Over the weekend I got to baby sit my two little nephews. What JOY they are. So small, so sweet, so innocent.
Friday night I watched baby Gage so mom and dad could go have some me time together.
Then Saturday I watched baby Kiron so mom and dad could go celebrate there one year anniversary.
So for both occasions that left uncle Kevin and aunt Chrissy here to spoil them and eat up any baby syndrome we may have from time to time. LOL
This picture resonates an ordinary day, yet is priceless to me.
Absolutely PRICELESS.
Never again that young.
Yet CAUGHT forever in time.
PERFECT.
Amanda & Ryan (November 2005)
"For in him we live, and move, and have our being...":
God created man in his image. The scripture states that the Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lord. God breathed into Man his breath… and man became an eternal Soul. This little breath Christ came to restore Man to his original place. The Instrument God chose to use to restore Humanity is not just a message, or even a single preacher….. God Chose to create a spiritual organism that is the Church. Not a Denomination, but the Church. What makes a church is not a building.What makes a church is not a steeple.What makes a church is not people and a preacher.produced eternity within man. Man fell because of a willful choice to disobey God’s word. ...
The Church is not founded in Rome. The Church is founded in the Book of Acts. We become apart of that Apostolic Church by using the keys upon which Peter gave us for entrance into the Kingdom. What makes a Church is the Common Experience of the NewBirth described in John 3. We get this experience by following the directions of Apostle Peter.
The Measure of a Man.
As Men we find that there is available to us many things in measure. I am Five Foot, seven inches tall and weigh about 120 pounds. I wear size eight shoes. My IQ is neither high nor low. The Bible says that every man is given a measure of faith. We are instructed to minister, prophesy and give according the to the measure of ministry we have in that area.
I believe that God can increase our measure as men. For an example the measure of faith to give five dollars requires one level of faith, to give your last five dollars requires a different level. To give five thousand dollars another...and on. To tell someone you feel the Lord wants you to tell them that Jesus loves them. To look at them and prophesy life changing words of prophetic utterance is another level. To prophecy blessing...or to prophecy cursing.
The measure of men, we are instructed to constantly reach and grow in the measure we have.
The Church is not measured by only a local congregation. A local congregation is not measured just on the numerical value that you see. There are small churches all over this world that have gave birth to world wide ministries. Little Churches are the beginning of Mega Churches. But even if the little church never makes headlines in revival growth... there is within the smallest church a measure of unspeakable power. The Church is of a measure that nothing in this world competes with. When we are born again by obeying the Gospel Message of Acts 2:38, through the introductory keys given to us by Peter... we enter into a place .... in a measure of unspeakable power.
The Measure of the Church is the Measure of Heaven in this world.
We can talk about what a single man can do for God, and it is noteworthy and worthy of praise. But when we start talking about what the Church Can do. When single men with a common purpose join together to be a part of something bigger... you are looking at a measure that is of unspeakable value.
The Measure of Men... The Measure of the Church.
The Church is a place where the scripture tells us.
Read Matthew 18:11-20
Even Jesus Christ in the Flesh would not do what the Church would do.
When Pentecost Came....
We see the Measure of God poured out on men...
And what happened...
when the measure of God fell on the Generation of Men?
The Church Was born... and the Measure of Men could not contain the measure of God.
The Spirit Fell.
It fell in Jerusalem,
it fell in Judea,
It fell in Samaria,
It fell on the Jews,
It fell on the Samaritans,
It fell on the Gentiles,
It fell on the Ephesians
It fell on the Philippians
It fell on the Corinthians,
It fell on the Laodiceans,
It fell on the World at large.
In Single houses....
In Small towns
In Big Towns,
IN small cities,
IN large Cities.
There is something miraculous happens when the Measure of God touches the heart of a common man. WE find this spirit will connect them to the Immeasurable Power of the Church. The Little Home Missions Church has access to the Measure of the Church. The Mega Church has access to the Measure of the Church.
Jesus Gave the Church a Purpose Greater than his own ministry.
Jesus Gave the Church a Power to change our world by bringing the Kingdom of God into our world.
The Kingdom of God.
When we get in the Kingdom of God…..
The Kingdom of this World will be Changed.
When I read about what is in heaven…
I read what is in heaven…I get a glimpse of what we can have here in this world, while in the Church.
There is no sickness.
There is no Marriage problems
There is no drug addictions.
There is no demon possessions.
There is no Cancer.
There is no barreness.
The Kingdom of God is manifested in the presence of the Church.
When you receive the Holy Ghost,
It is more than signing a Commitment Card.
It is more than a public confession,
It is more than a sinners prayer….
It is the promise of the Spirit.
John Called it the Baptism of Christ…..
“He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and Fire!”
Jesus called it many things,
“The Comforter”
The Spirit of Truth
The Spirit of Adoption
The Holy Spirit
Do you want to have the Kingdom of God in your life?
Let me hold the door for you.
" Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Acts 2:37-39 KJV
The Measure of the Church? It is the Kingdom of Heaven in this World.
This revelation was brought to me today at lunch by a good friend - Just a reminder to stead fast and hang on. B/c OUR Lord God Almighty has BIG plans for us.
"Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!" declare the Lord. Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: "Because you have scattered my flock and driven them a way and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done," declared the Lord. "I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will place shepherd over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the Lord.
Wow this scripture speaks many volumes to me. But also answers a prayer to.
Wake Up! Was the theme this year. With Bro.Wells and Bro. Jolly preaching the services.Which sounded like they did a awesome job. So glad the girls were able to go and have such a refreshing time with others there age. Here are just a couple of pictures with Amanda and a couple of her friends Bridgett and Hannah. (maybe I will put a slide show together soon. To share all there excitement.)
Was a great day. After church we went to the Gator Farm in Grand Saline and took some back roads home which was pretty interesting in its self =)
Happy Fathers Day to a wonderful husband,dad, and friend... We love you bunches my hunny.
Another annual family day has come and gone, but what a great turn out we had.
We got to spend Birthday's with family we don't normally celebrate with as well.
It was a fun blast all together.
I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow...
"For in him we live,and move,and have our being... " : Don't let someone else season your life.
How much of what we think about others has to do with what others have said and not what we have personally experienced... however it can easily feel personal, when it is nothing more that an evil report...
He came that we might have life and life we have it more abundantly, now and later for all eternity.
