John, one of Jesus' disciples, infamously asked Jesus to call down fire from heaven onto the people he didn't like. This man of racism and prejudice would later write passionately about loving God and loving others. Clearly his time with Jesus, a man of love, had a profound impaact on his life. John writes in 1 John 4:19 - "We love because He (God) loved us first." The power to love God comes from our decision to surrender to Jesus and walk in His ability to love others.

Jesus makes a staggering stament in Mark 12. When asked what was the greatest commandment of all, Jesus told His hearers that it was to love God with everything and to love our neighbor as ourselves. That little word "as" means "to the same degree or quality". Our ability to love others, i.e. to create a safe place and a safe home, is dependent upon how well we love ourselves. Loving ourselves is not self absorption, but a means to growing in our maturity in Christ so we can love others with the full, genuine love of God.

Christ's government has two main purposes. First, He provides protection and safety for people. Second, He trains, equips and empowers others to obey the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. Church leadership is an empowered and human form of Jesus' government and rule.

Leif Hetland leads Global Mission Awareness, a movement dedicated to helping people experience the deep love of God. In part one, Leif shares with us how all of humanity lives life from one of three chairs. Enjoy this great teaching and be encouraged by all that is possible for you.

Leif Hetland leads Global Mission Awareness, a movement dedicated to helping people experience the deep love of God. In part one, Leif shares with us how all of humanity lives life from one of three chairs. Enjoy this great teaching and be encouraged by all that is possible for you.

A strong prayer life is focused, personal and prioritized. No one stumbles into a brilliant prayer life. Jesus gave us a model for prayer, called the Lord's prayer, and it helps us stay focused, engaged in intimacy with God and praying the central themes of God's heart. Grab a cold drink, your bible and your notepad as Pastor Lance shares the final message in the series "Heartwarming Prayer".

We have been given "7 Points of Prayer" for 2015 and today Pastor Lance shares his heart about "People". Jesus saw people as "sheep without a shepherd being harassed and tormented". In this message we are reminded that God asks us to ask Him to hurl people into the harvest field, demonstrating compassion and stopping for the one.

What we are a part of is bigger than the part we play, but the part we play is prayer; which is partnership with Jesus for the transformation of history. Prayer then, is how we release God's power to bear upon human need. We face monumental crises in this hour. We need the power of God at work in us, so we can most effectively partner with God.

Father God has given us "7 Points of Prayer" for 2015. The first and most important is to pray for an increase in His presence and second is that God would strengthen our prayer life. We are asking God to give us a "spirit of prayer" and increase the quality of our private and collective prayer times. Today, Pastor Lance shares that the "heart of prayer is not collective or individualistic. It is both." As we pray collectively we should expect God to show up and do amazing things. Take to heart today's word of encouragement and let your spirit be warmed by spending time with Jesus.

As we continue our series on prayer, today Pastor Lance shares "7 Points of Prayer for 2015" and expounds on the first and most important point, the Presence of God.