Personally, we need more of the Holy Spirit!  As a church, we need more of the Holy Spirit!  Just look at what He does:  comforts, reminds us of all truth, empowers, enables, purifies, strengthens and so much more we cannot even put it into words, yet He can!  He could at Pentecost as the people spoke.  

Today, I Shall embrace the Promises of my Faith!

I preached a message today "The Promises of Faith brings the Mission to Life". When Abraham obeyed the mission and took Isaac to the appointed place to sacrifice him, in that instance God saw Abraham's faith and immediately provided a ram. Saints, God will honor His promises, the very moment we make a faith connection with Him. Today saints, exercise your faith and enjoy the promises of God, because a lack of faith is the only thing standing in our way!!!! 

-Pastor Vera Davis

We do not always realize everything a Mother does until she doesn't do it.  So take some time to show appreciation.  

We all have battles, especially mothers.  What do you battle?   What is bigger than you?  Take some time to read this Scripture and answer these questions:

You can be courageous by approaching the throne boldly!  So what are you waiting for?  Keep these Scriptures in mind:

Heb 4:16  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 

Mat 5:6 (NIV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

ASK IN JESUS NAME.
   1. ...whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13)
   2. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:14)

RECEIVE BY ABIDING IN JESUS AND HIS WORDS ABIDE IN YOU
   3. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7)

ASK THE FATHER IN JESUS NAME.
   4.  ...whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15:16)
   5.  ...Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. (John 16:23)

FULLNESS OF JOY.
   6. "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24)

THEREFORE:
   7. ...you will ask in My name... John 16:26

May you have blessings as you live courageously!

The 2nd in the series, take some time to read through the text again and answer the following questions:

1. What is your initial observation of the text?  
2. What is the image of God in the text?
3. How does this speak to us today?
4. What are the different points of view?
5. What is the bad news?
6. What is the good news?
7. How did Isaiah respond to God's glory?
8. How did Isaiah respond to the Lord's question?
9. How should we respond to this text?

Living in the Power (3 part series)
-The Power of God
-Empowered by God
- The Power to be Courageous

Mark 12 Breakdown:
Mar 12:1  He then began to speak to them in parables…
Mar 12:12  Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.
Mar 12:13  Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.
Mar 12:24  Jesus replied, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
 
Mar 12:28  One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
Mar 12:29  "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Mar 12:30  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
Mar 12:31  The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Mar 12:32  "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.
Mar 12:33  To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
Mar 12:34  When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Are you a Pharisee or a Teacher of the Law?

Character of a Pharisee:

Zealous of the law

Act_15:5; Phi_3:5;

Zealous of tradition

Mar_7:3; Mar_7:5-8; Gal_1:14;

Outwardly moral

Luk_18:11; Phi_3:5; Phi_3:6;

Rigid in fasting

Luk_5:33; Luk_18:12;

Active in proselytising

Mat_23:15;

Self-righteous (another word for prideful)

Luke_16:15; Luk_18:9;

Avaricious (Greedy for gain of money, land & status)  covetous – heart thing!

Mat_23:14; Luk_16:14;

Ambitious of precedence

Mat_23:6;

Fond of public salutations           (liked being honored-after status, popularity!  Isn’t that the world today?  Real close to well known, with popularity comes power…also a heart issue)

Mat_23:7;

Fond of distinguished titles        (also a heart issue)

Mat_23:7-10;

Particular in paying all dues       (zealous of the law-outward)

Mat_23:23;

Oppressive                                   (outward & inward)

Mat_23:4;

Cruel in persecuting                    (outward & inward…where’s the mercy?)

Act_9:1; Act_9:2;

Character of a Teacher of the Law:
-They lived what they taught
-They were clean on the inside (what comes out of a man is what makes him dirty)
 
Will you accept his Love and live in the power?  Invite men to see COURAGEOUS MOVIE!

Rev Jennifer Brown (Global NMI Pres) District NMI Convention

God is forever calling People
Distinctly
Specificly
Personally

Confirmed inwardly (heart)
Outwardly (by the church)

Samuel-early call
Moses-unmistakable call
Isaiah-a holy call
Paul-out of the blue call
Disciples-a transforming call
Jonah-a chasing call  (God will findyou, even in hell!)

Go into the World!

You have a purpose!  That makes you valuable!

Dispel darkness!  Into light!

We live in a world that is anti-Christ!

Matt 5:14-15 stirring up the people!

You are the light of the world!

It depends on me!  I'm the only Christian some people will ever meet!

Harvest Field is Ripe!
-in schools, workplace, next door, across street, playground, & in our homes!

Called to lifestyle of Holiness!

Nazarenes:
Now in 159 countries & areas
74 radio broadcast areas
Naz Publishing House

2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 

Let go...Let God be your Glory!  Will you?

When we take time to look at how Easter came about, we need to remember those who came before us & were commended for their faith.  (Heb. 11 is a great place to start!)  http://www.bible.is/ENGESV/Heb/11 
When we look at Abraham, we realize he was a part of the beginning of the Judaism and Muslim faiths.  However, there is one main difference between them and Christianity.  Do you know what it is?

John 14:5  Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
John 14:6  Jesus SAID, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Heb 11:39  These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
Heb 11:40  God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Heb 12:1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Heb 12:2  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Heb 12:4  In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.


There is one who has…
Mat 27:25  All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"
Mat 27:26  Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Mat 27:27  Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him.
Mat 27:28  They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,
Mat 27:29  and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said.
Mat 27:30  They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.
Mat 27:31  After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
Mat 27:32  As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.
Mat 27:33  They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull where He was crucified).

NAIL SOUNDS!  (Can you imagine this entire scene?)

Mat 27:34  There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.
Mat 27:35  When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
Mat 27:36  And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.
Mat 27:37  Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

What must we do:  (Fix our eyes on Jesus)

When we do what will we realize (to know)?

1.     Jesus is the Author and Perfector of our Faith!

2.     Jesus endured it all for us!

3.     Jesus overcame!  He Rose!  That’s why we celebrate!  That’s why we sing!


What do you think is the key verse that applies to us everyday?


"Will You?"  Is the last question on the slide.  So will you fix your eyes on Jesus and allow Him to be the Author and Perfector of your faith too?  He is ready to forgive you for the wrong things you have done.  If you have lied, stolen, committed adultery in your heart, taken the Lord's name in vain, etc.  Ask Him today to perfect your faith by believing and turning from your sin.

Please contact Pastor Chris if you have questions or want to share the Good news you have accepted the good news!  614.447.0550