Kingdom work sometimes means turkeys, S'mores, and theatrics

From the Pastor's Desk

Missions Week starts on November 10 with Mission's Sunday. We have ministry partners around the country and the globe, and right here in our backyard. 

On Saturday, we partnered with one of our local ministries, run by Chuck Watson. We got to help him put on Fall on the Ranch! We got to minister to single parents and their children. We gave away turkeys and sides for Thanksgiving meals. We treated these families to horseback riding, fishing, face painting, crafts, grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, and a FREE garage sale with furniture, bikes, clothes, etc. And, of course, we had an entire station just for S'mores. 

One mother I talked to said that Ranch Day is the only time she feels free to let her kids run around and have fun. Not a second after she said that, her two youngest girls ran by with their faces painted and leaped onto the back of the hayride as it pulled away for its final hayride of the day. 

After the hayride, we gathered everyone for the Golden Nugget, which is a time in the festivities when we stopped all the other activities and shared the good news of Jesus with the whole crowd. This time, I got to share! I went deep in my bag and presented the gospel as I did in Kenya earlier this year, which involves a little theatrics! 

Here are a few pictures from Fall on the Ranch. 





Notes from the Sermon










Sermon Title: Hearing God's Voice through Prophecy 

What we Believe:

  • Prophecy is saying in human words what God spontaneously brings to mind. It is important to exercise the gift of prophecy in the community context to be accountable and receive confirmation and wisdom from others. 
  • You can hear the Lord because the Lord has redeemed you.
  • Prophets predict the future so that believers can prepare for the future. Acts 11:28-30
  • Prophets reveal the present priorities of God for individuals or groups. Acts 13:1-3
  • Ways of getting impressions from God: seeing (in your mind's eye), hearing (in your spirit), knowing, thinking (wisdom, discernment), feeling (emotions) and sensory information, or a combination of these, or possibly, an auditory voice, a trance, or an angelic encounter.
  • True prophets can make mistakes. Know in part, and we prophesy in part. For this reason, we need to deliver prophecy humbly. We, like everyone, need to walk humbly and repent of our sins.   

How to Obey:

  • The only way to know for sure if a word is from the Lord is to share it (in your community)
  • Listen to the Lord the way he has said to do it in scripture
  • Eagerly seek prophecy (and all the gifts) and gladly receive what the Lord gives you.
  • If you receive a prophecy about the future, prepare and wait. Do not try to manipulate the situation.
  • How do you know if you have heard from the Lord? 
    • Does it align with scripture? 
    • Does it carry the heart of God? 
    • Is it edifying/encouraging/comforting? 
    • Do you feel a measure of peace about it? 
    • Have you taken the risk? 
  • Recognize that false prophets do exist. Consider the fruit of their lives, not just their supernatural ministry. 

How to walk Intimately with God: 

  • Share what you feel the Lord wants you to share. Then, continue listening to the Lord and trusted believers to confirm and grow in hearing the Lord. 
  • We listen for his voice because we love him. We love him because he first loved us.
  • God is kind, which is why he does miracles. It’s not because we are great Christians but because of how loving he is. 

To explore prophecy further, consider reading Jack Deere's Surprised by the Voice of God and listening to the Remnant Radio podcasts on the subject.

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