I am seeing subscriptions, and getting a few signups — both. Hope to see you. Community happens face to face.
Entrance into Deep Prayer
Text for last Sunday was Psalm 100:1&2, and Psalm 95.
Pattern is enter into his gates with Thanksgiving. We thought a bit about thanksgiving, after we understood “gates.”
And into His courts with Praise. Once we understand Jesus’ work for us, we begin to praise Him. Praise is appropriate for his court.
That was noisy, but then in Ps 95:6, we get to quiet: worship. Deep worship is often not noisy. In deep worship, follwoing the chapter, we can better hear his voice, better move in obedience better see miracles, and we can enter into rest.
This sounds ho-hum? No! this is entrance into the deep things of God.
Praying for schools
Coming up on February the 23rd is Collegiate Prayer Day. Please think of what school you want to pray for. Thanks.
There will be time to participate by saying what school you would like to pray for. Maybe you will do something else, depending upon your connection or motivation. Let us know.
Surely our schools are important. Works with our focus on leadership development.
Good and Bad Leadership
Last Sunday we considered how to identify and be good leadership rather than bad.
Who were good leaders? Obviously Jesus. What did he do? Spent time with God, healed and taught the multitude, and invested heavily in the 12 — to bring them to leadership. Moses. Spent time with God, handed down the law to create a people, judged the people, and created a leadership structure. Paul. Not smooth, not always polite, argued with other leaders. Spent time with God, had revelations, went out and founded lots of churches, wrote, and mentored leaders. Deborah. Judged Israel. Was a wife and mother. Directed the generals, Prophesied. Celebrated volunteers. Check it out.
So good leaders follow God. Good leaders feed the sheep, rather than eat them. Good leaders develop other leaders. Check out Zechariah 10 & 11. And read closely Ephesians 4:11-13 or so.
Oh, you should have been there. We are small enough that you get to ask questions during the sermon!
The Weakening of the Church
One of our leading members brought this pamphlet to our attention: “Is Your Church Going Purpose Driven?” https://www.swrc.com/media/pdfs/Going%20PDC.pdf
He has a book out on the topic of the pamphlet too, entitled *The Dark Side of the Purpose Driven Church.* I can not verify the details contained therein such as whether Rick Warren is against the fundamentals of the faith (including virgin birth, atoning death of cross, literal resurrection, and inerrancy of the Bible) and whether Warren explicitly teaches pastors to disenfranchise lay leaders and isolate/vilify resistors. We hope we have misunderstood the claims that Warren’s organization has put pressure on ministries and book sellers to suppress this discussion. We understand that Hybels has repented of his teaching on “seeker-sensitive.” However, we certainly and clearly do see a general blandness and sleepiness in churches and we are concerned.
We know things are not good. We were amused a few years ago when we saw a church choosing to add a statement of denial (what they don’t believe) to their statement of faith. Of course, we have long been aware of a blockage in churches for any kind of application to the civic arena. We have observed with discomfort that expertise is often not wanted, but instead yes-men without expertise. We have very sadly observed that discipleship and Bible study have become a thing of the past in amazingly many places. We were shocked to discover formerly strongly pentecostal or leading charismatic churches are now both hiding and suppressing any sort of charismata.
Hutchings was a conservative Baptist broadcaster. Of course, I do realize that Noah Hutchings is mistaken in his claims about the Masoretic text versus the Textus Receptus. Overall, however, Brother Hutchings had a long, faithful and fruitful life and ministry. We do not have to agree on everything to take someone’s point.
Hutchings is making a good point, especially if taken in general: modern fashions in the church growth movement are enervating, weakening the church. Let us not be so concerned with numbers that we fail to actually be (let alone convert) Christians. Let us not be so seeker-sensitive that there is no reason for anyone to be seeking for God near us. Let’s don’t be snookered out of faith.
At Jesus Name, our model of how to do church is much less concerned with money and show and much more concerned about growth in God and reaching out in real community for others. We hope a model that sacrifices the niceties of space and art can grow more quickly. We hope that leadership that is more concerned with replication than return customers can evangelize and fission more quickly. We hope a model that adheres to the Bible more faithfully can be more fruitful in the eyes of our Lord.
And surely a church with Jesus Name as its name will not forget a relationship with the One who has shared His Name with us.
Now Meeting
We are meeting now on Sunday morning. Have changed the meeting time to 9:30 am. (We expect that our meeting will end about 11:00 for now. Children are welcome.)
Currently we are meeting in a public place and hope to soon be meeting in a home. Both in central Cedar Park. To find out where, please either fill out the form with your name and email, or better yet, leave your name and number on this voice mail: 512-249-7629. Sorry about this extra step, but we have found through experience that we need to use wisdom with security.
Our statement of faith is posted here. All are welcomed — who want to do what we covenant together to do: worship God through Jesus & Holy Spirit, and **grow** together in healthy community and serviceful vocation, instructed by Bible and led by Holy Spirit.
A warm welcome to those who are looking for healing of spirit. A hand of fellowship to those who want to selflessly serve the Lord. The blood of Jesus for those who wish to make spiritual warfare.
Vilification or Evil Speaking – Prominent Topic for Aspiring Sons
One of John Wesley’s most famous sermons was “The Cure of Evil Speaking.” “Evil speaking” comes from Ephesians 4: 31. Wesley translated it “vilification.” Modern Americans might say informally “speaking bad about a brother or sister in the Lord.” Wesley’s cure was Matthew 18. Once one considers the matter, one is given a great and important insight.
We know that our words matter. However, this is a point, this speaking ill of other sons/daughters that has been overlooked, forgotten, not understood, or intentionally perverted. Far from being the ideal management tool, it is sin tantamount to blasphemy! This is vital information for any who are intending ( or eve were once intending) to mature into the Sons/’Uios of God.
Monday December 30th a Day of National Repentance – called by Dutch Sheets
December 29, 2019
Give Him 15 – Appeal to Heaven
A Call to a National Day of Repentance on December 30
By Dutch Sheets & Karen Hardin
“After reading Dave Kubal’s article, There was a Spiritual Quid Pro Quo, my heart was grieved over the abuse of America’s power, prominence, and position that we have received from the Lord.
“Ongoing investigations reveal that American officials have been withholding financial aid to other countries for years, unless they agreed to promote abortion and the LGBTQ+ agenda to their citizens. It was OUR country that was blackmailing and bullying to spread immorality.
“While we have no idea how far-reaching these seeds were sown or grown, as a nation we are responsible for the wicked harvest that is the result.
“Now that this evil has been exposed, we are responsible to act.
“We also need to repent for the unjust impeachment of President Trump. This action was not because of his actions (despite the claims of the Democrats), but to cover up crimes and immoral actions of our government leaders. They have used their positions to force the above immorality and corruption upon our nation and other nations.
“Before we enter 2020, we need to repent and cleanse our land.
“We invite you to join us for a National Day of Repentance for our nation over what has transpired to uproot those seeds and call on the Lord to forgive us.
“Will you join us on Monday, December 30th, for a day of fasting and repentance of the evil that has been committed as we forced other countries to embrace and spread immorality and evil in exchange for financial assistance?
“We also need to repent for the spirit of pride and rebellion that has been allowed to rule our nation and shake its fist in defiance as our president was impeached by a completely partisan vote. In the end, it isn’t just President Trump they wish to remove. It is God.” (Karen Hardin)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9; ESV)
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14; ESV)
Give Him 15 minutes in prayer (by Karen Hardin):
We need to first humble ourselves and repent.
We need to ask forgiveness for those we led astray as abortion and the LGBTQ+ agenda were forced into other nations.
We need to repent and be cleansed of the blood on our hands from the abortions traded for aid.
We need to pray that the seeds of immorality and corruption that were spread would wither and die.
We need to pray that those who perpetuated this evil will be revealed, removed from their positions, and prosecuted.
We need to cancel any partnership or alliance with the demonic realm, whether that is through an organization, a country, or an individual, and that all such partnerships will be brought to light and cancelled.
Most importantly, we need to pray for revival in our land.
A prayer you can pray (by Karen Hardin):
Father God, we humble ourselves before You and repent as a nation. Lord God, we have sinned. We have used the prominent position and blessings you have given us as a weapon to force immorality and murder upon other countries. Lord, we repent. We ask for your forgiveness.
We ask that those seeds be uprooted from other countries and our own. We speak to them now and say, “Wither and die along with any ongoing harvest.” In their place, we speak revival. We ask that you would cleanse our land and the blight we have put on other nations in which this evil was perpetuated.
Lord, we ask that those who have been involved in these heinous crimes be revealed, removed from their positions, and prosecuted. Lord, stop them from continuing any ongoing actions. We also ask that they will have a Damascus Road encounter with you and that the hardness of their hearts will be turned to hearts of flesh, tender to your Word.
Lord, we ask you to save us. We ask for your help. We repent that we have been asleep and allowed such corruption, because we were not praying for our leaders as You commanded. Lord, we thank you for our president and His stand for you. We ask that you would deliver him and deliver us from those who are intent on removing You from our nation. In Jesus’ righteous Name, amen.
Today’s decree:
We humble ourselves and ask You, Lord, to please heal and cleanse our land.
Merry Christmas and blessed new year
Merry Christmas!
We are under orders LOL from Pastor Mahesh to wallow in Christmas! I saw one of those Christmas movies for the first time. I hear he likes them. Wow! it was heart warming. So nice. If you are alone, do that. And then see, you will want to give cookies or go out to eat with someone else. We need to learn how to love.
Blessed new year to you too. The word I gave on my Learning Disabilities podcast and will give on my Friday night prayer meeting (Facebook on Promoting God’s Kingdom (not my page)) is 2020. This will be a year when whatever you are looking at you should be seeing more clearly. This is a blessing, an encouragement, and also an admonishment to go DO something about it.
Hope we see your face soon. We are learning how to love. Calling in people who want to be formed as a disciple of Jesus. (You know, don’t you, that calling means going out, too? Those disciples of Jesus became his Apostles. That is the way it works.)
Love and blessings.
What We Would Like to Do
1. Love people – really. So, rather than programmatic stuff, I envision home groups where we do relationships.
2. Authentic worship. We have enough concerts, but we need some real praise and worship. It might take some courage; it might take some healing. Whatever it takes, let’s have it.
3. Discipleship/Personal Development/Spiritual Maturity — meaning really becoming the people we want to be to be good friends, good parents, and standup contributors in whatever walk of life we are in. Let it not be published in Gath that the shamans interviewed on podcasts look like they are ahead of the church here. Discipleship is not an Inquirers’ Class; it is not a Connect Group. It is living out your maximum, no-limits destiny in God that wants to deploy you in the most awesome ways. It is also death-to-(lower)self and alive in God, risen & seated with Him. it is actually doing stuff!
