As Pat and I began the New Year ministering in various churches, we feel that 2008 as well as the “number 8” would indeed be a year of new beginnings and new attitudes for many believers. We experienced this ourselves; a renewed hope in God’s promises that comes with a new year, a new year to serve Him, a new year to draw closer to Him! We believe this year will be an extremely important year in God’s Kingdom as many will come into His fullness through new, fresh, and unique methods.
January began with a ministry trip to Tillamook for several days amidst the snow and rain of the Oregon coast. We witnessed a divine appointment when the Spanish congregation who meet in this church on Tuesday evenings joined Pastor Terry’s congregation for a joint service. The Spanish Pastor interpreted the Gospel message from English to Spanish for his congregation and we concluded with a baptism service in which several “died to their old selves” in water baptism. Thank you Lord! Pat and I then had fruitful services with Pastor Kofi at the Portland International Church, with Pastor Bob in Carlton, and Pastor Mike in Molalla.
In February we traveled to Pensacola to conduct a marriage conference at the Brownsville Church entitled, “I Promise”. We visited with Pastor Evon Horton of the Brownville Assembly of God Church and caught a glimpse of the church’s vision to take the city of Pensacola for Jesus Christ. We preached God’s Word in Jay, Florida at Pastor Jeff’s church and then to the New Orleans area with Pastor Jeff and his growing family. I was privileged to speak a prophetic word for 2008 into this church and the ministry time was extremely profitable. We then drove to Georgia to spend some quality time with my son Steve and his family including our precious nine-month old granddaughter, Anna Louise! We certainly enjoyed the weather during this trip, temperatures in the 70’s most of the time and we took a relaxing trip to the world-famous Coke Museum in downtown Atlanta. Pat and I also had opportunity to minister and visit with our longtime friend Steve Meek, who is pastor of a growing church in Gainesville, Georgia. Our ministry and personal time in the South was great; Pat spent some quality time enjoying her two sisters but, unfortunately we didn’t get to visit with all the people that we intended. Please forgive us if we didn’t call or visit with you during our trip.
Pat and I then traveled back home to Oregon where we ministered with Pastor Lonnie at Hebo Christian Center, with Pastor John on the coast in Coos Bay, and we had a great time of ministry at our home church in Keizer. I then traveled to Idaho/Eastern Oregon where I spent some prayerful time on the “Menichetti Ranch” with Syl and Carolyn. Had an opportunity to preach the truth at Weiser Worship Center and then traveled to Ontario to be with Pastor Larry. The Ontario area recently had a major ministry outreach breakthrough with the “Power Team” coming to their city in February. This anointed power and strength team conducted four crusades and were able to minister in seventeen (17) different schools in the area as hundreds committed their lives to Christ during this four-day crusade. Thank you my Lord! The hard work and exhaustive preparation the church exhibited is truly what a genuine body of believers looks like. I experienced the wonder of God’s grace and love in Baker City as Pastor Ron invited me to minister to their group of their hungry believers.
I returned home and enjoyed the Resurrection Day, Easter Sunday at our home church as we celebrated the reality that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, defeated death, hell, and the grave so that we can someday enjoy the true riches of heaven! I then spent this past weekend in Clatskanie with Pastors Loren and Esther. The Lord spoke loud and clear to this church as they repositioned themselves to continue moving forward; advancing the Kingdom of God. We will be in Eugene and Bend during the next two weeks and then leave for our missions trip to Kremenets, Ukraine on April 21st. Let me encourage you to continue to draw closer to the Lord and to pray for America; that the Lord would continue to keep His hand upon us and have mercy on us!!
WE DON'T ACCEPT APPLICATIONS. ONLY COMMITMENTS
United States Marine Corps
This piercing motto has become the recruiting theme of the United States Marines Corps this year. How much more does the Body of Christ need to practice these same words! When the Lord saved us, we joined His mighty Army of warriors. We didn’t submit an application for membership, but we enlisted wholeheartedly for life! I believe that this commitment is the very heart of what it is to be a real man or woman of God. Commitment is not what you do; commitment is something you are. Commitment never dies. That’s why once you become a Marine, you are always a Marine no matter what.
The Sovereign Lord has made a covenant commitment to you; He will never leave you or forsake you; He will love you, provide for you, as well as lead and guide you into all truth through the power of His Holy Spirit! What a commitment! Have you committed yourself to HIM? Have you pledged your life to trust His sovereignty, serve Him and live your life for Him and even suffer reproach for His Name? Are you committed to follow the Lamb wherever He may go? Rev. 14:4
Can the Lord find you in “the camp of the committed”?
Which Law Are You Living By? -a Word from Pat
As we look at Scripture, “THE LAW OF FIRST MENTION” guides us into truth and away from false doctrine. For example, we can avoid much misunderstanding or miscomprehension about “anointing” by examining the “law of first mention.” This law of first mention of “anointing” was when the Lord God instructed Moses to anoint Aaron and his sons. Anointing was not given to Aaron and his sons to make them “feel” a certain way or that people would look at them, idolize them, or praise them for their giftings. Anointing is synonymous with “authority.” Anointing was given to give them authority to stand before God and offer up sacrifices for their sins and the sins of the people. So, let’s look at the law of first mention about YOU.
Jer 1:5 AMP - “Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. “
Jer 1:5 THE MESSAGE - “Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations — that's what I had in mind for you."
This is the “law of first mention” of our lives. Even before we had done anything wrong or even before anything wrong had been done to us, God formed us, He knew and approved of us and He had something in mind for us. God never changes His view of us because He sees our lives through His intentions, not our limitations or even our sins or wrongs suffered.
But, do we live our lives from God’s perspective or do we live our lives by the “LAW OF FIRST REFERENCE”? The law of first reference is those attitudes and words spoken by the first people that we came in contact with; our parents, extended family, teachers and childhood friends. So often we base our entire lives on what other people have said or not said about us or what others have spoken over us during our early formative years. We often believe lies based on the first references in our lives! This erroneous belief leaves us constantly searching for a sense of worth and approval from others, but remember that we are all flawed and broken people living in a flawed and broken world.
Assessments made by others on the basis of how well we meet their needs are faulty; they have nothing to do with our true worth or our real identity.
We must lay a new foundation based on HIS approval, not the approval of others. Let’s remember we are truly born again of His Spirit and are children of the most High God! We do not have to live our lives from the perspective of the “disfunctionality” of our earthly families but we are born into a new family, God’s family; so lets live our lives out from that perspective.
1 John 3:1 NIV - How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
TRUTH DECLARATION*
“I declare that because of Christ’s redemption, I am a new creation of infinite worth. I am deeply loved, I am completely forgiven, I am fully pleasing, I am totally accepted by God, and I am absolutely complete in Christ. When my performance reflects my true identity in Christ, that reflection is dynamically unique. There has never been another person like me in the history of mankind, nor will there ever be. God has made me an original, one of a kind, a special person”.
*excerpts from “Search For Significance” by Robert S. McGee
A young man was suspended from his high school for two years for fighting after a football game; well you say, another seemly hopeless, forgotten youngster. However, a middle-aged gentleman saw something in this young man, had compassion for him and began to mentor him, encouraging him to return to school and pursue his dream. During his speech at his COLLEGE GRADUATION this young man said, “I am somebody; let me say that again in case you don’t believe me, I am somebody.”
Let me say this to each of you, “You are somebody”! Let me say it again, “You are somebody”! We must know by personal experience that we are sons and daughters of the most-high God, we are born-again by the spirit of the living God, and we must live our life based on the LAW OF FIRST MENTION, not on the law of first reference.
