(April 8, 2010)

Prayer House News!

It's breakfast time for our men. Today at 7:00am at Bonnie's Diner - home of exquisite food and atmosphere.

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We are gearing up for a very special weekend of ministry. I hope you are too! Let's all pray for an outpouring of God's spirit as we welcome Evangelist Dominic Galati to our pulpit.

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I Desire Mercy

continued from yesterday

Colossians 2:20-23 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: (21) "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? (22) These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. (23) Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

I thought this was a very interesting portion of scripture. It’s referring to the regulations of the law as the basic principles of this world. Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch; these are all regulations which were designed to bring us closer to God, so we thought. Interestingly enough, these regulations have an appearance of wisdom and humility but in reality they do nothing to restrain sensual indulgence. In other words, no matter how closely you follow the law and do things properly, display humility, worship and wisdom, there will remain a constant problem with the flesh.

The harsh treatment of the flesh does not kill the desires of the flesh. You cannot grit your teeth and through stirring up some inner strength – kill the desires of your flesh. Yet there is something we can do to overcome the control of the flesh.

Fasting
That brings us to the heart of today’s message.

Matthew 9:14-15 Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" (15) Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

I believe the answer Jesus gave John’s disciples puts this whole message in perspective. The bridegroom has been taken away from us. He has ascended to heaven and is at the right hand of God. Therefore, we fast. But we fast – not as a regulation of the law like the Pharisees did – we fast because of our longing for Jesus. When Jesus walked the earth his disciples did not need to fast because they lived with him. In other words – fasting relates to the presence of God in a person’s life.

You can try to get closer to God through the regulations of the law. You can make sure you do not handle, do not taste, and do not touch, but those actions do not restrain sensual indulgence, subsequently, you are no closer to God afterwards than you were before you.

However, does that means we can handle, taste and touch since we are under grace – not necessarily. When the presence of God becomes the thing we long for then we don’t handle, taste or touch, not out of some regulation of the law, but because we long for his presence and the practice of those things – though legal – take us away from his presence.

continued tomorrow

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Medication: A Merry Heart

PIRATE
A seaman meets a pirate in a bar. The pirate has a peg-leg, a hook and an eye patch. "How'd you end up with a peg-leg?" asks the sailor. "I was swept overboard in a storm," says the pirate. "A shark bit off me whole leg."
"Wow!" said the seaman. "What about the hook?"
"We were boarding an enemy ship, battling the other sailors with swords. One of them cut me
"Incredible!" remarked the seaman.

"And the eye patch?"

"A seagull dropping fell in me eye," replied the pirate.
"You lost your eye to a seagull dropping?" the sailor asked incredulously.
Said the pirate. "It was the first day with the hook."

(April 7, 2010)

Prayer House News!

No Mid week classes today because it's Family Week. Family week is meant to give you some extra time with your own family or with others. Take advantage of it and do some fellowshipping.

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I Desire Mercy

continued from yesterday

David Ravenhill and I were talking once about the various ministries he has been involved in which include the Kansas City Prophets, with Mike Bickel, the Toronto Blessing, the laughing revival, The Pensacola Revival, which many of us are familiar with. One of the major “prophets” from Kansas City fell morally a few years back. Ravenhill was telling me that his moral issues were in his life for many years and during that time he watched God use him in marvelous ways. We would look at that and say – why would God use a man like that. The only answer that works here is; mercy.

Matthew 9:12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Revivals end result is the lost coming to Christ. Keep in mind that when we read about what Jesus did on earth – we read about the Pharisees and kind of smile at how Jesus put them in their place and yet today – we who have the spirit of Christ dwelling in us and who are supposedly the “spiritual ones,” find ourselves struggling with the same things the Pharisees did.

Our problems with mercy come forth in our false humility when we say things like; “How could God use a person like that?” When we say things like that we are saying in essence; “I could see God using me – but why would he use that person?”

Do you see how we don’t understand mercy? We think people need to earn the right to be used of God. Did God use Balaam’s donkey because it was a more worthy donkey than all the others? Mercy is unmerited favor with God.
When the Pharisees criticized Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners his response was; “I came to bring mercy to men and to do away with the regulations of the law. I desire mercy not sacrifice.”
If you have any degree of similarity to the teachers of the law in the NT then you too will struggle with revival because God will be using people that we might not think should be used.
The law struggles with mercy. The law is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The law believes that everything should be in order before God will bless. But really that is a philosophy that does not come from anything Jesus teaches. That is the former way of thinking or you could call them the basic principles of this world.

continued tomorrow

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Medication: A Merry Heart

Recently, when I went to McDonald's I saw on the menu that you could have an order of 6, 9 or 12 Chicken McNuggets.

I asked for a half dozen nuggets. 'We don't have half dozen nuggets,' said the teenager at the counter.

'You don't?' I replied.

'We only have six, nine, or twelve,' was the reply.

'So I can't order a half dozen nuggets, but I can order six?'

'That's right.' So I shook my head and ordered six McNuggets

(Unbelievable but sadly true...)

(April 6, 2010)

Prayer House News!

April showers bring lots of rain. Hope you have a dry day.

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Pray for our young people. All this week they are participating in something called the "Noise." It's a youth endeavor to help our community by doing little work tasks that will make an impression for Jesus.

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I Desire Mercy

continued from yesterday

Listen to this account of the M’Gready revival.

“In August following, a meeting at Gasper River Church, where Mr. M'Gready spoke, on Monday especially, the sensible presence of God rendered the assembly awfully solemn; great attention was paid to the preaching of the word, and when the exercises were closed, and the benediction pronounced, instead of leaving the church, and dispersing as usual, the whole assembly kept their seats and remained for sometime in deep and solemn silence.
Then things began to change. Some had such clear views of the corruptions of their hearts, the sinfulness of their lives, and their exposure to misery, that they were constrained to cry for mercy; some were so overwhelmed with a sense of their guilt, and the presence of that Holy God against whom they had rebelled, that they fell from their seats upon the floor, and there lay in agony, pleading for the pardon, of their innumerable transgressions.”

Some cried out-loud for mercy, some fell out of their chairs and lay on the floor. Dr. Gordon Anderson, the president of North Central University, says that when people experience an overwhelming presence of God it’s a lot like sticking your finger into a live electrical socket. You don’t know what you are going to get for a reaction. Some might jump and shout, or some may just grab their finger and muffle any kind of reaction, the question comes down to this; which person had the proper reaction?

My point is this – if we are serious about revival we need to allow God to do whatever it is He needs to do and be careful not to react to how God uses people, unless it crosses theological or ethical lines. Let’s not make the same mistake the Pharisees made.

This is the essence of what Jesus taught in verses 16 & 17 of this chapter.

Matthew 9:16 "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

The existing church is the old garment. But the old garment has a hole in it. It needs repair. Revival comes along in an attempt to repair what is wrong. However, the established church wants the new thing, the new patch, to be sown to the existing garment, but it won’t work that way. The new patch will tear away from the old making it worse. So what do we do? We accept the new thing God is doing. It’s not going to look like it did before. It’s going to have its own music, its own worship, and its own message. And it will be a message of mercy.

continued tomorrow

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Medication: A Merry Heart

Four men were bragging about how smart their dogs were.
One man was an engineer, the second man was an accountant, the third man was a chemist, and the fourth was a government worker.
To show off, the engineer called to his dog."T-square, do your stuff."T-square trotted over to a desk, took out some paper and a pen, and promptly drew a circle, a square, and a triangle.
Everyone agreed that that that was pretty smart.

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The accountant said that his dog could do better. He called to his dog and said,"Spreadsheet, do your stuff."Spreadsheet went out into the kitchen and returned with a dozen cookies. He divided them into four equal piles of three cookies each.
Everyone agreed that that was good.

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The chemist said that his dog could do better still. he called to his dog and said, "Measure, do your stuff."Measure got up, walked over to the fridge, took out a quart of milk, got a ten-ounce glass from the cupboard, and poured exactly eight ounces without spilling a drop.
Everyone agreed that that was pretty impressive.

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Then the three men turned to the government worker and said,"What can your dog do?"
The government worker called to his dog and said, "Coffee Break, do your stuff." Coffee Break jumped to his feet, ate the cookies, drank the milk, claimed he had injured his back while doing so, filed a grievance report for unsafe working conditions, put in for worker' compensation, and went home for the rest of the day on sick leave.
They all agreed that that was brilliant!

(April 5, 2010)

Prayer House News!

Our Easter weekend was excellent! We started off with a wonderful Good Friday service. Lot's of visitors from the community. Then for both SNS and SMS Pastor Nick preached a passionate message about the resurrection and brought the house down with great music excellent video clips.

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This is Family Week for our church. That means we have a more relaxed schedule at the office and no mid-week services.

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I Desire Mercy

This chapter seems to address something that has plagued the church from it’s beginning, and it’s called, the law. In the first part of this chapter we saw how Jesus was criticized for doing well. He told the paralytic that his sins were forgiven. That act obviously upset the teachers of the law. So to convince them of his authority he heals the man in their presence. They see him take up his mat and walk. Most of the people who witnessed that were filled with awe and praised God for what had happened. But we know that the Scribes and Pharisees continued to struggle with this.

Matthew 9:10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

Jesus had a rotten reputation – but a perfect testimony. Among the Pharisees and the teachers of the law Jesus was violating everything they understood to be right. He not only told people that their sins were forgiven – he also hung out with the wrong crowd. But in the eyes of his Father – he was doing everything according to plan.

There are two things at issue here. First of all they were struggling with the idea that possibly Jesus could be God. Doesn’t it upset you when you find out that something is God when it goes completely against your idea of what God should be? Jesus was obviously, not what they had pictured God to be.

From the beginning of this year we have been praying for revival. After many of you signed the covenant of prayer and began to pray weekly and fast once a month, I noticed a marked difference. I believe we are going to continue to see God move. But what will that move look like? I believe this is part of what the teachers of the law were struggling with when Jesus came along. He didn’t look like what they assumed God would look like.

A couple of Wednesday nights ago I was speaking at Rockford Assembly of God. At the end of my talk we had a time for questions. One young man asked me what I think revival looks like. The more I thought about it the more I realized that it most likely won’t look like what I think it should look like.

If each of us could describe the perfect revival what would it look like? First of all it would line up perfectly with our theology wouldn’t it? Most likely it would include the salvation of the lost wouldn’t it? For the most part our picture of revival would be a glorified church service where we are comfortable with everything that is going on – where we know everybody – we like all the worship music – and we sense an overwhelming presence of God.

As right as that sounds it’s wrong. That is exactly what the Pharisees were struggling with. Jesus comes along proclaiming to be the son of God and yet he didn’t look like what they thought the Messiah should look like, he certainly did not line up with their theology, they didn’t even like the people he hung out with subsequently, they rejected the very acts of God/miracles he performed in their midst. We better be ready for the very thing we are praying for. Do we really want revival? Revival is that of God gripping the hearts of people who do not know him and ripping them from the grips of Satan and Satan does not like that.

Let me read a quote to you. “In no age of the world, has a true revival appeared, without having to encounter opposition. Satan will not yield his dominion over the hearts of men without a struggle. And he is exceedingly crafty, and adept at the work of destruction.” Do you know where that was taken from? It was taken from an article on Rev. James M’Gready and the revival in Kentucky where we took our prayer covenant from. When that revival hit his church it became so controversial that eventually they secede from the Presbyterian Church; and to establish a new denomination, The Church of Christ.

I’m bringing this up because I see the potential for a problem when revival does hit our church. Just last week we finished our special meetings with David Ravenhill. I really liked him. Lou and I were able to sit and talk with him over some meals. David and I line up theologically. I like what he said – probably because it lined up with what I say. David has an anointing on his life that is quite evident. But what do you expect from a man who prays as much as he does.

continued tomorrow

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Medication: A Merry Heart

Children's Views on Love
HOW DO PEOPLE IN LOVE TYPICALLY BEHAVE?
"When a person gets kissed for the first time, they fall
down and they don't get up for at least an hour."

(Wendy, age 8)
CONCERNING WHY LOVE HAPPENS BETWEEN TWO PARTICULAR PEOPLE
"One of the people has freckles and so he finds somebody
else who has freckles too." (Andrew, age 6)
"No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something
to do with how you smell. That's why perfume and deodorant
are so popular." (Mae, age 7)
"I think you're supposed to get shot with an arrow or
something, but the rest of it isn't supposed to be so
painful." (Manuel, age 8)
ON WHAT FALLING IN LOVE IS LIKE
"Like an avalanche where you have to run for your life."
(John, age 9)
"If falling in love is anything like learning how to spell,
I don't want to do it. It takes too long." (Glenn, age 7)
ON THE ROLE OF BEAUTY AND HANDSOMENESS IN LOVE
"If you want to be loved by somebody who isn't already in
your family, it doesn't hurt to be beautiful."

(Anita C., age 8)
"It isn't always just how you look. Look at me. I'm handsome
like anything and I haven't got anybody to marry me yet."
(Brian, age 7)
"Beauty is skin deep. But how rich you are can last a long
time." (Christine, age 9)
REFLECTIONS ON THE NATURE OF LOVE
"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball
is pretty good too." (Greg, age 8)
HOW DO PEOPLE IN LOVE TYPICALLY BEHAVE?
"Mooshy ... like puppy dogs ... except puppy dogs don't wag
their tails nearly as much." (Arnold, age 10)
"All of a sudden, the people get movie fever so they can
sit together in the dark." (Sherm, age 8)
CONCERNING WHY LOVERS OFTEN HOLD HANDS
"They want to make sure their rings don't fall off because
they paid good money for them." (Gavin, age 8)
"They are just practicing for when they might have to walk
down the aisle someday and do the holy matchimony thing."
(John, age 9)
CONFIDENTIAL OPINIONS ABOUT LOVE
"I'm in favor of love as long as it doesn't happen when
'Dinosaurs' is on television." (Jill, age 6)
"Love is foolish ... but I still might try it sometime."
(Floyd, age 9)
"Yesterday I kissed a girl in a private place ... We were
behind a tree." (Carey, age 7)
"Love will find you, even if you are trying to hide from it.
I been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the
girls keep finding me." (Dave, age 8)
"I'm not rushing into being in love. I'm finding fourth
grade hard enough." (Regina, age 10)
PERSONAL QUALITIES YOU NEED TO HAVE IN ORDER TO BE A GOOD
LOVER
"Sensitivity don't hurt." (Robbie, age 8)
"One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even
if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot
of bills." (Ava, age 8)
SOME SUREFIRE WAYS TO MAKE A PERSON FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU
"Tell them that you own a whole bunch of candy stores."
(Del, age 6)
"Shake your hips and hope for the best." (Camille, age 9)
"Yell out that you love them at the top of your lungs ...
and don't worry if their parents are right there."

(Manuel, age 8)
"Don't do things like have smelly, green sneakers. You might
get attention, but attention ain't the same thing as love."
(Alonzo, age 9)
"One way is to take the girl out to eat. Make sure it's
something she likes to eat. French fries usually works for
me." (Bart, age 9)
HOW CAN YOU TELL IF TWO ADULTS AT A RESTAURANT ARE IN LOVE?
"Just see if the man picks up the check. That's how you can
tell if he's in love." (Bobby, age 9)
"Lovers will just be staring at each other and their food
will get cold. Other people care more about the food."
(Bart, age 9)
"Romantic adults usually are all dressed up, so if they are
just wearing jeans it might mean they used to go out or they
just broke up." (Sarah)
"See if the man has lipstick on his face." (Sandra, age 7)
"It's love if they order one of those desserts that are on
fire. They like to order those because it's just like how
their hearts are --- on fire." (Christine, age 9)
WHAT MOST PEOPLE ARE THINKING WHEN THEY SAY "I LOVE YOU"
"The person is thinking: Yeah, I really do love him. But I
hope he showers at least once a day." (Michelle, age 9)
"Some lovers might be real nervous, so they are glad that
they finally got it out and said it and now they can go
eat." (Dick, age 7)
HOW WAS KISSING INVENTED?
"I know one reason that kissing was created. It makes you
feel warm all over, and they didn't always have electric
heat or fireplaces or even stoves in their houses."

(Gina, age 8)
HOW A PERSON LEARNS TO KISS
"You can have a big rehearsal with your Barbie and Ken
dolls." (Julia, age 7)
"You learn it right on the spot when the gooshy feelings get
the best of you." (Brian, age 7)
"It might help to watch soap operas all day." (Carin, age 9)
WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
"When they're rich." (Pam, age 7)
"It's never okay to kiss a boy. They always slobber all over
you ... That's why I stopped doing it." (Tammy, age 7)
"If it's your mother, you can kiss her anytime. But if it's
a new person, you have to ask permission." (Roger, age 6)
"I look at kissing like this: Kissing is fine if you like
it, but it's a free country and nobody should be forced to
do it." (Dave, age 8)
HOW TO MAKE LOVE ENDURE
"Spend most of your time loving instead of going to work."
(Dick, age 7)
"Don't forget your wife's name ... That will mess up the
love."

(April 2, 2010)

Prayer House News!

Today at noon we will be having our Good Friday service. It's only an hour long service for those of you who may be coming from work.

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Tomorrow night at SNS we are planning on a special Easter service - to continued at SMS the next day. Come and bring a friend. Did you know that 82% of those invited to and Easter service - attend! Who are you going to invite?

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Called!

continued from yesterday

Many of you will remember reading of the time when Jesus was going to make his triumphal entry. It was prophesied in Zech 9:9 that the Messiah would make his entry riding on a donkey.

So he tells his disciples where to find the animal and to bring it to him. They said, “What shall we tell the owner if he ask us what we are doing with his donkey?” Jesus said, “Just tell them the Lord has need of it.”

In order to fulfill prophesy Jesus had need of the donkey. Not much has changed. In order for the gospel to be taken to the ends of the earth the Lord has need of us. It is a solemn call to be asked to proclaim the kingdom of God. The Lord has need of us.

We have in our midst some individuals who are living examples of this very thing. Pastor Nick and his wife Olivia both lost their fathers when they were relatively young. Last Wednesday evening, after church I was talking to Olivia about her dad’s passing and how he died when the kids were young, one of them was only 5 years old at the time.

Olivia surmized that when he was dying he struggled with leaving his family but that when he got to heaven he saw how beautiful it was and probably didn’t want to return. When she spoke that the Lord dropped a thought in my spirit and said, “Once he saw God he learned there was no need to fear the future because of God’s ability to care for his children.” Then I said to Olivia, “You made it didn’t you?” She said, “I did!” God is good!

In 1994 Pastor Nick was 16 years old when his dad died. On Father’s day of that year during the evening service his dad walked out into the lobby of the church. He started crying when Nick’s mom Maggie asked him what was going on. By then cancer had a strong grip on his life and he told her that he was stricken with the thought that he might not get his miracle and that he would not being able to watch his kids grow up. But he was also very overwhelmed with the presence of God at that moment. God was preparing him for his homecoming. A little over a month later he died.

God was not only calling these two dads to a higher existence he was simultaneously calling the moms Maggie and Ilene to the same existence. These two moms were being asked to let go of the kingdom of nature and to live on a higher plane and to raise their children in such a way that God could use them for his kingdom and here they are today – proclaiming the kingdom of God. What do you want for your kids? If you want them to understand the significance of spirituality then you must put your service to God before everything.

I started traveling full time when I was 29 years old. For the most part I traveled every week. Sometimes it was with my family but primarily I was by myself. God literally took me around the world proclaiming the kingdom of God – by myself. Today my wife sits by my side fully committed to God. My son, who could have easily become bitter towards God for taking his father away for most of his growing up years, today is going to Bible College and preparing for the ministry, full of love for God. I had to fully trust God with my family, but do you know what – God is trustworthy.

The question comes down to this. What kind of heart do you have? Do you have the wavering heart that continually looks back – unable to give up your love of the lower existence – unfit to proclaim the kingdom of God?

Or have you been called and have a desire to serve God but you are a little unsure? If so you need to know that the Lord has need of you. God wants you to leave those claims of nature, high though they may be, to go to the still higher claims of the kingdom of grace, which God is now erecting upon earth. Let the dead bury their dead: but you go and preach the kingdom of God.'
END

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Medication: A Merry Heart
Do You Serve Lawyers?

A man walked into a restaurant, leading an alligator by a leash.

He asked the waitress, "Do you serve lawyers here?"

"Sure do," said the waitress.

"Good," replied the man.

"Give me a Coke, and I'll have a lawyer for my 'gator."