The Star of Bethlehem (scientific proof)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCLmRB-OpGE pretty amazing stuff from an amazing God. His coming again WILL be in Zion, but it will not be caused by Zionism

God uses the most unlikely people.

From Steven Furtick: http://www.stevenfurtick.com/personal-development/be-careful-who-you%E2%80%99re-counting-out/ Be Careful Who You’re Counting Out Tuesday December 6th, 2011 – Permalink | Motivation, Personal Development The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. -Matthew 14:21 Jesus didn’t feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. He fed a crowd of people that numbered 5,000-besides women and children. But in those days, the women and children typically weren’t part of the headcount. Therefore, we typically refer to this incident as the feeding of the 5,000. Actually, it was more like 20,000, at the very least. With this in mind, isn’t it remarkable that the ingredients for the miracle came from a little boy? Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” -John 6:8-9 God fed the multitude through the meager resources of a child who wasn’t even included in the original count. God likes the unlikely. When He looks for someone to use, He often looks for the under looked. He calls for the youngest son, who wasn’t even worth bringing in from the sheep field, from the perspective of his father and older brothers. Be careful before you count someone out. They might be the channel of your miracle. And if you’ve been counted out lately, don’t worry. God often hides His provision in places where no one else would know to look for them. Man looks at the outward appearance. But God looks at the heart…

THOSE CRITICAL PEOPLE Aaron and Miriam criticized Moses. Numbers 12:1-8 People criticized Paul for being a bad speaker. 2 Cor. 10:10 Pharisees criticized Jesus for eating with sinners and healing on the Sabbath. Mark 2:16, Luke 13:14 I WILL BE Criticized! It's a given. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM NEVER IGNORE THE VALUE OF CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. 32 If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself… Proverbs 15:31-32 NLT DEALING WITH UNJUST CRITICISM PRAY! 1) GOD, HELP ME KNOW WHEN TO RESPOND TO CRITICISM. Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, "Why have you treated us like this?... And they criticized him sharply. 2 But he answered them… Judges 8:1-2 …When the men of Ephraim heard Gideon's answer, they were no longer angry. Judges 8:3 NLT 2) GOD, HELP ME KNOW WHEN TO DISMISS INVALID CRITICISM. 23 When they hurled their insults at [Jesus], he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:23 don't become obsessed with what others think about you. don't take offense to criticism from someone that may be hurting and lashing out. Rise above it! You have an important calling from God to let any little thing take you off task. 3) GOD, HELP ME OVERCOME MY OWN CRITICAL NATURE. Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. Proverbs 12:18 NLT love others up, don't tear them apart. live in the security of who you are in Christ! TALK IT OVER Share a time when you received constructive criticism. How did you respond to it? What steps do you need to take to put God's opinion of you ahead of other people's opinion? How have you been unjustly critical of others? What will you do to overcome your own critical nature?

Palestinian statehood and capital punishment on my mind.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’" Matthew 24: 37-39 A created Zion ahead of God has created an apartheid state (Israel) that insists on genocide. My heart bleeds for all those at war over this, but the Palestinians are on the losing end. I know it breaks God's heart too. Troy Davis will be executed in GA tomorrow. There is quite a bit of doubt about his guilt but as in the case of Cameron Willingham in Texas (where proof was found of his innocence) the parole boards refused to hear the evidence and grant clemency. Is it possible that we knowingly execute innocent people now? I think it's time to withdraw the death penalty and get about making more prisons to house people for life. And I plan on rallying loudly for that.

The A.C.T.S. of Prayer

A.C.T.S

A) Adoration
Webster defines as the act of worship or honor, or to regard with loving admiration
>>Isaiah 37:16
>>Psalms 23

B) Confession
The ultimate act of spiritual warfare is that which we do against our own sinful nature.
>>1 John 1:9
>>Leviticus 5:5

C) Thanksgiving
A main staple of prayer.
>>Psalms 95:2

D) Supplication.
This is where we ask.
>>Phillipian 4:6
>>1 Timothy 2:1
>>Ephesians 6:18

Blasphemy and edification

an addendum to stop the damn damning

Acts 13:45, the Jews at Antioch contradicted and blasphemed those things spoken by Paul. Blasphemy in general is speaking against. Motive and meaning are important! God breathed his words. One does not speak against something unless one is meaning to attack something, regardless of what words one uses. Attacking something (or someone) is usually filled with deception which in truth is lies. A lie is an abomination to the Lord. Again, it is all in the motive and meaning. If it is to tear down: it is blasphemy and an abomination.

The charge (first epistle of Thessalonians) for Christians is to edify. Love one another, honor one another, serve one another, bear WITH one another, submit to one another, be kind and forgive one another, EXHORT one another. Encouraging anyone and everyone to become like Jesus in a relational way, regardless of their religious identity, theology, "credentials", and putting personal motives aside, might just be what Jesus meant when he said go, and make disciples. He didn't say go and rip all those apart that may not fit 'your' church, ideology or isms.

Love one another is a commandment, not a suggestion.

Freedom Friday

Lead me from death to life,
from falsehood to truth.
Lead me from despair to hope,
from fear to trust.
Lead me from hate to love,
from war to peace.
Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe.
Peace, peace, peace.

Prayers for the oppressed
a plea to God that our transgressions be overlooked, that divine mercy be bestowed upon us, that social justice be restored in spite of us, that wrongs be righted, and that
righteousness reign once again in our lands.

Who Do You Think You Are?

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?—4

SALT AND LIGHT

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³²I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31-32

• YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Matthew 5:13

WHAT DOES SALT DO?

• SALT PRESERVES.
• SALT PURIFIES.
• SALT CREATES THIRST.
• SALT MELTS.
• SALT HEALS.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

• LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25

Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. ²⁷The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” Acts 16:26-28

• YOUR SALT AND LIGHT LIVING CHANGES LIVES.

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" ³¹They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household." Acts 16:29-31

Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. ³³At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. ³⁴The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God — he and his whole family. Acts 16:32-34

Who do you think you are? Masterpiece

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?—2

MASTERPIECE

WITHOUT CHRIST, THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU.

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins…

3

By our very nature we were

subject to God's anger, just like everyone else.

4

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,

5

that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the

dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) Ephesians 2:1, 3-5 NLT

WITH CHRIST, YOU ARE GOD’S MASTERPIECE.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from

God.

9

Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

10

For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good

things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT

AS GOD’S MASTERPIECE

1) YOU ARE CREATED FOR THE MASTER’S PURPOSE.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14

I praise you because I

am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

15

My frame was

not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of

the earth,

16

your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:13-16

2) YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO DO EVERYTHING GOD WANTS YOU TO DO.

[God’s] divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge

of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

3) GOD USES EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE TO BRING ABOUT HIS PURPOSES.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called

according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

IF YOU DON’T LIKE YOUR YOURSELF

LET GOD REMAKE YOU.

So I went down to the potter's house and saw him working at the potter's wheel. 4 He was using his

hands to make a pot from clay, but something went wrong with it. So the potter used that clay to

make another pot the way he wanted it to be. Jeremiah 18:3-4 NCV

Who do you think you are?

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?—1

AMBASSADORS

* WHEN YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YOU’LL KNOW WHAT TO DO.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 19…And [God] has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17, 19-21

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

* YOU ARE AN AMBASSADOR SENT BY GODFROM HEAVEN TO EARTH.

AS CHRIST’S AMBASSADOR

* YOU WERE NOT ELECTED BY PEOPLE BUT CHOSEN AND APPOINTED BY GOD!

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last… 19As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.John 15:16, 19

But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles… Acts 9:15

* YOU NEVER REPRESENT YOURSELF. YOU ALWAYS REPRESENT GOD.

For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. John 6:38

I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn't tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority. 2 Corinthians 10:8 NLT

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God weremaking his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

TALK IT OVER

· Discuss what being “in Christ” really means. You may want to search for that phrase in the book of Ephesians for ideas.

· When a person accepts Christ, what about them would you expect to be new and different?

· If you don’t feel like an ambassador, what will you do this week to step into that truth?

Eucharist

The purpose of the Eucharist is not us trying to make Jesus come down here but our obeying Jesus to invoke him, to do this in memory of him, in such a way that we find ourselves transported into participating in the “heavenly banquet”. ~~James Alison

*opening prayer (silent) Ask God to prepare your hearts.

Luke 22;14-20
14 When it was time, he sat down, all the apostles with him,15 and said, “You’ve no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering.16 It’s the last one I’ll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of God.” 17 Taking the cup, he blessed it, then said, “Take this and pass it among you.18 As for me, I’ll not drink wine again until the kingdom of God arrives.” (raise bread and wine and ask God to bless them)
19 Taking bread, he blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, given for you. Eat it in my memory.” Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven (take the bread)
20 He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you. Do this in remembrance of Me (take the wine)

James 5;7 PP
7 Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master’s Arrival. We share in communion here until the day we share in the communion of the saints at His table in Heaven.

*closing prayer aloud or silent

Quit complaining!

I QUIT COMPLAINING

I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul. Job 10:1

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death." Exodus 16:2-4

THE COST OF COMPLAINING

1) COMPLAINING OFFENDS THE HEART OF GOD.

Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. Numbers 11:1-2

2) COMPLAINING CARRIES SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCES.

"How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. 28 So tell them, 'As surely as I live… 30 Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home... Numbers 14:27-28, 30

RESTRAINING OUR COMPLAINING

· WHAT? DO NOT COMPLAIN.

Do everything without complaining or arguing... Philippians 2:14

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

· WHY? SO YOU CAN BECOME MORE LIKE CHRIST.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation… Philippians 2:14-15

…For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45

· HOW? CHOOSE TO REJOICE NO MATTER WHAT.

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Philippians 2:17-18

ALL IN!!!!

LIFE CHURCH VALUES

1) We will do anything short of sin to reach people who don’t know Christ. To reach people no one is reaching, we’ll have to do things no one is doing. Added daily to the believers Acts 2;32

2) We are all about the “capital C” Church! The local church is the hope of the world and we know we can accomplish infinitely more together than apart. We will be know for what we are for, not what we are against!

3) We are spiritual contributors not spiritual consumers. The church does not exist for us. We are the church and we exist for the world. not looking for a church that meets our needs, we need to meet the needs of the world!

4) We will lead the way with irrational generosity. We truly believe it is more blessed to give than to receive. free youversion! the Bible is not for sale. free resources! fanatically generous!

5) We are faith-filled, big thinking, bet-the-farm risk takers. We’ll never insult God with small thinking and safe living. ground floor! micro church with a mega vision!

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Acts 20:24

This is the beginning of Lifechurch in Tampa, Fl!

Stop the damn damning!

Matthew 6;10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (NIV)

What does the kingdom look like?

How do you know?

What if this is the kingdom on earth?

The whores, the gays, the prostitutes, the murderers, the Jews, the Palestinians, the Muslims, the...have I got all the damned? Who are we to judge who will be in 'the kingdom'? These people are here living in the kingdom on earth now. Deal with it. God loves everyone of them.

You are kingdom subjects now!

Matthew 5:48 MSG “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.

The keys to the kingdom are in your hands because God let you hold them. Don't let him down. Quit damning his people.

keys

First Things First!

FIRST THINGS FIRST

1) FIRST OF THE DAY: SEEK GOD

…O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 NKJV

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35

2) FIRST OF THE WEEK: WORSHIP

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread... Acts 20:7

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another… Hebrews 10:25

3) FIRST OF THE MONTH: TITHE

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30

…Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Matthew 23:23 NLT

4) FIRST OF THE YEAR: FAST

Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord. Joel 1:14 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:17-18

Starting the Daniel Fast with Lifechurch.tv

here's the poop: http://is.gd/jYeJo

I'll be adding my notes about the fast on youversion here; my poop

I'm so not a writer, but someone might find it interesting one day.

peace out