John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, you that believeth on me, the works that I do shall you do also; and greater works than these shall you do; because I go unto the Father.
Jesus speaking to His Disciples:
Verily, verily, I say unto you….
Not, Oh, by the way guys
Listen up you guys! This that I’m getting ready to say is VERY IMPORTANT!
He that believes on me….
His followers –
people that desire to be in His presence,
to really know Him and
to live for Him.
The works that I do (have been doing in your presence while here on the earth)
Some of those works include
Loving one another – even the sinner and unlovable.
Telling you what I have heard from the father.
Training you to carry on when I leave.
Doing miracles.
Shall you do also…. Yes, we are to do the very things Jesus did.
Loving one another – even the sinner and unlovable.
Telling others what you heard from me.
Training others to carry on for when you leave.
Doing miracles.
And GREATER works than these shall you do.
Our outreach is much greater than Jesus.
More people.
More ways to communicate.
But Lord HOW CAN I DO THESE THINGS??
Because I go to the Father.
Jesus had to be resurrected so the Holy Spirit could come to live in us.
When we pray to receive Jesus Christ He sends the Holy Spirit to live in us and do all that Jesus did while on earth.
Holy Spirit living in us guides us in all that we are to do to be what God created us to be and do.
Think and pray about this verse and what it means.
Because of Jesus death & resurrection He sent the Holy Spirit to live in and through us.
We now have the same power Jesus had while He walked on the earth.
Power to raise the dead, heal the sick, minister and do all that He desires as the Holy Spirit leads!
That’s heavy.
The power is in us because Jesus was resurrected.
He does not lie.
The Holy Spirit will guide you in everything you do.
Now to walk in the power of Jesus Christ, using His name to do all that He did and GREATER WORKS than these shall we do!!
POWERFUL WORDS we need to ingest them and walk in them!
In the name of Jesus Christ!
God bless, keep and direct you in all that you do!
Showing posts with label Experience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Experience. Show all posts
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Thursday, November 26, 2009
It Only Takes A SPARK to Get A FIRE Going!
A while ago God spoke to me to disciple 2 women. He asked me to pour into them what He had been teaching me about Him these past several months.
The first day we met I had nothing prepared! I’d been asking God what He wanted me to do this first day.
“Nothing….. “
Then the night before the meeting when I was beginning to panic, I asked Him again, what am I to prepare for tomorrow? He said, “Ask them what they think I see when I look at them.”
Okay…..??
I had them write down their answers and they shared their answers. God took over the group. We had a fantastic time discussing what God sees when He looks at us and why.
From the beginning God just wouldn’t let me let go of the question. I would ponder it and wonder why I have this obsession. Although I didn’t know why, I asked more people to answer God’s question.
He told me to send out an email to all my Christian friends asking them to answer the question anonymously.
I started receiving answers and I thought. “This would make an interesting article.” The more I read the answers, the more God showed me that my preconceived notion of why He was having me ask this question was wrong!
Many answers I could tell were given after the person gave much thought to the question. I was amazed at what the people were saying!
God spoke to me again. This time He said, “This is not going to be an article it is going to be a book!”
HUH?? A book, written by me????
YUP, A book, written by you!
OK, how am I to put all this together into a book? SILENCE……..
Uh, Lord, I want to get writing.
What do you want me to do and how???
Um. . . . WHEN??
More silence.
I felt He wanted me to post this question on some Christian groups I discovered on Facebook.
I found and started writing and blogging on thoughts.com and asked the question there also.
Okay, Lord, I’m waiting for more direction……… please????
Then one day, when I had about given up, God gave me the next step.
Do I have to?? I’m the kind that likes to write from my heart, just let it flow. God told me to study scripture and quote it to back up what my heart was saying. I’m not one that enjoys research.
Yes, I’m really enjoying it now!
So the question for 2 ladies, and I thought would be an article for a blog is now becoming a book. . . . .written by me.
God you are so awesome!
I’ve found a publisher and hope I’m correct in targeting having the manuscript ready in March. That’s what came into my head one day.
We’ll see, you know how God is . . . . one just never knows the full picture until you have finished the project. But what an exciting journey it is!
Oh, you're probably wondering about the title of this.
The Spark is the idea from God
The Fire is the result of the Spark. In this case a BOOK!!
Update: I now have 100 or so answers to the question. If you are a Christian and would like to send your answers to this question please send them to ljc747@yahoo.com. All answers will be published anonymously so please be honest and open about your answer. I anticiapte cut off date of January 31, 2010 for submission of answers to question for book. That's not as far off as it seems!
The first day we met I had nothing prepared! I’d been asking God what He wanted me to do this first day.
“Nothing….. “
Then the night before the meeting when I was beginning to panic, I asked Him again, what am I to prepare for tomorrow? He said, “Ask them what they think I see when I look at them.”
Okay…..??
I had them write down their answers and they shared their answers. God took over the group. We had a fantastic time discussing what God sees when He looks at us and why.
From the beginning God just wouldn’t let me let go of the question. I would ponder it and wonder why I have this obsession. Although I didn’t know why, I asked more people to answer God’s question.
He told me to send out an email to all my Christian friends asking them to answer the question anonymously.
I started receiving answers and I thought. “This would make an interesting article.” The more I read the answers, the more God showed me that my preconceived notion of why He was having me ask this question was wrong!
Many answers I could tell were given after the person gave much thought to the question. I was amazed at what the people were saying!
God spoke to me again. This time He said, “This is not going to be an article it is going to be a book!”
HUH?? A book, written by me????
YUP, A book, written by you!
OK, how am I to put all this together into a book? SILENCE……..
Uh, Lord, I want to get writing.
What do you want me to do and how???
Um. . . . WHEN??
More silence.
I felt He wanted me to post this question on some Christian groups I discovered on Facebook.
I found and started writing and blogging on thoughts.com and asked the question there also.
Okay, Lord, I’m waiting for more direction……… please????
Then one day, when I had about given up, God gave me the next step.
Do I have to?? I’m the kind that likes to write from my heart, just let it flow. God told me to study scripture and quote it to back up what my heart was saying. I’m not one that enjoys research.
Yes, I’m really enjoying it now!
So the question for 2 ladies, and I thought would be an article for a blog is now becoming a book. . . . .written by me.
God you are so awesome!
I’ve found a publisher and hope I’m correct in targeting having the manuscript ready in March. That’s what came into my head one day.
We’ll see, you know how God is . . . . one just never knows the full picture until you have finished the project. But what an exciting journey it is!
Oh, you're probably wondering about the title of this.
The Spark is the idea from God
The Fire is the result of the Spark. In this case a BOOK!!
Update: I now have 100 or so answers to the question. If you are a Christian and would like to send your answers to this question please send them to ljc747@yahoo.com. All answers will be published anonymously so please be honest and open about your answer. I anticiapte cut off date of January 31, 2010 for submission of answers to question for book. That's not as far off as it seems!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
How To Face and Conquer fear
How to Face and Conquer Fear
By Pastor Joe Bennett Edited by Lynne Cole
July 2009
Discovering and Identifying the problem of Fear and how it attempts to take control of our life and mind.
It is obvious that the times we live in are very uncertain. In too many areas that we normally seek to find security, there is no longer any. Things have changed rapidly over the past two years and continue to keep changing daily. The broad range of issues that many of us face today have left many of us confused, depressed and full of anxiety and fear.
Fear is not to be a controlling force in the life of the Christian person that believes in God. Yet, it is in many believers lives.
I would like to tell you a few things that will encourage and strengthen you that have had or now experiencing fear. These things will help you to understand how you can have peace - even when you see unsettling things going on all around you and in the world. These things seem so impossible that fear attempts to take over our mind.
First of all, I want to set you believers free from any self criticism or doubt because of you experiencing fear. I simply want to help you understand the reality of fear. My goal is to show you those things, in all our lives, that become ways for fear to come into our minds and steal our peace and joy.
If you read the first chapter of 2 Timothy you will discover that the reason why Paul is talking about the issue of fear is because Timothy was evidently having problems with fear himself. You are not alone! The fear of persecution was real and Timothy was facing certain difficulties because he was a Christian. He was a person that freely told any one that would listen the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m impressed and glad that Paul did not condemn Timothy. Instead he encouraged him and corrected his wrong thinking that had allowed fear to come in.
In this passage of Scripture, (2 Tim 1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.) Paul identifies where fear “does not” come from. It does not seem to matter where fear comes from, for fear can come from many different things. The term spirit here is from the Greek word “pneuma”. There are a wide variety of uses for this word. It describes the breath / life force of man and or God. It is used to describe spirits in general, good or evil. It is also used in relation to the soul.
Regardless of where the fear came from, Paul said that the spirit of fear was not produced by and did NOT come from God. He goes on to say that God produces power, love and a sound mind in us. Therefore this means, if God has not given us the spirit of fear, then we do not have to give in to it.
When I identify and understand that fear is trying to take control of my mind and life; and I understand that fear does not come from God. Then what can I do to keep fear from taking control of my life and mind when situations become overwhelming and/or beyond my understanding and comprehension?
Discovering, Identifying and closing the entry points of fear.
In this passage of Scripture we discover answers as to how fear finds a way to enter and try to take control of our mind.
I John 4:13-21
13) By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
14) And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
15) Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16) And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
17) Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
19) We love Him because He first loved us.
20) If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
21) And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
1. Fear finds a way to enter in when we are not sure of Gods love for us. We must be confident of Gods love. We must be convinced and grounded in our belief of what Jesus’ death on the cross did to bring us back to God. This is the starting point of our identity and security in our relationship with God
2. Fear finds a place when we choose to not love. As we abide in His love we must choose to love one another. As we abide in His Love we begin to understand and experience Gods love for us we must choose to love one another. So many people including Christians, are not loving one another! Remember, it is a choice.
John establishes the fact that if we confess (believe in our hearts and speak with our mouths) that Jesus is the Son of God, then God ABIDES (lives and takes up residence) in us. (God actually comes into us as the Holy Spirit and lives in us.) John goes on to say that we have known the LOVE that God has for US and that as we make up our minds (purpose) to live the same way, by loving others, that we are actually living in God. As we bide in Love we abide in God. Therefore OUR love is becoming just like Gods love when we choose to love others and is being perfected as we Abide in God for God is love. God in us is Love.
He then tells us that “there is NO fear in LOVE” and that perfect love (God’s love in us) casts out fear because fear brings torment of the mind and soul. God’s love brings peace, fear brings torment. God’s love will get rid of fear.
As John writes to the church these passages of scripture, we begin to see the entrance points of fear. Fear finds a way to get in when we are not confident in Gods love for us and when we have chosen to NOT love one another. In other words, ignorance or unbelief of Gods Love for us and hatred towards and thus not loving a fellow believer produces an entrance and a welcome place for fear to stay and control you. Making you feel hopeless in your attempt to have God’s love in place of the fear you have.
I encourage you today to be convinced and confidently established in Gods love for you. Stay in the mindset that God loves you and wants you to love other people.
This is how God expresses Himself through us. Abide in His love, for in so doing He abides in you. The purpose of doing this is to walk in the forgiveness you have in Jesus, by His death on the cross for you, and allow His love to control every choice you make every day. You will then find that fear has no place to control you regardless of the uncertain and frightening circumstances of life.
If fear has been dominating your life then I want to encourage you to remember Gods love for you and that He wants you to love others. He wants you to return to that place of first Love. He is calling you to stop doing those things that have gotten in the way and caused you to feel down and thus have hindered you from thinking and having God’s peace. Shut the door on fear by thinking about how much He loves and cares for you. His Love will get rid of ALL fear and replace it with His peace.
By Pastor Joe Bennett Edited by Lynne Cole
July 2009
Discovering and Identifying the problem of Fear and how it attempts to take control of our life and mind.
It is obvious that the times we live in are very uncertain. In too many areas that we normally seek to find security, there is no longer any. Things have changed rapidly over the past two years and continue to keep changing daily. The broad range of issues that many of us face today have left many of us confused, depressed and full of anxiety and fear.
Fear is not to be a controlling force in the life of the Christian person that believes in God. Yet, it is in many believers lives.
I would like to tell you a few things that will encourage and strengthen you that have had or now experiencing fear. These things will help you to understand how you can have peace - even when you see unsettling things going on all around you and in the world. These things seem so impossible that fear attempts to take over our mind.
First of all, I want to set you believers free from any self criticism or doubt because of you experiencing fear. I simply want to help you understand the reality of fear. My goal is to show you those things, in all our lives, that become ways for fear to come into our minds and steal our peace and joy.
If you read the first chapter of 2 Timothy you will discover that the reason why Paul is talking about the issue of fear is because Timothy was evidently having problems with fear himself. You are not alone! The fear of persecution was real and Timothy was facing certain difficulties because he was a Christian. He was a person that freely told any one that would listen the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m impressed and glad that Paul did not condemn Timothy. Instead he encouraged him and corrected his wrong thinking that had allowed fear to come in.
In this passage of Scripture, (2 Tim 1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.) Paul identifies where fear “does not” come from. It does not seem to matter where fear comes from, for fear can come from many different things. The term spirit here is from the Greek word “pneuma”. There are a wide variety of uses for this word. It describes the breath / life force of man and or God. It is used to describe spirits in general, good or evil. It is also used in relation to the soul.
Regardless of where the fear came from, Paul said that the spirit of fear was not produced by and did NOT come from God. He goes on to say that God produces power, love and a sound mind in us. Therefore this means, if God has not given us the spirit of fear, then we do not have to give in to it.
When I identify and understand that fear is trying to take control of my mind and life; and I understand that fear does not come from God. Then what can I do to keep fear from taking control of my life and mind when situations become overwhelming and/or beyond my understanding and comprehension?
Discovering, Identifying and closing the entry points of fear.
In this passage of Scripture we discover answers as to how fear finds a way to enter and try to take control of our mind.
I John 4:13-21
13) By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
14) And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
15) Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16) And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
17) Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
19) We love Him because He first loved us.
20) If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
21) And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
1. Fear finds a way to enter in when we are not sure of Gods love for us. We must be confident of Gods love. We must be convinced and grounded in our belief of what Jesus’ death on the cross did to bring us back to God. This is the starting point of our identity and security in our relationship with God
2. Fear finds a place when we choose to not love. As we abide in His love we must choose to love one another. As we abide in His Love we begin to understand and experience Gods love for us we must choose to love one another. So many people including Christians, are not loving one another! Remember, it is a choice.
John establishes the fact that if we confess (believe in our hearts and speak with our mouths) that Jesus is the Son of God, then God ABIDES (lives and takes up residence) in us. (God actually comes into us as the Holy Spirit and lives in us.) John goes on to say that we have known the LOVE that God has for US and that as we make up our minds (purpose) to live the same way, by loving others, that we are actually living in God. As we bide in Love we abide in God. Therefore OUR love is becoming just like Gods love when we choose to love others and is being perfected as we Abide in God for God is love. God in us is Love.
He then tells us that “there is NO fear in LOVE” and that perfect love (God’s love in us) casts out fear because fear brings torment of the mind and soul. God’s love brings peace, fear brings torment. God’s love will get rid of fear.
As John writes to the church these passages of scripture, we begin to see the entrance points of fear. Fear finds a way to get in when we are not confident in Gods love for us and when we have chosen to NOT love one another. In other words, ignorance or unbelief of Gods Love for us and hatred towards and thus not loving a fellow believer produces an entrance and a welcome place for fear to stay and control you. Making you feel hopeless in your attempt to have God’s love in place of the fear you have.
I encourage you today to be convinced and confidently established in Gods love for you. Stay in the mindset that God loves you and wants you to love other people.
This is how God expresses Himself through us. Abide in His love, for in so doing He abides in you. The purpose of doing this is to walk in the forgiveness you have in Jesus, by His death on the cross for you, and allow His love to control every choice you make every day. You will then find that fear has no place to control you regardless of the uncertain and frightening circumstances of life.
If fear has been dominating your life then I want to encourage you to remember Gods love for you and that He wants you to love others. He wants you to return to that place of first Love. He is calling you to stop doing those things that have gotten in the way and caused you to feel down and thus have hindered you from thinking and having God’s peace. Shut the door on fear by thinking about how much He loves and cares for you. His Love will get rid of ALL fear and replace it with His peace.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
God, What are you up to??
By Lynne Cole
Every Saturday at 6pm a group of people descend upon Joe and Melody Bennett and family. It’s been over a year now since God told Joe and Melody to move to Oakland, FL. I for one can say I am very thankful God told them to come. At first Bob and I wanted nothing to do with anyone wanting to start a new church. But God told Joe and William Castro to come visit Bob and I. We love and respect William so we politely listened as Joe explained what God had said to him. (I need Joe’s permission to put his article in the blog.)
Bob and I were looking for a church but didn’t have any idea where God wanted us to worship. We decided to visit the group in Oakland and see if that is what God wanted us to get involved in.
Surprise!!
1. My first surprise was how small the group was. Just 6 people.
2. Next surprise all the children in the house. LOL
3. The peace and presence of God in our midst!!
4. How relaxed and unplanned the meeting was.
5. No one was “dressed” for church.
6. How powerful Joe’s messages are.
7. The Prophetic being natural and a part of the service.
8. God runs the service and often changes “the plans” of Joe and Curtis Sutterfield.
9. They love it when He does!
10. How late the gathering lasted!! (Our first week we left at 9:30 thinking it strange that no one was leaving but us. Next week we learned what “Normal” is for this group.)
11. How excited I became to be at every service.
12. To sit at the feet of Jesus and soak in everything He was saying to me and doing in me.
13. Seeing my very quiet husband, Bob, become more open and being used by God to speak out loud what He was saying!
14. I’m STILL being fed!
15. The peace I now experience nearly all the time.
16. What God is saying to me.
17. The boldness He is giving me!
Do you get the picture? It’s been life changing for me.
The group has grown by 3 since then. Bob and I bring it up to 8 and our good friend Jeanette Taylor, makes 9. We have become family. We arrive around 6pm and leave around 11 to 11:30pm. We leave by then only because some of us have a long drive home. At times they threaten to spend the night. lol
Lately we’ve been asking each other and God:
1. Why are we here meeting in Oakland?
2. What is Your purpose?
3. Where are You going with this group?
God must have had the ear of Joe because Joe started speaking on just that. He gave us an assignment to pray and ask God:
1. What’s His Vision, Purpose and Strategy for us?
2. How do we fit into this group?
3. Where is this group going?
4. What is God saying?
5. What is His vision?
6. What is His purpose and how do I fit into it?
7. What is His strategy, how do we get there?
Well, I was so excited. I prayed for a few days and listened to what God was saying. I sat down one day and wrote 3 medium size pages on my Vision and objective and where I was going. About ½ way thru my writing I wrote: “Why is this not happening now?” When I finished writing this section God said. “DIE TO SELF”
Huh, I’m so wordy. He gets His point across in 3 words. So I did what I do, I did a study on scriptures that have Die to self in them. But not until I finished the assignment with the next one, Purpose, How do I fit. Which caused more questions than answers. Then I tackled Strategy and started out with a lot of questions. Then I wrote another page of things I felt God was telling me.
I’m planning to do a more in-depth look at what God wants me to get out of His “Die to Self” – I know it is something I have to do continually. I also know He uses a few words so we will study His word and pray and learn from Him. It’s not a few moments of study. He feeds us in doses that we are able to handle. He’s not through teaching / feeding me on dying to self.
A Trucker's Prayer by Ned Barr
The following is a post a friend of mine, Ned Barr, painter and Geocacher made on his Facebook "notes" section. He originally wrote it on a geocache (www.geocaching.com). It is of an experience he had on a busy highway where he lives in Colorado. He asked me to read it as he thought I might find something in it for my self. You probably will for yourself, also.
The cache is called, "A Trucker's Prayer" You can find it on the above link. A truck driver wrote it and people who stop and sign the log at this cache, as I did, will have read the prayer on line under the cache title. Okay?
Beginning of the article written by Ned Barr.
So I stopped, as many others had done, to sign the log at the cache. Here is what I wrote.
"I also am a trucker (not driving big rigs now), so I love this prayer. I have stopped on cold, miserable nights, right at this spot, more than once, waiting for a snow plow to follow over Monarch Pass headed west for Gunnison, Delta, Grand Junction or some place in a more-western state. Many lives have been lost and many have been seriously injured on this very dangerous hill over the years. People in trucks and cars and on motorcycles and what-have-you.
"While retrieving this little cache with its log, I very nearly witnessed what would have been a fatal head-on between a large propane tanker and an RV. The RV was simply (for whatever reason) in the wrong lane (over the yellow line) going up hill. The tanker coming down, These two vehicles and several following the RV would have all crashed and burned just a few feet away from where I stood, holding my breath. Would I have survived?
"So what did the tanker-driver do? The right thing! He locked his brakes and skidded right, onto the break-down lane on the down-hill side. Very dangerous. While the truck tires screeched and smoked, the RV somehow managed to regain part of its proper lane and all went quiet within a few seconds as the up-hill vehicles went on as if nothing had happened. A close call, to say the least! The RV and cars were gone, the truck was stopped on the side in its tracks. The driver got out to check his tires and take a deep breath, no doubt. Rubber on the pavement still smoked.
"I walked quickly across the road and offered my hand in congratulations to this (fellow) truck driver for avoiding this awful catastrophe. He saved the day, by the grace of God. I tried to think of something encouraging to say, but he was grinning in relief! We exchanged a few brotherly, truck-driver, words. His truck was empty, which is why it skidded easily, but full of explosive fumes, from the propane. No jack-knife this time. No carnage on the highway just then. Whew! Thank You, Lord.
"Everyone should know that when a citation is issued following a big truck vs. car accident, the driver of the car gets the ticket 75 per cent of the time. What does that tell you? No one is perfect, but this truck driver deserves a medal. A hero.
"God bless ALL the people who survived this one, on this day.
"Again thanks for the trucker's prayer, thanks for the cache. I signed the log with a grateful heart and was on my way up the hill to find another one (cache). Hallelujah."
Final note on FB: If you know a truck driver you might want to thank him personally for getting that food on your table delivered.... or that propane you burn in your furnace or stove. Thanks for reading!
Ned Barr
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