The Christian's Secret Weapon...

Throughout my ministry and Christian walk, I have always felt like I have had a secret weapon in prayer and fasting when faced with difficulties, sickness, confusion, or just straight out attacks from the enemy, Satan. I have always tried to be led of the Lord in using it.

I prayed and fasted in 1981 when I received my calling into the ministry, I wanted make sure I was clearly hearing God. When I faced my first “big battle” as a pastor in a church plant in Rockville, Indiana, I used it when the enemy came against me personally and the young church that I was planting. I have used “the secret weapon” several times as we were childless and watched God perform a miracle in a few short days to bring about a beautiful gift in Gabriel. I used the “secret weapon” once when I was told our church couldn’t buy a particular church building and within a two-week period we raised the down payment and purchased the church. I went to my secret weapon in 1991 when faced with severe headaches every day for a year and was miraculously healed.

In 1998, we didn’t know if we should Indianapolis or stay, but through prayer and fasting God made it evident that this was His plan for Kings Point and for us to come and pastor. Back in 2002, I was very discouraged and ready to leave this church and the ministry. I used the secret weapon of prayer and fasting and God gave me a plan to implement “to disciple and equip people so that they might disciple and equip others.”

Many, many other times in my life and ministry I have used this secret weapon and God has never let me down….He has met with me intimately…drawn me closer to Him…fine tuned me…spoke to me…shown me things…removed obstacles…healed me and delivered me…opened doors for me.

Over the 27 plus years I have practiced fasting, God has taken me to school. He has taught me some things about fasting. One of the big things he has taught me is there is more to fasting that just doing without food. One of the obvious things you see in several different places in the Bible is the connection between fasting, praying, and giving.

Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, are three great Christian duties - the three foundations of the law, say the Arabians: by them we do homage and service to God with our three principal interests; by prayer with our souls, by fasting with our bodies, by alms-giving with our estates.

Another, practice of fasting according to the Old Testament is the removing of bondages, the breaking free of oppression on our lives and that of others.

Another practice of a “true fast” is to stop criticizing, blaming, and gossiping -If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; Isaiah 58:9

God promises many great blessings in the scriptures when we practice the fast that HE HAS CHOSEN…THE KIND OF FAST THAT HE HONORS…ONE THAT IS DONE RIGHT IN HIS EYES.

A true fast unto the Lord will life-altering, life-changing. It first of all changes you! You become broken and humble before the Lord. You see yourself differently and you see others differently. God will give you a compassion for the poor, the hurting, the oppressed. As our soul is afflicted, we become stripped of our pride which causes us to be critical of others, blame, gossip, and murmur. A true fast causes us to depend upon God for nourishment not those things that feed the flesh.

A true corporate fast moves the hand of God in a church or in a nation. In the O.T., you see God moving immediately and mightily when Israel fasted.

Lets take a few minutes and look more closely at those things God’s Word says that makes up the FAST THAT GOD HAS CHOSEN. Look at Isaiah 58:6…

Isaiah 58:6 "The kind of fasting I want is this: Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free.

# 1 - Remove or break the chains or bands of wicked oppression

The fast that God has chosen consists in reforming our lives and undoing what we have done amiss (Isa_58:6): To loose the bands of wickedness, the bands which we have wickedly tied, and by which others are bound.

These bands of wickedness must be loosed, or they will bring us into bonds of guilt much more terrible.

There are people here this morning that need chains of oppression broken in your lives. You are living in bondage and it is only going to get worse. You NEED TO BE FREED!

Many of you know friends, family members, or people you work with that live in oppression and need to be set free. YOU ARE NOT HELPLESS, YOU CAN FAST ON THEIR BEHALF AND SEE THEM DELIVERED AND SET FREE.

#2 - Practice Charity (the fast that God chooses)

Isaiah 58:7 Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.

Isaiah 58:10 if you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need,

Matthew 6:1 "Make certain you do not perform your religious duties in public so that people will see what you do. If you do these things publicly, you will not have any reward from your Father in heaven.
Mat 6:2 "So when you give something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it, as the hypocrites do in the houses of worship and on the streets. They do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full.
Mat 6:3 But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it.
Mat 6:4 Then it will be a private matter. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.

Why is giving in Isaiah 58 and in Matt 6 so closely connected to prayer and fasting, because again as I mentioned early as you become broken and become more humble YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF MORE COMPASSIONATE AND MORE BENEVOLENT TOWARD THE NEEDY, POOR, AND HURTING. This is the kind of spirit that God wants us to have toward others!

#3 – Prayer, Praise, Worship, and Solitude with God

Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Mat 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Mat 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Isa 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am].

David spent a lot of time with God without praying. Read the Psalms, you see David in solitude with God, worshipping praising, meditating, and being still before Him. YOU PROBABLY SEE HIM DOING THESE THINGS MORE THAN PRAYING!


Conclusion: Look at how God blesses us when we fast the fast that God has chosen?

Isa 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
Isa 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am].

Isa 58:11 And I will always guide you and satisfy you with good things. I will keep you strong and well. You will be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring of water that never goes dry.
Isa 58:12 Your people will rebuild what has long been in ruins, building again on the old foundations. You will be known as the people who rebuilt the walls, who restored the ruined houses."

Mat 6:31 "So do not start worrying: 'Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?'
Mat 6:32 (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things.
Mat 6:33 Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things.
Mat 6:34 So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.


#4 – The Removing of Criticism, Gossip, Blame, and Grumbling

Isa 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am]. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

Isa 58:4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness


#5 – The Fast Itself – abstaining from food

a. A fast that is God’s chosen fast is not abstaining from certain kinds of food….sweets, pop, etc. Daniel was on a vegetable fast and he prayed three times daily.

b. Fasting for the most part in the Bible is abstaining from solid foods. You can just drink water, but if you choose you could drink juices for the stomach’s sake.

c. Length of fasts: 1 day, 3 day, 7 day, 21 day, 40 days.


POWERFUL FACTS ABOUT FASTING & PRAYER

If you do not already know of the power and importance of fasting, here are some very important facts:
• Fasting was an expected discipline in both the Old and New Testament eras. For example, Moses fasted at least two recorded forty-day periods. Jesus fasted 40 days and reminded His followers to fast, "when you fast," not if you fast.
• Fasting and prayer can restore the loss of the "first love" for your Lord and result in a more intimate relationship with Christ.

• Fasting is a biblical way to truly hu
mble yourself in the sight of God (Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:21). King David said, "I humble myself through fasting."
• Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition, resulting in brokenness, repentance, and a transformed life.
• The Holy Spirit will quicken the Word of God in your heart and His truth will become more meaningful to you!
• Fasting can transform your prayer life into a richer and more personal experience.
• Fasting can result in a dynamic personal revival in your own life-and make you a channel of revival to others
• Fasting passes on a spiritual blessing to your children.
• Fasting brings God’s favor upon your life – Isaish 58.
• Fasting brings quick healing – Isaiah 58.
• Increase in God’s protective presence and his prosperty

I know the prospect of going without food for an extended period of time may be of concern to some. But there are ways to ensure that your body is getting the nutrients it needs so you can remain safe and healthy during your fast.
For an extended fast, I recommend water and fruit and vegetable juices. The natural sugars in juices provide energy, and the taste and strength are motivational to continue your fast. Try to drink fresh juices, if possible. Off-the-shelf juice products are acceptable, as long as they are 100% juice with no sugar or other additives.
If you are beginning a juice fast, there are certain juices you may wish to avoid and certain ones that are especially beneficial. Because of their acid content, most nutritionists do not advise orange or tomato juice (these are better tolerated if mixed with equal portions of water). The best juices are fresh carrot, grape, celery, apple, cabbage, or beet. They also recommend "green drinks" made from green leafy vegetables because they are excellent "de-toxifiers."
Fruit juices are "cleansers" and are best taken in the morning. Since vegetable juices are "restorers" and "builders," they are best taken in the afternoon.
I usually dedicate a portion of my 40-day fast to a special liquid formula, which I have found to be effective over many years. A few recipes and my comments are on this page, as well as a helpful schedule.
One gallon distilled water
1-1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4-cup pure maple syrup
1/4-teaspoon cayenne pepper.
The lemon juice adds flavor and vitamin C, the maple syrup provides energy, and the cayenne pepper-an herb-acts to open small blood vessels which, I believe, helps the body as it cleanses itself of stored toxins. (A word of caution: although I use this formula with no ill effects, cayenne pepper could cause severe physical reactions in persons with a specific allergy to this herb.)
My favorite juice is a mixture of 100% pure white grape juice and peach juice. The juice is available in frozen cans under the Welch label. Most knowledgeable nutritionists recommend:
• Watermelon-just put it in the blender without adding water.
• Fresh apple juice
• Green juice-blend celery, romaine lettuce, and carrots in equal proportions. (Vegetable juices like this one are important, for they supply the electrolytes necessary for proper heart function!)
Some nutritionists recommend warm broth, especially if you live in a colder climate. You may find their recipes helpful:
Boil sliced potatoes, carrots, and celery in water. Do not add salt
After about a half-hour, drain off the water and drink.
Gently boil three carrots, two stalks of celery, one turnip, two beats, a half head of cabbage, a quarter of a bunch of parsley, a quarter of an onion, and a half clove of garlic
Drain off the broth and drink up to two or three times daily.
You may find the following daily schedule helpful during your fast. I recommend you print it and keep it handy throughout your fast.
• 5:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Fruit juices, preferably freshly squeezed or blended, diluted in 50 percent distilled water if the fruit is acid. Orange, apple, pear, grapefruit, papaya, grape, peach or other fruits are good.
• 10:30 a.m. - noon
Green vegetable juice made from lettuce, celery, and carrots in three equal parts.
• 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Herb tea with a drop of honey. Make sure that it is not black tea or tea with a stimulant.
• 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Broth from boiled potatoes, celery, and carrots (no salt).
I suggest that you do not drink milk because it is a pure food and therefore a violation of the fast. Any product containing protein or fat, such as milk or soy-based drinks, should be avoided. These products will restart the digestion cycle and you will again feel hunger pangs. Also, for health reasons, stay away from caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, or cola. Because caffeine is a stimulant, it has a more powerful effect on your nervous system when you abstain from food. This works both against the physical and spiritual aspects of the fast.
Another key factor in maintaining optimum health during a fast is to limit your physical activity. Exercise only moderately, and rest as much as your schedule will permit (this especially applies to extended fasts). Short naps are helpful as well. Walking a mile or two each day at a moderate pace is acceptable for a person in good health, and on a juice fast. However, no one on a water fast should exercise without the supervision of a fasting specialist.

Sunday Wrap Up

Hello everyone! Sorry, I couldn't get this on sooner. Up until now, I have been too busy coughing, blowing my nose, and just plain feeling lousy. But I think its hit bottom and I am headed on the upside. Thanks so much for your prayers!

We had a great crowd Sunday morning! Natalie, Valerie, and the choir, did a wonderful job leading us in worship. I thought the presence of God was mighty in our service. I know the Holy Spirit's anointing enabled me to deliver my message and for you to receive it. The scriptures teaches us that it's the anointing of the Holy Spirit that teaches us all truth anyway. Like I always say, I am just one of God's messenger boys.

Sunday evening, we focused on the upcoming 21 day fast. We as a church will begin our fast January 1 and go through January 21. I want to encourage everyone to participate. If you would like more information, go to www.jentezenfranklin.org.
We are teaming with Jentezen Franklin's fasting movement and hundreds of thousands of believers around the country. Please feel free to use this website to get more information on fasting. I may be sending out some other information in the days ahead. Please take time now in the few days ahead to plan your fast. I sincerely believe that as you and I fast and pray the first three weeks of the year God is going to grant us a wonderuful 2009 filled with His blessings and spiritual fruit.

Have a great week!

-Pastor

Would We All Be Here If Jesus Had Not Come?

Good morning and Merry Christmas everyone! Christmas is only two days away, even though we have been celebrating now since the day after Thanksgiving. I am not complaining, I love Christmas! But December sure does seem like a very long month.

Now for some personal stuff!

Please remember Pastor Rob Mason in your prayers today, he's having shoulder surgery.

Annette ask me to make my banana pudding for our family Christmas dinner at mom and dad's. My secret for good banana pudding is simple...lots of bananas, vanilla wafers (lite), vanilla pudding, and lots and lots of whip cream (lite). I love it!

Can you believe Gabe's dancing or gymnastics Sunday on stage? He's kind of scaring me and his mom now days. Anyhow, we love him! He's a great kid. His mom and I are very blessed. He brings a new twist to life every day.

Wow, it suppose to be in the 50's and possibly the 60's this weekend. I love it! Last weekend's cold, bitter weather was ridiculous. Since my slight heart attack a few years ago, I try to stay out of the extremely cold air. Maybe, we will just skip the rest of winter and go directly to spring. Wouldn't that be nice?

Well, you may be bored by tears now, so I will stop with the personal stuff.

Have you ever thought what the world would be like if Christ had not come? Yes, there would be no sinless life to be an example to us. There would be no sacrifice offered for our sins to get rid of the guilt and the sin which keeps us from having a relationship with a holy God. There would be no resurrection that makes a new life in Jesus Christ possible. BUT LET ME SHARE WITH YOU ANOTHER BIG, BIG PROBLEM WE WOULD HAVE IF CHRIST HAD NOT COME THAT WE OFTEN DON'T THINK OF... without Christ's coming there is no Holy Spirit living in man which believe it or not changes everything.

According to the words of Christ himself in John 16:7 and John 14:12, the Holy Spirit could not come until Christ went away (or ascended). Just think of all that the Holy Spirit does. Its the Holy Spirit that sheds God's love abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5). It is the Holy Spirit that convicts or persuades the world of the truth when it comes to sin, judgment, and the righteousness of Christ (John 16:8). It is the Spirit that Jesus said guides men unto all truth (John 16:13). It is the Holy Spirit that washes and renews our soul (Titus 3:5) when we come to Christ and are saved. I could go on and on, but it is the Holy Spirit who does the work of Christ here on earth. Without the work and power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers and convicting unbelievers I don't think mankind would be around in 2008. In other words, we would have self-destructed years ago or God would have judged us all like He did Noah's generation long before now.

You might wonder, wasn't the Holy Spirit on earth before Christ? And the answer would be yes, but not living inside of human beings. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit in John 14:7[Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. The Holy Spirit descended and began to dwell inside man in His fullness on the Day of Pentecost when 120 believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and spake with other tongues. Since that day, millions around the world down through the ages have experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The world has never been the same!

Undoubtedly, God's plan to send His Son followed by the Holy Spirit saved all of humanity from ourselves. Truly, Jesus was and still is the Savior of the world!

Sunday Wrap Up...Top Ten KP Highlights

Top ten highlights from this weekend in no particular order of importance.

#10 - The children's great performances both Saturday and Sunday. Pretty amazing...even anointed at times!

#9 - Debbie Jett and her staff and the wonderful job they do in children's ministry. Endless hours, lots of dedication, and a love for ministry to kids! The BIG EASTER EGG HUNT IS NEXT...THE BIGGEST EVER!

#8 - Kenneth Brumfield and the Pastor's Council's and their wives do the twelve days of Christmas. Ask some of the senior ladies...pretty wild!

#7 - The widows and the fatherless Christmas dinner. What a great time we all had! The ladies I think really appreciated everything...the dinner...the gifts...entertainment, etc.

#6 - The weather! No ice or snow, but plenty of cold, bitter wind.

#5 - The Children's Christmas Musical DVD, especially the bloopers at the end. You gotta see it!

#4 - Lots of guests this weekend! Hopefully those that are unchurched will be back.

#3 - The Kings Point family's abundant giving this month. You have provided clothes for many needy families, assisted in helping needy families with rent and utlities, and gave to both widows and fatherless families. Many of you also have given to the Debbie Kilburn memorial fund. Thank you for your generous giving in spite of tough economic times.

#2 - Everyone who works behind the scenes to pull off the ministries of Kings Point. What a great, great group of people that God blessed us with!

#1 - The sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ both Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Thats what its all about...preaching the gospel and discipling people.

Some Saturday Thoughts

I just left the church to pick up some gifts and then head home for dinner. Then back to the church for tonight's children's musical. I watched the dress rehearsal this afternoon. I am always amazed at all the work that goes into these things. And how these kids (and adults too) memorize all their lines. I think so many times people see plays or musicals and just don't realize all the hours that go into not just what they see on stage, but the costumes, the sets, etc.

I hope you plan to join us tomorrow. It ought to be a great day. I want to thank everyone who has made the widows and fatherless Christmas dinner possible tomorrow. All of you that gave in offerings and to the staff, Pastor's Council, and their wives that will be serving tomorrow. I really hope this can be a annual event and in 2009 we can even do more for our widows and fatherless families. Also, I ask that you remember them in your prayers as often as possible.

have a great weekend!

=Pastor Randy

Friday Countdown...A Must Read for Every Christian!

Very SOBERING WORD
-by Corrie Ten Boom.

Miss Corrie Ten Boom was a Dutch survivor of the Nazi Concentration Camps, and a lifelong missionary. Corrie was a believer in facing tribulation. She was one of the many people who were persecuted in concentration camps during the World War II.
Her family was murdered before her eyes, but though her life was threatened, God led her through that terrible time. She lived to testify all over the world of how God brought her out of that time of trouble. In the worst days in the concentration camp she and her sister Betsy discovered that "there is no pit so deep that the Presence of God is not there with us". In an interview titled "Prepared for the Coming Tribulation", Miss Corrie Ten Boom held very definite view concerning the rapture. In the following message she shared a plea for the saints to prepare themselves for the possibility that at some point their faith may be tested. It serves today as a timely warning to us in the comfortable and complacent western church as we approach the threshold of the endtime drama.

Here is her exhortation to us from a letter she wrote in 1974:

ESCAPE TRIBULATION? -WRONG!
-Corrie Ten Boom.

"The world is deathly ill. It is dying. The Great Physician has
already signed the death certificate. Yet there is still a great work
for Christians to do. They are to be streams of living water,
channels of mercy to those who are still in the world. It is possible
for them to do this because they are overcomers.

Christians are ambassadors for Christ.They are representatives
from Heaven to this dying world. And because of our presence
here, things will change.

My sister, Betsy, and I were in the Nazi concentration camp at
Ravensbruck because we committed the crime of loving Jews.
Seven hundred of us from Holland, France, Russia, Poland and
Belgium were herded into a room built for two hundred. As far as I
knew, Betsy and I were the only two representatives of Heaven in that room.

We may have been the Lord's only representatives in that place of
hatred, yet because of our presence there, things changed. Jesus
said, "In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer,
I have overcome the world." We too, are to be overcomers -
bringing the light of Jesus into a world filled with darkness and hate.

Sometimes I get frightened as I read the Bible, and as I look in this
world and see all of the tribulation and persecution promised by the
Bible coming true. Now I can tell you, though, if you too are afraid,
that I have just read the last pages. I can now come to shouting
"Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" for I have found where it is written that
Jesus said, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things: and I will
be His God, and he shall be My son." This is the future and hope
of this world. Not that the world will survive - but that we shall be
overcomers in the midst of a dying world.

Betsy and I, in the concentration camp, prayed that God would
heal Betsy who was so weak and sick. "Yes, the Lord will heal
me,", Betsy said with confidence. She died the next day and I
could not understand it. They laid her thin body on the concrete
floor along with all the other corpses of the women who died that day.

It was hard for me to understand, to believe that God had a
purpose for all that. Yet because of Betsy's death, today I am
traveling all over the world telling people about Jesus.

There are some among us teaching there will be no tribulation, that
the Christians will be able to escape all this. These are the false
teachers that Jesus was warning us to expect in the latter days.
Most of them have little knowledge of what is already going on
across the world. I have been in countries where the saints are
already suffering terrible persecution.

In China, the Christians were told, "Don't worry, before the
tribulation comes you will be translated - raptured." Then came a
terrible persecution. Millions of Christians were tortured to death.
Later I heard a Bishop from China say, sadly,

"We have failed. We should have made the people strong for
persecution rather than telling them Jesus would come first. Tell
the people how to be strong in times of persecution, how to stand
when the tribulation comes - to stand and not faint."

I feel I have a divine mandate to go and tell the people of this world
that it is possible to be strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are in
training for the tribulation, but more than sixty percent of the Body
of Christ across the world has already entered into the tribulation.
There is no way to escape it. We are next.

Since I have already gone through prison for Jesus' sake, and
since I met the Bishop in China, now every time I read a good
Bible text I think, "Hey, I can use that in the time of tribulation."
Then I write it down and learn it by heart.

When I was in the concentration camp, a camp where only twenty
percent of the women came out alive, we tried to cheer each other
up by saying, "Nothing could be any worse than today." But we
would find the next day was even worse. During this time a Bible
verse that I had committed to memory gave me great hope and joy.


"If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye;
for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you;
on their part evil is spoken of,
but on your part He is glorified."
(I Peter 3:14)

I found myself saying, "Hallelujah!Because I am suffering, Jesus is glorified!"

In America, the churches sing, "Let the congregation escape
tribulation", but in China and Africa the tribulation has already
arrived. This last year alone more than two hundred thousand
Christians were martyred in Africa. Now things like that never get
into the newspapers because they cause bad political relations.
But I know. I have been there. We need to think about that when
we sit down in our nice houses with our nice clothes to eat our
steak dinners. Many, many members of the Body of Christ are
being tortured to death at this very moment, yet we continue right
on as though we are all going to escape the tribulation.

Several years ago I was in Africa in a nation where a new
government had come into power. The first night I was there some
of the Christians were commanded to come to the police station to
register. When they arrived they were arrested and that same night
they were executed. The next day the same thing happened with
other Christians. The third day it was the same. All the Christians
in the district were being systematically murdered.

The fourth day I was to speak in a little church. The people came,
but they were filled with fear and tension. All during the service
they were looking at each other, their eyes asking, "Will this one I
am sitting beside be the next one killed? Will I be the next one?"

The room was hot and stuffy with insects that came through the
screenless windows and swirled around the naked bulbs over the
bare wooden benches. I told them a story out of my childhood.

"When I was a little girl, " I said, "I went to my father and said,
'Daddy, I am afraid that I will never be strong enough to be a
martyr for Jesus Christ." "Tell me," said Father, "When you take a train trip to Amsterdam, when do I give you the money for the ticket? Three weeks before?"

"No, Daddy, you give me the money for the ticket just before we
get on the train." "That is right," my father said, "and so it is with God's strength. Our Father in Heaven knows when you will need the strength to be
a martyr for Jesus Christ. He will supply all you need - just in time."

My African friends were nodding and smiling.Suddenly a spirit of
joy descended upon that church and the people began singing,

"In the sweet, by and by,
we shall meet on that beautiful shore."

Later that week, half the congregation of that church was executed.
I heard later that the other half was killed some months ago. But I
must tell you something. I was so happy that the Lord used me to
encourage these people, for unlike many of their leaders, I had the
word of God. I had been to the Bible and discovered that Jesus
said He had not only overcome the world, but to all those who
remained faithful to the end, He would give a crown of life.

How can we get ready for the persecution? First we need to feed
on the word of God, digest it, make it a part of our being. This will
mean disciplined Bible study each day as we not only memorize
long passages of scripture, but put the principles to work in our lives.

Next we need to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Not just the Jesus of yesterday, the Jesus of History, but the life-
changing Jesus of today who is still alive and sitting at the right
hand of God.

We must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is no optional
command of the Bible, it is absolutely necessary. Those earthly
disciples could never have stood up under the persecution of the
Jews and Romans had they not waited for Pentecost. Each of us
needs our own personal Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
We will never be able to stand in the tribulation without it.

In the coming persecution we must be ready to help each other
and encourage each other. But we must not wait until the
tribulation comes before starting. The fruit of the Spirit should be
the dominant force of every Christian's life.

Many are fearful of the coming tribulation, they want to run. I, too,
am a little bit afraid when I think that after all my eighty years,
including the horrible Nazi concentration camp, that I might have to
go through the tribulation also. But then I read the Bible and I am glad.

When I am weak, then I shall be strong, the Bible says. Betsy and
I were prisoners for the Lord, we were so weak, but we got power
because the Holy Spirit was on us. That mighty inner
strengthening of the Holy Spirit helped us through. No, you will not
be strong in yourself when the tribulation comes. Rather, you will
be strong in the power of Him who will not forsake you. For
seventy-six years I have known the Lord Jesus and not once has
He ever left me, or let me down.

"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him", for I know that to all who
overcome, He shall give the crown of life. Hallelujah!

Bring Someone With You this Weekend!

Good morning everyone! Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time this morning. My dad is back in the hospital and I want to go over and be with him today. Please remember him in your prayers. He is still battling this infection and it doesn't look like the various antibotics they try are working. Thank you so much!

This weekend's "Its a Wonderful Life" children's Christmas musical will be great. Try to bring someone with you either to the Saturday night performance or Sunday morning one, or both. Debbie J, Lori D, and Dakota M, are doing a great job working with the kids. We will be offering DVD's of the entire musical and a few bloopers from Saturday's practice might show up in there as well. You can pick up a DVD in the foyer for $10.00. I still have video tapes of my son in Christmas musicals at KP from ten years ago.

May God bless you all! Make it a great day!

-Pastor Randy

Shout Merry Christmas!!!

Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand..*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday !*

The Tuesday Funnies...Christmas Humor

Recently, I decided to keep the Sunday Wrap Up blog running through Monday to give readers more opportunity to read about Sunday's happenings. But laughter is good medicine and we all need to laugh more especially during these hard economic times. So enjoy Tuesday's Funnies...the Christmas edition.

Ten things to say about gifts you don't like

10. Boy, if I had not recently shot up four sizes, that would've fit.

9. It would be a shame if the garbage man ever accidentally took this from me.

8. Perfect for wearing in the basement.

7. Well, well, well...

6. I really don't deserve this.

5. Gosh, I hope this never catches fire!

4. I Love it, but I fear the jealousy it will inspire.

3. If the dog buries it, I'll be furious!

2. Sadly, tomorrow I enter the federal witness protection program.

1. To think I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity.


The strange Christmas scene

In a small southern town there was a "Nativity Scene" that showed great skill and talent had gone into creating it. One small feature bothered me.

The three wise men were wearing firemen's helmets.

Totally unable to come up with a reason or explanation, I left. At a "Quik Stop" on the edge of town, I asked the lady behind the counter about the helmets. She exploded into a rage, yelling at me, "You stupid Yankees never do read the Bible!" I assured her that I did, but simply couldn't recall anything about firemen in the Bible.

She jerked her Bible from behind the counter and ruffled through some pages, and finally jabbed her finger at a passage. Sticking it in my face she said "See, it says right here, 'The three wise man came from afar.'"

Make it a great week!

-Pastor Randy

Sunday Wrap Up....Top 10

What a great day of worship! I know I say that a lot on Sunday wrap up, but let me give you ten reasons (no particular order of importance) why this was a great Sunday.

#1 - great time of worship
#2 - Good weather today...unlike last Sunday.
#3 - A wonderful spirit of joy in the KP people today. With the grieving that we have been doing as a body over the loss of some special church family members in the last few weeks, it felt good to come together and to completely focus on worship.
#4 - We took in members tonight.
#5 - I believe the Lord really ministered His word to us this morning.
#6 - Our KP church body has been giving generously recently to the widows & fatherless project and in benevolence ministries recently.
#7 - I know it might be a little early, but I am getting really excited about 2009. The Lord showed me some things in prayer this afternoon about KP that blessed me. Even though it looks like the economy is going to get worse, I really believe that God is going to bless His people financially both individually and corporately in 2009.
#8 - As I said tonight, the kids practicing today in the sanctuary really blessed me. Their joy and zeal was contagious!
#9 - great fellowship today...lots of laughing and just having a good time with people after church!
#10- I got to go home tonight and talk about God's blessings with my family after church tonight. Great time!

-Pastor Randy

Friday Countdown

Check out the following paraphrase of Psalm 91, one of the most beloved psalms in the bible. I hope it may inspire you to continue to trust in His grace and mercy, for a time such as this.

PSALM 91 - paraphrased by Paul v d H. - 30.11.08:

Subtitle - THE ECONOMIC MELTDOWN & HOW to OVERCOME

Those who live in the shelter of the Lord Jesus Christ
Will find rest, even in His shadow
This I declare of the Lord
He alone is my refuge, my shelter and place of safety
He is my God,
and I am trusting Him
For He will rescue me from every trap
And protect me from every fatal accident
He will shield me with His arms
His faithful promises are my weapons and protection

Don't be afraid of any threats of the night
Nor fear any dangers during the day
Nor dread the plagues (like HIV) that stalk in darkness
Nor any disaster that might try to strike you during the day

Though many fall at your side
Though thousands are perishing all around you
These evils will not touch you
But you will see with your own eyes
How the wicked are punished

If you make the Lord your refuge
If you make the Most High your shelter
No evil will conquer you
No plague will come near your house
For He orders His angels
To protect you wherever you go
They will support you with their hands
To keep you from even striking your foot on a stone
You will trample down crooks and criminals under your feet

The Lord says "I will rescue those who love Me
I will protect those who trust in My Name
When they call on Me I will answer
I will be with them in trouble
I will rescue them and even honour them
I will satisfy them with long life
And give them my eternal salvation"
Amen

Kings Point's Senior Adult Ministry

Tonight, Annette and I attended our seniors Christmas Banquet at Der Dutchman. This is the 21st year of their annual Christmas gala. We always have a wonderful time. We eat a big meal, give away lots of presents, sing Christmas carols, and have great fellowship. No I am not officially a senior, however, I'm getting close. Thanks to James and Geneva Garrett who do a wonderful job leading our senior ministry. If you are over 50 and not involved in our senior ministry, I encourage you join in on the fellowship and fun.

Well, I am going to make it a short one tonight. See ya tomorrow...Lord willing!

-Pastor Randy

How Do You Know That You Are Saved?

Colossians 1:5,6 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as [it is] in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as [it doth] also in you, since the day ye heard [of it], and knew the grace of God in truth:

The true believer brings forth the fruit of a new lifestyle, a lifestyle that is pleasing in the sight of Almighty God. If we are rooted and grounded in Christ, it should be evident. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in Me and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit.” Colossians 1:5 speaking of the gospel, says “the gospel brings forth fruit in the believer.”

Okay, what does the Bible mean when it speaks of fruit? Specifically?

Well, #1, the fruit of repentance (Matthew 3:8). Zacchaeus had “more than tears.” He said, “Behold, Lord, if I’ve wronged anyone I’ll pay him back fourfold. I’ll give half my goods to the poor.” He knew God’s Law. He was a Godly Jew. That’s what brought him to Christ. It was the schoolmaster to bring him to Christ as a Godly Jew, knowing God’s Law. Or should I say, “a Jew that was humbled by the Law.” He said, “Behold, Lord, if I’ve wronged anyone I’ll pay back fourfold,” which is what the Law demanded.

Secondly, the fruit of good works. The Bible says in the book of Titus, “Let those who of you who have believed in God be careful to maintain good works.” Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” 1 Peter 2:15 “For so is the will of God that by your welldoing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” If you’re a Christian who is rich in good works, people will say, “I don’t believe what he believes, but boy I can see that he’s genuine.” You’ll put them to silence, you’ll stop their mouth by your good works.

Number three, the fruit of thanksgiving (Hebrews 13:15). I mean, if you’re soundly saved, there should be a cry within your heart, “thanks be to God for the unspeakable gift.” If there isn’t the fruit of thanksgiving, if there isn’t a gratitude burning in your soul, you may not be saved.

Number four, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It should be evident in, “love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance.”

Number five, the fruit of righteousness (Philippians 1:11). There should be the fruit of that which is right, the fruit of righteousness in your lifestyle. Remember Matthew 3:10 says, “every tree that brings not forth good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire.” Therefore as Christians, in our evangelistic endeavors, we should do everything we can not just to get decisions, not just to get church members, youth group members, but to produce fruit-bearing commitments to Christ, because “every tree that brings not forth good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire.”

See I used to think the foolish man who built his house on sand was the unbeliever. No, you read what Jesus said. He said, “he that hears my sayings and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” The ungodly don’t hear the saying of Jesus. Most of them know “judge not lest you be judged,” and the golden rule, “do to others as you’d have them do to you.” And both, they’re twisted, they don’t understand them. No, the church is filled with people who hear the sayings of Jesus and don’t obey them. They don’t evangelize, even though Jesus said, “you are my witnesses,” “let your light shine before men,” “go unto all “go unto all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Jesus said that the world would know His followers by their fruits...God help us daily to bear the fruit of Christ no matter how much it may disappoint others...and it will!

-Pastor Randy

Special Thanks!

This is really the only few moments I have today to write something. Rob did a beautiful job today at Joy Kilburn's funeral. I am very proud of Rob and Susanne. They continue to do a wonderful job at Loveland. These are difficult days to be a pastor, especially a bi-vocational pastor of a small church. But Rob, Suzanne, Alexi, and Gracey are called and gifted servants who love people.

As pastors, it is high honor and privilege to have the opportunity to minister to people after they have lost a loved one. A lot of people often feel awkward because they don't know what to say to those who have lost a loved one. But I have always found that its not so much what you say, but just being there for people is what really counts. And for the Christian, just letting the love of God flow out of you is what really needs to happen more than anything else.

Please remember the Kilburn family in your prayers and also the Jerry Mitchell family. Jerry's funeral service is on Wednesday. I want to thank everyone who has prayed, sent cards, prepared food, and came to the church and funeral home to pay your respects. You are truly a very loving and caring people!

-Pastor Randy

Sunday Wrap Up

It's getting late so I better get this in. Annette, Gabe, and I were blessed to be back today. The people of KP are the greatest! We will soon complete ten years pastoring at KP. God has blessed us with a great church and people who want to do something for God.

Valerie did a wonderful job today in Brian's absence. That was the first time her husband Rick had seen her lead worship. I think he was awed by how God uses her in her gifting. Thanks so much Valerie for filling in.

We had a good time tonight! And not a bad crowd in spite of the cold and ice outside.

Thanks again for keeping in your prayers the Kilburn families; Wilma's brother and his family; as well as my father and mother. Also, continue to remember Bruce Smith in his fight against cancer, Sonya Money's nephew.

Have a wonderful week!

-Pastor Randy

Some Saturday Thoughts

Please remember Jerry Ray Mitchell in your prayers. Jerry (Wilma Chess' brother) has been battling cancer for awhile now. Yesterday, Jerry was put on a respirator and the doctors have now called all the family in.

As I am writing this morning, the snow is falling pretty good. I don't expect the 1or 2 inch accumulation to have any effect on our services tomorrow morning. If it becomes a big snow, we will put any cancellation information we have on the web, on the church answering machine, and will send out e-mails to everyone on the e-mail listing. We always try to make that call at least two hours before the scheduled service time.

Some of the economic experts are saying we as a country are in the beginning stages of what looks like a depresion. Last month alone 533,000 people lost their jobs...thats pretty mind-blowing. China is no longer loaning the U.S. money and is even applying pressure on the U.S. to get its economic house in order. With our countries economy looking so bleak, as Christians we must consider our responsibility to the poor and the hurting within our body. Acts 4:42 says, Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

I am convinced that the answer for every need within our body is "within our body." What do I mean? God has blessed our church body with the means to meet the needs of the poor and hurting within our body. God is looking for people who will open their hands toward His work and He (God) will open His hands toward us.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

I hope to see you in the morning!

-Pastor Randy

Friday Countdown

Merry Christmas everyone! I trust you have had a good week. Annette and I try to take the first week of December off and visit family and get all of the Christmas shopping done and decorations up. We've had a prosperous week!

Please remember Gary Kilburn and his family in your prayers. You may have heard that Joy (Gary's mom) passed away a ittle after midnight this morning. For the past few years since her husband's (Wayne) passing, Joy has not been abble to get out much due to poor health. Before that, Wayne and Joy would attend at Kings Point with Gary whenever their health allowed. I will always remember Joy's beautiful smile and her pleasant personality. Joy has now been reunited with her husband and of course with Debbie Kilburn who often came and cared for Joy.

Joy's funeral service will be at 1 pm at Kings Point this Tuesday with the visitation from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. A dinner for the family and close friends will follow the burial at Kilburn Lodge. Pastor Rob Mason and I will be officiating the service.

I am looking forward to Sunday services. I haven't ministered the Word now for the last two Sundays, so I am anxious and ready. As usual I am still seeking the mind of the Lord regarding the messages Sunday. Please join me in prayer for our services this weekend. These are trying times and more than ever God's people need the presence of the Lord and a word from the Lord. Encourage your family and friends to come with you this Sunday! Let's come expecting.

-Pastor Randy

Sunday Wrap Up

I wanted to make a few comments today regarding Debbie's funeral service yesterday.

First of all, what a crowd! Many KP people told me they had never seen a crowd that large gather for a funeral visitation and service. I would estimate 1500, maybe more. One thing I noticed that I thought was a bit unusual was the times I would see people shedding tears not just around the casket but out in the hallway, in the fellowship hall, in the back of the church, or in the parking lot. And it just wasn't family, but friends, young people, neighbors, work peers, and fellow KP brothers and sisters. Debbie deeply touched a lot of people which was very evident everywhere on the grounds of Kings Point.

I have great admiration for Mike Kilburn. What he did yesterday was truly beyond belief. If you were there, I don't have to say anymore. I just don't know how a man can do all of what was required of him yesterday without divine strength. Throughout the day, I found myself studying him in awe. He just kept plowing ahead throughout the day. At times becoming overwhelmed with emotion and stopping to weep. But than gathering himself enough to be able to push himself forward.

I know everyone is praying for Mike and his family. But I ask that you especially hold up Mike with prayer and fastings. In the last two months he has been through much with Debbie's sickness and he also lost one of his best friends during this time. Lets keep loving them as the body of Christ. God will use you and I to bring healing over time...lots of time.

I want to thank the wonderful people at KP for all that you did Saturday and the days before for the Kilburn family. So many of you did so much that I cannot mention names for fearing of leaving people out. But we are a body, and every big and small part is crucial. I am so proud of the KP family!

I love you!

-Pastor

Some Saturday Thoughts...Debbie Kilburn

My family and I got back from Indiana Friday after visiting with my dad and mom over Thanksgiving. It was very nice. I brought my dad from the nursing home to eat Thanksgiving dinner with us. He is doing better than I have seen him in a while. He was excited to be at his house with all the family for Thanksgiving. He might be going home permanently next week.

I am writing this before I head to the church for Debbie's funeral service today. None of us are looking forward to this. I have been doing funerals for 27 years. You would think by now I could have trained myself to be emotionless at these services. But that is not the case. Even though many of the people I bury possess the fruits of salvation and I am confident are in heaven...I still find myself shedding tears throughout the ceremony. I guess this is okay. Even Jesus wept over Lazarus because he loved him and he loved those who were weeping for him. So even though we know they are in a better place, I guess it's okay to cry. We are being like Jesus...and that's always a good thing!

Debbie was special. As I will say today, she was a infuencer...a leader. I am sure Debbie never seen herself as a leader. But who she was and what she did influenced the people around her. Debbie got things done. If something needed to be done, she would volunteer to do it. Yes, she was busy. Busier than most. She was a wife, a mother, a businesswoman, a nurse, a cell leader, a Sunday School teacher, a public speaker, a counselor to many, a grandmother, a board member, and a County Comissionor's wife. But when the spirit of Christ in her saw a need she would use her giftings, time, or money to see that the need was met.

To say that Debbie's life was "a fruitful one" is an understatement. Everyday she was sowing seeds that multiplied and will be for years to come and throughout eternity. She understood thoroughly that God had appointed her to "bear fruit" and she was willing to stay connected to the Vine(Jesus) that allows for that to happen. Her relationship with Christ was the most important thing in her life and the good works (or fruit) flowed out of it.

I could go on and on. And I am sure in the days ahead I will write some more about Debbie. Today we will cemomorate her wonderful life. Yes, we will do it with tears only because like Jesus we loved her.

-Pastor

Giving Thanks is a Fruit of Salvation

As many of you have already heard, Debbie Kilburn passed away yesterday morning at the break of dawn. For Debbie, after a difficult night of unrest and pain, joy came in the morning. I am not just speaking in cliches, I sincerely believe that Christ came to receive her when He did to signify that her death represented the dawning of an eternal day with her heavenly Father in heaven.

Please keep Mike and the children in your prayers. The days ahead will not be easy ones. But the Spirit of God is the great Comforter to those that mourn. Debbie was a jewel. One of the most precious, Christ-centered women I have ever had the privilege of pastoring. She will be missed by all. I will have more comments in the days ahead.

_______________________________________________________________

Hebrews 13:15 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name."

Did you know giving thanks is not just a reason to have a holiday or is it just a quality of a good, moral person, but the fruit of thanksgiving is a fruit of those that are converted and saved. If you’re soundly saved, there will be a cry within your heart, “thanks be to God for the unspeakable gift.” If there isn’t the fruit of thanksgiving, if there isn’t a gratitude burning in your soul, you may not be saved.

Sometimes, Christians who have been saved for many years allow the cares of this life to suppress their gratitude of salvation. I think that's why it is important that we constantly "remember" the cross of Christ and the great sacrifice He made for us at Calvary. When we do this daily, the response is one of sacrificial praise and thanksgiving unto God for our costly salvation.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

-Pastor Randy

Praying Prayers of Thanks

I love this particular week of the year. It really is a week we should designate for offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving. We will do that this week on this blog. I will give you a few comments and a offer you a thanksgiving prayer that you can pray today. I encourage you to make it a week of thanks!

_______________________________________________

God saw you when you were in your mother’s womb (Ps. 139:13-16). He knew your mother and father and the circumstances of the home where you were to grow up. He knew the schools you would attend and the neighborhood in which you would live.

God gave you the ability to survive and walked with you through good times and bad. He gave you survival techniques and guardian angels to keep and protect you (Ps. 91:11). He chose you before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph. 1:4).

He cried with you when you cried. He laughed with you when you laughed. He was grieved when you were misunderstood and treated unfairly. He watched and waited, looking forward to the day when you would receive Jesus as your Savior. To as many as received Him gave He the power, the right, and the authority to become the sons of God (John 1:12 AMP). He longs for your fellowship, desiring for you to know Him more and more intimately.

Your survival techniques were probably different than mine. Whatever they were, and whatever your life may have been like up to this point, the peace of God can change the regrets and the wounds of the past into thanksgiving and praise. You can experience wholeness by earnestly and sincerely praying this prayer.

Daily Prayer of Thanksgiving

Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit and by Your grace, I join with the heavenly host making a joyful noise to You and serving You with gladness! I come before Your presence with singing!

Lord, I know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that You are God! It is You Who made us, not we ourselves [and we are Yours]! We are Your people and the sheep of Your pasture.

Father, I enter into Your gates with thanksgiving and present an offering of thanks. I enter into Your courts with praise! I am thankful and delight to say so. I bless and affectionately praise Your name! For You are good and Your mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting. Your faithfulness and truth endure to all generations. It is a good and delightful thing to give thanks to You, O Most High.

Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, perfect the fruit of my lips. Help me draw thanksgiving forth from my innermost resources; reach down into the most secret places of my heart that I may offer significant thanksgiving to You, Father.

Thank You for my parents who gave me life. I am grateful for the victories and achievements I have experienced in spite of my hurts — the bruises and the abuses that boxed me in when I was a small child. You used them for good even though Satan intended them for my destruction.

You prepared me to listen to the inner voice — the voice of Your Holy Spirit.

Thank You for Your grace, which is teaching me to trust myself and others. Thank You for life — life in all its abundance.

It was You Who gave me a desire to pray, and I am grateful for the prayer closet where we meet, and I thank You for Your Word. Life is exciting, and I am grateful that I am alive for such a time as this.

Thank You for past and present relationships. I learn from those who oppose me and from those who are for me. You taught me to recognize and understand my strengths and weaknesses. You gave me discernment and spiritual understanding. I enter Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart.

You are my Father. I am Your child, loved by You unconditionally. I rejoice in You, Lord, and give thanks at the remembrance of Your holiness.

I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of my testimony.

In the name of Jesus, amen.


Scripture References:
Psalm 100:1-5 AMP Philippians 2:13
Psalm 92:1 AMP Esther 4:14
Psalm 138:8 Psalm 100:4
Hebrews 13:15 Philippians 3:1
Genesis 50:20 NIV Psalm 30:4
John 10:10 Revelation 12:11

Sunday Wrap Up

Great weekend of worship services! Great preaching by Rick Lairsey. I appreciate everyone who came out, participated, and gave in the offerings.

Please continue to remember the Kilburn family, little Hannah Taulbee and I know the McBeath children were sick today, so please remember them in your prayers.

Everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving week. May God's traveling mercies be with you!

-Pastor Randy

Some Saturday Thoughts...

* We had a wonderful service tonight at Kings Point with Evangelist Rick Lairsey. Not a bad crowd. Could it have been better...still too much complacency out there! My prayer is one day that will change. But I am afraid it will be very painful for the body of Christ.

* Debbie Kilburn is not doing very well. Please remember Debbie, Mike, Stacey, Suzi, Steve, and Stephanie in your prayers.

* Please remember little Hannah Taulbee in your prayers. She recently had a six-hour surgery and is in quite a bit of pain as she recovers.

* I appreciate John Bauer and those that went with him this morning to the Gospel Rescue Mission. I am sure they were a blessing to all the homeless that ate breakfast this morning.

Well, its been a busy, long day. I hope to see you in God's house in the morning.

-Pastor Randy

Friday Countdown..."The End of Empire America"

If you don't believe that God gives His people in modern times prophetic visions and prophetic words, then you probably will not want to read the following. If you are overly optimistic about our country and believe that everything will return to normal soon and the U.S. will continue to be the world's superpower, then you probably should not read the following. If you are comfortable in this world and are not ready for the rapture or the bad times that lie ahead for this world, then you definitely don't want to read the below article.

This article appeared in Andrew Strom's website called prophetic@revivalschool.com. In the past, I have found this site and Andrew's ministry to be very credible and most if not all of the prophetic words to be accurate.

THE END of EMPIRE AMERICA
-by Robert I Holmes.

This article will cover a range of issues which have been brewing
for six to twelve months in my heart. History will judge America as
an empire. That empire is coming to an end. The election of Barak
Obama is a significant prophetic event, marking the sunset of that
empire, and the rising of other powers in the earth who represent
ancient powers and civilisations. These ideas have consequences
for believers living both in the US and the countries who rely on her
(like Australia). But to address those things, I need to go back
eight years.

Standing in Upstate New York in 2000, I had a conversation with
the Lord which I shall never forget. The Lord asked me "How long
does an empire last?" to which I asked, "Am I standing in an
empire?" [it did not occur to me that I was standing in the Empire
State!] Rather than answering me directly, He said, "All empires
come to an end". I pondered this for a moment. What empire?
Was this country coming to an end? Then He asked a third
question: "How do people position themselves as an empire nears
its eventual end?" The implications of his line of thought were clear.
America had become an empire, had influenced the world, but was
now nearing the end of her reign as a sovereign super power. God
wanted his people to know, their day in the sun is ending; the
sunset is coming. He wanted them to make preparations and
adjustments.

What is an Empire?

The concept of an American Empire was first popularized in the
aftermath of the Spanish-American War of 1898 (during which it
took control of the Philippines and other Pacific island nations).
America rates as an empire not only because of her global
sovereignty but because of her super power status.

She is actually the world's first "hyper power". Hubert Vedrine, the
French Foreign Minister stated in July 2003 that, "The United
States of America today predominates on the economic, monetary,
technological and in the cultural arena in terms of power and
influence it is not comparable to anything known in modern history -
in short the US is a hyper puissance [hyper power]".

Alexander Cometh!

In 1999, as I prepared to travel to the US on ministry, the Lord gave
me a very unusual prophetic word. He said that, "In the days of
Babylon, when her walls stood wide and her leaders stood tall, her
defences were strong and her campaigns victorious, Alexander the
Great came and defeated her. In the same way, my Alexander will
stand in the very midst of the United States of America".

The phrase "in the same way" indicates that America's walls are
wide, her leaders stand tall, her defences are strong, her
campaigns until now have been victorious. But a man like
Alexander - someone God refers to as "my Alexander" will stand
in her midst, victorious and defeat her. Alexander the Great, a
Mediterranean Greek, defeated Darius the Mede in 331BC at the
Battle of Gaugamela, and the gates of Babylon swung open to him
(when he was just 25 years old). He stood in the midst of the
courtyard declaring himself king. He then spent considerable time
and effort trying to restore Babylon to its former glory.

As I prayed in preparation for going to the US two weeks ago on
ministry again, I had a vision of a map of America from high above.
There, almost in the centre of it was a marketplace. I zoomed
down toward the marketplace, and saw a man standing there. I
recognised by the Spirit that it was Alexander the Great, standing
in a dusty, sandstone area, sword lifted high, victorious.

I believe that God's "Alexander" is Barak Obama. He has now
stood in the middle of America, and declared his victory speech in
Grant Park in Chicago. There, he prophetically declared, "Change
has come to America,". Yes indeed, it has. Barak, apart from
having the appearance of a Middle Eastern or African man, is also
very young and inexperienced. Barak Obama has not even had a
full year in his senate position. I do not question the right of a 47
year old to rule a nation, but his inexperience is not reduced by his
amazing oratory skill. "Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout [in all] the earth," (Psalm 45:16 NIV).

He represents the end of empire America as we know it, and the
opening of a new regime, one which, like Alexander, represents a
conflagration of old powers: European, Middle Eastern and Asian.
He will try to restore America's glory, but in doing so relegate her
to second position on the global scene.

Chinese communist armies may well stand ready to invade the US,
but she is extremely well guarded. Muslim extremists are surely
planning further self-destructive attacks on US soil, but she is well
prepared. It is certain that European economies seek to outflank
the US, but given the present economic collapse, their hopes fall
with the US.

There remains one great enemy the US has no protection against
at all: themselves. It is to ourselves we must look. The society we
have created, the environment we have destroyed, the economy
we have overtaxed, the people we have abandoned, the poor we
have ignored, the sin we have run toward, the morals we have
abandoned. These things must change.

- Arrogance and greed are their own poison.

- Pride brings its own inevitable fall.

- Moral corruption is its own debilitating cancer.

America Is In the Cycle

In a substantial review of empires, Salem Kirban concluded that
"world dominating civilizations progress through the following fairly
well defined sequence of stages."

- Bondage;

- Spiritual faith/ revival;

- Courage/ war;

- Liberty for the people;

- Prosperity/ abundance/ wealth;

- Complacency/ apathy;

- Dependency/ debt;

- Moral corruption/ addiction;

- Bondage.

It does not take an historian or a scholar to see that America has
traversed her way through this very cycle of life, and finds herself in
the dependency/debt and moral corruption/ addiction stages.
National debt stands at 10,639,613,228,421 today (that's ten point
six trillion and rising). It is the most indebted nation on earth. Debt
stands at 70% of GDP. And to whom is that money owed? The US
government itself owns about 43% of it. The next largest holder is
the US Federal Reserve, and after that: Japan, China, Britain and
Oil countries of the Middle East (who together hold 29%, which is
more than private sector Americans). About 66% of the debt
owned by foreign nations is held by banks of other countries, in
particular the central banks of Japan and China.

Recall the prophetic words about the end of an empire, preparing
for the days to come, and the appearance of an Alexander figure -
the era of America's dominance is closing. Barak will oversee the
increase of influence of foreign powers in the US: the power of
ancient nations and forces. Specifically: European, Middle Eastern
and Asian. The everyday mortgages of middle income Americans
are owned by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which in turn are
heavily indebted to Japan, China and Middle Eastern oil states.
This situation will only get more and more entwined. America
stands a very real exposure to risk should foreign banks stop
buying Treasury securities or start selling them heavily.

This risk was addressed in a recent report issued by the Bank of
International Settlements which stated, "Foreign investors in U.S.
dollar assets have seen big losses measured in dollars, and still
bigger ones measured in their own currency. While unlikely, a
sudden rush for the exits cannot be ruled out completely." (9). One
economic analyst, Nouriel Roubini keenly observes, "The US has
squandered its uni-polar moment, the decline of the American
Empire - as the US was a global empire - has started... We are
indeed slowly moving towards a multi-polar world where there will
be a balance of Great Powers rather than the hegemony of a single
hyperpower."

Change of Government, But No Change of Heart

There will be a change of president in the White House in January,
2009. The US president is moving from Republican to Democrat,
but that does nothing to change the heart of the nation. The rise of
a Black leader does nothing to address the moral malady she is in.
Obama is not the nation's savior. The nation is already deep in the
throes of a national depression which will last between 2-10 years,
it is the most indebted nation in history, and no man can rescue
such a situation.

If Kirban is right, and if this word is true, the nation will bring
herself undone. She will decay, and implode - and then bondage
must come. As Irish philosopher Edmund Burke once said,
"Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and
appetite be placed somewhere, and the less of it there is within,
the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal
constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be
free. Their passions forge their fetters," (11). Our passions must
necessarily forge external fetters to govern us. Famine, strife,
martial law, war, invasion and poverty ensue.

God calls Barak Obama "my Alexander". His standing in the midst
of America, victorious, was a prophetic announcement that change
indeed has come to America. The American Empire is coming to
an end. There is a global shift from a single super power to the rise
of other powers in the earth. These ideas have consequences for
believers living both in the US and the countries who rely on her.
Our world is getting set to change!

Now God asks, "How will you position yourself as the empire
nears its eventual end?"

~This article has been slightly abridged for space. To read the
entire piece, please go to- http://www.stormharvest.com.au/

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Satanic Practices and Doctrines and Your Children

Isaiah 47:9 Both of these will overtake you
in a moment, on a single day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and all your potent spells.
10 You have trusted in your wickedness
and have said, 'No one sees me.'
Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you
when you say to yourself,
'I am, and there is none besides me.'
11 Disaster will come upon you,
and you will not know how to conjure it away.
A calamity will fall upon you
that you cannot ward off with a ransom;
a catastrophe you cannot foresee
will suddenly come upon you.
12 "Keep on, then, with your magic spells
and with your many sorceries,
which you have labored at since childhood.
Perhaps you will succeed,
perhaps you will cause terror.
13 All the counsel you have received has only worn you out!
Let your astrologers come forward,
those stargazers who make predictions month by month,
let them save you from what is coming upon you. 14 Surely they are like stubble;
the fire will burn them up.
They cannot even save themselves
from the power of the flame.
Here are no coals to warm anyone;
here is no fire to sit by.
15 That is all they can do for you—
these you have labored with
and trafficked with since childhood.
Each of them goes on in his error;
there is not one that can save you.

This was God's prophetic word to Babylon and the Chaldeans before His judgement came upon them. They were a people that practiced sorcery, spells, witchcraft, and astrology. God told them that they trusted in their wickedness, their own counsel and wisdom. But in the end it couldn't save them! The practice of the occult might make people think they have power and some kind of control, but in the end it has no power to save them from God's judgement. This is why God throughout the scriptures tells us to stay away from it. It's a waste of time. It is dabbling with spirits that are not of God and cannot do your life any good. God says through the prophet Isaiah "its all stubble."


I see so many parents today allowing their children to play around with things that God cammands us to stay away from. I wonder if they think they are smarter than God's word. I guess it is simply a rebellious spirit at work in parents; unless, they are just ignorant of what God says about sorcery and other withcraft related practices. And its not just in the Old Testament either, the New Testament says:

Rev 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Galatians 5:19-21, Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

God's not kidding folks. When we promote or allow our children to see occultic movies, or read occultic books, or play around with occultic practices; we are allowing them to become familiar with demonic spirits as well as demonic doctrines. We are conditioning them toward the things and lies of Satan. Please love your children enough to give them instruction and direction from God's Word, not according to the trends of the day.

-Pastor Randy

Who is Suppose to Care for the Poor?

Psalm 41:1, 2 Blessed [is] he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; [and] he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

One of the greatest ways we as a nation and a people can guarantee God's blessing and prosperity is by caring for the poor. Unfortunately, by most indications, neither the government, the private sector, nor the church seems to be doing a very good job of this today. If I understand the scriptures correctly, the church has been given more responsibility by God to care for the poor than the government or private sector. I do believe God will "deliver in time of troubles and preserve, keep, and bless" any government or business that gives and cares for the poor; however, there seems to be an emphasis in the New Testament of the church giving to the poor as illustrated in Romans 15:26 where offerings were given to the poor in the church in Jerusalem.

What would happen if every church in America would care for the poor within the church? For one thing, a large part of the country's poor would then be cared for. Secondly, more of the poor would be coming to church if they knew that the church cared about their needs. As that happened, God would bless the church even more so that they could help and care for even more poor people which again would lessen the burden of the government.

As I understand the pure purpose of government is to "protect the people." Maybe we should let the government do what it is suppose to do and the church do what God calls it to do. Jesus said it best to the rich young ruler, "...One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me." {Mark 10:31}

-Pastor Randy

Why God Places People into our Life

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person..
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.


Have a great day!

-Pastor

Monday Funnies

I hope your day goes better than this! Have a great Monday!

Bloopers video expired.

Sunday Wrap Up

Great day of worship today. The presence of God was very real in every service today. It was great to baptize in water Trish, Chelsea, and Candy...all new believers!

Super time of worship tonight. I appreciate everyone that hungers after God's Word enough to come out on Sunday night. One day this freedom to worship might be taken away. Often, we don't realize how precious something is until we don't have it. My prayer is that never happens. However, if the Lord's coming tarries very long, I'm afraid it could.

Have a great week!

-Pasgtor Randy

Some Saturday Thoughts...

If you are needing healing today, I encourage you to read the following scriptures and act on them. Jesus said all that is needed is faith the grain of a mustard seed to move a mountain.

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and healing shall spring up quickly.
Isaiah 58:8

Who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that
we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by
whose stripes we were healed.
I Peter 2:24

He sent his word, and healed them, and
delivered them from their destructions.
Psalm 107:20

Daughter your faith has made you well, go in peace,
And be Healed of your disease.
Mark 5:34

Whatever you ask for in Prayer with faith you will receive.
Matthew 21:22

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the
Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight,
and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes,
I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have
brought upon the Eqyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
Exdous 15:26

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.
Psalm 103:3

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst
of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them
and health to all their flesh.
Proverbs 4:20-22

But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised
for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

Heal me, O Lord and I shall be healed; save me,
and I shall be saved; for thou art my praise.
Jeremiah 17:14

I hope to see you in the morning in God's house.

-Pastor Randy

Friday Countdown

What a beautiful, fall day. If you are like me, you have to be inside for most of it today, but the view's great anyhow. Let's enjoy it!

I hope you plan to be in God's house this weekend. I am extremely looking forward to our worship services this Sunday. Sunday evening I will be preaching and teaching on "Signs." Of course, I am referring to the signs in the bible that are everywhere warning us of what's ahead. All of us have a choice. We can read the signs and get ready to exit ahead, or we ignore them and stay on the road that has no more exits which leads to "great trouble and the outpouring of God's wrath upon the earth."

Me, I am ready to exit! I have my turn signal on and I can see the exit ahead. Yes, there maybe some obstacles and some temptations between now and then. But I am determined to exit with Christ when He comes. How about you?

Sunday Morning, sometime in the service, I will be sharing on "How to talk to children about the end times?" I don't know if that will be my entire message or just a brief message at the beginning of the service. We will see how the Spirit of God leads. But parents should know that not talking about it is not the answer. Children have questions and will even have more as we get closer and closer to the seven-year time of Tribulation. We as parents must be ready to answer them with wisdom, God's love, and with the truth from the scriptures. Knowledge of the rapture and what will follow can serve as a great deterrent from the world's lies and deception if it is shared by Spirit-led believers.

Well, have a wonderful weekend!

-Pastor

Signs of the End Times

Below, I have provided a list of signs in the Bible that point to the end times. These signs are becoming more and more frequent which means the rapture of the church and the beginning of the seven-year tribulation period is soon approaching. Are you ready?

-False Christ’s – Matt. 24:4-5; 23-26; Luke 21:8
-Wars, threats of war, world wars (“nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom”) – Matt.24:6-7; Luke 21:9-11
-Worldwide famine, plagues, earthquakes, signs in the heavens – Matt. 24:7; Luke 21:11 [Jesus said “ But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.” Matthew 24:8]
-Christians to be arrested, persecuted, and killed. “And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.” - Matthew 24:10
-Christians will be betrayed by their own families. – Luke 21:16
-People will be saved through the persecution. – Luke 21:19
-False Prophets deceiving many. - Matthew24:11
-Sin will be rampant everywhere; the love for God in many Christians will grow cold . – Matthew 24:12
-The gospel will be preached throughout the whole world to all nations and the end will come. – Matt. 24:14
-People will party and live life to its fullest all the way up until Jesus Second Coming. Like Noah they will ignore the warnings given by God. Christians must be watchful , alert, ready for the Lord’s coming– Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 21:34-36; I Thess. 5:4-8
-Homosexuality would be increasingly evident at the end of the age. - 2 Timothy 3:3
-Stress would be part of living. - 2 Timothy 3:1
-There would be a cold religious system, in denying God's power . - 2 Timothy 3:5
-Men would substitute fantasy in place of Christian truth. - 2 Timothy 4:4. (This is so evident at Christmas when the birth of the Savior is lost behind the myth of Santa Claus.)
-The fact that God once flooded the earth (the Noahic flood) would be denied. - 2 Peter 3:5-6. (There is a mass of fossil evidence to prove this fact, yet it is flatly ignored by the scientific world because of its uncanny implication.)
-The institution of marriage would be forsaken by many, - 1 Timothy 4:3
-Increase in vegetarianism. - 1 Timothy 4:3-4
-The possession of Jerusalem would be at the center of international turmoil - Zechariah 12:3
-Knowledge would increase - Daniel 12:4
-There would be hypocrites within the Church. - Matthew 13:25-30
-The future would seem fearful to many - Luke 21:26
-Humanity would become materialistic. - 2 Timothy 3:4
-There would be many involved in travel. – Daniel 12:4
-Youth would become rebellious. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy (2Timothy 3:2)
-Men would mock the warning signs of the end of the age saying, "for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." (2 Peter 3:4). The Bible even reveals their motivation, they love lust (verse 3). They fail to understand that a day to the Lord is as a thousand years to us. God is not subject to the time that He created. He can flick through time as we flick through the pages of a history book. The reason He seems to be silent, is because He is patiently waiting, not willing that any perish, but that all come to repentance.

If you are not ready, confess the with your mouth the following and believe it in your heart as you say it (Romans 10:9, 10).

A - Admit that you are a sinner and that you need a Savior.
B - Believe that God sent Jesus Christ to die for your sins and He arose from the grave three days later as the scriptures state.
C - Confess him as your Savior and Lord. Repent (turn from) your sins and trust Christ to put His spirit in you and begin to change you.

Don't wait. Jesus is coming!

-Pastor Randy

The fruit of a Religious Spirit

1Samuel 2:29 "Why, Eli, do you honor your sons more than me by letting them fatten themselves on the best parts of all the sacrifices my people offer to me?"

Yesterday, we seen what a religious spirit looked like in Eli's treatment of Hannah as she prayed in the temple. Today in I Samuel 2, we see the fruit of a religious spirit versus the fruit of a humble, dependent spirit that seeks after God.

As the chapter opens, we read about Hannah rejoicing in the Lord in her prayer after God granted her a son. Remember, she actually offered this son, Samuel, back to the Lord in the sense of a firstfruits offering. God then blessed her with five more children. As Samuel grows up serving in the Temple, we see God's blessing and favor upon his life. However, we see the opposite of that in Eli's household...the spirit of religion.

In I Samuel 2:12-17, we see how Eli's sons (who were priests that worked in the temple) were showing disrespect for God's house by putting their own appetites and desires first before their service unto God in the eating of meat that was offered as sacrifices for the sins of the people. It didn't stop there, they also were sleeping with the women that worked at the entrance of the temple. Even worse, their father (the High Priest) basically slapped their hands and refused to discipline his sons.

Self-indulgence and self-centeredness is characteristic of a religious spirit. It may look good and "spiritual" on the outside. It may even know how to say all the right things in order to deceive others and even him or herself, but it is far from the "deny yourself, pick up the cross, and follow me" spirit that characterizes the true disciple of Christ.

As we see in this story, God detests a religious spirit and will judge it every time. Read what God told Eli, "I, the LORD God of Israel, promised in the past that your family and your clan would serve me as priests for all time. But now I say that I won't have it any longer! Instead, I will honor those who honor me, and I will treat with contempt those who despise me. Listen, the time is coming when I will kill all the young men in your family and your clan, so that no man in your family will live to be old. You will be troubled and look with envy on all the blessings I will give to the other people of Israel, but no one in your family will ever again live to old age. Yet I will keep one of your descendants alive, and he will serve me as priest. But he will become blind and lose all hope, and all your other descendants will die a violent death.When your two sons Hophni and Phinehas both die on the same day, this will show you that everything I have said will come true." [I Samuel 2:30-32. GNB]

Samuel, however, the fruit of Hannah's spirit, grew and walked in the favor of God and the people. Eventually, he became the High Priest of Israel that was used of God to bring David to the throne of Israel.

I don't know about you, but my prayer today is "God let me possess a broken and a contrite heart, O God, which you will not despise." [Psalm 51:17, paraphrase]

-Pastor Randy

What a Religious Spirit Looks Like

"How long are you going to stay drunk?" he asked. "Sober up!"

These words come from the High Priest, Eli, to a woman named Hannah in I Samuel 1:14. Barren, brokenhearted Hannah was crying and praying in the temple asking God to give her a child. She promised God that if He would give her a child she would never cut his hair...he would be completely devoted to God. The scriptures says that she prayed so long in the temple that her lips were moving as she prayed silently. In other words, she was exhausted...emotionally and physically. This was a constant burden that she was carrying. She was desperate and was pleading her God for a miracle.

What was the High Priest's response? He (Eli) thought she was drunk. He told her to sober up. Wow! Ladies, this is not just another example of a insensitive man to a woman's needs, but this is a picture of a relgious spirit in the house of God.

Eli's response speaks for itself. He didn't have a clue. He showed no compassion, not even an ounce of sympathy toward this agonizing woman in the house of God calling out with everything in her to her God in prayer. Eli was just another religious fixture in the temple. He showed no feelings, no sensitivity to the things of God and toward the people of God. Eli, was a big, heavy man who had become very complacent in his duties and his calling. He is seen in this cahpter as seated at the doors of the temple just doing his job. And that is just what his ministry and calling had turned into...a job. A way of providing for he and his family. A Wal Mart door greeter would have been more helpful than Eli!

This is what a spirit of religion looks like. It can happen to anyone. We become insensitive to the needs of others and to the Spirit of God. We are going through religious motions with our minds on other things and in other places. What a dangerous place to be! As we will find in I Samuel 2 tomorrow.

Make it a great day!

-Pastor Randy

Sunday Wrap Up

Super day of worship today! This afternoon's womens encounter celebration was great. The testimonies were beautiful. Even tonight in the 6 pm worship some of the ladies that attended the encounter were there sharing what God had done for them...as tired as they were.

You know, we have a lot of wonderful people at KP. Two them are Gerry and Wilma Chess. I wish I had a hundred of them. They are such a blessing to our church. They both are always so positive, supportive, and are hard workers. Gerry is now retired and he wants to even do more at the church now. We are so blessed to have these special servants of God. I mean that...thats exactly what they are!

Two weekends from this weekend on Saturday, and Sunday, November 22 and 23, Brother Rick Lairsey will be with us. Please make plans now to join for that special weekend of services.

Well I am tired and going to bed. Its been a long weekend. Have a great Monday!

-Pastor Randy