At present I am jobless and homeless.
The depression in this area is tremendous. Most construction work has been shut down for two years. Lay offs are a weekly affair, as construction jobs are finished.
Finances to start new jobs are still hard to come by.
Many are without work, or have only one spouse working supporting the family, where previously they had both spouses working. Families that were barely surviving on two incomes, now must exist on one.
The welfare and food stamp benefits are being stretched to its limits. The charity of believers is relied upon now more than before.
We are called to help "...the least of these my brethren." by Jesus, and all true believers are stepping up to the plate and helping everyone that they can. We are learning to support one another, and share all good things with each other. In the midst of hard times, the grace of God is flowing, building relationships in the Kingdom for His Glory.
I have been with out a regular job since last December. Because of this I have just signed up for food stamps. In the process of looking at food sources in my area I found Angel Food Ministries.
Angel Food supplies monthly food boxes which are available for purchase. The main package costs $30 and has first quality food that is worth over twice that amount. They also provide additional packages for about $21, that can be combined with the main package.
This service is available to all. No qualification is necessary. Ordering and distribution is handled by local volunteers, Churches and Civic groups. Payment is made up front when ordering.
They take cash and food stamps as payment. So this can really help those on food stamps stretch their benefits.
This is a wonderful way to stretch your own food dollars, and be better able to help those in need of food.
Web site is : Angel Food Ministries
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
How to Start a House Church: Step 1
I found this old article on the web doing a google of me, and thought I'd post it again...
HOW TO START A HOUSE CHURCH
STEP ONE
RETURN TO YOUR FIRST LOVE
STEP ONE
RETURN TO YOUR FIRST LOVE
by Kent Secor
One of the first things I think you need to consider is why you want to be in a HC? Why did you leave the last church you were part of? Many when they first leave an Institutional Church setting have many issues to deal with. One of the most important is they have spent a lot of time with their attention on programs rather than relationships. Often they have left their first love, Jesus, to be involved with programs. It is so easy to be busy in meetings and programs. To be more concerned with if the carpets are cleaned in the Church building, then if your heart is clean before the Lord.
We spent so many Sundays showing up for meetings in our Sunday best with our Sunday smiles on. We told everyone the same lie week after week, that every thing is going great, that the Lord is wonderful to me. No matter how bad we felt, we just didn't want to be honest and risk the looks and comments we would get if we told people the truth.
What you are looking to be involved in is harder than anything you may have ever been involved with in your whole Christian life. It will involve sacrifices you have never had to make before. It will be the hardest thing you have ever done, and the most rewarding. There will be those who will question your sincerity, will think you are in serious rebellion to the Lord, will accuse you and warn you of becoming a cult. Some may shun you in hopes of bringing you back to the correct walk in the Lord. Some will shun you afraid to be drug into the rebellion you are walking in. Some will come to you just as hurt and confused as you are now.
You may be going through a process many call a "wilderness" experience. You think that you may have lost your relationship with God. You miss the feelings of God's presence you felt in the Worship Services. The truth is you may have well left your first love because of those "Worship Services" replacing time alone with Him for singing and other activities.
If you are going through a dry time of the soul, a wilderness experience, you may not be ready for relationships with other believers. Spend this time seeking Him who first called you, decide that nothing else matters but Him and knowing Him. Think on Him, pray without ceasing. As you get humble before Him, really humble without all the religious fanfare, you will find Him, you will sense His presence once again. The light of His relationship with you will shine forth bright as the sun once again. I know, I've been down that road, I had been lost in the darkness of my own wilderness.
Jesus said to the Church in Revelations 2:4, 5 "But I hold against you that you have given up your first love. Therefore, call to mind from what you have fallen, and repent and practice what you did previously; or else if you do not repent, I shall come to you and remove the lampstand from it's place."
And Revelations 3:20 "Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone listens to My voice and opens the door, I shall come in to him and dine with him and he with Me." (both from the New
The first step is to return to your First Love, Jesus, who loved you first and called you out of darkness and translated you into His kingdom of light.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Judgment starts with the house of God
This study has been percolating in me for many years now. The attack on America of 911 brought it into focus. I have discussed the idea of God's judgment with a few people, now is the time to share it to all who will listen. I don't know if it is prophetic or just Holy Spirit taught truth.
Either way if I and others are correct we as a nation are up the proverbial creek and the paddle has long been lost. It's time to cry out to the only one who can help us.
Read the study here, Judgment starts with the house of God.
Either way if I and others are correct we as a nation are up the proverbial creek and the paddle has long been lost. It's time to cry out to the only one who can help us.
Read the study here, Judgment starts with the house of God.
Evangelism are we doing it right?
I've been part of the evangelical church since my rebirth into the Kingdom of Christ/God. I fully understand that to enter into the redemptive relationship with God in Christ is one that involves the work of the Holy Spirit and of man in cooperation.
Predestination or Free will?
I do not hold to the extreme Calvanistic view that some are predestined to be saved and others are not. I read too much in the NT about the entering into redemption being of one making the choice to submit to God for redemption, or free will.
I also see that within the concept of the sovereignity of God that even if we really don't have free-will in this area, that God's choice for us is hid in the mystery of God's knowledge within eternity and we are not privy to that information.
This whole debate in the church becomes one of division rather than encouragement to evangelize or live our lives in Christ. And as Paul points out to the Corinthian assembly, division of the body of Christ is sin.
True Evangelism is based on a Loving Community.
One of my observations regarding the foundation of evangelism is that it must be based on a loving community of believers.
Jesus taught the disciples a new command, John13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Jesus taught that the foundation of our communnities is love. Here he shows that the world, all men, would recognize that we follow Christ by our love for one another.
We have alot of ideas as to what the church is. It is very popular to think of the church as being the universal body of Christ, encompassing all beleivers, every where all around the world, as well as the living and the dead. This idea is meantioned in the NT, yet it is not the main way the church (Greek word is ekklesia, literally meaning an assembly of called out ones) is defined. The NT is mostly discussing the local assembly. The brothers and sisters we are in direct fellowship with.
The basis of our local assembly life is to live out the love for one another. In doing a study of the NT to understand what they did for meetings I found very little about meetings, in fact only one passage of teaching, and that was corrective in nature, 1Cor 11-14. The major teaching regarding assembly life is about loving one another in real practical ways. (If you would like to read my study, please email me as it is comprehensive and too long to post in this format.)
Jesus is not talking about the church universal in this reference. He is talking about the local group of believers that you and I fellowship with on a normal basis, daily, weekly.
Jesus says that the world will recognize that we follow Him by the way we love those we are in relationship with.
This is one reason that division in the Body of Christ is so sinful. For us to be divided over doctrine or practice to the point that we can't love one another prevents those outside the body of Christ from recognizing that we are Jesus' disciples. Remember this love is practical, not just making statements that we love all believers. We must show it in serving one another, even considering the needs of another believer as being more important than our own.
The world is not fooled by our love statements. They want, they need us to show them the money. To put feet to our statements. To work to show ourselves approved of God by actively, practically loving one another.
The world is not impressed with our temples made to house God. They want love.
The world is not impressed with our programs. They want loving relationships.
The world is not impressed with our Christmas or Easter extravaganzes. They want daily loving relationships.
The world is not impressed with our books, DVDs, tv programs. They desperately need to know that we really, really believe what we say. That we are willing to die for our beliefs, and really do walk them out in love for each other.
Look at all the literature and self help programs, helping people learn how to love. Look at all the misguided attempts of men to find love. Dating services, hook up places, meet markets of all types from bars to coffee shops to book stores. They want love....
For any of our evangelism to be fruitful it must be founded on real, practical loving relationships with one another that spill over to all our neighbors. The division of the body of Christ into unloving denominations prevents many from seeing Christ, from being drawn in by His love.
Predestination or Free will?
I do not hold to the extreme Calvanistic view that some are predestined to be saved and others are not. I read too much in the NT about the entering into redemption being of one making the choice to submit to God for redemption, or free will.
I also see that within the concept of the sovereignity of God that even if we really don't have free-will in this area, that God's choice for us is hid in the mystery of God's knowledge within eternity and we are not privy to that information.
This whole debate in the church becomes one of division rather than encouragement to evangelize or live our lives in Christ. And as Paul points out to the Corinthian assembly, division of the body of Christ is sin.
True Evangelism is based on a Loving Community.
One of my observations regarding the foundation of evangelism is that it must be based on a loving community of believers.
Jesus taught the disciples a new command, John13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Jesus taught that the foundation of our communnities is love. Here he shows that the world, all men, would recognize that we follow Christ by our love for one another.
We have alot of ideas as to what the church is. It is very popular to think of the church as being the universal body of Christ, encompassing all beleivers, every where all around the world, as well as the living and the dead. This idea is meantioned in the NT, yet it is not the main way the church (Greek word is ekklesia, literally meaning an assembly of called out ones) is defined. The NT is mostly discussing the local assembly. The brothers and sisters we are in direct fellowship with.
The basis of our local assembly life is to live out the love for one another. In doing a study of the NT to understand what they did for meetings I found very little about meetings, in fact only one passage of teaching, and that was corrective in nature, 1Cor 11-14. The major teaching regarding assembly life is about loving one another in real practical ways. (If you would like to read my study, please email me as it is comprehensive and too long to post in this format.)
Jesus is not talking about the church universal in this reference. He is talking about the local group of believers that you and I fellowship with on a normal basis, daily, weekly.
Jesus says that the world will recognize that we follow Him by the way we love those we are in relationship with.
This is one reason that division in the Body of Christ is so sinful. For us to be divided over doctrine or practice to the point that we can't love one another prevents those outside the body of Christ from recognizing that we are Jesus' disciples. Remember this love is practical, not just making statements that we love all believers. We must show it in serving one another, even considering the needs of another believer as being more important than our own.
The world is not fooled by our love statements. They want, they need us to show them the money. To put feet to our statements. To work to show ourselves approved of God by actively, practically loving one another.
The world is not impressed with our temples made to house God. They want love.
The world is not impressed with our programs. They want loving relationships.
The world is not impressed with our Christmas or Easter extravaganzes. They want daily loving relationships.
The world is not impressed with our books, DVDs, tv programs. They desperately need to know that we really, really believe what we say. That we are willing to die for our beliefs, and really do walk them out in love for each other.
Look at all the literature and self help programs, helping people learn how to love. Look at all the misguided attempts of men to find love. Dating services, hook up places, meet markets of all types from bars to coffee shops to book stores. They want love....
For any of our evangelism to be fruitful it must be founded on real, practical loving relationships with one another that spill over to all our neighbors. The division of the body of Christ into unloving denominations prevents many from seeing Christ, from being drawn in by His love.
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