The purpose of these meetings is to make us aware of what to pray. Missions are our focus in looking at the Islamic nations and the Muslims. In Matt. 26:48-54 Jesus let us know that there is a spiritual realm. In John 18:33-37 we learn that the kingdom of God is different from earthly governments/kingdoms. Both the Jewish and Islamic world had the spiritual and political arenas intertwined. Jesus told us that His kingdom was not of this world. America became a missionary sending-out country, but with it came pride. We need to look at Muslims as human beings who are lost. In 2 Kings 6:8-16 fear was an issue then, and it’s an issue now. We need to see in the Spirit; there are more with us than with them. DO NOT FEAR. This isn’t a war of religions: there are only two kingdoms- God’s and Satan’s. We need to introduce people to Christ. First John 4:1 warns us to not believe every spirit, but to test them, because there are many false prophets. Every spirit has to be able to say that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh- IN OUR HUMAN FLESH. Other religions do not believe that God can live in a person. This is the starting point of the gospel: Jesus, the Greater One, lives in us!
Encountering Islam Part 1- A King Without a Kingdom
Prayer
Offering message: In 2 Kings 5:1-18 Naaman learned that the key to miracles is to do what God tells you to do. Sermon message: Text: Matt. 8:18-20 and 16:19 tell us that when two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name and agree about any matter that they pray for, it will be done. We pray in Jesus’ name, ask according to God’s will (1 John 5:14), have child-like faith, and the result is that we will have what we ask. Pastor Syd gave three examples of when he asked God with child-like faith. Hardening of the heart happens when you don’t get what you prayed for; the devil will even use Scripture against you to cause you to doubt. Exercise the Word of God. Believe it. God says, “I’ve done my part. Now do yours.” (There was a time of corporate prayer.)
The Power of Our Words Part 2
Text: James 3:2-4. Faith in your words can work for or against you and can change the direction of your life. Matt. 12:36 tells us that we will have to give account of every idle word. Actions start with words. Philemon 6 says that the communication (intimate sharing, interchange) of our faith becomes effective by our acknowledging what is every good thing in us in Christ Jesus. Do we acknowledge Him in our life situations so the Word works for us? Our first confession should be: “Jesus is the Lord of my life.” We must acknowledge truth to be truth for ourselves, because the Word of God works. It’s not based on how spiritual we are. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and that includes our relationships, business, even shopping. Ps. 103:1-7 is a great prayer/confession. Remember, your words change the direction of your life. (There was a communion service.)
Faith and Overcoming Fear
The Holy Spirit told Pastor Syd: “God’s mercy and His provision are indelibly linked. They cannot be separated. His compassion provides the interchange.” His compassion transfers (connects) His mercy to His provision. Where God’s mercy is, His provision is there. (Ex. Matt. 20:29-34; Is. 63:7)
The Word of God will come against what the devil brings to us. Text: Is. 7:1-9. Fear is deadly, and stress and worry are forms of fear. You can have fear but still stand in faith. We can resist fear by humbling ourselves before God, realizing that He is our source. Fear is a roadblock to what God wants to do. Don’t fear what everyone else is fearing. God is our source, and we are to fear Him only. The condition is believing the word of the Lord. Think only what the Lord has said. An example is David with Goliath. David could have faith to defeat him because he compared Goliath to God. We have God’s promises: Is. 41:10-13; Ps. 34:1-22; Is. 26:3; Ps. 23. When your faith believes that it receives, it rejoices. Seek the Lord, and He will deliver you from all fear. He will keep you in perfect peace if you keep your eyes on Him. Pastor Syd tells what all God’s peace means. Do you tremble at the word of God? Pastor Sydney shares powerful testimonies he and his wife experienced in the valley of the shadow of death.
The Power of Our Words Part 1
Offering message: Prov. 3:5-9Are you honoring God with your first-fruits and possessions? Gene English spoke about listening to the voice of silence from God in relation to his trip to Namibia, Africa. Pastor Dale preached on the power of the tongue from James 3:2-8, Prov. 18:20-21, Prov. 6:2, Mark 11:23-24, Prov. 12:13-14, and Isaiah 54:17. If you can control your tongue, you can control your whole body and being. The worst the conditions, the smaller you have to start, just like starting a fire with the smallest and driest wood. Your words are kindling to the fire you’re trying to build. The fire you build can bring life or destruction. Negative words and talking about your problems will burn your life up. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. You can be snared (tricked and trapped) by your words. Talk to your problems and tell them to be removed. Believe what you say, and you will have what you say. Use your words to work for you. Weed out the negative words! Rise up and condemn what comes against you.
Faith
Jesus is the True Vine (John 15:1-7). He takes away the branches that don’t bear fruit and purges with the Word those who do. The Word cleanses you. Allow Him to change and cleanse you. The goal is abiding in Him; fruit-bearing is the natural by-product. The levels of abiding are: bearing fruit, bearing more fruit, bearing much fruit. Without Jesus, we can do nothing. Allow your point of need to draw yourself to God’s arms. If you abide in Him, and His words abide in you, you will ask what you will (desire), and it shall be done for you. Be in union with the Word about what He is dealing with you. When your will and words from your heart (not just words from your head) are God’s will, He can trust you. If you want to know His will, get closer to Him, and when you know His will and do it, He will get the glory. Respond to the word that He has spoken to you. Abiding is one aspect of fellowship with Him; you’ll walk in light if you allow Him to cleanse and purge whatever He is dealing with you about (1 John 1:3-7)
The Christian Life: Do You Value Christ’s Death For You?
Word Given by Pastor Dale: “Watch the turning of the tide. Watch the changing of the guard. Watch the renewal of times and in two years, just two short years, and you will see, and you’ll look around, and you’ll laugh, and you’ll remember, “Oh, do you remember those times of fear and concern in the political and the financial realm?” Two short years, and you’ll see a renewal and a shaking and a prospering. Rejoice, and do not fear! Thank You, Jesus! Wars and wars and more wars. Not much has changed, but Satan’s playground is smaller and smaller and smaller. So, though he may snarl and snap more furious than before, fear not! Fear not! The gospel is here. The gospel is clear. Salvation is near, more near than you thought. Hallelujah!”
Sermon notes: Text: 2 Cor. 5:14-21 goes from the point of Christ’s suffering, sacrifice, and death and crescendos in our living in Him. Only the deepest joy (because of Christ’s and our victory) can carry the heaviest burdens. Look at people through the redemption of Jesus, not according to the flesh. Pastor Dale gives several examples of this. What’s the victory? It’s that we are new creations in Christ, because He reconciled us and gave us a ministry of reconciliation. Evangelism is a mirror of how you value and respect your own salvation. We represent Jesus and stand in His place. Don’t keep what Jesus did for you to yourself, but share it! He made us the righteousness of God in Christ. He paid for our salvation and healing. Gal. 3:13-14 tells us that Jesus Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, because He was made a curse for us. Blessings and curses are spiritual. Get a grip on all that He has already paid. Give Him the glory. He died that we might live.
Faith: Foundation for Believing
Pastor Dale explains the four stones in our foundation of faith. They are: 1) God is not a respecter of persons. He treats everyone the same, and He does not have favorites. In the story of the Prodigal Son, neither the elder nor the younger son had the father’s (Father’s) heart. Jesus came to bring freedom for all of us. 2) Numbers 23:19 God never lies. You can place your faith in your Father. He is not arbitrary. We can receive what He has promised. 3) Heb. 13:8 Jesus never changes; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is moved with compassion. James 1:16-17 tell us to not be deceived; every good and perfect gift is from God, and He does not change. 4) Faith is of the heart, not the head. Your head will steal your faith. Faith is a product of the heart/spirit and is a spiritual force. Your heart is a better guide than your head if you’re full of the Word. Trust in the Lord … and lean not on your own understanding (Prov. 3:5-6).
The Mortal Enemy and How to Overcome Him
The serpent, also known as the devil or Satan was present in the beginning (Gen. 2:24-25; 3:1). At the end of the Bible in Rev. 12:7-9 and Rev. 20:2-3 we are told about the serpent of old, the devil, Satan. Satan wants to take us out (1 Peter 5:8, 9). We are in a spiritual battle against him (Eph. 6:10-13). He is in the form of principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places. There is a demonic spirit called the Python Spirit that attacks ministries, churches, nations, leaders, and individuals (1 John 3:8). The symptoms of an attack by this spirit are: the church grows and then people start leaving; people start moving from church to church, not putting down roots; finances are attacked through strangulations or money schemes. A python kills by a slow process of constriction, wrapping itself around the person so the person can’t breathe. In Acts 16:16-18 it was seen as a spirit of divination. It produces false prophesies and tries to make a profit. In Acts 19:24-32 the Python Spirit brought confusion, wrath, and division as people feared financial loss. From the meanings of words and names in the Scriptures, LaVere explains how this spirit is identified when the ten spies brought back the negative report and unbelief, causing the people to be held back for forty years from going into the promised land (Num. 13); how it was behind Israel’s wanting a king to replace God and Saul’s torment (1 Sam. 12, 14, 15, 16; 1 Chron. 10:13-14), and why God sent the flood (Gen. 6:5-7). Right now our nation, churches, families, and finances are being attacked by this spirit. It has the power to take down nations. How do you attack the Python Spirit? The Blood of Jesus!! Use the blood and your authority over it.
The Salvation of the Soul
LaVere reviewed that creation was a two-step process, meaning existence was created by God’s spoken Word, and then came its formation. So also, faith is a two-step process. We sometimes have “viruses” in our lives. Our spirits do not sin after we are born-again, but our bodies and souls need salvation, too. The salvation of your soul is a life-long process and happens as the Word is rooted and grounded in you. Mark 7:20-23 and Gal. 5:19-21 name some of the “viruses” that affect us in our souls and defile us. We need to take care of these “viruses”. LaVere gives numerous names for the salvation of the soul, such as weeding the garden, being conformed to the image of Christ, circumcision of the heart, transformation of the mind, sanctification, reconstruction of the soul, etc. He shares many Scriptures that can help us in the process of the salvation of the soul. Allow God to save you completely.
The Christian Life: Live in the Grip of the Love of Christ
Word Given in the CWI Service by Larry Hostetter- Do you know it’s all about you? It’s all about you. It couldn’t be done without you! Do you know how important you are? Do you know how important you are? This is the Body of Christ. It’s one of the little bodies of Christ all across this nation, all around the world. I’ve got a marvelous Church, … a marvelous Church that is doing a great work today. You don’t read about it in the newspapers. No, No! That’s a whole different world, but My Church is My world in this world, and it’s here to be a light. It’s here to be a witness of My love for people, My love for individuals. You’re all important. You’re all part of the Body. Do you know how much I love you? I gave My only begotten Son for you. My love will never die for you, but you have a choice: who will you serve? I’ve done it for everyone, but who will you serve? I asked for ten percent. That means that you get to keep ninety percent, but that ten percent is what you owe to Me for what I’ve done for you, but don’t forget, over and above that is where the blessings are. When I put on your heart to give … so be faithful, for My love for you is so great. I just desire for you to know Me, to know My love for you. So seek Me. Seek Me in the Word. Seek Me in prayer. Seek Me on your face. There’s power in that, you know, on your knees for a mighty and holy God. Until you can do it on a bent knee that shows Me that you reverence Me, you want to serve Me, you want to live for Me, because I am your King, says the Lord God. I am your King, and who will you serve?
Teri Armstrong shared about an after-school program that is successfully ministering to poor and neglected children in the Ukraine. Larry Hostetter gave a word about God’s love for us and about loving, knowing, seeking, and serving God.Text: 2 Cor. 5:14-17. If you aren’t gripped by the love of Christ, you will go nowhere. Life’s focus needs to be in balance: Don’t just focus of false humiliation and struggle (the death of Christ), nor focus only on the lofty things (being an ambassador of Christ). It’s because He died for us that we are His ambassadors. Being gripped by His love means that you value that Christ died for you by living for Him. Be an example of Jesus and what He has done in your heart (Phil. 3:15-19). Going after your own will and dreams leads to an end of destruction. Everything is about serving Jesus. Here’s something else to keep in balance: suffering and glory; true humility that He may exalt you. Be clothed in humility by preferring others more than yourself (1 Peter 5:1-6). God allows us to continually confront pride in our lives in one area at a time. Allow the love of Christ to grip you. He will exalt you in due season (2 Cor. 5:14-15). Die to self and know that what you’re doing is the will of God.
Unwavering Faith: Keep Your Eyes on Jesus
Text: Heb. 12:1-2. We are to lay aside every weight and sin that ensnares us. Don’t get tripped up , but stay in faith. The things that ensnare us can be the little things that catch your attention and cause you to fall away from faith, things like not walking in love. Keep your eyes on Jesus. When you put your faith in God, there is nothing that Satan can do to stop God’s Word from working, so he will try to get your eyes off of Jesus to destroy you. James 1:5-8 tells us to ask God in faith if we lack wisdom. If we waver in faith, we won’t receive anything. Doubting is being double-minded and driven by circumstances; it’s thinking about two different things at the same time and not being able to make a decision. Angels are sent out to serve those who inherit salvation (Heb. 1:13-14). Pastor Syd gives an analogy of how we advance our angel(s) or cause them to retreat from us by our confession of faith. Peter walked to Jesus in the storm on the sea in faith (Matt. 14:25-29), but he didn’t keep his eyes on Jesus. Fear opens the door to Satan, but praise opens the door to God. Don’t look at the problem and don’t give in to fear. Martha had too many things getting her attention. Make a choice about your thoughts. If they are thoughts of fear, Satan wants you to think they’re your thoughts, so take them captive and make them come into the obedience of Jesus Christ. The incident of Moses and the bronze snake is another example of keeping your eyes on Jesus (Num. 21:4-8). God has put everything under Jesus’ feet Eph. 1:20-23). Keep your eyes on Him.
The Christian Life: The Biblical Structure of the Home and Marriage
Word given by Larry Hostetter: Children, you don’t know how special you are, how special I have made you. Those giftings that I have put in you. When I [had] created you, I [had] placed giftings within you. There are many different giftings. There are giftings of the Spirit. Have you found them? Have you found those giftings that I want for you, found in the baptism of the Holy Spirit? It’ll set you free. It’ll change your life. It’ll help you walk the walk that I have called for you, the plan that I have for you. It’ll take you there. It’ll take you there. It’s where I want you to go. As you follow Me, as you learn My Word and place [My] Word in your heart, I’m going to change you into a vehicle that will glorify My Name. It’s not about you. It’s about the One who lives in you. Don’t forget that. I placed giftings in you, but they are supernatural giftings that I want you to work in, I want you to move in, but it’s done by the Spirit. So, train your ears to hear His Word, so put His Word in your heart so you can hear His Word, that you can hear His voice and learn to know the difference. The Word says you have to judge the spirits. There are many spirits in the world, but there’s only one true God. There’s only one living God. There’s only one God that paid the price. That glorious salvation that He provided for you is free. There’s no price in it, except for your life, except for your heart. That’s a big price for some people to pay, but that’s the price that I accept. That’s the price that Jesus died for. So, be willing My children. Hunger and thirst after Me, after My righteousness for your life needs to be changed. It needs to be changed, one day at a time, one surrender at a time. When I put My finger on something, get it out, get it out! When you see it, when you hear it, get it out! Get it out! There’s a price to pay. Time for surrender… It’s time for us to surrender in Jesus’ name.
Offering: Pastor Syd shares a testimony about his obedience to God and the blessing that followed (2 Cor. 8:9; 2 Cor. 9:6). Sermon: The Word can bring revival in our marriages. All marriage problems stem from selfishness. Are you doing marriage the way God said? Gen. 2:15-25 tells about Adam in the Garden of Eden. God made Eve to be Adam’s helper. Christ is the head of the man; man is the head of his wife; and God is Christ’s head (1 Cor. 11:3). The husband is the leader, and the wife is the helper. Except for 1 Cor. 7:1-6, marriage is NOT 50/50. (Eph. 5:15-22; Heb. 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13-17). Honor is big with God. Choose to respect and honor, even if the person doesn’t deserve it. Refuse to fight. Submit (1 Peter 5:5; James 4:7; Eph. 5:24-33; Col. 3:18-19; Eph. 5:22-33). Every question about marriage is answered in how Christ functions in the Church. 1- Submission is not agreement, and in fact, you don’t need to submit if you agree. You can submit when you don’t agree. 2-Submission isn’t easy. 3-Submission is not weakness (1 Peter 3:1). 4-Submission isn’t forced. No form of making someone do something is from God. It’s manipulation. Serve. Marriage is to be a picture of Christ and the Church. Walk in your own place. Submission is your own choice.
Faith
Faith in God or the faith of God is complete persuasion and assurance in God. (Mark 11:12, 20-24; Matt. 21:20-22; 2 Tim. 1:12b; Heb. 11:1) Whom do you believe in? God is our Source. Bible hope (trust, expectation, and anticipation) is different from today’s worldly hope (want and desire). You don’t have any more faith than you have patience. Consider how you use the name of Jesus. In Acts 19:13-17 the Seven Sons of Sceva used Jesus’ name and reaped some bad results. Be careful not to use His name as an incantation or formula. Stir yourself up when you realize your faith is waning from when you first stood in faith. The trying of your faith is the passage of time. Pastor Syd read all of Hebrews 11 which records those people who lived by faith. Heb. 12:1-2 reminds us to run the race with patience.
Worship and Walls (Awakening His Generation)
Ethen Armstrong, via Skype from Odessa, Ukraine, preached on “Worship and Sacrifice”. (Rom. 12:1) Worship is a life lived for God, sacrificing what you want for what God wants. When you step into His path, He becomes your provision and protection. God has an appointed place for you. For the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross (Heb. 12:2). Do everything for Him; He’s done so much for you. Stay in the Word and pray, so it’s easier to hear the voice of the Lord. Don’t say, “I don’t feel like doing that right now.” Show your love for Him; it’s a daily walk of faith. It’s up to you whether you will worship and what you will allow to distract you. Where are you going to walk? Truly worship and serve Him. (Ethen shared what he is doing in Odessa through God’s help. He asked for prayer for himself and for Pastor Dale.) Brian Rohrer shares his testimony of running from God’s calling and preaches the importance of standing in the gap, to do what God has commissioned you to do (Ezek. 22). (2 Chron. 7:14) Get the Word in your life. Don’t question Him, but do your best for Him. Release what negative you’ve done and make it your testimony. Pursue God. Allow Him and others to teach you. Be willing. Show love to one another. God can break through walls. Get over strife! Pray and praise when you’re in prison. The final wall is Jesus on the cross. The walls fell when He said, “Father, forgive them”, and “It is finished!” Unleash the walls in your heart. Let Jesus in. Don’t make the power of the cross useless. FORGIVE!
Faith: Get in the Word
Heb. 11:1, 3, 6. Faith is evidence. The Bible tells us that both Jesus and Paul perceived or saw faith in someone to receive healing. There’s a difference between a miracle by the sovereign move of God (the gifts of the Spirit) and receiving a healing by faith. Faith is up to you. You can have faith to be healed, but if you don’t act on it, it won’t do you any good. Pray for specific things so you know when you’ve received. Faith pleases God. Do you believe that God is a rewarder to you? If you do, He will work for you. Pastor Dale shared how God rewarded him for not complaining and for leaving his family to serve Him by miraculously healing a man who was deformed from birth. How do you have faith? Rom. 10:17 tells us: by hearing and hearing by the Word. God’s words are alive and are Spirit, and they are health (Prov. 4:20-23). You’ll sense a difference by spending 30 minutes a day focusing on and reading the Word. The Word feeds your spirit, and then your faith can be released. If you can’t be talked out of believing you’re saved, you should have that same kind of faith to believe you’re healed. Your faith needs to be developed, like working out at the gym develops your body. Get into the Word! Read it! Speak it!
The Christian Life: His Love Constrains Us
The love of Christ constrains us (2 Cor. 5:14-21). To understand what the word “constrains” means, we need to know that we owe a debt to Jesus for our lives, like someone saving your life in war, and then you do all you can to protect and save the life of that person. Jesus’ death for our lives constrains us because it is a covenant bond, and God has the right to ask everything of us. Rom. 13:8 states that what we owe is to love one another. LOVE IS A DEBT, BOND, OBEDIENCE, COVENANT, ALLEGIANCE. The word “constrains” can also be used when someone is “taken with a fever”, meaning is has a hold on someone. We love God, and He loves us (1 John 3:14-18). You must forgive others, because Jesus has forgiven you (Col. 3:13). Pastor Dale shares a power testimony of Smith Wigglesworth’s wife and one that matched that in Mariupol, Ukraine. Eph. 5:2 tells us to walk in love. Pastor Dale tells of an example when he walked in love when his assistant took a church from him. The debt we owe Jesus is one we can’t work off. You belong to your Master. God doesn’t postpone your debt. He forgives it! Another meaning for “constrains” is to be put into debtors’ prison for a debt owed. Love in Christ Jesus is to lay down your life. LOVE NEVER FAILS! God’s love is in you (Rom. 5:5). Love is a commandment. Don’t feel love for someone? Don’t fake it. Faith it!
Faith: Head or Heart
Faith is important and foundational. We must walk in and live by faith (Heb. 10:38 ) in every aspect of life. Putting faith with love equals victory. Rom. 10:9-10, 13 tells what is the first step of faith, and Rom. 14:23 says that what’s not of faith is sin. We can’t please God without faith (Heb. 11:6). How does faith in God come? It comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). We can know that God is good, and we can trust Him and His Word. Some of what God’s Word says is conditional and situational. You meet the qualifications and criteria for His promises to come to pass for you. Faith isn’t hope, which is future. You can’t have faith for something for which you didn’t get someone’s (or God’s) word. Faith is now. Faith will cause you to take action. Faith is agreeing with the Word of God. Unbelief is taking sides against the Word of God. What’s the difference between head and heart faith? Head faith is based on the five senses, mental persuasion, emotion, and the physical realm (Example: Thomas in John 20:24-31). Abraham is an example of heart faith (Rom. 4:16-22). It’s getting God’s Word and then putting your trust into it and Him. It is based on the spiritual realm and the Word, speaking it out, and acting on it. Thank God for His promises when you pray and when you receive. Pastor Syd shares testimonies of using faith to believe for his healing.
The Christian Life: The New Creation
Offering message: Seed reproduces. Pastor Dale shares about the powerful reproduction of seed he planted in Russia and the life-change of three people from that ministry time. A woman’s gangrenous leg was completely healed, a pastor’s assistant was freed and a church was restored, and many churches, drug rehabs, and orphanages were started. Sermon message: The love of Christ surrounds us (2 Cor. 5:14). The price of Jesus was paid for all; He died for you; live for Him (v.15). You are a new creation, not a makeover (v. 16), because the “old” you died, and a new creation was born. Jesus has committed the ministry and the word of reconciliation to us (v. 17-19). When you became a new creation, you became an ambassador for Christ (v. 20). God made Jesus to be sin for you (v. 21). When you were born again, your body didn’t change. Your body is not your identity, not the real “you”. Your desires and addictions are not you. What’s created “new”? It’s your spirit. You are a spirit having a soul and living in a body. Your body and your soul (mind, will, emotions) may want to sin (lusts of the flesh and of the eyes, the pride of life), but your spirit does not. You have to decide to transform your mind by feeding on the Word of God. Your spirit becomes alive immediately at the new birth, and with it comes the anointing of God, which teaches you and helps you make the right decisions (1 John 2:15-27).
Faith: Based On Your Relationship with the Father
What is faith? (Heb. 11:1, 2) It’s a consistent heartfelt conviction, a truth that you can’t be talked out of, even to the point of death. Although it’s based on knowledge, it’s more than that. There’s a caution: we can make “the Word” (written Word) to be an idol, if we replace it for God. You can have lots of knowledge of God and still not have faith in Him. The most important facet of faith is your personal intimate relationship with God, Jesus, and His Holy Spirit. Mark 11:23 and 24 work when we are in relationship and fellowship with Jesus. You need both the knowledge of the Word and relationship with God. Know the Father; spend time with Him in prayer; pray in the Spirit; read the Bible; treat Him with respect; talk to Him and listen to Him. You receive based on your faith and on your relationship with Him.