Creative Ministry and Reaching The Next Generation

Take a moment to listen to Pastor Ron Carpenter as he discusses how they went about seeing the greatest increase in young adults in the history of their church. He also talks about the importance of creative planning to help in getting the message across.

F.E.E.D. Yourself

How can we experience the presence of God in our lives? How can we live and be led by the Holy Spirit? How can we set our lives on a course for spiritual breakthrough on every level?

The Christian life should not be lived by accident, it should be intentional.

I want to give you four quick points today on how you can intentionally experience more of God's presence and power in your life. Just remember to F.E.E.D. yourself.

FOCUS - Colossians 3:2 says in the Amplified Bible, 'And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.' In other words, focus! Focus on the things of God. Let that be what's on your mind, let your Spirit control your life patterns. In other words, when you spiritually focus you are bringing the mind into subjection to the Spirit. If you don't, you soul (mind, will, and emotions) will end up controlling you and getting you off the path God is walking you down.

EXPRESSION - There's just something about praise that attracts God! God will show up right in the middle of people that will praise him. It doesn't matter if you're in a lions den, in jail, or facing the biggest enemy you've ever faced, just begin to praise God and watch his presence show up! Sometimes we let our small problems get WAY too big; and what praise does, is it begins to make God bigger in our eyes than our problems are. So begin to lift your voice, your hands, clap, dance, sing do whatever you can to express your praise to him. Expressing your praise will bring your body into subjection to the Spirit

EXPECTANCY - The attitude of expectancy is the breeding ground for miracles. If you don't expect anything, you probably won't get anything. In Acts 3:5 the lame man looked at the disciples 'expecting to receive something', and then received more than he expected! The woman with the issue of blood expected to be healed when she touched Jesus' clothes, and she was! Don't let doubt rob you of your expectation.

DESIRE - Desire is the result of a spirit that is 'alive' unto God. I just think people who are born again should desire God. When desire leaves a relationship, it starts to die. Deuteronomy 4:29 says you will find God when you seek him with all your heart and soul. So many times we desire things from God, but neglect to desire him. The funny thing is, is that if we desire Him, He'll give us everything we desire!

So today F.E.E.D. yourself; begin to focus on Him, stop right now and express your praise to Him, speak out of your mouth what you're expecting Him to do in your life, and let your desire for Him become greater than your desire for anything else.

'The Holy Spirit' Series Clips

Here are some clips from last months teachings on the Holy Spirit.

I Am Persuaded!

Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers,39 Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What will you let stop you from achieving God's will in your life? The truth is, is that nothing can stop you but yourself. The man who wrote these words above had every reason to quit and give up. He faced many dangers and much opposition. He starts off this passage in Romans 8:31 with a question, 'If God be for us, who can be against us?' He further asks, (v.33) 'who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?' Then in verse 34, 'who is he that condemns?' Then finally, 'who shall separate us from the love of God?'

Every time he asks; 'who can', 'who shall', 'who is', 'who shall', he answers the questions about the present and future attacks by declaring the victory that God already has on the basis of what he's already done! "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all..', 'It is God that has justified', 'It is Christ that died and is risen again...', 'we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.'

The key is that the writer knew the trouble, but he also knew the power and the victory that God had already given him. He was more persuaded in God's power than he was in the power of his enemies.

So today, let the victory of God become greater in your life than the threats of those looking to destroy your faith. Be persuaded, beyond doubt, that you are more than a conqueror because of what God has already done!