Church of the Word Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Pastor Sydney mentioned that you fulfilling your purpose and your destiny depends upon your ability to hear and be led by the Spirit of God. He gave a couple of examples of when he followed the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Sydney references 1 John 2:27 and John 14:29. He mentions that people are forever wanting to learn more and never really come to know the truth. People are ever learning, but not knowing the truth. The reason for that is that they have not made the Holy Spirit their teacher. They are always looking to man to be their teacher. Ephesians 4 Pastor Sydney references. Pastor Sydney read from John 14:16 and John 16:13-15. Reasons why you may not be hearing: 1) Are you a sheep? We have to stop being natural hearers. If you are not hearing the Lord, it is that He is not speaking to you. It is the matter of the people not listening or responding. 2) Because you got one foot in the church and one foot in the world. Pastor Sydney mentions the word already tells us what to do or has the answers for us. 3) If you have known unconfessed sin in your life. You to go back and clear up the unconfessed sin. Deal with sin quickly. Pastor Sydney references Psalms 66:18. Spiritual wisdom is what we need in decision making. He talked about a time where he prayed about what school for his children to attend and got no answer. He wondered why he didn't get an answer and recognized that he had spoken curses over the schools he attended growing up. Once he repented he had gotten answers to where he should send his children for schooling. 4) You're trying to hear from the wrong place.You cannot hear from the Lord if you are trying to hear from the wrong source. You would just end up getting burned. We are so reason and logic led. When the Lord gives us a word, we question on where it came from. It is the inner witness on the inside that would help us discern if it is God or not. If it is from the Lord, it will line up with the scripture. Pastor Sydney references 2 Timothy 3, Acts 1:2, Acts 8:29, Acts 10:19, Acts 11:12, and Acts 13:2 showing that the Spirit speaks. He also referenced Romans 8:14, 16, Acts 15. Check in your spirit all that you hear.  You want to have peace about the situation, Romans 8:6. Don't be voice led, be peace led. Pastor Sydney referenced Acts 16. Follow the empire of peace. Colossians 3:15, be led by His Holy Spirit.

Apostle Dale Armstrong speaks out of Mark 11:23. Apostle Dale talked about an assignment the Lord gave us all to do. That assignment is to keep a journal to write the perceptions of our heart. The Lord wants us to monitor our heart and to become sensitive to the atmosphere. Apostle Dale continues to read out of Mark 11:23 and mentioned that we have to know the difference between heart faith and head faith. Your heart should always rule your head. Your head should never rule your heart. He read out of Romans 8. Deuteronomy 23:1, God is showing us to obey the word of God. Apostle Dale gave examples of when he listened to what his heart was telling him in obedience to God and had all the equipment needed for what it was he had to accomplish that day. If he had not listened, the blessed opportunity would have been missed. If we learn to listen to our hearts, the blessings will over take us. Colossians 3:15 talks about being at peace. When you are not at peace that would be the time to talk about repentance, the love walk, or to give more. Apostle Dale mentions that you cannot not lose the peaceful state. He mentions to hold onto the peace of God. You want to have peace and monitor your spirit. Learn to discern what is taking place. Apostle Dale read from Romans 8:14, evidence of salvation is being led by the Spirit. He referenced Deuteronomy 28, if you follow the voice of the Lord He will bless you. Apostle Dale read from 1 Corinthians 14:2, the use of speaking in tongues. He mentioned that God speaks to man, man speaks to man, and man speaks to God. When you are praying in tongues don't stop and ask for the interpretation, just push through and God will give you what you need. Listen to the peace. It can be a warning, it can be a red light, or it can be a green light. Things that were once difficult will be made easy. Be led by your heart.

Pastor Sydney read from Psalm 34.  He mentions to look to the Lord for your joy. If you are not radiant with joy then, maybe you are not looking to the Lord. "Maybe something else has filled up your windshield, like the problem or the mountain." Look to the Lord and let him fill your windshield. Pastor Sydney mentions that God would deliver them from all their trouble. Sometime we cry out to the Lord and the deliverance is not instant. The trouble gets worse before it gets better. Come into the presence of the Lord. Pastor Sydney mentions that the Lord does not live in the building we worship in. Pastor Sydney encourages us to seek the Lord, welcome His presence.

Tithe:

We don't want to plant crop and then abandon our field because in one month it is not growing. Pastor Sydney mentioned that as we sow, the Lord will do what He said He would do. God is not waiting for us to get our ducks in a row. Pastor Sydney encourages us to put our eyes on the Lord.

Main Message:

Pastor Sydney read from Hebrews 11. Believe on a heart level, that those who seek God will be rewarded. He mentions that the Blood of Jesus is good enough, case settled. He talks about how we value things. Pastor Sydney encourages us to invest in the things we do. Value is determined by the price paid.  The price paid for you was the one and only Son of God. Pastor Sydney read from Hebrews 12 and Romans 1 through Romans 8. In Romans 6:19, sanctification is to set apart. Romans 6:23, eternal life is to know Jesus. Pastor Sydney mentioned that we are more than just human, we are sons of God.

Testimony:

Shane and Nickole Burger shared about the great things the Lord did for them with  financial, healing, and encouraging blessings while on their honeymoon.

Psalm 138 had been read from. Pastor Sydney mentioned about the key point he wanted the church to get a hold of in John 13:12, it is that serving one another in the lowliest task. Pastor  Sydney pointed out John 13:16, the messenger means Apostle. Pastor Sydney read from Luke 4:3. He as the question "Who is God?". When describing who God is, we need to simplify things. Some would describe God as love or peace for example.

Pastor Sydney mentioned that we must know our identity in Him. He pointed out that you cannot walk into anything if you do not know your identity first. If you made Jesus the Lord of your life we have to come to reality who we are. Most temptations are an attack of the enemy of your identity in Christ. The devil will always come against your identity. Pastor Sydney read from Romans 6:1. Consider yourself dead to sin. He also reads from 1 Peter 2:9-10, 'You are royalty...". In Galatians 3:27 we are shown to put on Christ. Pastor Sydney mentioned that if you are not secure in Jesus you will not walk in His good work.

Karen Burrows speaks about how we get to do and learn in the flesh right now. There are three things that are on the Father's heart. In Genesis 3 Eve believed a lie before she had sinned. The devil is trying to undermine and under value the word of God in your life. Before a person sins they believe a lie. The bible says to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. We have to discern between God thoughts and devil thoughts (truth or a lie). Karen gave the example of whenever she heard it was the flu season she always got prepared for it and always got the flu but, then found out about the truth of God's healing power. Karen referenced 1 Peter 2:24. Jesus legally came on the earth to do whatever with what He gave them. Number one problem God had is the very gift He gave humanity, which is free will. Number two problem God had is that His kids' mindsets, the way they think. Once you get born again, it is the beginning of discipleship. We are learning the ways of the Lord. Change is not just a six letter word. We are to be moving from glory to glory and faith to faith. You have to let go of the lie in order to grasp the truth. Intentionally let go of the lie, unbelieve the lie; get the word of God; come into agreement with God, and figure out where the lie started. We all have the free will to make the decisions. If you stay with the truth you will have a sure foundation. Salvation is vertical, it is between the person and God. The heart is God's business. Karen reads out of John 8:44. Karen read out of 2 Peter 3:9, 1 John 1:7, and Ephesians 1:17. Forgiveness is where we start. I want to forgive because I know I should but, I do not want them to get away with it. Karen shares what the Lord has for the church body. "I want them to have the sense of injustice. To be aware of what they are doing. I feel somehow that if I forgive them they are not going to understand and that they will do it again." It is not the Father's heart for sin to be done repeatedly. Karen read out of Mark 11:25. Forgiveness is a decision of your heart. Forgiveness is not an emotion. Karen references John 20:23. Retain means to keep possession of. If you retain sin it will make you to what that sin is. Loosening and forgiving or containing and retaining. 2 Timothy 4:13, we see a change of judgement to mercy. Mercy triumphs judgement. The power of sin has the power to transform into something itself. Ephesians 2:1, trespass is an offense against a person it's horizontal (with the brother and sisters); James 5:16. Do not rehearse the curse. Karen read out of Matthew 18:15, Luke 11:4,  and 1 Corinthians 3:1-15. Holiness is being transparent. Keep your eyes on the Father. Jesus Christ is your sure foundation. Everyone has the responsibility of how their foundation is built!

Offering Message by Jen Ropp:

What are motives are is what God wants us to pay attention to. Jen speaks out of 2 Corinthians 9:7. Jen questions why people tithe? Is it because it is our duty? Those are all wrong motives. In our giving we want faith to be tied behind it and to trust God.

 

Skype with Pastor Sydney Ropp and Our Missionary Family:

Looking at the book of John where Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. Peter didn't want Jesus to wash his feet. Jesus said to him that if he doesn't let him wash his feet then he has no part of Him. John 13:12. A servant isn't greater than his master. There is a great reward for those who go and for those who send out the missionaries.

Offering:

Matthew 6 is what Pastor speaks out of. Don't forget to stay in the state of mind on when you believe that God will meet all your needs whether it a season of plenty or not. Pastor Sydney references Proverbs 19. Worry is a form of atheism and imaging life without God. Faith is saying no that God is going to be there. Kingdom becomes two words. King for his domain or authority of the king. Dom for the king's domain. Seek first the Kingdom of God.

Main Message:

Being added is natural but, being multiplied is supernatural. His ability is multiplied to you. How does it come to you? It comes to you through the knowledge of God. It is important to share the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Share what you know and share your testimony. Do your part in the natural realm.  He has given us divine nature escaping the corruption of the world. The Lord does His part be we are to take part in it also with His help. Weakness strips people of authority. Keep a clean conscious. People are looking at their past mistakes. Receive forgiveness of your past from God

Pastor Sydney talks about times of uncertainty lies ahead. Pastor Sydney encourages us not to be in fear but, to be in great cheer. The Lord is already here. You need not to fear and you need not to tremble!

Apostle Dale Armstrong spoke out of 1 Thessalonians 5:23, the three elements are Spirit, soul, and body in that sequence. Apostle Dale mentioned that God is a spirit. Luke 1:46 was read from, worship starts in the Spirit and then it effects your soul. Galatians 4:4-6, Apostle Dale mentioned that crying is not weeping. God has a loud voice. We tend to say we are waiting for God to speak to us, but the question is are we always listening? Apostle Dale  mentioned that you cannot have crying without a loud voice, Romans 8:8. Apostle Dale mentioned that our body has its own voice. We don't have to listen to that voice. The voice of our body is lust. We do not have a weight problem. It is a spiritual problem. It's the product of you following and living by the Spirit. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit. John 15:5, God needs us to get to the people. Deuteronomy 28:1, we shall learn to listen. Apostle Dale read out of 1 Kings 19 and talked about how every fresh revelation demands a  fresh consecration. He also reads from Galatians 5:14-16 and mentions that success is by avoiding disaster. He also referenced Psalms 121. Apostle Dale mentions that most people got a problem with denying the flesh. No matter how bad the devil messed you up, if you had accepted Jesus into your heart, you are still a child of God and He still speaks to you!

Pastor Lever Sopar reads out of Acts 13:41, Isaiah 43:18, and Mark 4:28. In Isaiah 43:19 the word spring forth means to sprout. Pastor Lever mentioned that our city, our nation, and our country is a post-Christian generation. We have to listen to what God wants and not to get into depression after hearing the statistics of people falling into post-Christian. We are in a place where we have to think about what we are going to do about our nation. Anything can happen anywhere if God's people are willing to do what they are suppose to do. America is at such a crossroad right now. Revival will not be automatic as Christians we got to do something. Pastor Lever mentioned a couple of famous people that had took action in culminating moments. He mentioned Patrick Henry, Esther, Winston Churchill, and Nelson Mandela. They all had to give something up and suffered for what they believed in, dying to self in order to see change. What are you willing to die for? We are at a crossroad. It's wake up time, it's a serious time. Pastor Lever mentioned that two multiplied by seven is equivalent to fourteen is the formula for revival, 2 Chronicles 7:14.

There is an invisible line that we have to cross to get this nation turned around. We have to be able to make the right decisions and do what is necessary for  revival. Break the barrier to cross the line. We are at war and if you don't fight you'll lose. If you don't pay the price, defeat will cost much more than success. There must be change. We can't live life as normal. When God says something do it. We need to move and not talk ourselves out of what God wants us to do. Abraham was willing to leave his home,country, family , and business.

Jesus said in the parable of the thorny soil that the cares of life, deceitfulness of the riches, the desire for other things, and the desires of life will choke the word and stop you from being productive. You need to ask yourself am I being choked, am I not producing, am I willing to weed my garden?

Culminating Moments, Made God mad!

1. Deuteronomy 5, when the golden calf was made

2. Numbers 14, when the spies were sent into the promise land

3. Numbers 16, God was unhappy with the rebellion against the leadership

4. Numbers 16, Rebellion against God's judgement

The word from the Lord to Moses was to get away from them and you can do something. He stood between the living and the dead to stop the plague. This is the hour where God wants to supernaturally move. If two or three are gathered in His name. The power is in our hands. It's all for the taking. Luke 19, now is the time that God wants to visit you. Get in the spirit of prayer, we can bring revival to this nation. Are you ready for revival? Are you ready to pay the price?

Main Message and Additional References:

Pastor Sydney read from 1 John 3:8. He reads from John 1:1-4 and John 1:14. 1 Peter 1:23 and John 1:10-14, James 1:18, and 2 Corinthians 5:17-19. We are recreated by the Word. The Word dwells in us. Pastor Sydney referred to Colossians 3:16, John 15:7, Ephesians 3:17. The Word renews and builds us up. Acts 20:2, Colossians 3:10, John 15:3, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 5:26-27, and John 17:17 are verses that show that the Word builds you up. Verses that show that we know the Father through the Word are John 14:21-22 are verses that show that the Word builds you up. Verses that show that we know the Father through the Word are John 14:21-22, John 16:27, John 17:23. Faith comes through the Word, verses Romans 10:17, Hebrews 12:2, John 17:7-8, James 1:22, Psalms 119:105, Romans 4:16-32, and 2 Corinthians 1:20. The prevailing Word is shown through verses 2 Thessalonians 3:1, Acts 19:20, Acts 12:24, Acts 6:7, and Jeremiah 1:12. We are healed by the word is shown through verse Psalms 107:20. Pastor Sydney reads from Psalms 103 and mentions that the living Word will build you up and make you strong. He mentions that a crown on your head means authority. The Lord is gracious, compassionate, kind, and slow to anger. Pastor Sydney mentioned that we do not have the spirit of fear, but we are to have the fear of the Lord. Reverence of the Lord is how we are to be. God's compassion is towards those who fear Him.

Testimony: Pastor Sydney gave and update on Carson. There was bit of a set back, but it is only a distraction. God will still come out on top.

Marie English shared what God is doing in her life and shared Joshua 1:5, which is the verse that she stands on. Just a reminder that where ever she goes God is with her.

Jacob Markis shared his testimony when he went back home to Greece to share the Gospel with his family.

Apostle Dale Armstrong speaks out of Psalm 91 and talks about secrets, under valued or misunderstood. Apostle Dale shares a story about a gentleman who had been a billionaire who no education. He thought to himself that it was unbelievable and was not condescending the gentleman, but it was a reproach to himself of how low we aim. Apostle Dale also mentions about how little we believe of the things that are possible in our lives. Even when we hear testimonies of what God is doing in our lives. If we are not careful we turn people off. It's almost too high, too far removed, or too incredible.God wants to bring us up and sometimes we have to go a little bit slowly. It 's the Sheppard's job to not drive the sheep, but to go with the sheep. Apostle Dale encourages us that God wants to do great things in our lives. That what He had once done before He'll do it again. Apostle Dale mentions the verse in Ephesians is what the Lord had dealt with him about. God's power is exceedingly great, which Apostle Dale had translated that improperly. Exceedingly great meant to him very great. Although exceedingly means greater than the last time. It has to be something more profound than the last time. Apostle Dale continues to read out of Psalm 91 and mentions in verse one that the secret place is where we can live with God.

Apostle Dale shared a story about when he was working with an assistant who had been unsure of Apostle Dale and wondered how he accomplished things and pondered on what his secret was. The assistant had become very depressed in result of having fruitless meetings and had no clue as to what Apostle Dale was going to do. The assistant was clueless and was not in on the secret. Apostle Dale mentioned that when you are not in on the secret it becomes irritating. Apostle Dale had used a description of a mosquito worry and about how sometimes they can get through the net. He had dealt with that mosquito worry and had praised God. Apostle Dale asked the Lord, "What about that what are we going to do?" The Lord responded with, "Don't you know there are always things that you don't know".

Apostle Dale had an encounter with a woman who was a widower of a very well known congressman. Him and his assistant went and had a meeting with this woman. By the end of the meeting everything they had needed accomplished got done. The assistant still unsure of what Apostle Dale does, continued to see more and more of how God moves. God wants you to prosper. As parents you want your children to prosper.

Looking at Matthew 6, Apostle Dale talks about the secrets of prosperity.  The first verse talks about taking heed, meaning to be warned or pay attention. You do not do things to be seen because you would loose your reward. Our Father wants to reward you. Give to get is life and there is always an exchange. Live in the secret place so that the blessing of God pours out on us to be able to give.

Apostle Dale talks about a pistol he owns and how valuable it is to him. It had belonged to his grandfather and to him that pistol is sentimental and has more value then a real pistol. Apostle Dale mentions that God wants to be the one to take care of us. He wants to be the author of our blessing.

Apostle Dale shares the story about a woman of God who had a message for him from the Lord. At that point and time he was being interviewed and was reporting news. The woman who had a message for Apostle Dale told him that the Lord said to stop being negative and that he needed to learn how to speak because he will be the senator someday. He had received the message and thanked the woman.

Apostle Dale goes on sharing about how people say that prosperity preachers are greedy. "How can you be greedy, if your goal is to give it away?" Apostle Dale mentioned that he wants to be the pipeline and that he wants to be the conduit of God's blessing. He also mentions that the more that he gives away, the more he is blessed with. It becomes exceedingly great because God trust him and gives him more to bless with. Matthew 6:21, where your treasure is that is where your heart will be. Apostle Dale mentioned that he had learned from Oral Roberts that he could change the direction of his heart with his checkbook. He shared with the congregation that he did have a stinginess when he was a teenager and mentioned that it comes from having a view of limited resources. He learned from Roberts that you can break the nicotine or alcohol habit if you start penalizing yourself. Put back into the Kingdom of God. Eventually, your heart would begin to cry when you put money into good things that you would start to enjoy it. You start to put a constraint on your heart by the use of your money. The pleasures of life and the pleasures of sin that are pleasurable for a season are generally expensive. You can direct your own heart by putting the money of your life out there into the Kingdom of God. Apostle Dale talked about how not only ten percent of our finances belong to God that all of it belongs to God. God just wants us to sow ten percent of if back into the Kingdom and the other ninety percent for us to be responsible for. Our hearts are involved with the perception of money.

Luke 21. This will work as you walk along side with God when you go to pay off a car loan, a student loan, or a house. He uses marriage for example. When you get married everything expands. Instead of getting a nice sports car you invest into a van. A woman who's husband died and she had no money. She was not defeated in life. The widow was not a loser. The woman gave everything. Your money is not your seed. It is your faith that is your seed. When you don't put your faith in behind your giving, you really aren't giving any seed at all.

Apostle Dale gave a testimony of when God told him and his wife that they were to move to Moscow at the Landmark in 2000. So he had to sell their house and it got sold. He thanked God for the profit of the house, but the Lord said that the hundred fold returned has everything to do with sowing and reaping, but the hundred fold returned has nothing to do with giving. The hundred fold is tied up in your forsaking where your heart goes. Apostle Dale read out of Mark 10. He was going to go speak and was told to just give the message and have and alter call. He was not there to cause any problems. At that service the Lord had Apostle Dale call a man forth for healing of his arm. God can protect you, but you cannot protect Him.