Wow We Did it!!

This year the youth of House of Prayer and Praise, better known as Ministry-N-Me, decided to move where we have our worship services.  We were in the fellowship hall and it was just that, a fellowship hall that we setup for service.  Normally others still saw JUST a hall with young people in, but never really a sanctuary of God.

So we moved back to our old spot which was an old game room.  “How are we going to do this now God?” is what I said.  In the hall we have mics, sounds, tracks, huge stage and some other goodies.  This was just a game room that had a lot of older junk.  Well we gathered together and cleaned it up, setup some lights, replaced some ceiling tiles and changed the chairs. 

Wow, we did it!  With zero dollars and just a vision and help we made a room look like a sanctuary……………….but just chairs and lights are nothing so a young lady came in the room and ask did we pray.  What, no we didn’t pray.  She told us it just felt like God was there and that we had been praying…….so I asked her to lead us in one right then.  Man oh man you have to love the spirit of God because it was at that moment that it became a sanctuary.

To have a vision then to see it become real is so fulfilling.  I’m tearing up as I type because God is so awesome.  Ministry-N-Me is going to be so great now that we have OUR OWN.  OUR OWN PLACE FOR GOD AND WHERE WE CAN JUST BE FREE IN HIS PRESENCE.  MAN OH MAN WE DID IT.

Let’s Talk – What vision are you waiting for God to reveal to you?  What steps are you doing to make it happen?  I can’t wait for you to walk in what he has waiting so comment please.

Purpose and Power

Today at Ministry-N-Me we heard the word speak on understanding your purpose to have total happiness.

Elder said that once we know our purpose or gift then we can tap into POWER!!!

LET’S TALK
Do you know your spiritual gift? If not what’s the hardest part about finding out what it is? If I were to walk in that gift with no fear what would you try to accomplish?

Expectation

Expect = To look forward to the probable occurrence or appearance of.

Ok so how do we show that expectancy? Why is it some people can see that we’re looking forward to something happening?

It’s because if you believe it’s going to happen you speak it, do things to prepare and you believe. So wear the teams jersey or remind others to get ready or you tweet n post about it all the time.

So what do we expect from God? I hear you ask him for some things but what do you demand? Does he know you’re expecting it or does it sound “good” if it happens. Are you praying more because IT’S ON THE WAY, or FB Updates predict how cool it’s going to be? Do you prove to God that you expect him to bless you and be there for you?

I have a child on the way, my first, and is the room ready? Do I have the cloths purchase? Have I told people the date and spoke about how happy I am? Even though the child is not in this world, well completely ,have I showed that I expect everything to go right.

You see God only request that we be his people in order for him to be our God. So there is a “DO” part that requires us to do something then it’s his turn. So we have to start showing our God that we expect him to be our God. Speak the blessing that he is going to do but then also follow that with actions. Pray about it and tell others. Start walking in the new way even before it’s here. Put an expecting on your God and show that you are his people.

I promise that once you expect the best and show it then God will deliver his best and show you how happy he is to see your faith in action.

Are the Promises in Your Heart

What are promises, but a bond of word from one person to another. A person’s word is binding and is law.

Psalms 119:11(Message Bible) I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.

This means so much to me. Every promise that God has given you and your family, has to come to pass, as long as you have the word of God in your heart.

When you have the word of God in your heart it then becomes easier to do what’s right because you know better.
Matthew 6:21 (King James Version) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

So if your treasure is God then the word of God will be in your heart. Whatever you focus on, whatever you spend the majority of your time on doing, that is where your heart is.

So are you focusing on the right things?

So what are some of God’s promises? God’s promise to Abraham was first spelled out in Genesis Chapter 12. It was repeated in Chapter 22. Verse 18 reads: “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice”.

Are you holding up your blessings because you neglect to obey God’s voice?

Okay so let’s talk about a few questions i pose to you:
What does a promise mean to you? What are some of God’s promises? Do you believe that God will fulfill his promises? What is your treasure? Are you focusing on the right things? Are you holding up your blessings because you neglect to obey God’s voice?

Quitters, Are You One of Them

“Quitter’s Quote”
Unsuccessful, unprofessional, unethnical, this is the most hardest thing to do , it is telling people that you can’t handle pressure, you fold under pressure, you don’t like doing work, hard or not, you are a quitter You give up before the situation becomes hard, you are and folded piece of paper, you hate on winners cause you aren’t use to winning, you are negative, you are those people that hate on others, to you giving up is easier than trying, you are not me ~Terence Snowden

A lot of time in life we tend to give up before we really embrace the situation that we are in. Quitting is easy, its enduring till the end that’s the hard part.Have you ever wanted to give up but found yourself having the strength to endure? So why do we quit, give up I would love to believe that its simply because its easy, but is it cause we don’t expect something greater of ourselves? Do you really know who you are?

I remember a time when I just wanted to call it all quits. I had given up on GOD I had, totally checked out of life and I did not care about anything anymore, but had it not been for GOD and with the help of peers and people that love me I don’t know where I would be. I would encourage you to link up with great Men and Women of GOD that will help you not hurt you.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Psalms 30:5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

So here are my questions to you: If you are a quitter, why? Have you ever wanted to give up but found yourself having the strength to endure? So why do we quit, give up I would love to believe that its simply because its easy, but is it cause we don’t expect something greater of ourselves? Do you really know who you are? Is it worth quitting? Have you ever been frustrated with GOD to where you were ready to quit, if so why, and what made you change your mind?

God All Powerful or God All Loving?

To really get the mind going i found a site called debating Christianity.  I was searching for a book asking the question, is God all powerful or all loving as the author says God can not be both.

The site has a topic about the same subject and it was interesting and completely understandable to anyone who has lived in the world for a more than a few years.  We all have probably asked the question about why bad things happen to good people or sometimes wonder, God, where is the all loving part of you?

The site and other books say that God can’t be both and therefore he probably doesn’t exist.

Let’s Talk –  Is God the all powerful God we have all heard about that destroyed the world and shows his wrath OR is he the all loving Christ who died for our sins and forgives us?  Can he be both?

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False Dreams?

POST COMES FROM HOPP YOUTH

Had a really interesting conversation today, someone said that religion is just a system of helping people get through their current problems by promising them heaven in the end. That suffering now and doing whats right would only help further them to heaven. The young man said that religion promises false dreams that could never be fulfilled.

Let’s Talk – My question to you is do you think that religion is a system of helping people cope with their existing problems?  Do you think that religion is promising false dreams that could never be fulfilled?

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The Lost Sheep

House of Prayer Youth bible study covered Luke 15:4-7, the story of the lost sheep.  There was a Sheppard who had 99 sheep and had lost one or it wondered off.  The Sheppard left the 99 to search and find the 1 then rejoiced when he did.

Like our father, God, who is our Sheppard, he searches for us when we’re lost then rejoices when we’re found.

What is interesting is Jesus tells them that heaven rejoices MORE over a sinner who repents then 99 saved righteous people who do not or do not need to.

Sometimes the “Church” gets caught up on itself and how we are the righteous and God is for us, but let’s not forget the passion of our Christ, the unsaved.  Jesus cares more that we spread the gospel to others then just keep it to ourselves.  Yes he loves me for being saved, but he rejoices more if I can assist someone with giving their life to God.

Let’s Talk – The Sheppard called his friends and rejoiced when the sheep was found.  Do you think God comes searching for us or is it up to the individual to come back on their own?

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Forcing the Child or Just Knowing What’s Best?

Last week Wednesday at House of Prayer and Praise we asked this question to our youth class.

Should parents MAKE or FORCE their children to come to church when their child doesn’t want to?

Answer from any point of view you would like and I would prefer to hear some personal feelings.  Remember, in the story of the Prodigal son Luke 15:11-32, did the parent know the son was too young to be given all his gifts?  Maybe that is why he was not able to survive on his own.

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PAIN

When we think of pain, we think of something bad or horrible.  A sensation that comes to us that hurts and we wish it would just go away.  The dictionary says pain is a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder.  Emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid.

I watched a show and there was a little girl who didn’t feel any pain, something most people would pay for, and the doctors were amazed at her and some jealous.  The problem was that the little girl was bleeding, and had been for some time, on the inside.  Her euphoria she had because of no pain was her killer, she didn’t know anything was wrong.

We think that pain is bad, but pain was given to us for a reason.  At least while we’re here on earth.  It alerts us, it tells us that there is a problem and also lets us know when we need help.  If i felt no pain in my hand/arm now, i would try to do things i’m not suppose to yet.  I might undo the work of the hand surgeon and potentially injury myself more.  With no pain you don’t know there is a problem that needs to be solved.

I hear from our Youth a lot and i listen to them talk about pain, hurt and neglect.  But what i want them to start seeing is what comes from pain is testimonies, love, repentance and healing!  The pain is there, but God is there to take that pain alway.  Maybe he allowed the pain so you can come to him to get help in an area that you thought was ok……….i mean if it didn’t hurt then would we ever do anything about it…..

Let’s Talk – Pray that God heals your pains and also reveal some hurts you really have.  How is he suppose to help if you don’t ask him to

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