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November 09 You have keys - use itYesterday I shared with our house church attendants using the illustration of keys. I asked everyone what are keys used for and most gave the reply to open a lock, and after thinking one or two added to lock an open. Then the thought proceeded with Jesus has keys and so does the devil. The devil uses keys to lock and close the minds of people. Keys like discouragement, unbelief, doubt so Jesus uses keys to open the minds of people. Keys like the word of encouragement, or faith and so on. So when we minister to people (and that is our focus for this quarter) we need to know what key to use to open this lock. We need to depend on the Spirit to show us this. We need to understand the lock the devil has used and we need to know not only which key but how to use the key to unlock. There is no master key for all locks is there? Then we had a look at 1 Timothy 3:9 where Paul writes that God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Also, from the one disciple Peter, who was with Jesus, we read that God is patient not wanting any to perish but all to repent. I am set free because I came to know the truth and believe it and submit to God's truth. Those who are bound are bound because of their ignorance of the truth or their refusal to believe and submit to God's truth. Even God does not force any to believe his truth. It is a choice each has to make. Will I believe a lie or the truth? Jesus said He will build his church on the rock(Matt 16:18). Paul gives us insight into this by saying that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ being the cornerstone. So it may be right to say that Jesus builds a local church on the founding leader. Jesus also builds his church on the confession of faith about who He really is. Like Peter confessed when he was asked, "Who do you say I am?" If a person has a revelation of who Jesus really is which is the son of the living God, which means God in the flesh then that person becomes a member of the church. A living stone in the building of God. That is what we need to look for. Who is receiving the revelation of who Jesus really is? October 26 Message given by Stella on 25th OctOne of the things that was shared was - God's words are recorded in the Bible. It is written for those who can read and understand. It should not remain written in the book otherwise it will not change anyone's life. You have to receive it into you and speak it to someone else. Pass it on, that the person who hears it will also be impacted with the truth of God's word. If you speak to a sick man about the truth of the Healer as written in the book, that sick man can get healed. If you speak to a sinner about his sin and repentance, that sinner can get saved. What ever you proclaim from the book can happen. So open your mouth wide and speak the truth of God's word to your neighbor who may so desperately needs it. Another fact was brought to our attention was that God is the source of the healing or deliverance or blessing or salvation of the person you are reaching out to. Illustration of a tank of water with the outlet of a tap. God is like that tank. You are the tap. The water is in the tank. The tap is not the source of the water, it just is an opening for the water that is stored in the tank. God is full, He never runs out. Are you open, to let the things of God flow out of you? Then the story of David and Goliath, was also shared from 1 Samuel 17, in the Bible pictorially. For those who had not heard and for those who had read it was a refresher. David was not afraid of the giant who had challenged the armies of Israel and the God of Israel. He had the experience of defending his helpless sheep from the lion and the bear. He did not depend on his weapon alone but on God. For he said, you come to me with sword and spear but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts. It was not David's battle but God's - God put the enemy to flight. God's name was at stake, his glory and his honor which was to be demonstrated through Israel. All God needed was a man to step out courageously in his name and show the world that God is bigger than any giant in front of you. So also in the work of the Lord. No matter what challenges may confront you, step out in faith in the name of the Lord and in his promise to always be with you. Step out boldly for God and see the enemy defeated. October 19 Go and do likewiseYesterday 18 Oct 2009 Pastor Stella Dsouza, encouraged all of us with the story of the good samaritan. [Comments added by Pastor Jeffrey below]
October 17 Three months of focus on ministryThe last three months of this year is kept for focus on MINISTRY- in whatever flavor, form or focus. The world is the field, we are his workers. Each in the church has to find his gifting, ability, and get going. I as the Pastor of International Family Church will continue to oversee the whole of the work. The objective I want to reach is the involvement of the members. There are to be no spectators in church, but learners and willing doers. May God see us through to the goal and objective. For those who have been visiting our blog I want to say thank you and also remember us in your prayers. We are going through a bad, dry phase personally and as a church. Pray for some rain. Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain said the prophet. That is my prayer. Lord do something radical, bring unchangable change in your people. Let not the enemy triumph over us. Lord have your own way, through the power and presence of your Holy Spirit. Amen.!? June 30 Message by Stella DsouzaEscape - Escape Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot's wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.(Luk 17:28-36 KJV) And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.(Gen 19:1-29 KJV) We can see 1] the condition of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah is not pleasing to God, the report that came to God was indeed true. 2] God is merciful, to save Lot, that too because of His covenant with Abraham and his intercession? 3] Certain instructions were given to Lot by the angels which are applicable to us too. They can be found in the nineteenth chapter of Genesis and verse 17. Escape for thy life Look not behind thee Neither stay in the plain Escape to the mountain As we have in the passage in Genesis so also in the gospel according to Luke where the Lord Jesus pointed out the condition of people in the last days -- Jesus came in the place of the angels to warn of coming destruction. His message is the same, through faith in Him we are to escape the corruption in the world through lust. What is more important, the salvation of your soul, or, the gathering of material things, and wealth - which cannot save in the time of death? Then once you have made your decision to "escape for thy life", the next instruction is "not to look back" on the things left behind. What we once held dear cannot be so now. Furthermore we are not to stop half way through for that may be the start of our downfall or backsliding. We are to press on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God heavenward. Yes it is like climbing a mountain. The terrain is not easy and plain, but what awaits us is much more better than what we had up until now. So let us make haste and escape for our lives, not looking back neither stopping halfway but reach the place of safety in the presence of the Lord. |
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