Psalm 34:19 (AMP) - Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous, But the Lord rescues him from them all.
A while back I ran across a sermon called – The Doctrine of Suffering. I began to sense God stirring something in my spirit. The truth is that many people are going through some pretty difficult times. The hardship and suffering are deep, painful, exhausting and you are looking forward to this season ending. I believe that God wants to do a Healing work in many of us that will be lasting and impactful.
Contrary to much of what is taught today, God never promised us a life free from trials hardship and suffering. As a matter of fact, He promised us just the opposite. John 16:33 (NIV) - “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (NLT) I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Hardship and suffering are a normal part of life, even for Christians.
Trials, hardship, and sorrow hit all of us. They are not something strange or unusual.
1 Peter 4:12-13 - Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
When we go through trials, suffering and hardship we need to realize that it is not something unusual.
~ Charles Spurgeon – The question of suffering is not a question of if we will face it, but when. Suffering is one of life’s certainties, as is the good which God produces through it.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 - In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider:
Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him.
I don’t want you to miss that – God has appointed the one as well as the other. Another translation reads - but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Now I realize that is going to mess with some people- good times and difficult times come from God. He allows them both.
~ Carter Conlon – Of Times Square Church – There are some people who have such an aversion to the idea of hardship that they immediately shut down at the mere mention of it. If they don’t hear a message that makes them happy and assures them that everything is going to be fine, they quickly leave in search of a place where they will only hear good news.
Listen this is all fine and good until the reality of hard times come and unspeakable things happen: now not only do you have problems you have no foundation of hope on which to stand.
At the core of hardship is the mercy and goodness of God. God is always faithful to strengthen us and to strategically prepare us for whatever we will have to face.
We need to realize that hard isn’t bad but that HARD IS HARD.
There is purpose in the pain. Someone needs to hear this – God will never allow your pain to be in vain. Regardless of where our pain comes from or what it is – God will never waste your pain.
James 1:2-4 (NLT) - Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
The Bible says that God blesses us with the opportunity to know the joy of growth and victory. The big key is to go through these times PAITENTLY. WE are to patiently ENDURE. Enduring means it’s not easy it is hard. Know that God is building His character in us. If you focus on the hurt, you will continue to suffer. If you focus on the lesson, you will continue to grow.
One of the reasons so many people are hurting is because they have decided to either ignore the pain or they just pretend that it is not really affecting their lives. On more than one occasion Jesus asked people if they wanted to be healed or what do you want me to do for you.
One of the things that we need to get settled in our spirit is that – We need to understand that it brings God joy to heal us, restore us and to set us free. You need to believe this. Healing in every aspect, Spiritual, Emotionally, Physically and Mentally is not just for others but is for you. If this is settled, you will know where to go and where to look when you need help. If not, you will find yourself constantly searching for both solutions and healing.
I believe that at HCC we are in a precious season of healing. We have seen three people in the last several years, literally come back from a death sentence health wise. We have seen many other remarkable healings. I believe we have yet to scratch the surface of what God has for our lives. In this year of OVERFLOW, I believe we are going to see not only the healing of bodies, but of depression, release from difficult situations, freedom from addiction and joy in place of tremendous sorrow.
It is the hard and difficult times. The times filled with sorrow and pain that God uses for His glory and for our benefit. Hear me – God will never waste your pain.
Thank you for your faithfulness to the Kingdom of God and to HCC.
You are precious to God and to us
Pastor Marvin & Dawn
Image by Robin Higgins from Pixabay
HCC Monthly Harvest Seed
1 Peter 1:18-19 (NLT) - For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
Resurrection Sunday reminds us of the open and empty tomb that our Lord and Savior Jesus won the victory over death, hell and the grave. – Today I want to talk about the cross. Specifically, what the cross brought forth – that is the precious blood of Jesus.
Most people don’t like the sight of blood. Most don’t like to see their own blood or the blood of others. For the Christian we understand that the Bible tells us that the life is in the blood.
Without the blood there is no life in the natural and without the Precious Blood of Jesus being applied to our lives there is no life in the spiritual.
While we remember the Resurrected Jesus today it is also important to remember the Crucified, spotless Lamb of God. Slain from the foundation of the world so that all men and women can be saved. I want to remind us that the blood is a great many things to all of us it is – THE BLOOD OF….
First of all, it is the Blood of Forgiveness
Hebrews 9:22 - In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
1 John 1:9 (AMP) - If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].
Without the blood there is no forgiveness of sin. – It is the blood of Jesus that makes forgiveness available to us.
Resurrection Sunday has a way of allowing us to look back.
Many people look back over their lives and all that they see is regret. When we look back as Christians we are filled with Thankfulness.
Because of the blood we are no longer what we were. – We are no longer sinners we are now saints of God and Children of God.
His blood is the blood of cleansing. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. – All of this because of the blood.
We who are deserving of death have been forgiven of all of our sin and now have the promise of eternal life. Because of the blood of Jesus our relationship with God the Father has been restored. We once were distanced from God but now we are brought near by the blood of Christ. Sin brought separation… forgiveness restored relationship
It is the blood of peace Colossians 1:19-20 (NLT) - For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
The blood of Jesus was shed because without it we would still be enemies of God. Don’t miss this God made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means Christ’s blood. One of the names of God is God our peace. Jehovah shalom. The peace that comes through Jesus is known as a peace that passes understanding.
Before Jesus everything in all of creation was under the curse. It is the blood of Jesus that redeems and restores everything that had been tainted and destroyed by sin. The peace that Jesus brings encompasses everything.
Shalom- peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility - “make it good”, “shall surely pay”, “make full restitution” or to “restore”. The ancient Hebrew meaning of shalom was “to make something whole”. Not just regarding practical restoration of things that were lost or stolen. But with an overall sense of fulness and completeness in mind, body and estate. Wholeness and Well-being. The Blood of Jesus first of all brings us peace with God but with it comes all kinds of benefits that bless us completely.
It is the blood of our victory.
Revelation 12:11a - And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony,
It through the blood that we become overcomers and conquerors in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:57 - “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Colossians 2:15 - “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” It is the blood of Jesus that overcame death, hell and the grave.
It is the blood that continues to give us victory in these areas every day. Remember that we are being led in Triumph and from Glory to Glory. We go from one victory to the other. Resurrection Sunday reminds us that we are not victims. Even while Jesus was being beaten, wounded, ridiculed mocked and killed He was not a victim. – He could have called legions of angels to rescue Him. – Willingly Jesus laid down His life. He looked past the trial, torture, pain and death knowing that He was greater than it all.
His blood in our life is the blood of victory.
It is the Blood of Jesus
Hebrews 13:12 - And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.
Luke 22:20 - In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
This was personal to Jesus. This is personal to us.
Jesus shed His blood for you and me.
Years ago, when the movie the Passion of the Christ came out. The actors and then the audience were moved to tears when they performed and witnessed the brutality and reality of what Christ endured. FOR US. FOR ME.
The blood came with a name attached – Jesus. The blood of the Messiah, the Savior of the world. It is not nameless blood. It is the precious blood of Jesus.
Mary, the Apostle John, Peter and many others saw what He did. It was personal, excruciating, painful, unbearable, humiliating, angering and overwhelmingly humbling for them.
This Resurrection Sunday my prayer is that for us this would become not just a thing that happened to somebody. But that was the blood of our Savior, Brother, Friend that was shed for us. – That alone changes everything.
Let’s make sure that this Resurrection season is as personal to us as it is to Jesus. To all my brothers and Sisters, remember that because HE lives, WE live also.
You are Loved
Pastor Marvin & Dawn
Image by Narupon Promvichai from Pixabay
HCC Monthly Harvest Seed
Luke 11:5-13 (NLT) - Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. 9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.11 “You fathers—if your children askfor a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
As Christians we understand the power of prayer.
Prayer is the means by which we are told we can move mountains, see the sick healed, invite God into the things we are doing and find peace in incredibly difficult situations. Prayer, even when it is quiet, even when it is contemplative is still powerful.
Prayer is not a timid act, although the timid can come to God.
Prayer is the means by which things get done in the Kingdom of God and how the Kingdom of God is advanced in this world.
Prayerful people see powerful things because they understand the forces behind prayer.
A car engine is only powerful because there are things that go into the engine that make it work.
People often describe prayer as the engine that drives a church.
It is, but just as a car engine must have gasoline, oil and coolant to make it run effectively and efficiently – There are several forces that help our prayers to be powerful and effective. James 5:16 b - The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
The Force of Worship –
Psalm 100:4 - Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name. Never underestimate the power of your praise, worship and thanksgiving to God. The reason that many people have a hard time with prayer is that they come to God focusing more on their problems than on the problem solver. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray… that includes us, the first thing He set as the pattern is – Our Father in Heaven Holy is your name – your Kingdom Come – Your will be done.
All effective prayer starts with worship. Worship starts with our focus. – we take the focus off of ourselves and our situations and put it squarely on God. Worship is honoring God for who He is.
It is declaring our trust in Him. It is taking time to thank Him for what He has already done. Many Christians think that prayer is actually complaint disguised as a conversation. God knows our heart. – Even David poured out his complaints before the Lord. The truth is that is ok. But if you are really praying to God and not just thinking through your problem your complaint will soon become confident praise as you realize who you are talking to.
The Force of Authority.
As a child of God, we are to come boldly before the throne of Grace. This means that we can boldly and confidently speak with God. Prayer is not only about speaking to God.
It is also about speaking to the person, situation or need.
Most Christians understand the concept of prayer that is speaking to God. Prayer also involves us boldly speaking to what needs spoken too. This means that in the natural we are to address the problem. Jesus REBUKED, (in the Greek the word rebuked means scolded), a sickness from Peter’s mother-in-law.
Luke 4:38-41 - Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. But Simon’s wife’s mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. 39 So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them.
Later that same day He rebuked the storm, and then later that day he rebuked 6,000 demons out of a man who was clearly in need of peace. Prayer is not passive. It is forceful and those who use it walk in authority. Authority simply means that we are not powerless to do things.
The force of persistence.
When it comes to prayer there are many horrible ideas that are being taught. One of the ones that actually makes me angry is one that is so unbiblical yet so easily believed. People say if you go to God about something only ask once. If you keep asking, then you are lacking faith.
While I understand the sentiment and while that SOMETIMES may be the case that is not a true biblical statement.
Luke 11:5-13 (NLT) - Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.]9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.11 “You fathers—if your children askfor a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
These verses aren’t teaching us to be annoying until we get our way. They are teaching us the power and force of persistence. In prayer we are to be shamelessly persistent. Too many people give up way to early. Not only in prayer but in life. Prayer teaches us to live a shamelessly persistent life.
The Bible says to keep asking, to keep seeking and to keep knocking10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. - Everyone.
I describe persistence as – Continual – Faithful – Insistence with positive expectancy.
A church that is powerful in ministry is forceful in prayer. The same is true for every individual believer.
There is more force behind our prayers that I will be teaching on this month. We look forward to meeting with you in person and on line. Remember it is important that we gather and worship together. While we are strong individually, we are always – better together.
Know that you are loved
Pastor Marvin & Dawn
HCC Monthly Harvest Seed
Matthew 10:16 - “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
For me this is one of the most shocking statements that Jesus ever made to His disciples. To us. The Concept of this verse is easy to understand but is filled with rich teaching to mature us and equip us.
Jesus said I am sending you out into the world and you are sheep in the midst of wolves. In the natural, you look like prey, but I want you as sheep to be wise as serpents and innocent and harmless as a dove. Jesus warned us that serving Him in this world was going to put us in difficult situations with people.
Jesus told His disciples that we were not to just be sheep or followers who depended completely on the Shepherd, but we were to have the wisdom of a serpent and the innocence of a dove.
This idea of being wise as a serpent confuses us because when we think of serpents we think of snakes, and we think of Satan in the garden. We associate snakes with slithering, biting and killing. We only understand part of the analogy.
We must remember that God made the snake the same way that He made the eagle. Too many Christians confuse the wisdom of a serpent with the character of a snake. There are characteristics that God gave it that teach us how to function in the world we live in wisely. Genesis 3:1a - Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.
The serpent had a key personality trait. It was cunning.
Cunning speaks of intelligence shrewdness, cleverness and smarts.
People assume that sheep are stupid. They are not. They are vulnerable, but they are intelligent and relational.
Jesus said I am sending you out as sheep among wolves you are vulnerable. Therefore, you need to be a wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove. We get the idea of sheep and doves, but most Christians do not understand the idea of being wise as serpents because there is very little teaching on it.
The world assumes that we are sheep, stupid, slow, dependent, clean and pure. We need to understand that clean, innocent and pure does not mean naïve. As a matter of fact, a dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit and one of the names of the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Wisdom.
If all we see ourselves is as sheep and doves, then we will always be prey for the enemy. Let’s be honest, all too often Christians operate in the world naively and not wisely. I want you to know that you can be innocent, pure and dependent on God for everything and still be one shrewd cookie.
The Bible tells us that we are the head and not the tail. We are not a predator, but neither are we prey. Jesus had to address the idea of His disciple acting and living in this world with greater wisdom Luke 16:8 - So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
God wants us to understand the wisdom of being clever, smart and shrewd when we are dealing with the world.
One of the lessons that we can learn from the serpent is that they know how to blend into their environment.
A serpent is not a chameleon, but they are a master of camouflage.
We are in the world, but we are not of the world.
It is important to understand that we are different than the rest of the world. We do not think like the world, talk like the world, believe like the world but there we are in the middle of it all. The world is our environment so we must learn to live in it.
Whenever a snake comes into a new place or interacts with a new environment it takes time to acclimate to the climate and culture.
Many Christians assume that to be a good Christian they need to announce that they are a Christian and immediately set to work changing a place.
I guarantee you that on our church property and around your home there are snakes. You don’t even know that they are there. They are laying low, getting to know the territory they are quiet, and they are blending into their surroundings. We are called to reach our world with the Gospel, but they do not even have a desire to be reached. We must get to know them, how they think and talk. What they enjoy. What hurts them and what excites them. 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 -to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
Paul says I become all things to all people that I might all means reach some. Everywhere I have lived I had to learn the culture and the customs of a place. When you work at a place become like the culture there, so you have the right to speak into their lives.
Camouflage is a protective covering it helps you to settle into your environment. Helps you to move around and get to know a place. It also provides you with safety.
A sheep who acts like a sheep among wolves immediately is identified as prey. A snake that is immediately identified as a snake immediately is reacted negatively too and will experience immediate resistance. At work at school, we are to be a part of the people we are with.
– Now remember innocent as doves. This means that we are like Jesus who ate with sinners but did not sin with the sinners.
Remember in order for Jesus to save the world He had to come in the likeness of man. He became one of us but was without sin.
One of the key traits of a serpent is how slowly they move.
It is wise to move slowly and deliberately through life.
James 1:19 - Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Quick, Slow, Slow - Serpents are always listening.
Many people like to jump to conclusions, instead of listening to what people are saying and really mean as they read between the lines. Many have a quick temper and a short fuse. Serpents never seem to be in a hurry. They can sit still for hours, or they will just slither along. It’s not that they cannot move fast they are just careful and know how to conserve their energy. Many times, we do life in this world by acting too fast or making split decisions when we have plenty of time to think and gather facts.
We need this wisdom in personal relationships and in business relationships. Keen business people take their time. They don’t jump at every opportunity. People with lasting and fruitful friendships and relationships are slow to get to know people and slow to bring them close. By moving slowly, we get to understand people and situations. We get to observe the landscape and see if there are any dangers. This does not mean paralysis by analysis. But taking time to observe and learn. The truth is many times it is better to be quiet and listen, to lay low and just observe. Serpents are absolutely fine with little action and quiet. We should be as well. Moving slowly keeps us from making pour decisions and allows us plenty of time to avoid obstacles and setbacks.
Christian we are called to live wisely and shrewdly in this world. This will cause us to be victorious.
Know that you are loved
Pastor Marvin & Dawn
Image by Narupon Promvichai from Pixabay
HCC Monthly Harvest Seed
John 7:37-39 - On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
As I was praying over what God wanted for us in the coming year two words kept leaping into my spirit. Overflow and Outpouring.
Last year our theme was Deeper, Higher, Wider and Further. I believe that describes what happens when you follow a river and what happens when you choose to go with God spiritually.
Overflow is what happens to a river that begins to fill its banks and outgrows its natural boundaries. The only way that happens is when it rains and the amount of rain coming in is greater than the capacity of the banks of the river to contain it.
Overflow means that there is plenty for you and more than enough to share with others. There is so much to share that you don’t even think about what is leaving you because there is so much there that there is not enough of you, to contain it all.
When Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, He was speaking of the work that the Holy Spirit would do in and through a life that was Filled with Him. Jesus was telling the disciples that they would be so full spiritually that it would impact every area of their life and the lives of the people they came into contact with.
After the disciples received the in filling of the Holy Spirit, they went on to change the entire world. The impact is still felt today.
I believe that we are entering a new season of spiritual overflow.
The Spiritual always affects the natural. While the two are separate in many ways they are intrinsically intertwined. If you try to separate the soul and spirit and soul from the body, you can’t do it. That is like trying to separate the wet from water.
Many Christians are looking at the world around them and seeing the proliferation of sin and wondering if anything good can come.
All around us people are breaking man’s laws and God’s laws. The more the laws are broken the more that we see people are broken. Whenever sin increases the grace and unmerited favor of God also abounds. Someone needs to hear what I am saying. I believe that we are entering a season of an outpouring of the grace and mercy of God upon our lives that will be amazing as the Holy Spirit flows through us.
The Bible says that Rivers of Living water will flow through us.
First of all, Jesus called the work of the Holy Spirit in our life a river not a lake. River’s flow. Lakes collect. It is amazing how a river stays full even while it is flowing and giving out. Rivers are always moving; they are not stagnant. The dead sea is dead because it is always collecting and has no outlet. Jesus promised that He would fill us with the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit would be moving in and through our life. We are not just something that the Holy Spirit is to fill we are a vessel that He is to flow through.
A lot of people are empty even though they are so full. The reason for that is we are not meant to be a lake; we are meant to be a river.
The secret to being full is found in allowing what the Holy Spirit has filled you with to flow into others. A river overflows not because it is empty but because it is so full that it is looking for an outlet. What God is doing in you will eventually be something that He uses to impact others. The Holy Spirit is designed to flow through you, where it transforms you and it blesses those around you. Someone needs to hear this. The Holy Spirit in you is not just enough He is more than enough to fill you and to use you to bless others.
The Key to overflow is found in giving. The reason that many people withhold from God is they believe that it will leave them with less. I have found that when you give everything to God not only are we not left with less He gives us more than enough.
When we give everything that we are to God and hold nothing back we release what is blocking our path and release an overflow of His favor and provision for everything in every area.
Luke 6:38 - Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Just as God withholds no good thing from us. We need to understand that it is as we allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us that we experience a CONTINUAL filling. Proverbs 11:24-25 - There is one who scatters yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.
You can never out give God. The more you refresh others the more you will be refreshed.
Part of what rivers do is remove dead things.
If you have ever looked at a flowing, overflowing river part of its purpose is to purify. Dead things get caught up in the flow and moved out of the way. When rivers are not polluted by man, they have a way of filtering the water and keeping it pure which brings life to everything it touches. When the Holy Spirit flows through us it brings with Him purifying power. When the Holy Spirit moves don’t be surprised to watch Him do a sweeping purifying work. I believe that part of this overflow will be a purifying sin removing, getting rid of every dead thing work of God.
Rivers stir things up. One reason some Christians are hesitant to flow with and over flow with the Spirit of God is they are afraid of what it will stir up. Rivers move the sediment out of the way and build new things. You can’t build without stirring up some things. I believe one of the things God was speaking to my heart about overflow is that when a river is moving, things that used to be hard to move now get moved easily. If you have ever seen a flood, it is amazing how everything from cars, trucks, houses – really anything that is obstructing the path of the river is now easily and almost effortlessly and almost violently swept out of the way. I believe God is saying to us that as we allow the Spirit of God to flow through us and overflow into the world around us that those things that used to seem like incredible obstacles are going to move with little to no effort on our part.
I heard the Holy Spirit speak to my heart – Take the limits off of God. We need to quit trying to control the way the Holy Spirit moves through us and just go with the flow and surrender ourselves to Him. Someone needs to hear this – if you will release control, you do not need to fear chaos because God is in control. I want to say it again we need to take the limits off of God. He is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask or think. Often people are accused of small thinking.
It’s not that most Christians are small thinkers they are just natural thinkers. What is within our ability to think, see or dream of.
Just know that God has a much higher way of thinking. Something happens when you allow the Holy Spirit to flow through you. You stop thinking and asking in a limited way and start to know HIS WAYS that are exceedingly, Abundantly above all. –
I am excited about what God has for us in the coming year. Thank you for joining in on these 21 days of prayer and Fasting.
You are dearly Loved
Pastor Marvin & Dawn
Image by Simon Berger from Pixabay
HCC Monthly Harvest Seed
Genesis 2:2-3 - And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
Rest is so important that God has woven it into the very fabric of creation. Rest is part of the cycle of life. It is literally in the DNA of everything. We need to rest daily. We need a day of rest weekly, and God even designed the land to need to rest every seven years.
If we want to walk in personal peace and in sound emotional and mental health, then rest must become a regular part of our life cycle. We were created by God to sleep a third of our lives away each day. He also commands that we stop from normal activity one day a week. God created summer for when things are in full bloom and winter for the land to rest. God created our lives and nature to have a rhythm of being active and then times for quiet and recovery. It is through this that God brings a necessary balance to our lives and to nature.
The Bible tells us that God blessed the day of rest and made it holy. To be made holy means to be sanctified or literally set apart as unique and special and dedicated for the purposes that God designed. The Hebrew word for rest is Sabat. It means to cease and desist from labor. God worked then He rested from all of His work. God put such a high value on rest that He made it part of the Ten Commandments. While God has blessed our times and seasons of rest the world curses it as unproductive and intrusive. While we talk about vacations and down time few of us actually practice it.
We talk about how we can work 8-10 hours a day. Read at least 10 books a month. Spend time playing with our families. Exercise every morning, binge watch our favorite shows, keep up with the news, teach our children, cook healthy food every day, keep our house clean and updated and work at the local soup kitchen as we pay it forward.
The world does not praise rest it mocks it as unnecessary and people who flow with the rhythm that God created and commands us to follow are deemed lazy and unproductive. God blesses and even commands us to work hard but He also desires us to rest and enjoy life.
Many people’s idea of a vacation is to fit a years’ worth of adventure into a single week. Most of us come back needing a vacation from our vacation. The truth is we have totally missed the point. Others of us think that we can fit an entire years’ worth of rest into a one- or two-week vacation. Again, we have completely missed the point.
Even the most-high energy, type A personalities and young and physically fit need times to rest. As a matter of fact, if you fit into that category, you probably have a greater need for rest.
Isaiah 40:30-31 - Even youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, 31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired. Everyone gets tired, weary and loses strength, stamina and focus. The secret to keep going is to rest and wait on the Lord. This is how we gain new strength, renew our energy and refresh our spiritual anointing.
Rest is the secret to staying close to God and rising like an eagle.
Rest is the secret to being able to run and not grow tired and to walk and not grow faint. We need to understand that rest is a pause. It is not quitting; it is not lazy it is necessary.
~ Someone made this important observation – “All Physical strength is spiritual in cause.” All true rest starts inside of us. We have not truly rested until we have rested within.
How do you know that you need inner rest – that is actually pretty easy to gage. All of us have gotten a full night’s sleep but have woken up having not feeling rested in the least. Our minds and our emotions are still going, we are still thinking, we are still trying to work everything out. Far too many of us shut down but don’t ever turn off. Tiredness affects more than just our bodies. If that was all then a simple nap would solve all of our problems.
While a nap will fix many things. It is vital that we learn to rest in the Lord, Spiritually, emotionally and mentally.
Resting in God is a spiritual discipline much like prayer and fasting. It is not meditation where you empty yourself of everything. You are already on empty. It is where you intentionally fill up Spiritually. It is where we put ourselves in a position to be filled new with all that the Holy Spirit offers.
A car isn’t tired because it ran out of gas, it needs a fill up. There is nothing wrong with the car except it needs an exchange of fuel from another tank into its tank.
When a car is on empty it sputters and spurts. Finally, is shuts down. Jesus said my yoke is easy and my burden is light. I am gentle and humble, learn from me and you will find rest for your souls. When you can’t physically sleep because you are spiritual drained, exchange your emptiness and hurt for his healing and filling.
When you need inner peace, you don’t just need calm you need the Holy Spirit who is the comforter. He is our peace and the Spirit of peace.
We also need outward physical rest. People used to not be so hurried and hassled. This is a historically new thing in many ways.
Those who live by the new rules wear out, burn out and fizzle out.
I hear people say I would rather go out in flames than just burn out and fade away. I have news for you those are not the only two options. You don’t have to go out at all. This is utter foolishness.
Jeremiah 6:16 - This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’
Many times, we are tired because we are so busy chasing the new.
The old Godly ways are not passe they are a place of rest. So many people respond like Israel did to God’s invitation of rest. – “No, we don’t want it”. God says when you are at the cross roads and you have a choice stop and choose the old Godly ways. You can’t go wrong, and you will have peace inside and out instead of turmoil and chaos and confusion inside and out.
As we are getting ready to enter the new year, I want to challenge all of us to make sure we make rest, both Spiritually and Physically a part of our normal routines. As we do I believe that we will find ourselves accomplishing what God desires AND living a life of peace.
You are Dearly Loved- Have a very Merry Christmas
Pastor Marvin & Dawn
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John 1:1-5 - 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. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
(NLT) - The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
It is easy when you are watching the way things are in the world to get discouraged. When life is difficult, and you are going through one thing after another it is easy to wonder if the darkness is winning. It is natural when you are praying for someone, and you do not see a change to wonder if the witness you have been and the Word of God that you have shared is making a difference.
Whenever light shows up it wins – It always wins!
Darkness cannot stop light it cannot dim it and it cannot quench it.
Wherever light is - darkness flees. Darkness is the absence of light, so even just a little light renders darkness no longer darkness. There are levels of brightness but there are not levels of darkness. Pitch black is still black, but dim is not darkness it is light. Even just a little light helps you to see.Somebody needs to hear what I am trying to tell you. - - Light always wins over Darkness. Even shades of gray are not levels of darkness they are levels of light.
God is not only LOVE. GOD IS LIGHT. 1 John 1:5 - This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
God is light. He does not just have light. He is the source of all light in all of its forms, natural and spiritual. The first thing that God did at creation is make physical light. – He spoke into the darkness.
Darkness is not something it is nothing. Into nothing Jesus spoke light. Nothing could be made unless there was first light because there was nothing there. Light – God is the source of everything.
Often, we hear that Satan is the prince of darkness – This means that he is the prince of nothing.
John 1:5 says, “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not This doesn’t mean that darkness won’t attempt to overcome the light. Its efforts will always be frustrated and unsuccessful because the light of God always prevails, even in what seems to be the darkest hour or the bleakest situation.
Darkness simply doesn’t have the power or ability to put out God’s light. Since you are a child of the light, this means darkness doesn’t have the ability to put out your light either! First John 5:4 says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” The word “overcomes” is the Greek word nikos. It means to conquer. It was used to portray athletes who had gained the mastery of the competition and ultimately reigned supreme as champions over the games.
Because the word “overcomes” is the Greek word nikos, it tells us that we are the ultimate champions and describes our superior position as children of God over the world. We are fully armed with everything we need to be super-conquerors in this life!
Understand that anytime light and darkness come together their will be conflict. Light and darkness can never coexist peacefully because darkness does not like the light and the light will always drive our darkness. Because Darkness does not understand light it is unreceptive to it.
Darkness does not desire a relationship with light.
It will try to appropriate it, absorb it, extinguish it and overcome it but light and darkness can never coexist together. This is where many Christians wind up in trouble. They get in business relationships, romantic relationships, Partnerships and friendships with people who walk in darkness. 1 Corinthians 6:14 - Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness.
Light always attracts light. This is why there is such an attraction to people who are also walking with God. 1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. For those who walk in the light there is always fellowship and when we disagree it is the Blood that cleanses us from sin and heals the relationship.
Darkness simply doesn’t have the power or ability to put out God’s light. Since you are a child of the light, this means darkness doesn’t have the ability to put out your light either!Ephesians 5:8 - For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
I believe that this is God’s encouragement to all of us. We need to walk like and walk out who we are. We are Children of Light! Darkness does not, cannot and will not overcome us. We do not generate our own light we simply reflect the light, life and Glory of God. We are light and our life will drive out darkness.
Christian you are an overcomer and a champion. Darkness can’t comprehend you, understand you or overcome you. Go ahead walk like it and live like it in freedom.
This month instead of being overwhelmed with darkness, be overcome with gratefulness. God has been good to us. Give Him thanks for all that He has done.
You are dearly loved!
Pastor Marvin & Dawn
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James 4:13-14 - Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
65 million people die each year in the world. That is 178,000 each day, 7,425 each hour, and 120 each minute.
In the United States, 2.6 million die each year. That is 7,123 each day, 297 each hour, and 5 each minute.
Most of those people who died did not wake up thinking that this would be their last day on earth. Some of them were in a medically induced coma and had no idea that they were dying. They had no idea that they would be involved in a car wreck or have a heart attack or stroke that they would not recover from.
Life is precious and life is fragile. In the grand scheme of things even if we are here for 100 yrs. Our life is like a vapor. People spend a lifetime seeking fame and fortune but no matter how famous you get people still forget who you are in a matter of years. No matter how wealthy you are when you die someone else will get all that you have.
When it comes to spiritual and Godly things, many people live with the philosophy that in Spanish is called – Manana. I will get right with God tomorrow. I will get back to church next week. One day I will make my peace with God. You have no idea if you are going to make it through today.
2 Corinthians 6:2 (NKJV) - Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (NLT) - Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
Don’t procrastinate with your spiritual life. Today is the day of Salvation. Friend no one is guaranteed tomorrow. You could die today, or Jesus could come back before the day is over. If you aren’t ready for heaven, then I plead with you to get ready today!
Matthew 24:36 - But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
While there are many people who are boasting about tomorrow there are also many people who are worried about tomorrow.
We are to trust the will of God for tomorrow both with our positive plans and expectations but also with our worries, doubts and fears.
Someone said – Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows it only empties today of its strength.
Matthew 6:27-34 - Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
What is the answer to worry? – Seek God today. Today is the present and it is a present – a gift from God. He cares for you and will provide for you today and tomorrow. Some people are prone to worry. God commands us not to. How do you change that?
Psalm 118:24 - This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. You defeat worry by choosing to enjoy the day that you are in. This isn’t something you can WILL yourself to do if you are prone to worry. That is why you must choose to rejoice in the Lord. If you WILL rejoice, in the Lord, you will quickly find yourself enjoying the day.
No one is promised tomorrow except those who have been promised Eternal life.
1 John 5:13 - I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
John 11:25 - Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
I preach that last verse at almost every funeral. The truth is that even if we die… we will live.
One of the great realizations of the Christian life is knowing that even when you die, you get to live. In many ways the title of this message is only true for those who Don’t know Christ as their savior -They are not promised tomorrow. For those of us who DO know Christ as our Lord and Savior we ARE promised not just tomorrow but all of eternity.
I pray that this will bring you great peace, joy, hope and expectation.
Know that you are dearly Loved,
Pastor Marvin & Dawn.
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