Resurrection Life Church

Life has a rhythm.  However, each life has a different rhythm from the others.  Learning to hear and catch the rhythm of life that God has for your life is not always the easiest task but it is possible.  God has made a way for you and I to catch the rhythm by calling on and being completely dependent on Him.  We must learn to listen and “feel” the ebb and flows of the rhythm.  When we do there is a peace and satisfaction that comes that the world around us cannot duplicate or match.  God has given us everything we need in His Word, it is our responsibility to read, study it and be saturated with it.  It is the music we must learn to read in order to “catch” the rhythm.

Kerr Howell, friend and church planter from Spokane, Washington gives us an update on what God is doing in and through River City Church that was planted 20 months ago.  They are now running on average of 50 people and are planting a new house church in one of the most needed areas of the city.  Over the last 20 months Kerr has learned exactly what it means to tap into the rhythms of life and how he and his family must continually trust in God.  Trust Him to do the work in them as He advanced the work He has called them to do in Spokane.

Are you in need of learning the rhythms of life?  If so go to God’s word and seek and you will find.  Jesus promise that if you seek with all your hear you will find the rhythm.

Do you remember the greatest gift you ever received?  Was is a bike, a guitar, a four wheeler, a ring, or a new car, what was it?  We can all remember the greatest gift because the memory of it invokes deep emotions of joy and happiness.  That gift was personal and only meant for you, nobody else, just you.    However, the greatest gift given to mankind was the gift of God’s only son, Jesus being born in a lowly manager, and in humble beginnings.  But there is more to the gift than His amazing birth.  It is the privilege it affords all of mankind to have the opportunity of being part of a family.

The subject of family may not have a positive tone for you because of how you grew up but family done the way God intended will always bring hope, joy and life.  The gift of family is open to all mankind.  All we have to do is come, believe and accept the gift of God’s son Jesus as the Lord of our life.  However, when we become a part there are some things that we find out about being in the family of God. We have a heritage that comes from our family, we teaches us to honor, respect and give us direction to our life.  It also gives us a sense of belonging that lets us know that we are part of something bigger than just us.  And lastly it give us purpose for our life and all God’s children are destined for greatness.

May this time of the year be a time for you and your family to re-evaluate what true family is and become part of the family of God if you are not.  If you are are a part of God’s family may you bring hope, love, joy and life to others.

Where has our wonder gone?  Remember being a small child and being amazed at a beetle on a blade of grass.  The little spots on it’s back were so perfectly round and the colors were so vibrant and clean they didn’t even look real.  Did you ever stare up at the stars at night and get overwhelmed with the immensity of the sky and number of stars that blanketed the expanse?  If not, then I ask where is your wonder, if so I ask have you lost that wide-eyed wonder?

We have seen and done so much that it take much more to “wow” us.  Smart phones took our breath away when they first came out but now they have become a staple of the American lifestyle and work life.  Those who lived during the time where kerosene was the only way to light up a city, business or a home were amazed at the invention of electricity.  Now it’s not even a thought, it is expected in every part of the American life.

What about the wonder of Christmas?  Have you lost it because of the familiarity of the story?  You have heard it thousands of times.  Over and over it’s the same thing and it’s difficult not to take it for granted.  You can not let the miracle vanish along with the other amazing miracles God has done through out history.  May this Christmas season God restore to you the wonder of Christmas and may your eyes be wide with wonder and awe once again.

The miracle of the birth of Christ is not just that Mary was a virgin but the revelation of Emmanuel, God with us.  The Shepherds and Wisemen had an unexpected revelation of God coming to earth.  The Wisemen actually traveled for two years before they were able to see the miracle.  They continued to follow the star until the reveal of the the true King.  God doesn’t work the way we think He should or how we expected Him to.  Most of the time it’s unexpected but always right on time.

Why was Jesus born into the world at the time in history when He was?  Many have speculated and made much conjecture as to what they think but no one truly knows except God Himself.  We do know this, it was right on time.  It may have been an unexpected revelation for us but not for God. 

The Wisemen keep their eye on the star and followed it until the end.  Even when it was easier to give up and go back home they keep moving forward.  In the book of Matthew it says that “when they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”  The star had revealed the Son! 

May this time of the year be a time where the unexpected revelation of the majesty of Jesus change not only your perspective of the holiday season but your life.   

Life is not always what we think it should be.  Sometimes people don’t do what we want them to do.  God doesn’t even do what we want Him to do.  When Jesus was anointed by the prostitute in the city of Bethany the men that were eating with Jesus expected Him to respond a certain way and He did not.  He with the hope of truth and love.  When He did the men began to judge not only the woman but Jesus as well.

The hope of His truth and love will always set us free to be the men  and women He has called us to be.  When we begin to compare we will lose our contentment.  The woman new who she was and what she had done.  She brought what she had as poured it out as an offering to the lover of her soul.  She had been forgiven much and thus loved much.  The opposite of her were the self-righteous, pious and proud men starring at her in disbelief that a “woman like her” would even be in theirs or Jesus’ presence.  Jesus does see things they way we do.  His perspective will always lead to hope.

As you celebrate this season of hope may you be reminded of the truth and love of God that He has shown all of mankind through Jesus and may we give that same hope to the world around us.

There should be a distinct difference between how people who call themselves Christian and the rest of the world.  We live by a different set of rules than they do.  However, it is not an “us against them” mentality.  It is a “I am not my own I have been bought with a price.” mentality.  I lay my life down for Jesus and others because I am in love with God and want to do what pleases Him and not what my selfish desires want.

Unfortunately we (Christians) are taking our “life” cues from the world around us instead of what God, our creator has told us to do.  Many take their cues from the world because we can see the result immediately but God’s results are not always seen immediately. 

We must learn how to separate ourselves.  Not to live in a commune separated from the world around us.  No, to separate our way of thinking, living, behavior, etc...  Second we must learn to saturate our life with the truth of God and His word.  When we do we will think His thought, move in His ways and simple do what God would do.  And third we have to see, envision and have God’s perspective on everything.

If we want to be the greatest, then we will never be. However, if we seek Him and His righteousness all the rest will be given. 

“Who will be the greatest in the Kingdom of God?”  This a question that Jesus’ disciples asked Him.  A question that they thought was relevant to their life.  However, Jesus gave them an answer that was completely opposite of the current culture.  “The greatest in the kingdom of God will be a servant of all.”  That not only went against the current culture but against their selfish and fallen human nature.  It is no different today.   

In order to be true followers of Jesus we must do as He did.  He was a servant to all so must we be.  Servants don’t get to choose when they serve.  You are not a servant if you serve when it is convenient.  We don’t put parameters on our service, the Master does and as servants we simple do what He ask.

Being a servant is not something we have to do but more of something we get to do.  It is truly an honor and privilege to serve others.  We serve others not because it’s a commandment but because  the love of God has been put inside of us and now it is simply part of our new spiritual nature that is manifested in the physical.

You want to be the greatest?  Don’t concern yourself with it.  Serve other in love and it will just happen. 

Prayer takes faith and faith that is used is faith that grows.  However, faith that is not used dies.  The faith that we have will always affect others.  And the faith that we don’t have will affect others as well.  Many Christians think that no action has no consequence, but God has called us to action and if we don’t move when He speaks our inaction will have repercussions on others.

When we walk in faith God gives us a testimony and a story to be able to tell others that will encourage and strengthen them.  If you want that “big story” then draw “big circles” around the ”big things” in life that God calls us to pray for.

When David won the victory over Goliath  it empowered ALL of Israel to run toward the enemy and have victory over their oppresor.  David didn’t know that his actions would have such great impact on the rest of the men but because of his faith in God it gave others the faith they needed  to overcome and become victors.

Circle makers are people of faith.  People that trust that God will take care of them and will answer the prayers of faith that they pray.  Circle makers always have a story to tell and one that generations will tell as well.

Prayer is a weapon against our enemy. But it’s not to be used to defeat him because he has already been defeated by and through Jesus and His resurrection from the dead.

Prayer is an offensive weapon and not a defensive one.  It is the power of God in and through us as His children in the spiritual realm when we function, speak, and act as such.  Satan and all of Hell realizes the power of prayer and they are in a constant military mode. If we are to be true “Circle Makers” we must be prayer warriors and not prayer prisoners, one who is in bondage to religious rules and regulations.  We see prayer as an opportunity to change our world for the better and to glorify God.

God has called us to be warriors and has given us the armor that we need to be the ones that “run to the battle line” and wreak havoc in the kingdom of darkness.  The breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit, and much more are all at our disposal as prayer warriors.  We do wield these weapons in our own power but, as we humble ourselves and commit ourselves to the Holy Spirit of God, He empowers us through prayer to change the destiny and paths of those that the enemy has targeted for destruction.  We can then and only then be true Circle Makers.

To be a Circle Maker, prayer has to be a lifestyle, one of being the will of God instead of just doing His will. We have to be willing to look foolish, to take the risk of building God’s kingdom instead of our own. Without taking the time to be in His presence, the only vision we have is our own. Our eyes can only see so far, and the risks we take for our own vision don’t go the distance either. Being in the presence of the Lord strengthens your vision to see what He sees. Our faith grows in Him and so do our prayers. Pastor Allen takes the time in Part Two of the Circle Maker series to convey the importance of the time we spend in the presence of God and its effect on our vision, confidence, and peace, which in turn affects our lifestyle of prayer.