Pause to Pray Nov. 19th, 2021

Wealth & God’s Economy

The parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 shows us some of God’s economy. He created us with the ability to produce wealth and trade with each other to increase wealth. The problem is not to money, the problem is our view of the master. If we see God as someone who is unfair, or who setup and unfair system of rich people who steal from the poor people to make and keep their wealth, we’ll never know the heart of the Father.

The Parable of the Talent

[14] “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. [15] To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. [16] He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. [17] So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. [18] But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.  

Matthew 25:14–18 ESV

 

Pause to Pray Nov. 12th, 2021

Turnaround Tuesday

PAUSE TO PRAY: Turnaround Tuesday

The enemy is after our children. But God is sending an Elijah spirit to restore broken hearts, relationships and generations.

Malachi 4:4–6

[4] “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. [5] “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. [6] And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (ESV)

 

Pause to Pray Nov. 5th, 2021

Break Up Uncultivated Ground

Sometimes we must cultivate our soil to sow seeds of righteousness. Breaking up ground that has not been cultivated means submitting to God, knowing He is breaking things apart to grow new life.

Hosea 10:12 – Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

 

Pause to Pray Oct. 29th, 2021

Water 💦 From Heaven

DEUT. 11:10-12

For the land that you are entering to take possession of it is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it,fn like a garden of vegetables. 11 But the land that you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven, 12 a land that the LORD your God cares for. The eyes of the LORD your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

ONE Church Sermon Sunday Oct. 24th, 2021

Ritual: Mikveh and the Kingdom of God.

Ritual is how humans capture the meaning and power of an event or spiritual truth, codify that meaning and pass it along to future generations. There are three major components of ritual: 1) foundational spiritual truth, 2) meaning of the symbolic acts, 3) future generation’s understanding of the ritual. Join me as I discuss the history of ritual and how Mikveh and the Kingdom of God collide on John 3.

John 3:1-9

[1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2] This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” [3] Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [4] Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” [5] Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ [8] The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

[9] Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” (ESV)

Pause to Pray Oct. 22nd, 2021

Born from Above.

You must be “Born from above”. Even if we removed all illegitimate rulers from the natural and spiritual realms, humans would still be disconnected from God. We can never purge enough darkness so the light will shine. Foolishness! We must be born of the spirit to see the Kingdom of God.

John 3:1-9

[1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2] This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” [3] Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [4] Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” [5] Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ [8] The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

[9] Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” (ESV)

Pause to Pray Oct. 15th, 2021

The Judgement of Pharoah.

The false ruler was exposed in the 10th plague, but not dealt with. God does not expose evil unless there is a plan to administer justice. However, often, God’s justice does not look and feel like human wisdom.

Exodus 14:1–4

Crossing the Red Sea

[1] Then the LORD said to Moses, [2] “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. [3] For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ [4] And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And they did so. (ESV)

Pause to Pray Oct. 8th, 2021

Plague 10: The Death of the Firstborn

The final assault on the gods of Egypt. The complete and total exposure of the illegitimate ruler clinging to power. Now is the day of liberation! The complete and total exposure of the illegitimate rulers through the covenant blood of the lamb.

Exodus 12:12–13

[12] For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. [13] The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. (ESV)

Pause to Pray Oct. 1st, 2021

Plague 9: Darkness that can be felt.

The Plague of Darkness. Not it’s not just a solar eclipse. It’s the darkness you can FEEL. How does displacing false gods and idols release spiritual darkness in the earth? We the church must learn to operate in the natural and spiritual realms, doing the work of Jesus to “Destroy the works of the devil”.

Pause to Pray Sept 10th, 2021

Plague 6: Boils & The God of Justice.

Biblical Justice is not social justice. And as slaves who are now sons and daughters, we can not seek justice as the world seeks it. We must appeal to heaven.