have poured some of the perfume on Jesus feet and then sale the rest of the oil for money to give to the poor. But then the Bible says that Judas didn’t really care about the poor. We should have an “ALL IN” mentality with Jesus! We should value Him above all other things in life. Half hearted Christians are the most miserable Christians. We need to be all in with our Lord Jesus.
- Judas Knew about Jesus – but Judas did not KNOW Jesus. Matthew 26:21-25 Jesus said that one of the twelve would betray Him. The other disciples asked: “Is it I Lord?” But Judas asked: “Is it I Rabbi?” This reflects a level of intimacy that was missing in Judas. The other disciples had learned to acknowledge Jesus as much more than just an instructor or teacher. They acknowledged Jesus as their Lord. Judas had attended every meeting with Jesus, saw every miracle, and heard every teaching…but never became a doer. We can be so close to Jesus, and still not know Him. Don’t just have religion or a list of religious duties or dos and don’ts. Have Jesus! Have Life! Know Him.
- Judas encouraged others to grab Jesus – but he was not willing to grab hold of Jesus. Matthew 26:48-49 Judas had pre-arranged for the temple guards to grab Jesus, after Judas gave that betraying kiss. If Judas had ever grasped Jesus; who He was and what He was doing for him; Judas could have never made that deal or given that kiss…Judas would have been too busy grabbing all of Jesus he could get to betray Him like that. This Judas mindset will offer others the chance to get close to Jesus, but will not themselves get close to Him. If we have a deep enough relationship with Jesus, we will want to introduce others to Him because He is so wonderful to us! Our desire to share Him comes from a place in us that overflows with a knowledge that we can’t live without Him.
- Judas allowed someone else to take his crown. Judas went out and hung himself. He could not live with what he had done. This Judas mindset represents a need for instant gratification over ETERNAL Reward. There was still forgiveness with Jesus. There was still life in Jesus. There was still anointing, freedom, healing, deliverance, and intimacy with God IN Christ…but Judas already suffered with too many of the above issues to yield to all Jesus had readily available to him. Let us not miss all that Jesus has for us because of impatience, stubbornness or neglect.
Because of these Characteristics: Judas lost 4 things:
- Judas lost the personal presence of Jesus, even when he was right beside Jesus.
- Judas lost the fellowship of the apostles. Judas lost trust; from the other disciples and from Jesus. When you loose trust, you loose it all.
- Judas lost the privileges of the ability to be useful in ministry. It is always an honor to serve…especially to serve the Lord! There is not higher calling or better feeling than to do a work that brings glory to God and blesses so many. But not being able to serve God is very dishonorable.
- Judas lost his reward in heaven. A real Christian will await their reward in heaven. This goes perfect with our theme verse for 2020: Romans 8:18 “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.”
Do Not Become Content Spiritually
The Bible states that the Devil is LIKE a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8. I can hear the Amen’s…but wait. That is not all it says: 1 Peter 5:8 also says: Be ALERT – Be Sober Minded. Other translation use the synonyms: Be on your guard – Stay awake – Be Vigilant – Be serious – Be clear minded – Be reflective – Be of sober spirit… WHY? Because your enemy is looking for every opportunity to mess you up! To devour your confidence, your future, your destiny, your potential, your healthy mind, your resources, your faith, and most dangerous: Your Relationship with God Almighty. Satan can’t stand it when you talk to the Lord as your best friend. Satan can’t stand it when you go to an altar with faith in Jehovah! Satan can’t stand it when your storms make you stronger because you trusted in the Lord despite the waves and the winds! Satan is working everyday to initiate a domino effect in your life towards disaster. The enemy, the Devil, will not be satisfied until your love for God begins to grow Cold; Until you begin to Rebel against the ways of the Lord and become disobedient and even Fall away from faith in God’s sufficiency! Until you as a Christian become Lukewarm; lazy, forsaking your calling, loosing value in prayer, God’s word and coming together in worship with other believers; Until you begin to forsake God’s house and stop assembling together for prayer! The devils will not be satisfied until you have NO FAITH LEFT AT ALL! Jesus even warned of these things. He even assured us that it WOULD happen. So Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says: “Watch out, your adversary, the devil, prowls around LIKE a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
But we can learn 3 things from this verse:
1. We can choose to be Alert and win this thing! We do not have to be the victim! The devil loves to give church people an excuse to justify why they did or do what they do… To be a victim. But we are not called to be victims! WE are called to be MORE than Conquerors in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37)! Throughout the Bible, God always has a Remnant, a small number, among the masses, that BELIEVE Him, TRUST Him, stay TRUE to Him, even when the majority fail too. We can resolve that we are not going to allow our Spiritual life be to be devoured by a stooge like satan!
2. We CAN see the Devil for what he really is! The devil is a player! Satan is a good actor! He is pretending to be a Lion. An intimidating lion who tries to make us feel we are about to loose at any minute. But satan is not the lion! The Bible says Jesus IS the Lion of the tribe of Judah! That means Jesus is the true KING with POWER and MAJESTY! So, if we are alert and careful, we can see the devil coming! We can see through his tricks and strategies! We CAN resist him and he will have to flee! (James 4:7)
3. We CAN exercise Authority against the Devil! You may not have caught it…but there is a little powerful word tucked inside of 1 Peter 5:8: “…seeking whom he MAY devour.” Now I am telling you what the Holy Spirit told me when I read that today: “David, satan has no authority over you or your life. The devil has no authority over Grace Family Fellowship and this church body! Satan can only do what we give him the authority to do.” So satan “May” discourage you – if you let him. Satan “May” defeat you, if you give place to him (Ephesian 4:27), Satan “May” tempt you, make you feel guilty, play mind tricks on you, distract you, play with your weaknesses etc… AND HE “MAY” NOT in Jesus Name! I choose to take authority in Christ and draw a bloodline! I rebuke the devil and his influence over me or my family and you, my church family! NO hE MAY NOT!!! I stand, and THE LION of the Tribe of JUDAH Stands with me! I will be victorious! And the enemy MAY NOT have me!
Okay, so let’s get sassy with satan right now! I am not going to grow content with where I am spiritually! I am not going to let my guard down, become careless spiritually, and loose out! I am going to succeed! In Jesus Name! I resolve to continue to grow spiritually by strengthening my relationship with God! Thank You Father, for Your Holy Spirit who will lead me, guide me, comfort me, advise me, and empower me to be MORE than a Conqueror!
At Grace Family Fellowship, a Pentecostal Holiness Church in Robersonville NC; we just closed out our “calendar year” (June-June) with the Theme: (Taken from Deuteronomy 6:5) “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength.” With the Theme Phrase: “LOVE GOD ENOUGH TO DO THINGS GOD’S WAY”.
This has become very UNPOPULAR in the modern American culture. People hate to do things God’s way if it cost them something. But we are called to do things God’s way, if we love HIM, regardless of the cost to oneself. God instructed us and warned us in His word:
– “Count the Cost” Luke 14:28
– “Blessed are those who hear the word of God AND obey it”. Luke 11:28
– “Obey God rather than man” Acts 5:29
– “God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.” Psalm 119:105
– “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” Matthew 7:21
– “Enter in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction; and many there will be that go therein.” Matthew 7:13-14 – In 2 Timothy 3:1-5 The word of God warns of many things that will happen in the last days on earth; one such warning was: “…people will be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God…”. also:
– “…people will act religious but reject the power that could make them godly.” 2 Timothy 3:5
– “You will be hated by everyone in the world because of me, but those who endure to the end will be saved.” – Jesus Matthew 10:22
– Jesus also said in John 15:18-19 “Remember, when the world hates you, they hated Me (Jesus) first. If you were of the world, it would love you as it’s own. But instead the world hates you, because you are not of the world, I chose you to come out of the world.”
– 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 warns us of many lifestyle choices that can lead to us not being allowed to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. “…Don’t fool yourselves…those who practice HOMOSEXUALITY…will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
And this is just one of many places in the Bible where God makes it clear that LGBTQ+ lifestyle sins are sinful and contrary to man-kind’s basic nature and the way God created us. I will not use this forum to get into the debate of how people JUSTIFY their sins by claiming that God made them this way. But the bottom line is, we were all BORN IN SIN. But at some point we have to LOVE GOD ENOUGH TO DO THINGS HIS WAY. Whether your struggle is with heterosexual desires or homosexual desires.
Make no mistake. If Christians or the church belittle this struggle or make fun of the LGBTQ+ struggle, then we are sinning ourselves. Like any sin, we must preach the word of God in Love and allow the Holy Spirit to convict individuals of their lifestyle choices. And that is exactly what it is…a CHOICE.
Some feel that their choice is not a sin, even though God’s word says it is, so they feel they should be able to serve in ministries and hold positions without repenting. Those in our nation today that feel this way are trying to pressure everyone to change in the direction of this new “sin inclusive” attitude, and if they don’t, they throw shade (or criticize) those churches and denominations. Some denominations, that have seen drastic decline over the years, are becoming open to this idea, out of desperation to keep people, or attract people to come, or remain “relevant” in this day. Some are even ordaining and licensing individuals living in open sin and transgressions.
The church must be patient and sympathetic to those struggling with any sin. But we can never condone sin when the word of God has made God’s will perfectly clear.
Even when the world is LOVING on the LGBTQ+ community and hating the Churches that stand with God’s word on this issue. We must not compromise. But we also must not fall into the temptation to get angry, hostile or act unloving toward those who are indeed deceived. For they are hurting and need deliverance and love.
The Bible warns that as the end draws near and things begin to get worse:
2 Timothy 3:13 “…evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
My parents taught me at a young age: “David, be watchful when the world clamors around something, loves something and it become very popular…that can be a red flag that it is of the world and not of God.”
So based on these scriptures that I have read today, I believe that those who are bending over backwards to justify the LGBTQ+ lifestyle, need only to look around. See how much love the world is showing this choice. And return to Holy Scriptures that are a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. God’s word will never lead us astray. But culture, our heart strings and even our pleasures will.
What is happening is people are breaking the 2nd Commandment. They are creating a false image of god to fit with their sin. They have created a false god, that looks and sounds like Jesus and Jehovah, that does not condemn their lifestyle choices. This is very dangerous. Any church that is allowing people who live in open rebellion and sinful lifestyles to knowingly serve as leaders and minister at their church are playing a role in this sin. NONE of us are perfect. Church, as long as it is on this earth, will be made up of flawed and imperfect people. PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GRACE AND MERCY. But when the Holy Spirit reveals a sin in our life. When the Scriptures (GENESIS THROUGH REVELATION) reveals a sin in our life. We MUST repent – turn from that sin – and turn to God’s mercy. Thank you Father for being faithful! “For if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
All are welcome at GRACE FAMILY FELLOWSHIP. Come one and all. Even with your sin – just as you are. For there is deliverance for you in the power of Jesus name and the power of God’s word! I still believe in the full inerrant (without errors) word of God! The Power of Jesus Blood is still transforming lives! But only when we come to Him willing to surrender and do things God’s way! Let us continue to pray for the LGBTQ+ community.
“Let Freedom Ring” use to be a common phrase and sentiment during this time of the year and any time there was a patriotic celebration. But it seems to me that we are in another season when people take freedom for grated. Some politicians even seem to be dead set on pushing agendas that history has proven rob people of certain freedoms. But all in all, how valuable is freedom to us? To you?
God’s word speaks a lot about freedom. It is even a major thread that runs throughout the Bible; both Old and New Testaments.
God sent Moses to set His people free from Egyptian bondage. God reminded His people of this miracle countless times and He was honored and worshiped for it and feared by pagan nations for His Act of power on display to deliver His people! There are many other reports of God liberating people in the O.T.
God’s greatest act of deliverance was setting us free from the powers of Sin and spiritual Death. In Luke 4:18, Jesus said the scriptures were speaking about Him in Isaiah 61:1 when Isaiah said “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me…” What did God anoint Jesus to do? “…to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,”
But the core question is: WHY did God set it His Mission to provide freedom for Mankind on so many levels? The answer is found from God’s own voice in Exodus 9:1 “Go back to Pharaoh,” the LORD commanded Moses. “Tell him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let My people go, so they can worship Me.”
There is certainly freedom to be had in Christ. Whether you live in a free country or not…whether you are locked up behind bars or not. Freedom from Sin. Freedom from Spiritual Death. Freedom to have peace about where you will spend eternity (free from the fear of death). Freedom from addictions. Freedom from the deceptions of the devil. Praise God! And for we Americans, on this 243rd birthday of America…Freedom to worship God publicly and privately!
And on another note, I believe that there is freedom to have faith, regardless of what the environment around us says. Faith in what God’s word says. To stand on that Word the Lord has given you, when everyone else gives up, or all signs point the opposite direction. We stand firm in knowing that “He who began a good work in us will one day carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6) Even when things go bad, I am free to put my faith in what God’s word says! Pray for things to change! Pray for the breakthrough! Pray for God to save those we love! Some may not even want us to pray that way…but in my personal prayer life to the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE WHO HEARS MY PRAYERS…I’m free to Pray and share anything I like with Him! Thank you Father for answering our prayers! In Jesus Name! Amen! May God’s Freedom He has provided, Ring and Reign in your life!
God desires us to be encouraged in our walk with Him. He also desires us to be encouraged TO walk with Him and walk CLOSE to Him. He encourages us to SERVE Him. To put first HIS Kingdom and His Righteousness (Matthew 6:33). God did not make us, call us, or save us to then frustrate us. Much of the things we face in life are a result of our own “free will” choices.“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! (Deuteronomy 30:19) But God offers to help us with our decisions. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. (Philippians 2:13)
God never desires for us to feel that we are overwhelmed by life. But when we do, He wants us to know HE IS THERE! And He will make a way out of that situation; one way or the other. Where we are powerless, God is ALL POWERFUL. “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8) “God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Sometimes life is not fair! But in those season, we must hold on and not give up.
“God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as He rewards everyone who loves Him.” (James 1:12)
Remember, NONE of our suffering is forever… God promises:
“He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared.” (Revelation 21:4)
I know this sounds HARD: But sometimes the best thing you can do when your discouraged and life is unfair… is to PRAISE GOD and REJOICE!
“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” (Habakkuk 3:17-18)
God’s power and presence will be released, in even greater magnitude and potency, when a true believer begins to Praise and Worship God even when we are broken, discouraged and feel hopeless. Just because you are a Christian, does not make you immune to the perils of life. But God is faithful! He will release an equal amount of His power and presence to help you and strengthen you! Believe that!
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:19)
Wow, what a good God! It may not FEEL like it instantly, but things will turn around! You will Feel better… but until you do, Let the other big “F” Word turn you around: “FAITH”!
Be blessed!
Souls Ready for Work
We can’t save ANYONE. Yet, we desire Grace Family Fellowship to be a Soul Saving Station.
There are more people LOST than there are people ADOPTED into GOD’S GRACE FAMILY. So what do we do? What role will you play?
Do we really desire to Grow as a Church? Read more…
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