Church of the Word Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Jen Ropp read out of 1 Timothy 1:18. Jen talked about holding faith and a good conscience. Be quick to repent. 1 Timothy 6:11, chase after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, and faithfulness. Jen talked about how we are to hold onto our faith. We are in a spiritual war. It is a fight between the light and darkness, truth or lies. When you are in faith you are at rest. Spiritual fighting is not the same as natural fighting.  Jen referenced Numbers 33 and Deuteronomy 1:8, The people had to take possession of the land. We are to fight and to stay our course. We are not fighting people. The devil will try to use feelings or cause people to get in the wrong mindset.

Other References:

2 Timothy 4:6

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Ephesians 6:12

Ephesians 6:10-18

Luke 22:31

1 Peter 5:8

Karen Burrows mentioned that you can't just assume that because a person goes to church are truly saved and has a relationship with Jesus. Karen talked about praying in our prayer language.

References:

 

Romans 1:16

John 14:6

Acts 16:31

Romans 10:9

Luke 24:44-49

Acts 1:4

Acts 2

Acts 19:1

Luke 3:15-21

Luke 4:1

Psalms 84:11

Acts 11:4-8

1 Corinthians 14:14

Jude 20

John 14:16-17th

Romans 8:26

Isaiah 28:11-12pm

James 3:4

Ephesians 5

Pastor Sydney shared how he was shown what his path way in the past had looked like. Then, it was revealed that the winding and pot hole pathway is all covered with the blood of Jesus!

Main Message:

Pastor Sydney read out of James 5:13, we have instructions from the Lord.  Pray the prayer of faith. Don't ever look at your circumstances to line up with truth. Declare the word of God over your situation. You cannot forgive if you don't love. Jesus taught us that it's our responsibility to ask Him for what we need. Pastor Sydney gave a recap of his teachings on prayer. A time to say and time to pray, Mark 11. Learn to be persistent prayer and in faith. Pastor Sydney talks about intercession.

Mark 9:15

Matthew 17:19

Daniel 19:3

Luke 2

Acts 10:30

Acts 13:2-3

Acts 14 

 

Pastor Sydney talked about fasting and praying does not give you the authority. Fasting affects you and gets your attention. It affects your sensitivity to the Lord. It's learning to say no to the flesh.

Ephesians 3:19

Mark 9:33

Isaiah 58

Ministry of reconciliation!

Pastor Sydney Ropp read Luke 18:1, the need to pray. In Luke 18:7 it shows that we are His elect or chosen people. Pastor Sydney read II Kings 4:11, persistent prayer. Honor what God puts in front of you. In II Kings 4:23, when the Shunammite woman was asked if everything was alright, her response was "Shalom shalom everthing is alright". Despite all the things that had been going on in her life.."It is well". The Shunammite woman was persistent and she received an answer swiftly. Pastor Sydney read from Luke 13:6 and Exodus 32:7, he talked about how vastly intercession is underestimated. Exodus 32:14, repented doesn't mean that he sinned. It just means he changed his mind. Pastor Sydney read from Isaiah 59:16. A video of Kent Christmas Prophecy 2018 had been shared: "And this prophecy deals with the nation, it deals with the lukewarm, it deals with the wicked, and it deals with the righteous".

Pastor Sydney talked about how his children asked him why Good Friday is called Good Friday if Jesus was put onto the cross? He mentioned that it is called Good Friday because Jesus had given everything for us. "Because, I should have been on the cross". Pastor Sydney read Jeremiah 17:5 and 1Corinthians 13. Pastor Sydney mentioned the greatest of the three (faith, love, and hope) is love. God is the light of heaven. Love will remain. Pastor Sydney talked about the story of Adam and Eve. Condemnation was among them when God came to the garden. Pastor Sydney compared Adam and Eve to a container, the gasoline represented the sin, and the fire represented God. The gasoline and fire cannot sustain together. Just like what happens when we go to the Lord, we cannot bare the  environment. Jesus could have a relationship with God because, He wasn't full of gasoline. Take the gasoline out of the container and place oil instead. Set it in the fire, the oil burns instead with being the light. Pastor Sydney referenced John 3:16, God sent His only son. He read out of 2 Corinthians 5:21 and mentioned about going out on dates with the Lord. God had created Adam and Eve because He wanted that relationship.  He read out of Matthew 27:50 and Hebrews 2:9. 1 Corinthians 15, not everyone will die. Colossians 1:18, He was made sin. Jesus died spiritually. Revelation 1:18 and Acts 2:14, righteousness and justice had to be accomplished through Jesus Christ. Acts 13:30, His Spirit bears witness within us. The gasoline had to be gotten rid of out of the container. It had to be dealt with, so that he could have a relationship with mankind!

Apostle Dale Armstrong spoke out of Deuteronomy 6:23, bondage meaning the past. God makes promises . We need to realize that it takes work. Things just don't happen. It takes time, work,  and effort. Capture what it takes to succeed. When you think it's one way and it is not, you will get disappointed. Recognize that you are building your life every time you open the bible. You are not looking for a quick fix. When you open your bible you are swinging a sledge hammer. He brought you out to get you into His promises. The coming out of Egypt by analogy of faith is the experience of the believer in new birth but, we just don't stay there. There are actions we are to take in our Christian lives from babes, sons, and fathers.  Recognition in doing God's will and getting to where God wants you to be. Apostle Dale referenced 1 Corinthians 10, this is for us. Apostle Dale read from Ephesians 6, the first promise had been made to the children. Honor your father and mother and it shall be well with you. Teach the children at a young age. We ought to be getting our kids' interested in long life. Choices are important. The old testament was written for our sake and displays His promises. Some will posses His promises and some will not. An unpossessed promise does not weaken God's promises. Apostle Dale talked about when he first got fill with the Holy Spirit. He thought to himself that there were two types of Christians. There were those that always wondered why people don't receive. Then there were those who wondered why people to receive. He mentioned that if you spend your time studying why people don't receive, then you'll learn not to receive. If you spend your time studying why people receive, then you'll learn to receive.  There are things that will destroy you, but you have to cut it off. Colossians 3:1, your focus on life is everything. There is no way that selfishness remains why are giving. Your value system isn't on earthly things. Matthew 6:33, set your affection on things above. "If somebody is going to get it's going to be me." Apostle Dale gave a testimony of a missions trip he went on in the Philippines. If you are dealing with an addiction, get your mind off the addiction and get it on to Jesus. You thinking about the problem is not the solution. Keep your eyes on Jesus, worship Him!

Pastor Sydney gave an overview  of the difference between saying and praying. He read from John 16:23 (saying/requiring part) and John 14. We have to do something first, 1 Timothy 2:1. We don't pray to Jesus, the angels, or to Saint Mary. We pray to the Father through Jesus Christ. 1) Intercession be made. 2) Luke 18:1, pray always and be conscious of His Spirit. Prayer is proper  and is a legal thing. God is not an unjust God.2) God will not delay to help us. God is looking for someone that  will take Him at His word. Pastor Sydney read from Luke 13:1. Repenting is our way out. Part of repentance is to judge yourself truthfully. We don't want to reap the bad seed that had been planted. He took our harvest and gave us His (eternal life). Being an intercessor is where a person stands in the gap asking God for mercy instead of judgement. Pastor Sydney encourages us to allow ourselves to be an intercessor.

Pastor Sydney read from Hebrews 10:19. What are you confessing? Promote or provoke love in someone. Act into accordance where our faith is. He mentioned that we live in a society that praises rebellion. Rebellion is never of God. When a person rebels he is under another's authority and he would be rebelling against their authority. Use the word resist instead. Pastor Sydney mentioned that prayer and faith have to be grounded. You have to know the Will of God. We have the desire but, no  faith. Stir yourself up first and then pray. John 14:13, we are not demanding God. We demand for the situation to change. Praying and say are two different things. Pastor Sydney read from Matthew 10:21 and Acts 3, if God gave you the authority, you can't put it back onto Him.

Pastor Sydney mentioned that prayer should touch every area of our lives. When we go to the Father in prayer we are not trying get His attention or to change His decision. Pastor Sydney read from Hebrews 4, high priest is a go between. It is between just you and the Lord. Where you find His compassion, is where you will find His mercy and grace. Receive mercy and you will have grace. Pastor Sydney mentioned that as a believer we have been given several weapons. 1). The name of Jesus. 2). The Word (when we pray/speak the Word), remember that the believing comes first. 3). The power of the Holy Spirit,  Romans 8:26-29. We must enter into His rest!

Pastor Demeke Getahun referred to Jonah 1:6. He talks about hearing the voice of Jonah. Pastor Demeke mentioned the message he got from the Lord is that the church is sleeping and that it is time to stand up. "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray". Pastor Demeke talked about how Mary knew how to sit at the feet of Jesus. When the Lord was ready for Mary, she got up and went. Everyone else followed. Pastor Demeke mentioned that there is no time to sleep. It's time to pray and let the Holy Spirit manifest. Pastor Demeke referred to the Song of Solomon, there is a beautiful bride. The groom continued to knock at her door. However,  she was not ready. So, the groom left. Pastor Demeke talked about how Jesus started His ministry with prayer and ended it with prayer. He is still God but, he had to pray.