Church of the Good Shepherd

2012 the year of NEW THINGS  where the impossible become possible!
Exo 12:2 “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. TODAY IS A NEW DAY!
Exo 14:14 “The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent. “ 15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.     TODAY WE CONTINUE FORWARD
Gen 28:18… He called the name of that place, BETHEL = HOUSE OF GOD

Recently I was invited by the Lord to spend the day with Him. It's an invitation that takes not a second to reply "yes I will" As I began to walk the floor and pray in the the Spirit, I became so aware of the fact that all God wanted was my being there with Him. So often we enter the "closet" in this case the sanctuary and get into "fight/warfare mode" this is often my custom. Then I realized thats not what the Lord said to me and I simply changed my "mode" to waiting and resting. As I layed on the alter listening to a worship song "in your presence" I was drawn back to the real purpose of why God calls us in the first place and thats simply to be with Him!

How many times do we walk through life and through life's trials with more questions than answers? If you are a "Christian" and especially a believer who is more than just the average Sunday attender you are likely to view life from the natural and the spiritual as effecting each other. Circumstances, issues, people, not to mention the devil, all effect how we approach God and life at hand.  Job had a lot of "buts" in his life until God revealed the bigger picture. Joseph too had some "buts" of his own, yet seemingly God was in all the difficult stuff too!

"1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  -- Matthew 5:16
 
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite passages.  Unfortunately, the Christian church has been reduced to worshiping their king within the four walls of their church.  They have allowed the world to dictate that we worship and meet on Sunday mornings between 9 and 12.  I love how this verse stresses that we let our light (Jesus) shine BEFORE men.  That means we need to get outside the church walls and allow our light to shine brightly for the world to see.  
 

John 15:1- 4  I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch in Me not bearing fruit, He takes it away; and each one bearing fruit, He prunes, so that it may bear more fruit. You are already pruned because of the Word which I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I in you. As the branch is not able to bear fruit of itself, unless it remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
-- 2 Chronicles 7:14
 

For those of you who have recieved our ministry will know how passionate we are about being fully absorbed in Christ. I do believe the Lords desire for His Bride is for her to be complete, fulfilled, satisfied, mature and so forth. It's clear to me that when Jesus spoke of us embracing Him it is not in merely praying a simple prayer. And while that is important it is only the begining of our relationship with Him. John 10:9 quotes Chirst in saying "I am the door.