Connect About Ministries Locations Events Give WATCH ONLINE SERMONS – NOTES A MESSAGE ON THE HOLY SPIRIT: POWER, PRESENCE, PERSON 8/15/21 – Ps. Steve Kelly Eph 4:10-14 (NIV) 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. One of Satan’s best strategies ever is to get people out of local church, we are called to build the church. To pass on our faith to the next generation, to grow the work of Jesus on earth. The enemy wants to keep you out of the local church because it will keep you: -Unequipped -Not serving but swerving -Keep the body weak -Divided -Immature -Infant In the New Testament ascension gifted prophet is given to some but not everyone or anyone. Being a prophet is a God given gift. However there are also 9 manifestation gifts in the New Testament, one of them being prophesy. These are inclusive gifts, we are all able to operate in these gifts. The manifestation gift of prophesy is given to every man to profit everyone. 1 Cor 12:7,11 (NIV) 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 1 – IS THE ONE WHO OPERATES THE GIFT OF PROPHESY A PROPHET? Not necessarily… Just because someone prophesies doesn’t mean they’re a prophet Prophesy can be operated by any church believer 2 – WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFT OF PROPHESY? It’s how God speaks to his church: Prediction, while a genuine part of prophesy, is only a small part The purpose of prophesy is not necessarily fore-telling but forth-telling It’s to speak for another The Greek word is ‘prophetia’ simply means to speak for another It’s given to comfort, exhort and edify 1 Cor 14:3 (NKJV) 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. It’s given so others can learn about the nature and character of God. 1 Cor 14:31 (NIV) 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. You can learn from someone else getting a prophetic word. Pastor Steve talks about how he learned from someone else getting a prophesy to push through the pain barrier and applied it to his own life. Is prophesy intended for guidance? Prophesy must NOT BE the sole basis for guidance, it may help confirm what God is already speaking to you about but it is not the basis upon which you act. 2 Cor 13:1 (NIV) This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If a prophesy doesn’t confirm what God has spoken to you about hold it in abeyance (put it on the shelf) until it’s confirmed or comes to pass. Our main source of guidance must come from the inner witness of the spirit and from the word of God, Not from prophesies. Romans 8:14 (NIV) For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. Don’t try fleeces outs, for example “God if you just do this, then it will confirm the prophesy.” Or “God if the sun comes up tomorrow then it will be my sign.” This is an Old Testament idea, but if we are not careful in our attempt to do this the devil could fleece us. Is the gift of Prophesy infallible? NO, prophesy must be judged. 1 Cor 14:29 (NIV) Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 1 Thess 5:19-21 (NIV) 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, Should it be exercised in private? No, The gift of prophecy is to be used in the Church or a fellowship of mature believers 1 Cor 14:4,12,23,26,28-29 (NIV) 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. The reason why the gift of prophecy is to be exercised in the church is so that others can be present to judge it (1 Cor 14:29) How do we judge Prophesy? The end purpose of all true prophecy is to build up, to admonish, and to encourage the people of God. Anything that is not directed to that end is not true prophecy (1 Cor 14:3) All true prophecy agrees with the letter and the spirit of the Scriptures (2 Tim 3:16) All true prophecy centers in Jesus Christ and exalts and glorifies him (John 16:13) True prophecy produces fruit in character and conduct that agrees with the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) If a prophetic revelation contains predictions concerning the future, are these predictions fulfilled? If not, the revelation is not from God (Deut 18:20-22) The fact that a person makes a prediction concerning the future which is fulfilled does not necessarily prove that person is a true prophet. If such a person, by his ministry, turns others away from obedience to the one true God, then that person is a false prophet, even if he makes correct predictions concerning the future (Deut 13:105) True prophecy, given by the Holy Spirit, produces liberty and not bondage (2 Cor 3:6) True prophecy, given by the Holy Spirit, is attested by the Holy Spirit within each believer who hears it (1 John 2:27) You must be a student of the word to discern It should be obvious in that order for one to judge fairly and correctly that prophecies he hears, he must be knowledgeable about the scriptures. The only real safety for the Christian lies in knowing and applying God’s word. When a person gives a prophesy is he or she forced to speak when the Holy Spirit moves on him or her? No. The Bible teaches clearly the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. 1 Cor 14:30,32 (NIV) 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. This means the one speaking is in complete control it is up to them to speak or not, decently and in order as Paul puts it Can women prophesy? Acts 2:17-18 (NIV) “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. Joel prophesied sons and daughters shall prophesy Acts 21:8-9 (NIV) 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. We see in Acts that Phillips daughters prophesied 1 Cor 11:5 (NIV) 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. It is a vulnerable thing for a woman who isn’t under covering to be deceived by the enemy (Adam didn’t cover Eve). PROPHESY MAY COME FROM ONE OF THREE SOURCES: 1 – A TRUE GIFT OF PROPHESY IS A GIFT OF GOD 1 Cor 12:10-11 (NIV) 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 2 – FALSE PROPHESY MAY COME FROM SATAN Duet 13:1-5 (NIV) If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. 5 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you. 3 – IT CAN COME SIMPLY THROUGH A HUMAN SPIRIT Ezekiel 13:2-3 (NIV) 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! 3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! DON’TS OF PROPHESY: DON’T DESPISE IT 1 Thess 5:20 (NIV) 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt. DON’T MONOPOLIZE THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT 1 Cor 14:26 (NIV) 26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. DON’T INTERRUPT SOMEONE ELSE SPEAKING 1 Cor 14:30-31 (NIV) 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. DON’T NEGLECT THE GIFT 1 Tim 4:14 (NKJV) Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. CANCELED: DANIEL VS CANCEL CULTURE – WORLD VIEW VS WORD VIEW (Pt. 2) 3/14/21 – Ps. Steve Kelly People don’t see things the way they really are; they see things the way they are. We must anchor ourselves to a world view based on God’s word! Every song we listen to has its world view Every TV show had its world view Every news show or newspaper presents its world view Social media posts we follow has their own world view A study done by The Barna Group said 60% Americans consider themselves deeply spiritual. However, the same people asked how does this effect their decision making? Almost a third said, “I make my decisions and moral choices based on what I feel is right or on what’s comfortable.” Another 18% said, “I make my decisions based on what I feel is best for me.” Another 14% said, “I make moral decisions based on what had the least conflict with others.” Only 16 % said, “I make my decisions based on what God’s word says or what the Bible says.” This means most Christians don’t have a biblical world view. They view their world through the lens of what they feel, rather than what God has said. This week Pastor Steve dives into the idea of how we should view our world through the Word of God, and how there might just be some things we choose to cancel in our own lives. //Luke 12:1-4 (NIV) Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. //Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV) 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Your Kingdom come Your will be done ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. We have earth life which is real and important yet only temporal. We also have another life, our eternal life and spiritual well being is forever. Do we spend more time focusing on our temporal life and stressors, or on the things of God pertaining to our Eternal life? Daniel 5:1-4 (NIV) King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. 2 While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father[a] had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3 So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. 5 Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. 6 His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking. God’s had enough! This was a mockery of the things of God, Nebuchadnezzar took something from the temple that was not supposed to be taken from the Temple. Suddenly, fingers appeared and began writing on the wall! Can you read the writing on the wall? Often we can see where we are headed, even before we being to see the consequences. If we have certain tendencies or practices, we should not be surprised by the outcome. In a job Always late Miss deadlines Never get promoted In a marriage Saying things like ‘You always do that’ or ‘you’ll never change’ Spending more time working on other relationships In health Eating poorly or having no discipline Not exercising and being active Finances Trying to keep up with the Joneses Spending more than you earn Family Where social life is more important than spiritual life Your kids don’t want to go to church but you never instilled the love for His house Daniel 5:22 -24 (NKJV) 22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 24 Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written. Here’s the meaning of the writing on the wall! 1.) Mene – God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Hebrew word means numbered and God even repeated it twice on the wall to make sure he paid attention to that first word. Belshazzar’s life is short in context to eternity and he was wasting his life. He was full of same pride and arrogance of his father. When we realize we have more than what we need, we tend to waste it. Do we number our days and take advantage of the gift of life we have been given? Do we take account for our days and actions to ensure we are walking out what God has called us to do on this earth? Matthew 6:33 (NJKV) 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. This Verse leads us to Have a right sense of priorities and order. The kingdom of God is first, then everything else falls below that. -Jesus talked more about heaven than anyone else. -Paul said for me to live is Christ and to die is gain, -John talked about heaven all through Revelation. -Hebrews reminds us of heaven —All these died in faith whom the world was not worthy. But we still see so many christians living on Some-day isle. Some day I’ll put the church first. Someday I’ll right my priorities and get my family planted. Someday I’ll start that business or start to get my health in order. The time is now, lets take ownership of our days, and live them fully. 2.) Tekel —Weighed We’re responsible for weighing our limited amount of time we spend here on earth Proverbs 11:1 (NCV) The Lord hates dishonest scales, but he is pleased with honest weights. Temptation is to think it’s a time management problem rather than kingdom priority. We all have he same amount of time in a day, week, month and year. It is not about having more time or less time, yet it is all about our priorities. What is first in our lives in terms of priority? Ps 39:4-5 (NIV) “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. 5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. 7 things we should take inventory of: Faith Marriage Family Job Health Finances Social What do I need to stop doing? Will this matter after I’m gone? Does your time, money and affections reflect that God really matters? 3.) Parsin —Divided consequences of living life divided Choose this day who you will serve. In a time where there is so much division, do we carry the same division in our own lives. Do we know who we serve, and does our life reflect that? As followers of Jesus, we need to let your yes be yes and no be no. We must stand united for Christ, but sometimes to stand we need to make sure we are rested, not lazy, but rested. Hebrews 4:9-11 (NIV) 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[a] just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. How can we find Rest? -Change of pace, not just sleep -Recreation – we need to play and have fun -Time with God – focusing our spirit on God -Prayer and reading the Word Mene, Tekel and Parsin. Today we learn from the life of Daniel that we must number our days, weigh them and work towards unity. In reflection what areas of our life do we need to take inventory of? Take time to pray and ask God to speak to you on this word. May we always put his voice first and keep his Word as our true north. CANCELED: DANIEL VS CANCEL CULTURE – REFUSING TO COMPROMISE 3/7/21 – Ps. Steve Kelly We have all seen or heard about this idea of “Cancel Culture.” It has become almost a daily occurrence to see in the media something or someone to be “cancelled.” Whether it be through actions, interpreted meanings or a list of things, we often see the world decide what is deemed appropriate or inappropriate. The response of the Church is very important when it comes to cancel culture, because it is not our opinion or our thoughts on the subject matter, it is the word of God. In this message Pastor Steve looks at what the word of God says about “Cancel Culture” and helps us see the world through the lens of The Word. //Daniel 1:1-21(NIV) In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia[a]and put in the treasure house of his god.3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your[c] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus. As we read through these passages, we see an upstanding group of men who are under question. They were tested, and because of their wisdom and understanding they were viewed as more trustworthy. Like we see in this passage, culture and this world is putting the bible and christian values under attack. With that being the case, it is imperative that we not only know what the word says so we can react accordingly, but it is equally as important we know which battles to get into! Are you arguing for or against things, or picking battles that the Word does not even address? Are we looking at the world through the lens of the Word, or looking at The Word through the lens of the world? //2 Corinthians 10:5 (NKJV) casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. //2 Corinthians 6:17 (NKJV) Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” This is the role of every Christian, we are called to cast down arguments that try to exalt themselves against the knowledge of Christ. We are called to be in the world, but not of it. We must be more concerned with our spiritual well being than our earthly life. God is the author of our lives, the author of knowledge, wisdom, health, prosperity and all that pertains to our spiritual well being. We must look to his words first, learn from his ways and have our lives reflect the live that he lived. Where in our lives have we put our earthly live above our eternal life? Have we exalted things above the knowledge of Christ. No matter how enlightened we are, and we have moved forward with advancements. However, if there is a day where we think we can take God out of the picture, we are astray. We are all in need of a savior, and his name is Jesus. The only way, the truth and the life, there is no other way to the Father but through him. We can learn from Daniel how to live in the world but not of it. It is important we know the word of God, know how it relates to the world and know the condition of the world around us. This will allow us to lead through the seasons of life, and the trends we see. God wants to use us to be involved and influence our nation, But to lead and influence, we must be a voice in the room. Daniel was able to lead in his time, because he decided before the dilemma. He knew in his heart the word of God and knew he what he stood for before he was faced with an issue, or faced with the world. Take some time this week to reflect on this, Do we know the Word we stand on well enough to know our convictions before we find ourselves in the midst of a challenge? Do we know what we stand for more than what we stand against? Take time to read through Daniels life, what more can we learn on how to stand in the world, but not merely blend in. //Romans 3:10-11 (NIV) As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks GoPsalms 51:5 (NIV) Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Romans 3:23 (NIV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, //Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV) There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. //Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV) 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. //Malachi 2:16 (NLT) 16 “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.” //1 Samuel 8:4-5 (NIV) 4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” //I Samuel 8:7 (NIV) 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. //Daniel 1:3-4; 7 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. //Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV) 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” //Psalms 139:13 (NIV) 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. //Psalms 139:16 (NIV) 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. //Joshua 24:15 (NIV) 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” //Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. //Psalms 119:105 (NKJV) Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Vision Sunday 2021 – Ps. Steve Kelly Our Mandate is to rise up and show people the love of God and build lives through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Our impact as a church goes beyond the four walls of our buildings, beyond our cities and out into the world as we make a commitment to help improve the lives of individuals in our community and globally. This Sunday, Pastor Steve shares a brilliant message on the vision of the church, and the mission that God has called all of us to be a part of. Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” The vision for your life will cause you to have restraints for your life. If health is a priority, you will wear the restrain of an eating plan. If owning a home is your vision, you will wear the restraints of your budget. The same goes with the vision for your God calling and destiny. If you want to see all that God has for you, you will wear the restraint and conviction of his word. What is your vision for your life? Is it attached to God’s vision for your life, or separate? Habakkuk 2:2-3 (NKJV) “2 Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” Lets go one step further as The Word says, is your vision written down? If the answer is no, why don’t you take some time this week in prayer and write down a vision for your life. A big vision, a God vision for your life, then once you have written it down, share it with someone you trust who shares the same faith you do! Sharing your vision with people you trust is an important step, because there are threats to your vision! We must fight to hold on to that vision, and to carry it well until we see it come to fruition. Here are the biggest threats to getting off course of your vision: 1.) Quitting Hebrews 6:12b (NKJV) “…but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises”. We must always start with faith, but it MUST be accompanied by patience. Timelines are such a huge part of our lives. We have timelines for when bills must be paid, when we must turn in that big project, have that report to our oversight, we have timelines for so many areas of our lives and if we aren’t careful we can try to put God on a timeline. However, we see in the scriptures a calling doesn’t determine timing. Keep pushing, keep moving forward, keep believing, keep your faith and keep your vision! Philippians 3:13 (NIV) “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” Truths about quitting -Wanting to quit means you have something to quit from, be encouraged! -Wanting to quit is a sign of success -you can have the luxury of wanting to quit, as long as you don’t quit -Don’t quit on yourself or people in their dry seasons. Seasons come and go! 2.) Switching Loyalties Acts 26:19b (NKJV) “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” When life gets hard, situations don’t work out as we planned or timelines aren’t what we hoped for. It can be so easy for us to switch our loyalties without even knowing it. We can easily begin to trust earthly things more than we trust our creator in heaven. This is why it is so important we keep our eyes steadfastly focused on the vision. God is in control, God has a plan, God is with us, and our response is to be loyal and focused to what he has called us to do. 3.) Losing your creativity We can lose sight of our vision by not staying creative. Our vision stays the same, but our methods can be changed. What worked for you last year, may not work for you this year. What in your life is no longer as fruitful as it used to be? How can you adapt creatively to bring life back to that area? Our lives at times can be like the wings of an airplane. If the wings don’t have the proper flexibility, the plane will never be able to withstand the flight. If we do not stay flexible with our lives, we won’t be able to withstand the journey to see our vision fulfilled. Keep your vision, but be open to changing the method. Do not give up on your vision, stay creative. Watch the message here! __________________________________________________________ January 12th, 2021 Don’t Lose Your Dance – Ps. Steve Kelly It is time to dance! Yes, you read that correctly, it is time to dance again. Throughout the scriptures we see story, psalm and recount of times where followers of God danced and praised. They danced in joy, danced in celebration and danced because of the Good News. Jesus has won the battle, he has set us free from the entanglement of sin and has washed us as white as snow. So all i have to do is dance? yes, but that can be easier said than done sometimes. In this message, Pastor Steve Kelly speaks brilliantly on “Don’t lose your dance.” We have been designed to worship the Lord, and we know from the scriptures that we are instructed to worship the Lord with gladness! And when it comes to dancing, it is nearly impossible to dance anything other than Joyful. Draw your attention to the plethora of scriptures, from Old Testament to New. This is not because they had no trouble or hardship, but because they knew that God was in control. Life will try to steal your dance; a bad report, losing a loved one, not getting that promotion, shame, disappointment or the long litany of realities that i will not continue to list, because we didn’t come here for bad news. We came for the good news, that regardless of our situation or circumstance, we have a reason to praise! We have access to the presence of God, the never ending love of Jesus, the forgiveness and restoration and so much more. We have something to sing about, something to dance about, something to praise about. We have been set free and made new in Christ. God’s love will never run out, and because of this we have a reason to dance. —Take time this week to meditate on the scriptures and quote below. Do you have the Joy of the Lord? Do you believe that the best is yet to come? Have you had the revelation that Jesus is in control? If any of those answers are no, spend time in the presence of God this week, ask him to reveal himself to you in a new way. Then praise him, dance before the Lord, sing him a new song! //1 Sam 18:7 (NIV) 7 As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” //Mark 6:22 (NIV) 22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” //2 Sam 6:14-17 (NIV) 14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might,15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. 16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart. 17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. “The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express the same delight in God which made David dance.” – CS Lewis //Ecclesiastes 3:4 (NIV) A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. //Ps 30:11-12 (NIV) 11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever. //Ex 15:20-21 (NIV) 20 Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.” December 20, 2020 – Ps. Steve Kelly God has infused all of our lives with dreams. He has created us to have ambition, goals, dreams and to achieve something great in His Name. The good news is that He has given you the dream and fully equipped you to see it come to fruition, but in reality it won’t be easy. Life has its ups and downs, victories and failures, and to fully see God-dreams come to pass, we must be aware of what it will take. In this message Pastor Steve takes us through the story of Joseph, and what it took for him to see his dream come to life. He had his challenges he had to overcome, but we know that God had the final say. 5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. // Genesis 37 3 Things That Will Try to Steal Your Dream: 1. People Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. // Genesis 37:5 Joseph’s brothers didn’t understand his dream. They didn’t understand where it came from or why he was the chosen one. So they put him down, insulted him, and essentially planned to kill him, until they eventually ended up selling him into slavery. Not everyone will understand and support the dream God has given you. A real God-dream will come with some push back from those around you. When people come against you, your dream, and your calling, it is important to remember WHO called you. We must remember that if God is for us, who can be against us. Your dream won’t always make sense to everyone, which is okay! The dream isn’t theirs, it was given to you by God. Have you ever experienced someone questioning what God has told you? How have you overcome people who come against your dream? In order to flourish, we must not only know our dream, but we must know how to protect it. 2. Life So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. //Genesis 39:6 (NIV) The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. //Genesis 39:23 (NIV) Joseph found himself in several different situations he never thought he would be in. He was sold into slavery, accused of something he didn’t do and thrown in prison. When he received his dream, he never thought this was the route he would take. He did the right things, and got the wrong results. He was faithful with what God told him, but found himself in prison. He chose to hold onto what God told him. He chose to be positive in seasons where negativity would have been easier. We can learn a lot from Joseph’s life and his dream. -He didn’t demand to be a leader; he created a demand for his leadership. -He was faithful with what was given to him, in every season. He was a prisoner in charger of the prison! -He never focused on the negative; he focused on what God was doing. Have you ever felt like life was trying to steal your dream? Through circumstances, bad reports, missed opportunities etc. How can we focus on what God is doing in these seasons, over focusing on what Isn’t happening? 3. Time Waiting is hard! It is believed that Joseph was 17 years old when he was given his dream from God. It wasn’t until he was 39 years old that his dream fully came to pass – that is approximately 22 years! Time tried to shake his faith. “Is it really going to happen?” If it was really a God-dream, wouldn’t it have happened by now? But Jospeh learned a very important lesson. Your dream isn’t on your time table; it is on God’s time. Delay is not denial, time is not against you. Stay positive, stay faithful, stay full of hope because God is moving. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. //Genesis 50 How has time affected your faith? Do you feel like the longer it takes, the less faith you have? How can we keep our faith high while waiting? Legacy Weekend – December 6th, 2020 – Ps. Steve Kelly What does giving look like? Jesus gave us a perfect picture of generosity. Giving is a matter of the heart, and it is so much bigger than money. We give time, we give grace, we forgive, we give love and much more. This week Pastor Steve Kelly talks about the principles of Giving, and how it can grow our lives. ***** For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. //John 3:16 (NIV) Freely you have received, freely give. //Matthew 10:8b (NIV) —The entirety of the foundation of following Jesus is based on giving. For God so loved, that He gave His best for you and for me. So that we would have the opportunity to be included in this life, this love and this opportunity. —We can often think we have to do something to earn God’s forgiveness, but nothing could be further from the truth. Freely He gave, and freely we have received! Don’t you love free gifts with no strings attached! There is nothing we have done or will do to EARN the forgiveness of Jesus. —With the foundation of that free gift, we are now called to also be generous. Generous with our grace, our prayer, in our relationships, with our time and yes, with our finances. With these principles of giving shared by Pastor Steve Kelly, we believe your life will flourish. PRINCIPLES OF GIVING: 1 – KEEP YOUR HEART SOFT TO THE POOR 7 “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. If you heart gets hard your hand shuts, a soft heart has an open hand. What is the status of your heart, how does it effect your hand? //Duet 15:7-8 (NKJV) —Plainly put in this passage out of Deuteronomy, we are called to help others. However, if we allow our heart to get hard, our hand shuts. If we allow offense, hurt, busyness, hard times or the laundry list of other potential obstacles get in the way of our generosity towards others, our heart can grow hard. —A life with a hard heart has a closed hand, but a life with a soft heart lives with an open hand. 2 – GOD CALLS SELFISHNESS WICKED 9 Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the Lord against you, and it become sin among you. //Duet 15:9 (NKJV) Be careful! Don’t say to yourself, “Soon it will be the seventh year, and then I won’t be able to get my money back.” It would be horrible for you to think that way and to be so selfish that you refuse to help the poor. They are your relatives, and if you don’t help them, they may ask the LORD to decide whether you have done wrong. And he will say that you are guilty. //Deut 15:9 (CEV) —In this particular time, every seven years debts would be forgiven (SOUNDS GREAT) and the writer of Deuteronomy is addressing people with the mindset of not helping others because the seven years in coming to a close. —Generosity can be easy when everything is in order and going correctly, but when you near the end of the seven years it can be tough. We are called to live above that. We are not bound to the circumstances of this world, rather we are bound to our commitment to Christ. —To be generous always, to be a standard and example to all of the love and generosity that Jesus so freely gave. 3 – DON’T ALLOW GRIEF IN YOUR HEART 10 You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. //Deut 15:10 (NKJV) —Have you ever spent money, then immediately grieved spending that money? —When it comes to generosity, we need not grieve when we sacrificially give. God has promised that He will bless us, so we do not give in vain. Rather we position ourselves in a place where God’s blessing and generosity can become even more evident in our lives. 4 – DEVELOP A GENEROUS HEART 14 Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you. //Deut 15:14 (NIV) -Generosity starts in your heart; it starts with the revelation of what God has generously done for us. He has blessed us to be a blessing, and the outworking of that is living generously. -The size of our heart will determine how far and fast we go. 5 – DEVELOP A GRATEFUL HEART 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today. //Deut 15:15 (NIV) —We must not forget what God has done for us, that He has rescued us from our past, forgiven us completely and set us right in His eyes. Remembering what He has done will give us an adrenaline shot of faith for what He is continuing to do! LEGACY VIDEO Discussion Questions : —What is the status of your heart (faith, offense, forgiveness, generosity etc.)? Do you feel like the answer to that question has changed how you view generosity? From time to time it’s important for us to do a heart check. Is your heart soft to the voice of God? Is your heart soft to others? —Do you remember where you have come from? What God has brought you through? Do you remember the victories God has done in your life? Take time to discuss the goodness of God. Have a conversation about the miracles you have seen and watch as it adds so much faith to your life. —What is the legacy you are leaving? Is it a legacy of a generous and grateful heart? If the answer is no, that’s okay, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Start today. Trust God and walk in His generosity and gratefulness. This is truly where life begins. November 29th, 2020 – Ps. Steve Kelly This week we got to hear a word from Pastor Steve Kelly surrounding our Legacy month. This message, ‘Keys to an Abundant Life,’ is meant to be a road map for how we, as followers of Jesus, can live our life full of all that God has for us. As we open up God’s word to pertinent scriptures about this abundance, we pray that it will allow us to dive deeper into His goodness and provision that is waiting for us. ***** “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have itmore abundantly.” //John 10:10 NKJV “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” // 3 John 1:2 NKJV It is the will of God for us to live an abundant life; However our prosperity is completely contingent on the health of our mind and soul.In order to truly prosper, we must focus on our own health in all areas. Not only in regards to money, but also in our jobs, marriage, parenting, relationships, physical, church and much more. Our prayer is through these keys below, we will see health and abundance fill our lives. Keys to an Abundant Life: 1.) A Healthy Church life What does healthy church life look like? -Be the example 19For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. //Romans 8:19 and 22 NIV God’s plan for the earth is the church, for God’s sons and daughters to stand up and give a Godly example for how to live an abundant life. Through our dedication, our servitude, our generosity, our forgiveness, and the entirety of our lives. -Building God’s house 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. //Matthew 16:18 We are called to build God’s house. What is our life building? What does your life reflect that you are building? Where is your time/resource spent? The church is essential, and we are called to build it. -Live a generous life Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops //Proverbs 3:9 NIV 8“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. //Malachi 3:8-10 NIV A healthy church life tithes, for it was never ours. We do not give our tithe, rather we bring our tithe to the house. Putting God first in our finances, redeems the rest. Putting God first sets us up and positions us to experience His abundance. God has blessed us to be a blessing, and blessing starts with generosity. The major difference between prosperity and greed is generosity. -Walk in God’s Abundance “20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” //Ephesians 3:20 We have been called and set apart to walk in all that God has for us. God is our source; He is our portion; He is our provider. We are not limited by what we see, for our God can do more than we could ask or imagine. What are you asking God for? What is the status of your thought life? Do you have faith that God can really supply and do immeasurably more? 2.) It takes two legs to live an abundant life An abundant life walks on two legs -Giving -Stewardship They must work in harmony — One without the other limits our ability to be blessed by God. We must not only be generous with what God has given us, but we must also responsibly manage what God has given us. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. //Genesis 12:2 It is God’s idea to bless you. From this verse above, we know our promise from God is that He will bless us and make our name great, but we must walk on the two legs of abundance. 3.) Being a blessing For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. //Matthew 6:21 Where is our heart? Because it follows our treasure. What do we spend our treasure on? Where do we spend our time? Where do we use our talents? Where do we sow our finances? If you want a heart for people, be generous to people. If you want a heart for the Church, be generous to the church. We have been blessed and given an opportunity to walk in an abundant life, not only for ourselves, but for others. We are blessed to be a blessing. Takeaways / Discussion Questions -Healthy Church Life The foundation of an abundant life is a healthy Church life. The church is the hope of the world, and the health of that life will flow into every area. What does a healthy church life look like for you? Do you carry the attributes of a healthy church life? (Be the example—Building God’s house—Live generous—Walk in abundance) –It Takes Two Legs Being generous is a great start, but there is more to an abundant life. We must not only be generous but also be good stewards of what God has already given us. Have you noticed in your life that you are stronger at one of the two legs? Are you a better steward or better at generosity? How can you strengthen both legs so you can walk in all that God has for you? -Being a Blessing We are blessed to be a blessing. It says in God’s word that where our treasure is, our heart will be also. Where is your heart? Take time to do a mental audit. Where are you sowing your time, talents and finances? © 2021 Wave Church. All rights reserved. Made by [th.d]