A Call

 

I Heard You Call
No it was not me
 

Pastor Jerry was reading from I Samuel 3:1-10, and John 1:43-51. 

There are various type of Callings.  Often it is us calling on God with our needs, and there is also a Calling from God for ministry.

The child Samuel heard God calling but he thought it was the prophet Eli. 

 

After three times, Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”

Samuel grew and continued to listen and speak as God told him.  He became one of the great Judges in Israel.

Reading from John 1:43-51 it was Jesus calling his disciples, “Come and follow me.

COME AND SEE !!
 

Philip ran and found Nathaniel, “Come and see,” said Philip, but Nathaniel questioned, yet he came to see Jesus.

 

Jesus called him out and Nathaniel asked, how do you know me?   Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

Jesus said, “You believe,  because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.”  He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you  will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” 

Jesus continued to reach out and call more to follow and serve Him.   

Today the call is still going forth. Long before - - He has known you and seen you with His divine eye. Even while you were in your mother’s womb, He knew you. 

The Call to ministry is often a long process, with much study and certain rites to recognize ordination.

Pastor told a story of a time he was helping out at the prison by cleaning out a cell that was vacant.  On the wall was a Certificate of Ordination, that had been purchased for $2.00.  He reminisced how his ordination had cost him much time and money and here he could have had a certificate for two dollars.  (We all smiled.)

 

Pastor went on to say there are legitimate on line college courses for a degree that will prepare one for ministry.

Learn to discern and listen to what God is calling us as individuals and as a congregation. 

Hear the call; “Come and See.”

The majority of work in the church is up to the congregation.  How important is it to take out the trash?  To greet people at the door?  To sing in the choir?  Keep humble and be willing to do what falls to your hand to do.

What does a call to ministry contain?  There are many directions one can go, all are good and the options are varied.

Serve God, doing your best and serve with your witness.  Be honest and keep a good humor and a clean lifestyle. 

You are not called to argue and find fault. 

 

You are called to ask people to come and receive Jesus. 

 

We are to say, “Come and See.”

 

 

 

 

 

"Make My Presence Your Priority"

 

"Make My Presence Your Priority"

- - Your Watch Word For 2015:

Guest - Russ Walden, Branson, MO:

 

"Make My presence your priority this year," says the Father. "Invoke My presence as you rise in the morning and rest in My presence when you lay your head down at night. Yoke up with My presence throughout your day, each day, and do not allow anything to cause you to deviate from your attentiveness with My presence.
 

"Make My presence your priority in 2015," says the Father. "As you immerse yourself in My presence I will guide you with My eye. I will lead you to the hidden treasures of secret place as the voice speaking over your shoulder saying, 'This is the way, walk in it...'
 

"I will come behind you with My wind and carry you along in the current of My river. Because My river will break out of the banks of man's limitation so you will break out of your banks and flow into and experience the full floodplain of My favor in 2015. (Photo via Wikimedia)
 

"You will find My favor in the morning. You will find My favor in the evening.

You will sit at the table of My favor in the presence of your enemies and they will not be able to reduce you or inhibit you in anyway.
 

"Make My presence your priority," says the Father, "for 2015 will be a gauntlet of distraction. The tyranny of the urgent will go to war with the priority of My presence. The enemy is very time conscious for he knows his time is short – therefore he will intensify his wrath against you and against My Kingdom. Do not put your attention on the enemy but let your eye go beyond the second heaven and garner your instructions from My throne – for I will give you rule over your enemy with an iron hand.

From Authority to Authorization

"Come up higher," says the Father. "Come up out of contention and into ruling and reigning. Make My presence your priority," says the Father.

"If your focus is on problems then the year will be problematic and you will have problems and be a problem. I haven't called you into problems," says the Father. "I have called you to your place of entitlement and rule at My right hand."
 

"Make My presence your priority," says the Father. "Set your affections upon Me and as I am, so will you be on the earth. Look to the throne and you will be enthroned. Look to My authority and you will receive authorization. I said you will move from AUTHORITY to AUTHORIZATION. Mind not small things," says the Father.

"Mind not small things but magnify Me and you will be magnified and move into the largeness of My Kingdom. Mind not the boundaries set by man or your own limited thinking and you will experience My boundlessness and enjoy a life without restriction.
 

"Reject contention now," says the Father. "Don't look back. Don't look back and you WILL move forward. Know that this year you are GOING where you are GIVING. Give toward greater things and greater anointings and greater ministries that you are walking in yourself and you WILL experience promotion.
 

"If you want to walk in the prophetic and know My voice give to the prophetic. If you want to go to the mission field give to My messengers. Give toward those works and ministries that represent the DNA of My glory churning and burning in your heart and you WILL SEE unprecedented increase.

Eat the Book!

"Establish your commitment to My Word; not just to what others say about My Word. Become a people of the book. EAT THE BOOK," says the Father.

"Eat it daily – consume it daily, and I will cause your experience and My power in your life to walk off the pages of My Book and substantiate My glory in your lives, your families, your businesses and every other area of need.

I SAY AGAIN EAT THE BOOK! (Photo via Pixabay)

"Let your mouth pray, for your prayers on the earth substantiate My prayers in the heavens. As the Son ever intercedes at the right hand of the Father I am calling you to pray.

As the Son prays in the heavens so I call you to pray on the earth. The prayers of earth bring the prayers of Heaven to manifestation in space and time.

"This will be a year of collisions. Step out when I tell you to and step in when I tell you to. My sovereignty and My omnipotence are coming together to release the kiss of Heaven and the kiss of My favor in your life. Fear not.
 

"The SKY isn't FALLING, the KINGDOM is coming and when the smoke clears it will be MY THRONE you will see established and not man's and not the enemies; for I am with you in 2015 to bring in your life to an unprecedented release of My KABOD glory in your family, in your region and cities and nations," says your Father."

God bless!

Prophets Russ and Kitty Walden Father's Heart Ministry

 

1Cor 14:1, 3  Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.   But he that prophesies speaks unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

 

 

Forgiving God

Forgiving God by Guest  R.T. Kendall

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. —Nahum 1:7

Although we often do not see it at first—and for some it takes a longer time—all of our bitterness is ultimately traceable to a resentment of God. This may be an unconscious anger.

Some "good" people would be horrified at the thought that they could be harboring bitterness toward God.

But we often repress this, too; such knowledge is too painful to admit.  The truth is, our bitterness is often aimed at God.

Why do we feel this way?

Because deep in our hearts we believe that He is the one who allowed bad things to happen in our lives.

Since He is all powerful and all knowing, couldn't He have prevented tragedies and offenses from happening?

What we ultimately believe is that God is to blame for our hurt.

God does turn evil into blessing. He causes things to work together for good.

God did not send His Son into the world to explain evil, but rather to save us from it and to exemplify a life of suffering.  Jesus, who was and is the God man, suffered as no one else has or ever will.

One day God will clear His own name from the charge of being unjust, but in the meantime, we need to trust Him and take Him at His Word that He is just and merciful.

For all of us who struggle with God's right to allow evil to exist in the world, there still must be a genuine forgiveness on our part, for any bitterness toward God grieves the Holy Spirit.

God was never guilty in the first place, but because He sometimes appears to us to have been unfair, we must relinquish our bitterness and wholly forgive Him before we can move on with our lives.

Excerpted from Total Forgiveness (Charisma House, 2002).

 

You Are Baptized

 

Pastor Jerry was reading from Mark 1:4-11 about John The Baptist baptizing people in the Jordan river, and Jesus came requesting to be baptized.  John at first refused, but relented and when Jesus came up from the water, an amazing thing happened.   

And immediately, coming up from the water, the heavens parted and the Spirit descending upon Jesus like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 

Pastor asked a question,  “How does your faith hold up in times of trial?  Sometimes we are shaken.  Do we become bitter with sorrow and emotional turbulence.  We might pray, Get me out of this and I will become a Priest. (Or some other rash promise.)

When everything is successful and we think we can control the situation, we think we don’t need faith. 

This week has been sour.  That is nothing new.  Throughout history there have been invasions, terrorism, troubles, sickness and death.  

So much depends on one’s faith and what you believe.  Faith is deep seated confidence, while belief is often opinion.  Faith is always NEW while belief comes and goes. 

Place faith on what is vital, and to build up our faith often takes a lifetime.

You can model Faith, but you cannot give someone faith. 

In Genesis chapter – In the beginning all was new.

In John chapter 1: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. 

The Word is capitalized as Jesus is the Word and linked with creation. 

When we receive Jesus we are made a New creation, something that was never before.

God is doing something new and radical in truth guiding principles.  We have all had experiences that are unique. 

The message of Jesus was The Kingdom of God and Salvation, and he begins a ministry of new beginnings.

How do we define ourselves?  

There are several traditional methods of baptism.  Christian baptism defines us and it relates back to the cleansing of all impurities and a new beginning.

Regardless of the method, we can remind ourselves “I was baptized.”

 

Location by Guest Cindy McGill

Location, Location, Location by Guest Cindy McGill

Do you feel a move coming on? God is relocating people to new places to accomplish His plan.  If you have felt uprooted and things are seemingly scattered everywhere, then you are not alone. It's time to let go and move on. There are plenty of new alignments and new assignments that have already happened and are happening now. God is strategic about His placement and His purpose for us. Don't stay stuck if God is plucking you up. By the end of March things will look much different than they do now.

1Corinthians 2:1-16 

 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nothing:

  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.

  For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.

  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

  But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

  But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

 ~ ~ ~ ~

 

 

A Separation of the Past and Present

Does the New Year bring with it change and questions

about God's direction for your Life? 

You are not alone.

Prophesy by guest Phyllis Ford, Arlington, TX

A Separation of the Past and Present

A line of separation is being drawn between your past (2014) and your now (2015). Now is the time to turn from the past recognizing that it can no longer limit your present nor hinder your future. Walk in the moment and embrace the future that is before you. This is a significant time in your life and you owe this time everything you have in order to proceed into the manifestation that awaits you.

Let go of past frustrations and don't allow them to marginalize you, delay you, or hold you back from achieving the fulfillment of the coming promises. Look with eyes of great expectancy. This is not a year for the disappointments of your past to be entangled with what is before you. What you prepare for will be measured by what you do, what you say, and how you see it.

A Fresh Mindset

God is releasing a pattern for a mindset that will impact how we achieve based on how we perceive. By allowing our past mindset to rule present thinking, we limit our future and become a great hindrance to our ability to access newly present possibilities. We must have an outlook that carries renewed faith and the momentum to blaze new trails and open new doors.

The uniqueness of this time will call forth a new day anointing that can create new atmospheres around us. As a result, sweeping changes will show themselves in the face of limited circumstances, but our connecting to the plumb line of His Spirit will transform us in the presence of His glory.

The old guard of religious systems that has dictated in the past will no longer have jurisdictional authority over today's people, whether it be political, financial, or otherwise. Personal circumstances and even the way things have been in times past are now rapidly changing.

 

Those who have waited and endured will see the harvest of seeds planted and the results of the prayers that watered the process.

 

Train Up A Child by Guest Rod Parsley

 

 

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. —Proverbs 22:6

Satan's strategy since the Garden of Eden has been to tear down the spiritual foundation in the family. He will move against our children any way he can.

He will try to attack them with sickness, accidents, violence, spirits of rebellion, and spirits of the occult.

He will try to invade their minds with ungodly philosophies and doctrines of demons that undermine the teachings of their parents and their church.

In too many homes, family worship and Bible study have been cast aside for the television set.

It is time for Christian families to take the power and authority God has given to us and use it against the enemy!

It is time to re-establish the home as the spiritual foundation God intended it to be.

Parents and grandparents, consecrate and dedicate your home and your family to God.

Declare today that, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).

Jesus, as for me and my house, we will serve,
honor, and obey You. We respect Your
authority and humble ourselves
before You in all things. Amen.

 

 

God’s Adopted Children

 

Jesus and Children

 

Taking notes on Pastor Jerry’s Sermon to gain the heart of his message.  A second title as we consider the New Year would be “A Fresh Start.”  Pastor was reading from Ephesians 1:3-14 regarding our redemption in Christ Jesus.

Pastor began with a story about a football kicker who did not see well.  He would watch the direction the holder of the ball was employing.  This would show him how to kick in order to reach over the goal. 

This New Year we don’t know what 2015 holds for any of us.  God has his eternal purpose and that is His church.  We have been destined for God’s adoption into His family. 

Ephesians 1:5 New Living Translation  God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Adoption means something else in this scripture.  To the Hebrew adoption was a foreign concept.  The male seed was important to be able to pass on the linage. 

Pastor told when he married his first wife who passed away some years ago, she had three young girls.  He took legal steps to adopt her children to make them his own.  This was a fresh start for the family.  We all have a fresh start one way or the other.  Fresh starts don’t always go according to plan.   

Pastor volunteers as a Hospital chaplain in a local hospital and each day he views that life can be fragile and is becoming more aware that life on earth is not permanent. 

He told a true story about a man who received a letter from Social Security that he was dead. His monthly payment stopped as did his health insurance, and his credit cards were cancelled.  His death notice was printed in the paper. After much trouble he convinced everyone that he was alive and asked the newspaper editor to retract his death notice.  The editor said, we will print you in the birth column and thus you will have a fresh start. 

Throughout the ages three things have been of influence; the Sword, the Pen, and the Purse.

These have been significant ingredients in history.  Often it takes the sword to win freedom.  The pen gives us our constitution with its freedoms to enjoy.  The purse was used to expand our territory with the Louisiana Purchase and other land acquisitions. 

Today our swords now have a nuclear power, the pen has new technology, and the purse controls our economy. 

We don’t know about tomorrow, but we know who holds tomorrow.  We want the best for our children, and God also wants what is best for us.  All through the Bible stating sometimes in different words, but saying the same thing is: DO NOT FEAR. 

 

Humans often wreck havoc where ever we go, so un-tidy and messy and proficient of being bad and even evil.  Yet humans are capable of being so very good. 

 

It is amazing that God loves us no matter what.

When we understand that God has a plan for your life, we are more inclined to trust Him. 

 

Yes we have disappointments, but as we seek God’s will for our fresh start we can trust Him. 

 

Do not fear changes, expect God’s direction, and keep your eyes on the holder of the ball.

 

Thieves in Waiting

Thieves break through and steal

 

The year was 1985 and we had just moved to our new mansion on the hill overlooking the Pleasanton valley.  A gate at the bottom of the long steep winding road, opened with a special lock. 

Residents with the combination to the gate were free to enter, and of course visitors, service workers, utility employees and the police.

Because of the steep road, not many people were given permits to build on this lush mountain top.  It took a special meeting with the city council and a convincing speech by Robert to secure our permit.

Our Realtor friend, said, “My son and his friend will do some landscaping for you at a reasonable price.” The two young teen age boys worked hard and soon our front yard became a charming show place.

A few weeks later, on a Sunday morning, while we were away at church; we had a surprise break in. 

 

Our bedroom window had been pried open, and many small items such as jewelry, watches, a coin collection, guns, cameras, binoculars, radios, and other items were taken. 

It did not take long to itemize several thousand dollars worth to report to the insurance company.

The police questioned us about those who might have had access to our gated community; and we thought of the two landscaping boys.

Time passed and one afternoon, a Police Detective arrived and told us the thieves had been caught, but alas, most of our goods had already been sold.  He handed me a photograph and asked if we recognized the young boy.

I took the photo noting a name and address on the back, and exited the room saying, “I will be right back.” 

Taking up a pen and paper, I jotted down the boy’s name and address, thinking, “I will send the boy a letter with some Bible verses,” but I changed my mind and decided to allow the police to do their punishment.

Soon after that robbery we installed a security system !!

In life it pays to keep a mental and spiritual security system that alerts you when the burglar of all thieves is trying to steal from you.  Keep in tune with the Holy Spirit's voice.

There are many things that try to steal our joy, our patience and our peace of mind - - if we permit them to do so.  Don’t allow negative thoughts to torment you about your past or the uncertainty of your future.

Old Satan is known as the thief and the father of liars.  He slips around trying to steal our health, our wealth and our Faith by his cunning procedures.  He is like the animal that steals and leaves you with a gift. 

Satan robs and leaves behind, fear, pain, depression and even guilt that it was your fault.  Don’t let the devil rob you in 2015.  Keep your mind stayed on Jesus.

Jesus Brings Perfect Peace

 

What’s the Harm in a Little Bounce?

Bounces in Life can cause us to be off kilter !

 

 

The day our big Oak tree fell and hit our propane tank, we figured no real damage was done.  Of course the tree was in the drive way and our neighbor promised to find someone to haul off the good wood.

We realized our propane tank had been shoved a bit off kilter, but passed that thought aside when all seemed to be okay.

a few weeks later, we had no hot water!  The pilot light would turn off each time Robert relit it so we could enjoy a shower or wash clothes.  Then it would turn off again, and we could not understand why. 

We called our plumber friend, and he replaced parts that did not help.  He again replaced other parts, drained the tank and still the pilot light would not stay lit.

As a last resort, we had our friend order us a new hot water heater.

Guess what?  The same thing was happening, the pilot light would not stay on.

Then a few days later our propane heater for our house quit working. 

Propane tank

Finally after much consideration, our men decided the propane line must have been bounced and jiggled from the fallen tree, and there was a leak somewhere. 

The propane man said there was no leak at the tank, so our men began to dig holes in our yard trying to find the direction of the connections. 

It took two days digging.

As I write, a leak has been found and repaired, and our friend is working on our house heater to get it up and going.

Our dear son-in-law loaned us some space heaters and we are layered up with sweaters and are not suffering - - Just a bit anxious. 

In life there are problems that bounce us at times.  One thing we must always make sure is that our connection to Jesus Christ is not broken or leaking. 

Always keep that precious time alone with God.  Come with your Bible, in prayer and with praise.

Isaiah 26:3  Thou will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on Thee . . .