Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
GLOBAL PRAYER DAYS
We will be hosting
the International Prayer Days tonight from 7.30- 11 p.m.
in our church in Gumushsuyu.
Welcome!
the International Prayer Days tonight from 7.30- 11 p.m.
in our church in Gumushsuyu.
Welcome!
from hearing to listening
In Luke 11:28 a woman wanted to make a religion around
the mother of Jesus.
He responded plainly saying that more blessed are those
who hear the word of God and keep it.
Religious rituals bring a sense of security into people’s life.
Keeping the rules gives a feeling of achievement, but doesn’t
bring any satisfaction into a relationship.
Samuel taught this lesson to Saul:
“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” I Samuel 15:22
Ritualistic, mechanical obedience doesn’t require continual
listening. A person starts trusting in his own ability to worship God.
A living fellowship with the Savior keeps us in a place where
we don’t just hear his word, but listen to it.
There is a big difference between hearing and listening.
Hearing doesn’t require understanding.
Listening expresses a desire to understand.
Hearing makes us responsible.
Listening shows that we are responsible.
Listening is something that we choose to do.
It requires concentration.
Listening leads to learning.
Maybe I heard him yesterday, but I know that unless I listen
to him today I will not be able to follow him.
the mother of Jesus.
He responded plainly saying that more blessed are those
who hear the word of God and keep it.
Religious rituals bring a sense of security into people’s life.
Keeping the rules gives a feeling of achievement, but doesn’t
bring any satisfaction into a relationship.
Samuel taught this lesson to Saul:
“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” I Samuel 15:22
Ritualistic, mechanical obedience doesn’t require continual
listening. A person starts trusting in his own ability to worship God.
A living fellowship with the Savior keeps us in a place where
we don’t just hear his word, but listen to it.
There is a big difference between hearing and listening.
Hearing doesn’t require understanding.
Listening expresses a desire to understand.
Hearing makes us responsible.
Listening shows that we are responsible.
Listening is something that we choose to do.
It requires concentration.
Listening leads to learning.
Maybe I heard him yesterday, but I know that unless I listen
to him today I will not be able to follow him.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
ministering grace
Orientation means determining one’s location in his surroundings.
“Orientation is a function of the mind involving awareness of three dimensions: time, place and person. Problems with orientation lead to disorientation. Typically, disorientation is first in time, then in place and finally in person.”
Wikipedia definition
We use the word orientation to describe our values, interests and priorities.
It also speaks about our goals and schedules.
God wants us to know where we are at.
Biblical information without a personal experience of God’s grace misleads us.
We become legalistic.
It’s the kind of legalism that has a spiritual appearance but no
spiritual content. It’s not possible to know God outside of grace.
It’s so easy to get distracted in our thinking.
I believe that there is a whole invisible
army of demons that have been designated to distract us from grace.
Being carnally minded brings lifelessness into our lives.
Death in co-crucifixion with Christ brings forth an unspeakable joy. Rom.8:6
The use of religious words alone doesn’t guarantee spiritual orientation.
It’s possible to have right words and still be disoriented.
Grace always brings us to the right place.
We cannot have a spiritual ministry without grace orientation.
We need to humble ourselves.
We need to be in a place where we receive his grace daily.
Then we can minister grace to others.
“Orientation is a function of the mind involving awareness of three dimensions: time, place and person. Problems with orientation lead to disorientation. Typically, disorientation is first in time, then in place and finally in person.”
Wikipedia definition
We use the word orientation to describe our values, interests and priorities.
It also speaks about our goals and schedules.
God wants us to know where we are at.
Biblical information without a personal experience of God’s grace misleads us.
We become legalistic.
It’s the kind of legalism that has a spiritual appearance but no
spiritual content. It’s not possible to know God outside of grace.
It’s so easy to get distracted in our thinking.
I believe that there is a whole invisible
army of demons that have been designated to distract us from grace.
Being carnally minded brings lifelessness into our lives.
Death in co-crucifixion with Christ brings forth an unspeakable joy. Rom.8:6
The use of religious words alone doesn’t guarantee spiritual orientation.
It’s possible to have right words and still be disoriented.
Grace always brings us to the right place.
We cannot have a spiritual ministry without grace orientation.
We need to humble ourselves.
We need to be in a place where we receive his grace daily.
Then we can minister grace to others.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
God gives us words
We should not be afraid of words.
They are our servants and given by God as stepping stones
for our pilgrimage through this stormy world.
Some people claim to posses words as something that they
have figured out. How primitive that looks.
It’s a deception to think that we can demand God to ask for
our permission in order for him to speak to people.
Sometimes our limited vocabulary creates a zone of false security
around us.
Using the same words with the same people year after year is
no guarantee for unity.
The best hypocrites have learned to hide behind words.
Christ is God’s final Word.
We are just starting to learn of him.
Claiming to know him better than others is a dangerous attitude.
Time and it’s trials will show.
Sometimes people in the Old Testament heard the voice of God
and trembled with fear.
Has the sound of His words changed?
God doesn’t change, neither do his words.
If we have the grace to hear his words today,
let’s not boast, but tremble.
“And I brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence
Of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God...
I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling...”
I Cor.2:1-5
They are our servants and given by God as stepping stones
for our pilgrimage through this stormy world.
Some people claim to posses words as something that they
have figured out. How primitive that looks.
It’s a deception to think that we can demand God to ask for
our permission in order for him to speak to people.
Sometimes our limited vocabulary creates a zone of false security
around us.
Using the same words with the same people year after year is
no guarantee for unity.
The best hypocrites have learned to hide behind words.
Christ is God’s final Word.
We are just starting to learn of him.
Claiming to know him better than others is a dangerous attitude.
Time and it’s trials will show.
Sometimes people in the Old Testament heard the voice of God
and trembled with fear.
Has the sound of His words changed?
God doesn’t change, neither do his words.
If we have the grace to hear his words today,
let’s not boast, but tremble.
“And I brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence
Of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God...
I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling...”
I Cor.2:1-5
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
contradictions
One can laugh and cry in the same time.
We can fail and succeed simultaneously.
When we are weak, then we are strong. II Cor.12:10
These are interesting paradoxes of life.
The word paradox is often used interchangeably with
the word contradiction.
Lies disguise contradictions into paradoxes.
Aristotle’s law of contradiction states that
“One cannot say of something that it is and that it is not
in the same respect and at the same time.”
Most people have agreed to go on with their lives filled with
factual and emotional contradictions.
It’s kind of a self-deception.
It takes a lot of energy to ignore obvious facts of life.
Lying consumes our capacity of enjoying life.
In our relationship with God certain things
are clear contradictions.
You cannot obey and disobey God in the same time.
I Sam. 15:3,13,14
You cannot know and be ignorant in the same time.
Rom. 1:21
Faith can never be a way to escape reality. Faith is
a fearless attitude to choose right in order to see
the bigger picture. In that picture God’s grace deals
with our lives and carries us to new victories.
We can fail and succeed simultaneously.
When we are weak, then we are strong. II Cor.12:10
These are interesting paradoxes of life.
The word paradox is often used interchangeably with
the word contradiction.
Lies disguise contradictions into paradoxes.
Aristotle’s law of contradiction states that
“One cannot say of something that it is and that it is not
in the same respect and at the same time.”
Most people have agreed to go on with their lives filled with
factual and emotional contradictions.
It’s kind of a self-deception.
It takes a lot of energy to ignore obvious facts of life.
Lying consumes our capacity of enjoying life.
In our relationship with God certain things
are clear contradictions.
You cannot obey and disobey God in the same time.
I Sam. 15:3,13,14
You cannot know and be ignorant in the same time.
Rom. 1:21
Faith can never be a way to escape reality. Faith is
a fearless attitude to choose right in order to see
the bigger picture. In that picture God’s grace deals
with our lives and carries us to new victories.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
GRACE FACE / Yura
1. Name: Yura Zamoldinov
2. Profession: Helper in the Church
3. Church: Greater Grace Church in Baku
4. Lately been encouraged by:
Every day I’m so encouraged when I see
how God reveals his love for me and others.
You understand that God
is alive and near.
5. Missions vision:
I’m praying for the Turkish Window, especially for China and that we
would have a Greater Grace Church in Mongolia.
6. Special prayer request:
Please, pray for the situation with my apartment. Since last September
me and four other families have ended up in a difficult situation.
Pray also for the giving to increase in our church.
Pray for more spiritual growth for all of us.
7. Special greetings: P.Arto, Guy Singletary, P.Bob and Carolyn Lentz
2. Profession: Helper in the Church
3. Church: Greater Grace Church in Baku
4. Lately been encouraged by:
Every day I’m so encouraged when I see
how God reveals his love for me and others.
You understand that God
is alive and near.
5. Missions vision:
I’m praying for the Turkish Window, especially for China and that we
would have a Greater Grace Church in Mongolia.
6. Special prayer request:
Please, pray for the situation with my apartment. Since last September
me and four other families have ended up in a difficult situation.
Pray also for the giving to increase in our church.
Pray for more spiritual growth for all of us.
7. Special greetings: P.Arto, Guy Singletary, P.Bob and Carolyn Lentz
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
moods
Sometimes young men experience an overwhelming
culture shock after marriage. For the first time in their
life they are introduced to a woman’s emotions.
They find themselves also lost in their own moods.
Feelings come and go but moods want to settle in.
They have power to keep people in their grip for a
long time. Emptiness, sadness, purposelessness,
negativity, bitterness...
The indwelling of the word of God overcomes moods.
Colossians 3:16
A spiritual man has learned not to submit himself
to moods.
Truth is truth no matter what I feel about it.
Sin is sin. We don’t need to give in or justify it because
of moods.
We worship God, not because we are in mood to do so,
but because of truth.
We go to church , not because we are in a mood to do so,
but because of convictions.
People often use food to regulate their moods.
Eating makes people happy.
I might like bananas a lot, but I cannot eat them all the time.
Eating is not a lasting solution to moods,
the indwelling word of God is.
No wonder that Job claimed to esteem the Word of God
more than his daily bread. Job 23:12
He had a lot of reasons to dwell in moods, but the word
kept him sane even the deepest moments of his trial.
culture shock after marriage. For the first time in their
life they are introduced to a woman’s emotions.
They find themselves also lost in their own moods.
Feelings come and go but moods want to settle in.
They have power to keep people in their grip for a
long time. Emptiness, sadness, purposelessness,
negativity, bitterness...
The indwelling of the word of God overcomes moods.
Colossians 3:16
A spiritual man has learned not to submit himself
to moods.
Truth is truth no matter what I feel about it.
Sin is sin. We don’t need to give in or justify it because
of moods.
We worship God, not because we are in mood to do so,
but because of truth.
We go to church , not because we are in a mood to do so,
but because of convictions.
People often use food to regulate their moods.
Eating makes people happy.
I might like bananas a lot, but I cannot eat them all the time.
Eating is not a lasting solution to moods,
the indwelling word of God is.
No wonder that Job claimed to esteem the Word of God
more than his daily bread. Job 23:12
He had a lot of reasons to dwell in moods, but the word
kept him sane even the deepest moments of his trial.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
no sweat
God is working today.
His work causes no sweat.
I think that it is a great misunderstanding to think that
God is trying to fix us. That is not his work.
His work is love.
In his love we change and are prepared for eternity.
God created man with an opportunity to disobey.
Man created a robot, someone whom he could perfectly
control, turn on and off and fix, if needed.
After God’s work of creation He rested, but not because
He was tired. He rested in order to admire His workmanship.
There was so much to be in awe with.
We see how His work continues today;
Faith is born in people’s hearts.
People learn to forgive.
Grace becomes a strong principle in relationships.
People choose to love unconditionally.
Man’s yelling and forcing looks so ugly when compared
with the work of God.
It could never help God to accomplish his work.
Resting in His love is the greatest lesson to learn on this earth.
“The blessing of the Lord makes one rich,
and He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22
His work causes no sweat.
I think that it is a great misunderstanding to think that
God is trying to fix us. That is not his work.
His work is love.
In his love we change and are prepared for eternity.
God created man with an opportunity to disobey.
Man created a robot, someone whom he could perfectly
control, turn on and off and fix, if needed.
After God’s work of creation He rested, but not because
He was tired. He rested in order to admire His workmanship.
There was so much to be in awe with.
We see how His work continues today;
Faith is born in people’s hearts.
People learn to forgive.
Grace becomes a strong principle in relationships.
People choose to love unconditionally.
Man’s yelling and forcing looks so ugly when compared
with the work of God.
It could never help God to accomplish his work.
Resting in His love is the greatest lesson to learn on this earth.
“The blessing of the Lord makes one rich,
and He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
wearing out
I have been looking at a topic which I think we will be discussing at Friday nights rap. Daniel 7:25, states that there are three things in which Satan’s kingdom does.
1. Attacks the Most high
2. Wears out the Saints
3. Tries to change the times and truth
There are two ways in which Satan tries to wear out the saints. The slow and the forceful. He tries to wear us out by bombarding us with a battering ram over and over.
He tries through force to exhaust us. Then there is plan b. which most of us just can not handle. Ever hear of the Chinese water torture. One drop at a time continuously.
Like a clock in someone’s house you are just visiting. Clicking away every second.
Daniel had faced the force attacks over and over with out a problem. Lions? What Lions, oh those house cats, no problem.
We read though in Daniel 10 that he became wore out. 4 times he had no strength, 2 times he was trembling, he was alone, sleepy, feared, depressed, speechless, overwhelmed, and frail. This was all by his own admission.
All because he was worn out by the spiritual war that was going on that he was unaware of. I wonder how many times we live in one of these results that Daniel had and blame it on bad food, mood, weather, people, etc. when in all reality we are the focal point of a war that is going on around us and we are not even aware of it.
The encouraging thing is that God does not leave us, the Holy Spirit lives in us, Rom8:11.
Next God does not leave us defenseless; we have angels given to us Psalm 103:20, 21; 104:4
God loves us and strengthens us in that love Daniel 10:11, 19
As men sometimes we are ready for the challenge of a good fight and we do well in that adversity, it is the slow repetitious plotting along that wears us out.
A time to wait, fly, run, walk. Ish 40:31 that is what renews our strength so we do not become worn out and faint.
God Bless
P.Duane George
1. Attacks the Most high
2. Wears out the Saints
3. Tries to change the times and truth
There are two ways in which Satan tries to wear out the saints. The slow and the forceful. He tries to wear us out by bombarding us with a battering ram over and over.
He tries through force to exhaust us. Then there is plan b. which most of us just can not handle. Ever hear of the Chinese water torture. One drop at a time continuously.
Like a clock in someone’s house you are just visiting. Clicking away every second.
Daniel had faced the force attacks over and over with out a problem. Lions? What Lions, oh those house cats, no problem.
We read though in Daniel 10 that he became wore out. 4 times he had no strength, 2 times he was trembling, he was alone, sleepy, feared, depressed, speechless, overwhelmed, and frail. This was all by his own admission.
All because he was worn out by the spiritual war that was going on that he was unaware of. I wonder how many times we live in one of these results that Daniel had and blame it on bad food, mood, weather, people, etc. when in all reality we are the focal point of a war that is going on around us and we are not even aware of it.
The encouraging thing is that God does not leave us, the Holy Spirit lives in us, Rom8:11.
Next God does not leave us defenseless; we have angels given to us Psalm 103:20, 21; 104:4
God loves us and strengthens us in that love Daniel 10:11, 19
As men sometimes we are ready for the challenge of a good fight and we do well in that adversity, it is the slow repetitious plotting along that wears us out.
A time to wait, fly, run, walk. Ish 40:31 that is what renews our strength so we do not become worn out and faint.
God Bless
P.Duane George
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