tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9013712039470007482024-02-07T04:08:15.391-08:00The WellWe are called to be different, to shine our Light in a world that is tired of the status quo We are not to be conformed to world instead we are to be conformed to the likeness of Christ so that the world can be reached. We are called to bring life not condemnation in Jn 4:14 Jesus says "but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” This is what we are aboutPastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-20871397564100013352019-05-13T14:26:00.002-07:002019-05-13T14:26:29.735-07:00Moving to a New SiteHello,<br />
<br />
After using Blogger for several years I have decided to make the move to another site. Please come follow me here. <a href="https://bigpapasheart.wordpress.com/">https://bigpapasheart.wordpress.com/</a> I have imported all of my blogs over to the new site.Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-69223420855947969422019-05-04T06:51:00.001-07:002019-05-04T06:51:49.610-07:00Unified <p dir="ltr">A friend posted something earlier that I read about how John and James wanted to be seated at the right hand of Jesus, a place of honor. And Jesus told them "no", he then went on to explain how He wanted to be closer to them and us than sitting next to Him. His desire was and still is to be united with us. After reading this I ended up reading John 14 (several times through) which pretty much lays out not only His desire to be united with us, but also how it looks, and how we benefit. In the beginning of the chapter he deals with Thomas and his need for details, and Philip with his inability to see what's been in front of him the last three years. He then goes on to explain how He is in the Father and that through the Holy Spirit we are in Him, because He is in us. Abba has been talking to me so much about "on earth as it is in heaven" and this lays out how it works. You see Jesus didn't just set the example for us to follow He is in us, speaking to us, guiding us, giving us the power and ability to do whatever He asks of us. His desire to become fully united to us happens when we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour. When we say "yes Lord" He enters in and there is a change that happens in us, in that moment we become a new creation (<i>2 Corinthians 5:17</i>) that is worthy and able to be His dwelling place. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>Don’t you believe that the Father is living in me and that I am living in the Father? Even my words are not my own but come from my Father, for he lives in me and performs his miracles of power through me. Believe that I live as one with my Father and that my Father lives as one with me—or at least, believe because of the mighty miracles I have done. “I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father! For I will do whatever you ask me to do when you ask me in my name. And that is how the Son will show what the Father is really like and bring glory to him. Ask me anything in my name, and I will do it for you!” John 14:10‭-‬14 TPT</i><br>
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Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-50942107698097531172019-04-21T05:51:00.001-07:002019-04-21T05:51:53.918-07:00Because He loves you <p dir="ltr">As I was sitting here this morning and pondering the impact of Resurrection Day Abba brought something to my mind. A few years ago when we were still in Iowa I was out to lunch with a young man. While we were sitting there a young lady walked in and He "highlighted" her as she walked by. I prayed a little in my head but went back to the conversation at hand. As we were preparing to leave and were paying for lunch I felt Holy Spirit whisper "tell her that I love her". I had a little conversation in my head and He finally said "just do it". So I walked over to her table there was another man sitting there either a dad or uncle. I excused myself for interrupting their lunch and proceeded to tell her that God really wanted her to know that He loves her. She responded with a "I don't believe in God." My reply "well He believes in and loves you, have a nice day and enjoy your lunch." And we left. Occasionally Abba reminds me of this encounter and I pray that the planted seed will germinate and come to life.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This whole encounter was a picture of what Jesus did for us through His death and resurrection. He not only died for us but also as us. He took our place as a final sacrifice, solely because Abba Father loved us so much that He wants us to be back in relationship with Him. Jesus did this for us before we knew Him, before we said yes to Him. He made the ultimate sacrifice so we could make that choice. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><b><i>For this is how much God loved the world—he gave his one and only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. “God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Savior and rescue it! John 3:16‭-‬17 </i></b></p>
<p dir="ltr">Y'all have an amazing day and be blessed. </p>
Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-65545799876419807492019-04-20T07:21:00.001-07:002019-04-20T07:21:23.137-07:00Entwined <p dir="ltr">So we have this picture hanging in our bedroom of an old barn. Instead of hanging it from a regular hanger we hung it with a piece of twine instead kind of gave it a rustic type of feel. We had gone a way for a few days and when we got home the picture had slid down the wall behind the dresser, the single thread of twine could not support the weight of the not very heavy picture over a period of time. Then discussion ensued do we try thicker twine or use a regular hanger. In passing one of daughters mentioned you should braid the twine and this stuck in the back of my head. So we found the same spool of twine that we took the single, failed strand from and cut three strands. I took these strands knotted them on one end looped them on a door handle and proceeded to braid them. Being the dad of three girls I have had a lot of braiding experience, I brushed and braided their hair on a regular basis.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Anyway as I was braiding the three strands together I could feel the imperfections of each single strand as they worked through my fingers where one of the natural pieces was joined with another to make it one long spool. As I worked to tightly work these three strands together Abba started talking to me. First I was reminded of:<i><b> Ecclesiastes 4:12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.</b></i> Which is where you probably thought I was going with this, but He started to show me more. </p>
<p dir="ltr">As those imperfections of each thread which on their own were potential weak points or break points once I was able to tightly intertwine them the imperfections disappeared the weak spots became strong. He started showing me how He intertwines our lives with others and how when we focus on the strength of that unity and when He is the core that strengthens that unity that the imperfections that make us weak as individuals are strengthened and fade into the chord. They actually have certain ropes that have a core sometimes of steel that run through the center, this design gives incredible strength. In <i><b>John 15:5</b></i><br>
<i><b>“I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. </b></i>His desire is for us to be in unity with one another, with our lives intertwined and Him as our core. Following His commands obediently to love, heal and set free, making disciples that expand His kingdom. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Bless y'all. </p>
Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-26856193689042759842019-02-13T05:45:00.001-08:002019-02-13T05:45:24.509-08:00Expectations <p dir="ltr">So this morning I was laying in bed and I started thinking about how we set expectations on almost everything but I was specifically thinking about how we do it with God. Many times in doing this we set ourselves up for disappointment because we expect the infinite creator of the the universe and who knows what else to perform within our limited view. You see we tend to focus on the symptoms, you know the higher level stuff that we can touch and control. He deals with the root cause. He started reminding me of examples of this that I have encountered. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The most recent one had to do with me starting to have "stomach issues" (I'll spare the details), at one point I lost about 15 lbs. in 5 days, got that under control after seeing the doctor and then it started again and again got the symptoms under control. Then a few weeks ago I got hit with horrible abdominal pain accompanied by nausea and all the fun stuff that goes along with it. Needless to say my wife took me to the ER at 3am and later that day I was in surgery having my gallbladder removed. You see I was having some symptoms but there was nothing until the pain hit that pointed to the deeper issue of the gallbladder, even the ER doctor was surprised because of where the pain was and I hadn't really had any other painful flare ups. But through various tests that went deeper they were able to find the cause. <br>
Some other examples come from times of ministry. My wife and I have been involved in a couple of different Healing Rooms and other ministry opportunities. In these there have been countless times where people would come to get prayer for one thing and Holy Spirit would lead the team to pray for things that had nothing to do with their request, He would lead us to something deeper and once that was dealt with whatever it was they wanted prayer for went away. </p>
<p dir="ltr">And how many times have we prayed "but God if you only give me this one thing and it will make all these other things go away "? And He comes back and says "hey I want you to go serve this homeless guy" you come up with excuses not to are finally obedient and He blesses you anyway and the next thing you know your master plan for fixing stuff is no longer relevant and the things you thought needed fixing start to disappear. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I guess all of this is meant to be a reminder and an encouragement to let God be the Lord of your life, He knows more than you do and His plans are way better than ours. So why don't we partner with Him, be quickly obedient and let Him help us work out the root causes of what causes us pain and discomfort isn't He the Great Physician after all?</p>
Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-28530168225998032942019-01-12T05:42:00.001-08:002019-01-12T05:42:31.645-08:00Early Morning Pondering on Healing and Stuff <p dir="ltr">Last night we had a friend come by who os in town for a few days. We had supper and she was telling us about the journey Abba has her on and it has been pretty cool. She brought up something she sent out on a group post a couple of weeks ago that I had commented on and wanted to discuss it further. So some time, way to early this morning, Abba started talking to me about it again. Essentially what had happened is she was at a cafe or something and the owners were there the guy has an amputated leg and felt like Abba prompted her to pray for their business and restoration of the limb. (I would be lying if I said seeing Abba grow a limb out wasn't on my bucket list). So when she felt rhe timing was right she approached them and they welcomed her prayers. She had an expectation that the limb was going to immediately grow out and felt bad that it didn't and was a bit frustrated. I explained that healings and instant right now miracles are always the same thing. That sometimes when you pray for healing you don't know where you are in their process and that sometimes there ends up being words of wisdom of something else that might need to be done for the healing to be completed. Some examples would be in <b>John 9:6-7</b> "<i>Then Jesus spat on the ground and made some clay with his saliva. Then he anointed the blind man’s eyes with the clay. And he said to the blind man, “Now go and wash the clay from your eyes in the ritual pool of Siloam.” So he went and washed his face and as he came back, he could see for the first time in his life!"</i> There are other times too like when He told people to get up and walk, etc.. Also I have seen many times when there is healing that has to happen in the spirit man or the soul before physical healing will manifest. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So in our conversation I also said that Jesus told us to heal the sick, not pray for them (see <b>Matthew 10 </b>and<b> Mark 16</b>). That many times we get caught in trying to say the right thing or conjure something up many times to stir emotion etc. Don't get me wrong sometimes what we pray will help build our faith and the person we are praying for faith, but we we should only say what the Holy Spirit is telling us. As Abba was going over this with me this morning He said "there is no reason to put spit shine and show on what He is doing. Do we really think that we can improve on the presence of the All Powerful and the All Glorious?" An example of this is a while back I was at a conference and after the service part was over there was a group of about 6 people gathered around a lady "praying" for her leg to grow out (one was obviously shorter than the other) I walked by them and went to talk to a friend on the other side of the venue I came back about 20 minutes later to get my stuff and they were still praying. Something inside of me got super frustrated and I stopped to ask what was going on. They told me they were praying for her leg ro grow out and I said you don't need to pray for it. Then I said in Jesus name leg come out and immediately it was equal to the other. Abba immediately touched her leg, I kept walking and the 6 sat there like what just happened. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Some things I have learned along the way is that being prayed up (the whole pray without ceasing thing) before we get into situations where Abba wants us to heal, prophecy or whatever. That we need to be quickly obedient (delayed obedience is disobedience). That we need to say or do exactly what He tells us, no more no less. We don't need to try and make Him look good He's already beautiful. And we need to always show His love because that's what it's all about. </p>
Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-48481804019517830932018-12-25T06:44:00.001-08:002018-12-25T06:44:44.057-08:00Betrothed - A Christmas Pondering <p dir="ltr">Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” <br>
Luke 1:26‭-‬28 NKJV</p>
<p dir="ltr">The whole betrothed thing has had me thinking this Christmas season. Back in those days being betrothed meant so much more than an engagement in today's terms. You actually entered into a legally binding contract of marriage the wife was given a ring or other gift as a token of the betrothal. The betrothal period on average was about 12 months during which the bride started gathering her things and preparing herself for part two of the process, the wedding day. This is when she would actually move under her husbands roof and became fully his wife. The groom during this time period was also doing things to prepare his biggest task was to finish his house and ready it for his bride. So when Abba decided it was time for the arrival of Jesus, His timing was interesting. You see Mary by law was Joseph's wife, but it had not been fully consummated. There are some things that are key here, it wasn't unheard of for betrothed couples to have sex prior to the final ceremony, but both Mary and Joseph held themselves to the highest standard waiting for the final ceremony. And Abba decides to enter into their lives with an unexpected gift. He chooses a time between the start of a legal contract and it's consummation (the Law and the new covenant). He gives Mary and Joseph an opportunity to partner with Him and His plan for salvation of the world and they both said yes. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Thinking about all of this also got me thinking about our position as "the bride" of Christ and where we are in that process. Many would say that we are in the betrothal stage preparing for some future event, but I think that sets us back and keeps us from the fullness of all He has for us. I believe that when we say yes to Jesus and agree to make Him our Lord we are also saying yes to Him as our groom, where we can step into full intimacy with Him, where we are full partakers in this new covenant that He provided, where we allow Him to indwell us and we function and partner together. You see before the betrothal process even happened He placed gifts in each one of us, for all intents and purposes He has impregnated us even before we were born. And being born again and coming into full relationship with Him allows for those things that He placed in us to fully come to life and be released to share with others so that they too can enter into their bride relationship with the Groom. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So as we celebrate Christmas we should take some time to look at where we are in our relationship with Abba. Are we in the pre-stages of entering into this relationship unsure if we are ready to commit? Are we in the betrothal stage where we have said yes but have not fully committed to making Him Lord? Or are we fully committed where we have jumped in being fully submersed into all He has for us? And we need to look at what gift has He placed inside of us that needs to be opened and released to bless others. </p>
<p dir="ltr">He has given us the greatest gift of all because He loves us in ways that we really will never fully comprehend. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! Romans 8:38‭-‬39 TPT</p>
Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-70002905686620593562018-11-22T05:57:00.001-08:002018-11-22T05:57:57.644-08:00Thankful<p dir="ltr">So I'm sitting here this morning having yet again woken up way too early on a day that I could sleep in. And being that it's Thanksgiving morning it's only normal to ponder about things that you are thankful for. I have also found over the last few years personally having potentially serious life events makes you look at what you are thankful for in a different way. Some of you may or may not know that I ended up in the hospital about a month ago with they called atrial flutter. Basically it was causing my heartrate to spike and do crazy things. I went to the ER and within 5 minutes of walking in the door I was in a room that quickly filled with about 8 people putting stickers and wires allover my upper body so rhey could see what my heart was doing. I looked over at Laura and could see some fear creeping in, and knew that she was praying. I need to say that I am very grateful for a wife that prays especially since when I go through stuff like this I am generally unphased of the brevity of the situation until afterwards. Anyway they hooked me up to an IV and admitted me to the hospital, 2 days later I had a procedure called an ablation where they essentially break the circuit that causes the flutter and went home the next day. So back to the IV I can't remember what the medicine was called but they use it to force your heart to behave (go back into a regular rhythm). They kept saying that my heart needed to convert, which led to some fun underlying jokes on our churches group chat. I am thankful that the medicine worked because the alternative would have been a procedure that would mean shocking my heart to get ot to stop and reset. Working for Microsoft this would have been the reboot of all reboots. Through all of this I want to say that I am grateful for some amazing nurses and doctors especially the cardiologist that was able to fix the issue. I get to see him next week for a follow up. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Through all of this Abba started talking to me about the heart. How because we are all essentially born with hearts that are broken and don't function properly that we need a great Physician to perform surgery to make things right. To bring our hearts into a correct rhythm a rhythm that is instep with His.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In Matthew 11:28‭-‬30 it says “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and light" </p>
<p dir="ltr">He was talking to me about how through Jesus, when we make Him the Lord of our lives that we become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5) in Him. He also showed me that because of what Jesus allowed Himself to go through with His body being broken and His blood being spilled that He provided not only cleansing of sin but also healing. (Isaiah 53:5 says that by His stripes we are healed) </p>
<p dir="ltr">I find in life and the older I get and hopefully the wiser I take Jesus's commands to us more and more seriously. They are simple but don't come without cost, but we need to remember the cost was already paid for. He tells to love God, love others as ourselves, to heal the sick, set captives free and to make disciples. He wants us to be a reflection of Him wherever we go and whatever we do. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So what am I thankful for the list is long because I am a greatly blessed man. My greatest blessings are my wife, my daughters and their husbands, my amazing grandchildren, my siblings, nieces and nephews, my extended family which includes many of my kids friends, our spiritual kids and all of our church families. But then there are the not so obvious ones the people I get to meet at the store, on the street, at the airport or on a plane, the people that Abba leads me to so that I can pray for them, prophecy over them or just be a random helping hand. I also have a list of cool stuff that He has blessed me with as well like this ridiculous house that He provided for us. But the one thing I am most thankful for is Abba, that He loves me and continues to put up with me while He teaches me to learn and grow. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGVZr-QCw9cT6ndX6XiKqlcWZpyx8ZEC0Lk8a__PHgwFxfV65wvlSuWgRBHff0MOtllN5rPSKaVvFTaw-Gjmc-RcTXvKbvecRcbuY6FXyFKBb3JeRgfpwWnit2I0n7abwrKiL6YCarCA/s1600/20181122_075549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGVZr-QCw9cT6ndX6XiKqlcWZpyx8ZEC0Lk8a__PHgwFxfV65wvlSuWgRBHff0MOtllN5rPSKaVvFTaw-Gjmc-RcTXvKbvecRcbuY6FXyFKBb3JeRgfpwWnit2I0n7abwrKiL6YCarCA/s640/20181122_075549.jpg"> </a> </div>Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-28440213137049486662018-05-11T05:47:00.001-07:002018-05-11T05:47:36.876-07:00300 Mighty Warriors - a lesson in obedience <p dir="ltr">When I first woke up this morning, still lying in bed Abba started to talk to me about Gideon. Well not Gideon so much but about the 300 mighty warriors that were chosen by God to give victory to Israel and ultimately to God. These men were the top 300 picked out of the original 32000 that showed up for battle, these men were instinctive warriors it was what they were born for. They were all in for the fight willing to follow a man that Abba found essentially hiding in a dumpster scavenging for food for his family, the guy that responded to God by reminding that he was the smallest and weakest man in all of Israel. But Abba looked beyond that into what Gideon was made for and called that forth.</p>
<p dir="ltr">While I was pondering this dynamic I was reminded of way back in school when the gym teacher would pick the two least athletic kids in the class to be team captains not realizing that one of them was a born survivor and strategist. He showed me that guy was Gideon and he was now the leader of these mighty warriors and notice there is no mention of them questioning or scoffing at his directions. These 300 mighty men were prepared to go to war against an army of over 100,000. And in their very first battle engagement they were armed with trumpets, pitchers and torches. Not the usual warrior faire going into a massive battle. This initial engagement actually caused so much confusion that the enemy started to kill each other then they fled and the the 300 mighty warriors were released to go and do what warrior's do and because they were working in their calling and because they were obedient to the directions from the Lord they gained great victory and freedom for Israel. </p>
<p dir="ltr">A couple of things that stood out to me in this whole thing are:<br>
• God will call who He needs, when He needs them to step into their destiny despite their current situation. And sometimes that person becomes the unlikely leader of a movement that will set people free. <br>
• God has made us all with special, unique gifts to function in the world, to do battle, to heal and ultimately to love.<br>
• When we are obedient to Him we will always be blessed. Sometimes that obedience will cause us to do something that is uncomfortable but He provides us the strength and the strategy to get it done. Fear is not a factor. </p>
<p dir="ltr">For more context read Judges chapters 6-8</p>
Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-90046136411026530992017-12-19T08:41:00.000-08:002017-12-19T20:02:04.797-08:00Multiplication... Because He loves us<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One of the things that we have tried to teach the young adults
that we have worked with, and others, is that Abba is always talking to us and
showing us new things. The key is that we need to be paying attention, watching
and listening. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This morning I
had one of those moments. But first, I need to confess something. One of my
favorite places to pray is in the shower. I put worship music on and enjoy the
short time of not being interrupted, also it is a good time to pray for
cleansing for anything that may have attached to you or that you may need
forgiveness for. At times showering can be a prophetic act. But for me it's
also soothing and allows me to clear my head of the days busyness. Another
thing to consider is it probably the one time of day where you are the most
vulnerable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So, I was in the
shower and I grabbed my bottle of body wash and started to squeeze some out
onto my washcloth. I squeezed a little extra hard because I knew I was at the
end of the bottle, I even had a new one next to it just in case. But then
way more came out than I even thought was left in the bottle, in fact there is
probably enough for another shower. I said to myself "Dang, that was way
more than I thought." That is when Abba said "I don't just supply or
multiply when you are in need, sometimes I do it just to bless the ones I
love." He also said that He "will always bless
obedience." I then had the thought that I had my back-up plan in
place (the new bottle), but He wasn't concerned about my plan when He had one
in place that was better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b>Luke 6:38 </b></span></span></u></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Give, and you will receive.
Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room
for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will
determine the amount you get back.”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He then reminded me of other times where He had blessed me
similarly. On of these times was when I was in Bible college and we lived
almost an hour away from the school. During this time things were tight
financially, and there were multiple times when He took me 30 miles on 10 miles
worth of gas, sometimes in traffic, because the gas was about $.30 cheaper near
where we lived.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He also reminded that by nature He is a God of multiplication.
Every living thing that He created on earth was created with the ability to
multiply. In fact, one of the first commands He gives man is in <b><u>Genesis
1:28 </u></b><i><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Then
God blessed them and said, “</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Be</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">fruitful</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> and
multiply. Fill the earth and govern it...</span></i>" He also multiplies His
gifts, blessings, grace and love. And when we take what He has given us and
blessed, then it will be multiplied in our hands as was also give it away. It
is how we partner with Him in the expansion of His Kingdom.</span> An example
of this is when Jesus and His disciples fed the 5000+. Jesus blessed the bread
and fish, then gave it to His disciples to distribute. The multiplication
miracle happened in their hands through faith and obedience, and there was even
enough leftovers to fill 12 baskets for them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Matthew
14:16-21</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <i>But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to
go away. You give them something to eat.” And they said to Him, “We have here
only five loaves and two fish.” He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He
commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves
and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the
loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So, they all
ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that
remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women
and children.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All this to say pay attention, Abba is speaking and showing
us things all the time. And be obedient when He asks you to step out in His
strength to multiply what He has given you for others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-17078970849016529992017-05-26T10:43:00.002-07:002017-05-26T10:43:28.546-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On my way to work this morning the sky was brightening through the clouds and out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw part of a rainbow. I have always liked rainbows, as they remind me of the promises of God. Anyway as I looked back to see the rainbow it wasn't there. In my head I said to myself "bummer". Then I heard Abba say, "do you really still need a sign to know that I am faithful to keep my promises?" To which I was first convicted, but then answered "no not really, but sometimes it's nice to get a little reminder." After I answered to be honest I was still hoping to see a rainbow, however what I got was much better. I had a peace come over me and felt Abba say "Don't worry I got you". He is so awesome!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-6587409845914352692016-12-04T06:05:00.001-08:002016-12-04T06:05:33.887-08:00Walking as Children of the Light <p dir="ltr">Really felt like a reminder was needed today.</p>
<p dir="ltr">With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.<br>
Ephesians 4:17‭-‬32 NLT<br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2-LtN4BH-qIZJwkuq8CRzDGznhv3Fb7OHUqRtGYRIpREuAqi8qxoh7HPrDWE8veA8fWLpM2J72E_Fp3EQ76Z_0jv-sTWA_-Zr1eR01f6ivEZBBco8WmEXGHlI-38d05NwQ5y-EL9m5M/s1600/20161204_080242.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2-LtN4BH-qIZJwkuq8CRzDGznhv3Fb7OHUqRtGYRIpREuAqi8qxoh7HPrDWE8veA8fWLpM2J72E_Fp3EQ76Z_0jv-sTWA_-Zr1eR01f6ivEZBBco8WmEXGHlI-38d05NwQ5y-EL9m5M/s640/20161204_080242.png"> </a> </div>Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-38586472482723945192016-11-27T09:05:00.001-08:002016-11-27T09:05:37.885-08:00Location location location, or not <p dir="ltr">So for several nights I have woken up with John 4:20 in my head. I finally remembered to look it up while I was awake enough to actually read it.  As I read it and the following couple of verses it was very apparent that Jesus was making a point about worship. With Him the system of worship was about to change and change drastically. He was making a statement about worship being more about how than where. The established system of going to the temple to have a priest intervene on your behalfwas coming to an end.  The curtain that only the priests could go behind was going to get ripped open, in fact later in the new testament we are given a new position we are called "A Royal Priesthood ". Our system of church in some instances has reverted back to reliance on our relationship with God to have to go through a priest or a pastor, that was not God’s intent, never was was. He wants us to be able to come to Him directly our only Mediator being Jesus. He wants us to worship in spirit and in truth, and the location doesn't matter, your denomination doesn't matter. What matters is your passion and pursuit of a relationship with Abba, through Jesus and guided by Holy Spirit. It should become such a part of our identity that we can have open dialogue with Him no matter where we are or what we are doing. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>John 4:20‭-‬24 NLT</b><br>
<i>So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.  You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews.  But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.  For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”</i></p>
Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-57483896275913458422016-08-10T08:00:00.003-07:002016-08-10T08:05:56.095-07:00Mountain tops <div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 17.6px;">Amos 4:13 For behold, He who forms mountains, And creates the wind, Who declares to man what his thought is, And makes the morning darkness, Who treads the high places of the earth—The Lord God of hosts is His name.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;">When I was in Bible College there was a lot of talk at one time about striving for the mountain top, like the mountain top was the goal. Abba brought me into a vision we went from a lush green valley, through the hillsides and meadows and then to the top of a high mountain. Sitting down He said look around you what do you see? There was dirt, rocks, ice and a little snow, but no life. He then had me stand and lookout and the view was incredible, you could see for miles in any direction. He then explained to me that the mountain top is a temporary destination not the end goal. You work to get to the top it is a good place to rest, regain perspective and get the vision for the next part of your journey. But ultimately we are called to live where the life is not just where you have a nice view of it. You the snow and ice that accumulate on the mountain top eventually melt and run off down the hillsides and into the valleys the overflow brings life. So when you are in the valley or on the hillsides seek life .</span></td></tr>
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Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-63813773385672770162016-04-24T14:10:00.001-07:002016-04-24T14:11:20.984-07:00Complacency <p dir="ltr">It has been a while  (about 2 years) since I've seriously written anything or posted on my blog. It wasn't due to lack of want to honestly couldn't put my finger on any one particular thing that kept me from it. But the one word that comes to mind is complacency.  Over the last few weeks a friend of mine has been used by Holy Spirit to nudge me. Apparently the nudging worked.  </p>
<p dir="ltr">I think many times when we hear the word complacent or complacency, especially in Chritiandom, we assume that someone has "backslid", or has walked away from God. But in reality it can set in even while you are in the midst of opportunities to minister to others, even if you have a semi regular time of prayer and worship.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For me sometimes it starts by falling out of my rhythm. For one reason or another  (travel, vacation, work, busyness) we get to where we start to lose traction, become easily distracted or lose motivation.  It's kind of like when you you haven't been to the gym in a long time and you know it's going to hurt for the first couple of weeks and you really have to push yourself to fully engage. In Revelation 3 it says: </p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.  I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.  Revelation 3:15-16</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">To me being complacent in my walk with Abba, means I am no better than vomit that needs to be spewed. And when I start making my way back to the hot side, the enemy loves to remind me of that, this is why you need to be extremely careful of your self talk. The enemy loves to remind you of those negative things you say about yourself and tries to distract us from the voice of Abba, Himself saying "come to Me, My child I have been waiting for you." We need to deny the voice speaking lies and lean into the Voice that is drawing us in love. We need to remember that we have been given resurrection power through Holy Spirit and that power doesn't bring us back from death but also from a complacent life. It's like you don't need to have   full ressutation, but some oxygen and an inhaler that can open things up and get the flow going like its supposed to. </p>
Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-41279318733675670152016-04-15T14:11:00.001-07:002016-04-15T14:11:02.352-07:00The Pilgrimgram: The Fighter’s Regrets#links<a href="http://www.pilgrimgram.com/2016/04/the-fighters-regrets.html#links">The Pilgrimgram: The Fighter’s Regrets#links</a>Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-81351150560341131082013-12-25T06:58:00.000-08:002013-12-25T06:58:26.405-08:00He really is the ReasonSo I was sitting in our Christmas Eve service last night and the running theme from last Sunday and last night was how Christmas isn't about the event as it is about the purpose of the event, Jesus. As I sat there there was a manger which is now empty, then behind that on the wall is a wooden cross which is also empty, then I looked at an alcove area that reminded me of the tomb which is also empty. I was reminded that even though they are empty there was evidence left behind, His DNA marks all that He touches nothing is left the same. But there is also the glaring fact that He is still alive and well, and He is no longer in these places because He is seated at the right hand of the Father and alive in all that call Him Savior. He is Emanuel, God with us and He will never leave us or forsake us. <br />
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Jesus is truly the reason for the season!!!Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-51860457298353685822013-11-28T05:55:00.003-08:002013-11-28T05:55:46.594-08:00thanksgiving Today is the traditional day set aside to come together and give thanks for our blessings and the provision we have been given. It was started by a couple of different groups of people that had varying doctrinal beliefs that came together under their common belief in Christ to escape religious tyranny that was happening in England. They came together as"Pilgrims", trying to find a new place a "promise land" where they could worship freely without interference from the government. They were met with many tragedies along the way, but pushed on under their common Thread. They came together with the so called"heathens", that helped to teach them how to survive in this new land, and they had a big party and feast to gives thanks for the harvest. They came together and shared their first fruits together and no one was left out, status didn't matter, skin color didn't matter, clothing styles didn't matter. What mattered is that they came together in unity with a common bond and a common focus, to give thanks to the Creator of all things and for the abundance He provided them.<br />
So today is not only a day to hangout watch football and eat turkey. It is a day set aside as a memorial to give thanks to Abba for all He has provided, it is a day to be shared in unity with others expressing the heart of the Father and His love for all of us.<br />
<br />Colossians 2:7 "Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-60108603579887630742013-11-13T05:34:00.003-08:002013-11-13T05:34:39.491-08:00because He loves This is one of those mornings where I went to read a couple of verses and ended up reading the whole chapter. The parts where the psalmist talks about how awesome the act of creation was really spoke to me. Having a reminder of how we were created to be in relationship with Him, that was His intent from the beginning we as people are the only things that He fashioned with His own hands, then He held us in those same hands and breathed His life and Spirit I to us. Pretty stinking awesome if you ask me. It also amazes me that after so many centuries of the people He created to love and be in relationship with turn their back on Him that He continues to love and make a way for them to come back to Him. Many times I see Him more like the father in the story of the prodigal son, as he sees his son coming home, he forgets that his son basically disowned his family, he doesn't care that the stinks and is filthy . In fact he covers the filth and throws a party. This is the heart of the Father that we need to show the world.<br />
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Psalm 33:1-22 "Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!For praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy. For the word of the Lord is right, And all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance. The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works. No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You."Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-69081455734215812362013-11-04T05:07:00.000-08:002013-11-04T05:07:20.084-08:00kids and fruit...not what you think It's an awesome thing to see and hear about your"kids" walking out their destinies and using the gifts that Abba placed in them and realizing their identity in Him. When you can bear fruit that bears fruit there is success and His Kingdom will be added to.<br />
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3 John 1:2-4 "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers. In fact, I greatly rejoiced when [some of] the brethren from time to time arrived and spoke [so highly] of the sincerity and fidelity of your life, as indeed you do live in the Truth [the whole Gospel presents]. I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my [spiritual] children are living their lives in the Truth."Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-3800379548543063232013-10-31T05:32:00.001-07:002013-10-31T05:32:20.045-07:00Getting a little wound up here.Getting a little wound up here.<br />Isaiah 55:8-11 “I don’t think the way you think.The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think.<br />Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, Doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.<br />
I was reading these verses this morning and when I got to the part where God says that His word will not come back empty handed or void,but "They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them." When I read this I heard Him say "you are My word that I am speaking of, you and the rest of my saints. I spoke you into existence I breathed life and My Spirit into you, you are My message to the people I love, My desire is that all have the opportunity to know Jesus and to have a relationship with Me, through Him. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians you are a living epistle of Christ, you are to carry His message to the lost and broken, you are to bring His healing and reconciliation to Me, you are to reveal the loving heart of their heavenly Father this is reflected through compassion and love not through judgment."<br />
Needless to say I'm a little wound up in my spirit this morning, partially due to excitement for what He is about to do. But also because of some conviction thinking about what letter people read when they see me, the Lord knows I need help, but also know He is willing to give it.<br />
2 Corinthians 3:3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heartPastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-57008557902933461002013-10-09T05:22:00.000-07:002013-10-09T05:22:32.611-07:00pride disguised as fearI read this scripture the other day and it has stuck with me, probably for a couple of reasons. One which many have a hard time believing and that is that I used to not want to speak in front of groups of people, heck there was a time I didn't like speaking one on one much either unless I knew you very well. There was a time when I I would stutter and stammer a bit when I talked. There were times I was made fun of for how I talked even as a kid moving to Connecticut and having a southern accent I was told I talked funny. This and other things caused me to be a quiet observer only speaking when I had or needed to. I wasn't and still am always good conversationally. But Abba had a different plan for me. It's hard to make disciples if you aren't willing to open your, you can't share the gospel or speak the things that Abba tells you into peoples lives if you can't or won't trust Him to give you what you need to say. If it's not from Him its generally pointless anyway. The you are afraid to sound stupid reason usually comes from one of two things. One is you were probably made fun of at some point and that stole your voice, so let's pray for you so you can get some healing and work through forgiveness. Or two you are more in tune with your pride and would rather be rebellious than take the chance of being exposed as not being spiritual enough.<br />
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The other reason I think this stuck with me is because one of the things that my wife and I do as part of our ministry is help coach people in how to pray in ministry settings. Generally in small groups where there is an environment of safety. The biggest reasons people give us for not praying are "I don't know what to say", "I'm afraid that I'll sound stupid" and "I don't want to say the wrong thing". So, you don't know what to say, that's perfect. Why? Because He will give the words you need to speak and you are out of it other than being a willing mouthpiece. The I don't want say the wrong thing, is probably the most easy to work with. Why? Because for me that runs through my mind everytime I open my mouth, especially in times of ministry. Many times it means I am kinda willing to pray but it scares me a little and I have seen other people say things that were hurtful or judgmental in the past and I don't want to be that person. My answer to that is trust that Abba is talking to you and if all other words fail you can never go wrong if you speak love and encouragement. And ma y times in just opening your mouth and trusting Him the words come and the people are blessed.<br />
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I guess what it comes down to is I don't want to be like Moses. I don't want Abba to use someone else speak the words He has given to bless others with. I want to walk in a place where I can fully trust that if He prompts me to speak that I will do so willingly, without argument, without fear and with love and grace. Because that is what He has created us to do, to bless others in His name. And like Moses, I want to set the captives free.<br />
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Exodus 4:10-12 "But Moses pleaded with the LORD, “OLord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Then the LORD asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-11780302388605402492013-09-26T05:19:00.000-07:002013-09-26T05:19:11.791-07:00riversEver notice that whenever Jesus addressed a crowd it was about teaching the Kingdom, performing miracles, signs and wonders to get through to peoples hearts, and ultimately show Abba's love and promises for us that we receive through Jesus. So why then do folks feel the need to go to the crowds carrying signs of doom and hate, shouting judgment at people they have no relationship with and they wonder why people shy away from the church. When we encounter people we HAVE to demonstrate His Love, His Heart, His Kingdom. The signs we carry should be about how much He loves us not written on cardboard but written on our hearts communicated through words and acts of kindness with some signs and wonders mixed in to breakdown barriers and bring healing.<br />
If we are to fulfill the great commission we must be carriers of Abba's heart, being willing to invest ourselves into others so that disciples can be made. We need to provide the rivers of living water, via the Holy Spirit, to the lost.<br />
<br />John 7:37-39 "On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)"Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-51550070666220408972013-09-24T05:09:00.003-07:002013-09-24T05:09:52.100-07:00fearless safety When Abba is our desire when we keep Him at the center of our lives, nothing in the world can successfully come against us. He will cover and protect and provide for us. His desire for us is to be able to come and sit at His feet, a place of safety, when we are there fear has no place in our lives. He gives us victory!<br />
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Psalm 27:1-14 "The LORD is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. The one thing I ask of the LORD— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the LORD with music. Hear me as I pray, OLORD. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, OGod of my salvation! Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close. Teach me how to live, OLORD. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me. Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done; with every breath they threaten me with violence. Yet I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD."Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-901371203947000748.post-77460074522822981542013-09-19T16:46:00.002-07:002013-09-19T16:46:49.066-07:00vomitted into your destiny When I first committed my life to Christ one of the first Christian men I met was this guy named Leon, he was a stocky concrete guy, you could tell he had been through stuff, but he had a light in his eyes that I can still see. I shared a little of what I had recently gone through that got me on my knees. He simply put his arm around me, smiled and said sometimes we need to hit bottom before you look up. It was so simple and so freeing. <br />
When we run from our calling and destiny, it is like running into the deep dark places that cause us to hit bottom and when we choose to cry out to Abba He is quick to forgive and to set us on the shore of our destiny...<br />
Jonah 2:6-10 "I went down to the bottoms and the very roots of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever. Yet You have brought up my life from the pit and corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul fainted upon me [crushing me], I earnestly and seriously remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple. Those who pay regard to false, useless, and worthless idols forsake their own [Source of] mercy and loving-kindness. But as for me, I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation and deliverance belong to the Lord! And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land."Pastor Charlie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01701267852251226661noreply@blogger.com0