Hello Everyone,
God reveals His purposes so we will know what He plans to do. If we are to join God, we need to know what He is about to do.
God speaks with a purpose in mind. When God came to Noah, He did not ask what Noah wanted to do for Him. God told Noah what He was about to do and called Noah to adjust his plans to the work of God.
When God was about to do something, He took the initiative to come to His servants to reveal His plan and purpose.“Whatever the LORD God plans to do, he tells his servants . . .” - Amos 3:7 (CEV)What is important is what God plans to do where we are and how He wants to accomplish His work through us.The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
- Psalm 33:10-11 (NIV)Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.- Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)God wants us to follow Him daily. As we follow Him, then we can plan appropriately. Noah planned according to the revealed purpose of God; and we can do the same!“Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.” - Proverbs 16:3 (Amplified)Making plans is not wrong. We just need to be careful and know that the Lord guides us in our planning, which means that you must…Let God interrupt your plans any time He wants!The secret is close fellowship with God so that we can always hear His voice and He speaks to us and we can see His hand as He directs us.
“His confidential communion and secret counsel are with the [uncompromisingly] righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Him).”- Proverbs 3:32b (Amplified)“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” - Matthew 5:8 (NIV)
Oh How HE Loves Us!Pastor Phil
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Hello Everyone,
How many stars are there? Astronomers don’t know. They say that the cosmos contains more stars than can be numbered. Billions for sure - probably trillions!Figures like that are hard for us to wrap our brain around. Even a million is mind-boggling. If you were counting a million $1 bills at the rate of 60 a minute for 8 hours a day 5 days a week, it would take you nearly 7 weeks to do it. At the same rate it would take over 133 years to count a billion dollars."Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing." - Isaiah 40:26 (NIV)So if we ever wonder whether God is able to carry us with all our burdens, remember that He is the sovereign of the stars.
When the skies are clear, look up and be thankful that the God who calls each star by name knows, loves, and cares for you.
God not only knows the stars by name, but He knows you by name. “What is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows. And I assure you of this: If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I, the Son of Man, will openly acknowledge that person in the presence of God’s angels.” - Luke 12:6-8 (NLT)What a privilege it is to have a personal relationship with God and for Him to know me by name; and now He invites me to know Him by name!
Oh How HE Loves Us!Pastor Phil
How many stars are there? Astronomers don’t know. They say that the cosmos contains more stars than can be numbered. Billions for sure - probably trillions!Figures like that are hard for us to wrap our brain around. Even a million is mind-boggling. If you were counting a million $1 bills at the rate of 60 a minute for 8 hours a day 5 days a week, it would take you nearly 7 weeks to do it. At the same rate it would take over 133 years to count a billion dollars."Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing." - Isaiah 40:26 (NIV)So if we ever wonder whether God is able to carry us with all our burdens, remember that He is the sovereign of the stars.
When the skies are clear, look up and be thankful that the God who calls each star by name knows, loves, and cares for you.
God not only knows the stars by name, but He knows you by name. “What is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows. And I assure you of this: If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I, the Son of Man, will openly acknowledge that person in the presence of God’s angels.” - Luke 12:6-8 (NLT)What a privilege it is to have a personal relationship with God and for Him to know me by name; and now He invites me to know Him by name!
Oh How HE Loves Us!Pastor Phil
Monday, March 8, 2010
Hello Everyone,
We know that God speaks to His people. When He speaks, what does He reveal? Through out Scripture, when God speaks, it is to reveal something about Himself, His purposes, or His ways. God’s revelations are designed to bring us into a deeper LOVE relationship with Himself.When God spoke to Moses in Exodus three, He revealed His name - "I Am."
He revealed Himself to be adequate for whatever Moses needed.
In the same way when God speaks by His Spirit to us,
He often reveals to us something about Himself.God speaks when He wants to involve us in His work.
He reveals Himself in order to help us respond in faith.
It is a lot easier to respond to God’s instructions when we believe God is who He says He is and when we believe God can do what He says He will do.
Moses needed to know that God was sufficient for his every need if he was to be able to respond to what God called him to. In responding to God’s call, we face a "crisis of belief."
That is the point when we step out in faith.
What that says is: A. I believe God is who He says He is.B. I believe that God can do what He says He will do.C. I adjust my thinking in light of this belief.D. I trust that God will be true to who He is when I obey.E. I obey the call of God.Faith is action based on my understanding of who God is and the certainty of what God will do!And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)Oh How HE Loves Us!
Pastor Phil
We know that God speaks to His people. When He speaks, what does He reveal? Through out Scripture, when God speaks, it is to reveal something about Himself, His purposes, or His ways. God’s revelations are designed to bring us into a deeper LOVE relationship with Himself.When God spoke to Moses in Exodus three, He revealed His name - "I Am."
He revealed Himself to be adequate for whatever Moses needed.
In the same way when God speaks by His Spirit to us,
He often reveals to us something about Himself.God speaks when He wants to involve us in His work.
He reveals Himself in order to help us respond in faith.
It is a lot easier to respond to God’s instructions when we believe God is who He says He is and when we believe God can do what He says He will do.
Moses needed to know that God was sufficient for his every need if he was to be able to respond to what God called him to. In responding to God’s call, we face a "crisis of belief."
That is the point when we step out in faith.
What that says is: A. I believe God is who He says He is.B. I believe that God can do what He says He will do.C. I adjust my thinking in light of this belief.D. I trust that God will be true to who He is when I obey.E. I obey the call of God.Faith is action based on my understanding of who God is and the certainty of what God will do!And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)Oh How HE Loves Us!
Pastor Phil
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Hello Everyone,
When God speaks, we have an encounter with God!Moses would have been foolish to say, "This has been a wonderful experience with this burning bush. I hope it leads to an encounter with God." It WAS an encounter with God!It is the same when God speaks to us, though we may not yet know all that He has in mind (like the how and the when), we have had an encounter with God. All we do then is wait, watch, and pray to see what God is doing.
Conclusion; The WAY God speaks is essentially the same, though HOW He speaks is different. In Hebrews 1:2a, the Bible tells us that God has spoken by His Son and John 14:16-18 tells us that He still speaks by His Son, who indwells us by His Spirit.
Today, God speaks by His Spirit through His Word, prayer, circumstances, and His church. But the WAY God speaks is the same.1. God has a personal word for each of us.2. When God speaks we can be sure it is God speaking.3. When God speaks, we can know what God is saying.4. When God speaks, that is an encounter with God!The Holy Spirit gives clear directions today. God is personal. He wants to be intimately involved in your life. He will give you clear guidance for living.
You may say, "That has not been my experience." I would say to you that you need to base your understanding of God on Scripture and not on experience.
Oh How He Loves US!
Pastor Phil
When God speaks, we have an encounter with God!Moses would have been foolish to say, "This has been a wonderful experience with this burning bush. I hope it leads to an encounter with God." It WAS an encounter with God!It is the same when God speaks to us, though we may not yet know all that He has in mind (like the how and the when), we have had an encounter with God. All we do then is wait, watch, and pray to see what God is doing.
Conclusion; The WAY God speaks is essentially the same, though HOW He speaks is different. In Hebrews 1:2a, the Bible tells us that God has spoken by His Son and John 14:16-18 tells us that He still speaks by His Son, who indwells us by His Spirit.
Today, God speaks by His Spirit through His Word, prayer, circumstances, and His church. But the WAY God speaks is the same.1. God has a personal word for each of us.2. When God speaks we can be sure it is God speaking.3. When God speaks, we can know what God is saying.4. When God speaks, that is an encounter with God!The Holy Spirit gives clear directions today. God is personal. He wants to be intimately involved in your life. He will give you clear guidance for living.
You may say, "That has not been my experience." I would say to you that you need to base your understanding of God on Scripture and not on experience.
Oh How He Loves US!
Pastor Phil
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Hello Everyone,
When God speaks, we can know what God is saying.Moses knew what God wanted, how He wanted it done, and when.
We to can know what God wants done, how God wants it done, and when God wants it done.“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” - Psalm 37:4-5 (NKJV) As we delight in the Lord, He will not only tell us what He wants us to do (v. 4), but how He wants it done (v.5a); and when He wants us to get started (v. 5b). Six Secrets to Discerning God’s Guidance - Read Acts 11:1-18 Secret #1: Spend time in communion with God - v. 5aPeter was taking time for prayer and meditation when God spoke to him. For us to be in a position to hear God’s voice and receive His direction, we must commit time to prayer and meditation in the presence of the Lord. Secret #2: Receive a personal vision from God - v. 5bPeter tells us that the language of the Holy Spirit is "dreams and visions" (Acts 2:17). 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Through applying secrets one and two, God can implant in my heart a vision for WHAT He wants me to do. Through applying the next four secrets, I can then discern HOW and WHEN He wants me to do it.Secret #3: Look for opportunities given by God - v.11 Secret #4: Listen to the voice of the Spirit of God - v. 12 “And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].” - Colossians 3:15 (Amplified)“God is not the author of confusion but of peace” - I Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV)When God speaks, He doesn’t stutter! Secret #5: Enlist advise from men & women of God - v. 12b“Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” - Proverbs 11:14 (NKJV)“Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.” - Proverbs 15:22 (The Message)Secret #6: Consider the testimony of the Word of God - v.16 God’s will NEVER contradicts God’s Word!God’s word ALWAYS clarifies God’s will!
Oh How HE Loves Us!
Pastor Phil
When God speaks, we can know what God is saying.Moses knew what God wanted, how He wanted it done, and when.
We to can know what God wants done, how God wants it done, and when God wants it done.“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” - Psalm 37:4-5 (NKJV) As we delight in the Lord, He will not only tell us what He wants us to do (v. 4), but how He wants it done (v.5a); and when He wants us to get started (v. 5b). Six Secrets to Discerning God’s Guidance - Read Acts 11:1-18 Secret #1: Spend time in communion with God - v. 5aPeter was taking time for prayer and meditation when God spoke to him. For us to be in a position to hear God’s voice and receive His direction, we must commit time to prayer and meditation in the presence of the Lord. Secret #2: Receive a personal vision from God - v. 5bPeter tells us that the language of the Holy Spirit is "dreams and visions" (Acts 2:17). 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Through applying secrets one and two, God can implant in my heart a vision for WHAT He wants me to do. Through applying the next four secrets, I can then discern HOW and WHEN He wants me to do it.Secret #3: Look for opportunities given by God - v.11 Secret #4: Listen to the voice of the Spirit of God - v. 12 “And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].” - Colossians 3:15 (Amplified)“God is not the author of confusion but of peace” - I Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV)When God speaks, He doesn’t stutter! Secret #5: Enlist advise from men & women of God - v. 12b“Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” - Proverbs 11:14 (NKJV)“Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.” - Proverbs 15:22 (The Message)Secret #6: Consider the testimony of the Word of God - v.16 God’s will NEVER contradicts God’s Word!God’s word ALWAYS clarifies God’s will!
Oh How HE Loves Us!
Pastor Phil
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Hello Everyone,
When God speaks we can be sure it is God speaking.The Scripture tells us that when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, he had no question about the fact that God was the one speaking. We also can recognize the voice of God.
"He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice," - John 10:4 (NIV)If I have trouble hearing God’s voice, then I either do not belong to God or I am not right with God!
In Luke 11:33-36, Jesus speaks about the key to spiritual perception. Having just spoken about the spiritual blindness of His generation in verses 29-32, Jesus speaks to the question of whose fault it is when there is a lack of spiritual perception.
He teaches us that the key to spiritual perception is a heart that is pure. “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” - Luke 11:33-36 (NIV) As our Lord said in Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Jesus tells us that...
Lack of spiritual perception is not God’s fault - v. 33
One of the purposes of light is to help you find your way in the dark. So when you light a dark room, you place your lamp in a high place, like a lamp stand, so that it might provide as much light as possible.So when it comes to God revealing Himself to us He does not hide Himself from us, but works to reveal Himself to us.Lack of spiritual perception is our fault - vs. 34-36Jesus tells us that our eyes work to help us maneuver around. If, our eyes go bad, then everything goes dark and we are left to stumble around.He then goes on to speak about the heart ("the light within you" - v. 35) as being the organ by which we discern spiritual light.
If, however, our hearts have become darkened, then we are left without spiritual perception, condemned to wander in spiritual darkness. Paul speaks of this in Ephesians 4:18 (KJV) – ("blindness of the heart").How does this hardness develop? It develops from time after time of choosing to not walk in the light we have received.
God has established a law in the universe that governs man’s spiritual relationship with God.
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” - Galatians 6:7 (NIV) If one sows rejection of God’s light, he will reap spiritual blindness; but if he sows reception of God’s light, he will reap spiritual perception.If I am traveling in my car at night with my headlights on, they will only shine so far in front of my car. But they shine far enough to let me know where I am to go, and when I have traveled that distance, my headlights then shine that much further down the road to let me know where to go next.
So it is with the guidance of God. We walk in what light He has given us today, knowing that as we do, there will be more light tomorrow.“We walk in the light as He is in the light . . .” - 1 John 1:7 (NIV)
Oh How HE Loves Us!
Pastor Phil
When God speaks we can be sure it is God speaking.The Scripture tells us that when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, he had no question about the fact that God was the one speaking. We also can recognize the voice of God.
"He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice," - John 10:4 (NIV)If I have trouble hearing God’s voice, then I either do not belong to God or I am not right with God!
In Luke 11:33-36, Jesus speaks about the key to spiritual perception. Having just spoken about the spiritual blindness of His generation in verses 29-32, Jesus speaks to the question of whose fault it is when there is a lack of spiritual perception.
He teaches us that the key to spiritual perception is a heart that is pure. “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” - Luke 11:33-36 (NIV) As our Lord said in Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Jesus tells us that...
Lack of spiritual perception is not God’s fault - v. 33
One of the purposes of light is to help you find your way in the dark. So when you light a dark room, you place your lamp in a high place, like a lamp stand, so that it might provide as much light as possible.So when it comes to God revealing Himself to us He does not hide Himself from us, but works to reveal Himself to us.Lack of spiritual perception is our fault - vs. 34-36Jesus tells us that our eyes work to help us maneuver around. If, our eyes go bad, then everything goes dark and we are left to stumble around.He then goes on to speak about the heart ("the light within you" - v. 35) as being the organ by which we discern spiritual light.
If, however, our hearts have become darkened, then we are left without spiritual perception, condemned to wander in spiritual darkness. Paul speaks of this in Ephesians 4:18 (KJV) – ("blindness of the heart").How does this hardness develop? It develops from time after time of choosing to not walk in the light we have received.
God has established a law in the universe that governs man’s spiritual relationship with God.
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” - Galatians 6:7 (NIV) If one sows rejection of God’s light, he will reap spiritual blindness; but if he sows reception of God’s light, he will reap spiritual perception.If I am traveling in my car at night with my headlights on, they will only shine so far in front of my car. But they shine far enough to let me know where I am to go, and when I have traveled that distance, my headlights then shine that much further down the road to let me know where to go next.
So it is with the guidance of God. We walk in what light He has given us today, knowing that as we do, there will be more light tomorrow.“We walk in the light as He is in the light . . .” - 1 John 1:7 (NIV)
Oh How HE Loves Us!
Pastor Phil
Monday, March 1, 2010
Hello Everyone,
Hebrews 1:1-2
1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
In our passage, we are told that in times past, God spoke in various ways. In the Old Testament, we find that God spoke...... through angels - Genesis 16:11-12... through visions - Genesis 15:1... through dreams - Genesis 28:10-19... through symbolic actions - Jeremiah 18:1-10... through a gentle whisper -1 Kings 19:12... through miraculous signs - Exodus 8:20-25But how God spoke is not nearly as important as the fact that He spoke. Looking again at when God spoke to Moses in Exodus 3, I want us to notice four important facts about the way God speaks.
When God speaks it is usually unique to that individual.Moses had no model for a burning bush experience. He couldn’t say, "Oh, this is my burning bush experience. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all had theirs and this is mine." His experience was unique, because God wants our experience with Him and His voice, to be personal to us.If Moses had been alive today, he might have been tempted to write a book, "My Burning Bush Experience And How You Can Have One, Too!"Everyone would be reading it and looking for their "burning bush" experience. We can’t get tangled up in other people’s experiences, but instead learn that God wants to still speak today.
God has a word for you listen be still and hear His voice.
Oh How He Loves Us!Pastor Phil
Hebrews 1:1-2
1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
In our passage, we are told that in times past, God spoke in various ways. In the Old Testament, we find that God spoke...... through angels - Genesis 16:11-12... through visions - Genesis 15:1... through dreams - Genesis 28:10-19... through symbolic actions - Jeremiah 18:1-10... through a gentle whisper -1 Kings 19:12... through miraculous signs - Exodus 8:20-25But how God spoke is not nearly as important as the fact that He spoke. Looking again at when God spoke to Moses in Exodus 3, I want us to notice four important facts about the way God speaks.
When God speaks it is usually unique to that individual.Moses had no model for a burning bush experience. He couldn’t say, "Oh, this is my burning bush experience. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all had theirs and this is mine." His experience was unique, because God wants our experience with Him and His voice, to be personal to us.If Moses had been alive today, he might have been tempted to write a book, "My Burning Bush Experience And How You Can Have One, Too!"Everyone would be reading it and looking for their "burning bush" experience. We can’t get tangled up in other people’s experiences, but instead learn that God wants to still speak today.
God has a word for you listen be still and hear His voice.
Oh How He Loves Us!Pastor Phil
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