Prayer for the Election
It has really been on my heart to pray for our country and the upcoming election. God says in His Word to spend time every day lifting up our leaders in prayer. We definitely need His guidance, direction, and favor! I would like to open the church for prayer on Thursday, October 30th, from 4:30-5:15. Let’s cover our nation and our future leaders in prayer!
Pastor Michele
When Blessings Over Flow
Hey Heartlanders, I just what to give a great big huge praise report. Last weekend I had a major job come up on my house. We needed to tear off 45 square of roofing off my house and garage and then re roof it. This was all to be accomplished in one weekend. That is really a lot of work people. Well I contacted my son and some of my friends to see if we could get the job done. On Sat. morn. my son shows up at 8:00am with 2 of his friends and his brother. They started tearing of the roof then Jr my brother in law stated helping to. By 10:00 o’clock there were fifteen people from the body of Christ working together on our roof. To make a long story short by Sun. evening the roof on the house had been completed and all the rubbish had been put into the dumpster. I can not thank everyone enough for all the help and hard work they did for Michele and myself. The love of Christ had been poured out upon my family. It also showed my son and his friends what the body of Christ can do when they set their minds to something. When I was walking in the world I use to say that you could count you best friends on one hand. I truly cannot say that anymore. Because the love of God reaches much father that I could have ever imagined. I just would like to thank God and His people for the wonderful blessing that was shown to my son and my family. May God bless each and everyone who put their hand to the plow in service of a mighty God for one of his servants. I will never forget this blessing. Thank you everyone again.
With Much Love
Jim
True Prophecy
True Prophecy
The end purpose of all true prophecy is to build up, to admonish, and to encourage the people of God. Anything that doesn’t isn’t true prophecy.
What is true prophecy for?
1 Cor 14:3 But one who prophesies is helping others grow in the Lord, encouraging and comforting them.
A. PROPHECY IS TO BUILD UP, ENCOURAGE AND COMFORT
1. These words define the purpose of true prophecy: edification
(building up); exhortation (encouragement) and comfort (consoling the believer).
2. Sometimes you may hear utterances, purposing to be prophetic, of which may have brought confusion, condemnation, or discouragement to the people of God. These utterances cannot be accepted as true manifestations of the gift of prophecy.
3. The Holy Spirit in his relationship to the people of God is “Comforter” “Advocate” or “Encourager”. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not to condemn us. He will never discourage the people of God.
B. PROPHECY IS FOR REMOVING NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND REPLACING THEM WITH POSITIVE ONES.
1. God sometimes first removes that which is negative in order to replace it with that which is positive. Let’s look at Jeremiah.
Jer 1:5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.”
Jer 1:6 “O Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
Jer 1:7 “Don’t say that,” the LORD replied, “for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.
Jer 1:9 Then the LORD touched my mouth and said, “See, I have put my words in your mouth!
Jer 1:10 Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. You are to uproot some and tear them down, to destroy and overthrow them. You are to build others up and plant them.”
2. For a time God may find it necessary to “root out” and to “pull down”; but his final purpose is always to build and plant.
C. IT’S ALL ABOUT EDIFYING AND BUILDING UP.
These principles are brought to the forefront through the New Testament concerning the exercising of spiritual gifts.
Two times in Second Corinthians the apostle Paul speaks of the authority which is given to him as a minister of the gospel.
2 Cor 10:8 this authority is to build you up, not to tear you down. And I will not be put to shame by having my work among you destroyed.
2 Cor 13:10 I am writing this to you before I come, hoping that I won’t need to deal harshly with you when I do come. For I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to build you up, not to tear you down.
On each occasion authority is given him “for the edification (building up) and not for the tearing down of God’s people.
In 1 Corinthians, chapter 14 this chapter deals mainly with the correct use of the vocal gifts: tongues, interpretation, and prophecy. As you read this chapter you will see that all these gifts are used for building up the body of Christ.
1 Cor 14:26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize what I am saying. When you meet, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in an unknown language, while another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must be useful to all and build them up in the Lord.
When giving a prophecy you don’t have to put a Thus Saith the Lord to get your point across. The person that is receiving the prophecy will know if it is from God or not.
When things are done in order during a services and the Holy Spirit moves with prophecy it is an exciting time for the church.
We must always remember the final purpose of all spiritual gifts, including prophecy, is the edification of God’s people
One pastor said it best this way (If you don’t build up then shut up!)
Always Look For Ways To Bless Someone
I was in Aldi today when a chance came to be able to bless someone. If you have ever been in Aldi you know that those lines can be very long. But you truly have to give credit to those cashiers because they can really move those groceries. Well, anyway, I was next in line to pay when the little old lady didn’t have enough money for her potatoes. She was going to have them taken back, so I stopped the cashier and said that I would take care of them for her. You should have seen the look on the cashier’s face. I believe it blessed her as much as it did the little old lady, who was very appreciative. I just love being God’s blessing to someone.
