Calvary Chapel Oceanside Men's Fellowship

August Men's Breakfast

2011-08-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

Come to our Monthly CCO Men's Breakfast this Saturday 8/13 and listen to Freddie Dennis' rivoting testimony!

We will NOT be meeting in the CCO Cafe, but will be gathering at the opposite end (west side) of the church in the Praise Room, the room we used to meet in before we got so big!

So bring a friend/neighbor/workmate at 7 am for some great grub, fellowship, and encouragement!

CCO Men's Ministry

2011-05-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

Join us on May 20-22 at CCCC in Murietta for CCO's Annual Men's Retreat!
Contact us at:
men@calvaryoceanside.org

2010-12-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

Come join the men of Calvary Chapel Oceanside this Saturday at 7am and greet Pastor Gerry Brown, who will be our guest speaker.

For those of us, who attended the 2010 Men's Retreat, we are confident that Pastor Gerry will have some strong words to encourage us in the way of Christ this Christmas season!

Calvary Chapel Men's Conference 2010

2010-10-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

Calvary Chapel's Annual Men's Conference is this Saturday, Oct.16th at Verizon's Irvine Meadows, from 7-4pm.

The men of Calvary Chapel Oceanside will be carpooling up there, so if you need a ride or are willing to share a ride, please come to the CCO parking lot at 6am to give ample time to match up riders and drivers.

Here's the link for additional event details:

http://www.ccmensconference.com/

September Men's Breakfast 9/11 at 7:00 am

2010-09-10T16:17:00.000-07:00

Feel the storm coming?

Be sure to make the right connections with the men of CCO before the velocity increases too fast for you to handle!

Please join us for our monthly men's breakfast this Saturday, 9/11/10, at CCO's Cafe.

Time: 7-9am

Place: Calvary Chapel Oceanside

2010-06-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

Summertime is coming, but don't let that be an excuse to break fellowship with your brothers-in-Christ!

Get exhilarated in Christ this Saturday morning at CCO's Monthly Men's Breakfast!

Bring a neighbor or buddy from work...we'll buy!

Start time: 7am
End Time: 9:15am
Location: CO Cafe

See you there, or see you in the air!

CCO Men's Ministry

Annual CCO Men's Retreat

2010-04-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

The yearly "big event" is right around the corner, CCO Men, so be sure to get to the registration table this weekend and reserve a spot for this year's annual retreat entitled: "By My Spirit"

This year's guest speaker is Pastor Gerry Brown, who's book, "U-Turn For Christ" is being released shortly.

Come join us at the Murrieta Conference Center on Friday, May 21st for an awesome weekend with the Lord...it could be a life changer!

CCO Monthly Men's Breakfast this Sat!

2010-04-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

Mike will be in the kitchen at 5 cookin' up a storm for our monthly breakfast, so be sure to join us! If you don't want to help flip pancakes, our fellowship starts at 7am this Saturday in the CCO Cafe. If you're feeling like you want to be a helper, come around 5:30 and Mike will put you to work!

2010-03-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

You have a choice...so make it easy on your stomach this Saturday and come join the others here at CCO Men's Ministry for our monthly breakfast!
No fish will be served, right Hildo?
Come join us at 7am in the CCO Cafe!

Men of Faith

2010-03-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

Men of CCO:

Come climb the mountain with us this month of March as we are led in the study of the Lord's word by our close brother, Pastor Howard Anderson.

Join us in the CCO Men's Bible Study tonite, in the Upper Room.

So climb the mountain, or just the stairs, and be blessed!

Monthly Men's Breakfast is coming!

2010-02-03T19:43:00.000-08:00

Remember, every 2nd Sat we gather for great grub, fellowship, worship, and His Word at 7am in the Cafe.

Next CCO Men's Breakfast is on 2/13!

Rockstars...

2010-02-03T19:40:00.000-08:00

Don, who's great children's worship music can be heard on KWVE on Sat am's...

2010-02-03T19:36:00.000-08:00

John, possessing a good portion of the Lord's wisdom...

2010-02-03T19:34:00.000-08:00

Sergio, a man after God's heart...

2010-02-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

Genesis 1:3-5 (Creation of Light)

2009-10-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

0 0

Genesis 1:3-5

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that [it was] good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Right off the bat, God, the hero of creation, turns the lights on. The rabbi’s explain this order of events like this:

R. Isaac said, Light was created first of all. Parable of a king who wished to erect a palace and the locality was in darkness. What did he do? He lit torches and lanterns to know where he had to fix the foundations. Similarly was light created first.[1]

We see that our God has the power to speak things into existence and has no need to actually “get his hands dirty with creation”. He speaks and matter obeys. Isa 55:11 KJV - So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it. From the very beginning obedience to God is the foundation of all things good. It is so interesting to me that the only thing that it mentions he actually forms is man. Man does not tend to be obedient, which adds weight to the fact that man was the only creation where it says that God formed him[2]… giving the impression that for us to be obedient God generally has to roll up his sleeves, get down and dirty in the mud, and physically mold us and shape us. This seems appropriate when we see God doing this very same thing on a daily basis with us, stories of this approach throughout scriptures, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, came down to earth and got down and dirty with us so that we may have the option to become obedient to him.

God’s first creation is light. He floods the chaos and destruction of the world with clarity, revelation, and truth. (Quick side question, if God is light[3], and His nature is to radiate light, why was it only now that light was shed on creation?) If we think of our lives as new creations[4] the first step God does in our new existence is shed light on our lives. Countless new believers come to our Lord’s loving call only to begin to realize how dark their lives had been. My mother is a prime example of this. She grew up in East Germany shortly after WWII and was raised to believe in Soviet ideals. Even when she moved over to West Germany to attend school, much of the atheistic philosophy stuck to her. When she finally opened up her life to the Lord, she did not need anyone to tell her that a lot of her viewpoints were way off base. The Lord had begun a new work of creation in her and the first step was to turn the lights on. 2 Peter has a great parallel verse that supports this first step. 2 Peter 1:5: And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge. If we are saved by faith, then that is the foundational transformative event. The next step is virtue. The word used here for virtue is a word that denotes a mindset that you know right from wrong… or light from dark… or day from night. When you get to that point in your walk, while it is not complete, God steps back and says, “It is good”[5]. Take heart Christian… while the journey has just started and much creation is needed still, our Lord is pleased with you!

[1] [1] Everyman’s Talmud: The Major Teachings of the Rabbinic Sages. Cohen, Abraham. (pg 33 par 4)

[2] Genesis 2:7

[3] 1 John 1:5

[4] 2 Corinthians 5:17

[5] Genesis 1:4

Genesis 1:2(c)

2009-10-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

…And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

To me, there is nothing in the world that is so exciting and endearing about our God than the fact that even in the face of utter destruction, He is still moving and working. In these first two verses, if we expand them to include the stories of the great rebellion and the destruction of the first (?) earth, we already see a pattern in which God tends to work. This pattern can be found throughout the bible. First, God sets up something for a purpose… usually coupled with promises and glory in the original state. Then sin comes in (whether by Satan or our own lusts) and destroys what God intends for good. But despite this, the pattern continues that our God is still present for the restoration of whatever was destroyed while deepening our understanding of some aspect of His glory. Lets look at a few examples:

1) Adam and Eve were created to walk with God in the cool of the evening in perfection. They blew it by choosing their own will over God’s. Destruction came in their lives as their innocence was destroyed and their spiritual beings were given a death sentence. They noticed their depravity and wanted God not to know… so they tried to cover their selves with fig leaves. But God, taking compassion on His children used this horrible situation to begin to highlight his love and mercy by instituting sacrifices to cover ones sin (Adam and Eve’s clothing).

2) Samson was designed to be the strongest most powerful judge that God ever sent to His people. He had all the potential to not only set the people free from Philistine oppression with his strength, but also to rule the people from a radical point of dedication to God as a Nasserite from birth. He spoiled that chance on his own purposes and lusts. While God was still able to use his bad choices to bring about his purposes against the Philistines, Samson had to go through destruction in his life. Then while in the heart of the enemy heartland, Samson troubled the Spirit one too many times and the Spirit left Samson[1]. His life truly was a picture of waste… his strength left him, his eyes were plucked out of his head, his head was shaved, and he was forced to work at the grinding mill. Here is the cool part… as a symbolic picture of “the Spirit of God hovering over the waters” the Bible points out that his hair begins to grow[2]. Then, this life that was literally plunged into slavery and darkness to the enemy, was re-birthed in strength and Samson was able to wipe out more Philistine’s by laying his life down, than he was able to in his life.

3) The nation Israel was chosen as God’s nation. To be directly ruled by God’s direction is the most exciting prospect for any collection of people. But even though this nation was “governed by God” as their national name means, they slowly and religiously ignored God and worshipped anything and everything else. Govermentally, they went from the ideal state of Theocracy, to the theocraticly symbolic institution of Monarchy. Due to the facts that man always fails to accurately represent God and the moral decay within the people, the kings were taken away and the people were ruled by foreign powers for the rest of their existence until in 70AD Rome destroyed Jerusalem once and for all. The Israelites essentially went into the dust-bin of history and anyone that still clung to the identity of that nationality was severely persecuted. But in 1948, God took the ashes of this nation and reformed them and gave them back their original nation (for the most part) and we all know that God will come back to them and restore their theocracy. Through their history of destruction, they will readily embrace the Lord as their master knowing full well that any other way will only lead to desolation in their live.

As we can see, God uses this pattern in most cases to underline the “why’s” of following God’s commands. In our lives, God allows us to stray and even destroy our lives so that in the long run, when we come back to Him, we understand the why of what He commanded of us. Praise God that like the re-creation of the earth, God’s Spirit is always there to begin creation again. J

[1] Genesis 6:3

[2] Judges 16:22

Genesis 1:2(b)

2009-09-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

“and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep.”

Darkness is caused not by itself… there is no such thing as the “power of darkness” since dark is only the absence of light. If you actually look at the sentence structure of this verse, this is not a separate thought, but a continuation of the conditions that fell on the earth. The word “was” is not in the scriptures… it was added for “clarity”. So in this passage, if darkness fell upon the earth, it was because light was either blocked, God removed his presence from the earth, or whatever caused the light to be there in the first place was either destroyed or removed.

I have heard a theory that states that all the things of creation on the earth was mainly repairing what Lucifer had done in his destruction of the first earth. The following explanation is also used by theistic evolutionists to explain how the Genesis account of creation can fit into their model of how God created the earth. In earth’s beginning, before the “re-creation”, the earth was a burning cauldron of magma, volcanoes, ash, and seismic activities. The sun was in the heavens as well as all the stars, but because of all the destruction on the earth, they were all blocked out. Looking at this theory, we also can see how Satan uses destruction in our lives whether due to our own stupidity and sin or due to external circumstances to block out our only source of renewal after destruction reigns in our life. I know for myself, when I am in the Lords will and walking in his commands, I feel His presence like the noon day sun, but when I stray from His will, I can’t feel His presence anymore… only perpetual night.

One idea, since the sun and stars were not created until day 4, it could be that the Lord removed His presence from the heavens and the earth. In Ezekiel, the Lord removed his glory from the temple as His people continued to ignore Him. Later in the creation story, pre-flood, it seems that the Lord left the presence of men as they began to fill themselves with their own exploits of exploring and subjugating the creation and not in communion with the Creator. Likewise, in actuality or not, when we stray from the Lord and fill ourselves with our own self, we feel that the light of the Lord has left. He hasn’t left us, but we have left Him. Jesus is called the light[1]. If we feel as if our lives are overthrown by darkness, then the only solution is to invite Jesus in to dispel the inky blackness staining our souls.

Lastly, in investigating where the light went if darkness fell upon the earth, we must consider an interesting point that I will dive in more fully when I talk about the creation of the sun, moon, and stars. But briefly, Revelation talks about a third of the stars being cast down to the earth in Satan’s great rebellion. We tend to allegorize that statement and assume that “stars” are a representation of angels… but what if stars are angels? More to come… :)

[1] John 1:9

Genesis 1:2(a)

2009-09-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

Genesis 1:2- And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

I am going to jump straight into this since it does come first in the passage. The first section here can be literally translated the way it is or more commonly, “And the earth became without form, and void;” which is possible since the word “hayah” in the Hebrew is defined to mean:

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

a) (Qal)

1) -----

a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

b) to come about, come to pass

2) to come into being, become

a) to arise, appear, come

b) to become

1) to become

2) to become like

3) to be instituted, be established

3) to be

a) to exist, be in existence

b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

d) to accompany, be with

While it can be translated the way it is currently (the earth was without), there is a passage in Isaiah that may lend weight to the other translation. Isaiah 45:18 says, For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I [am] the LORD; and [there is] none else. The word that is used in this translation for “not in vain” is the same phrase that is used in the Genesis 1:2 to say formless and void. So why does Genesis say that God created the world without form and void and Isaiah says the complete opposite? There is a way to reconcile these passages that allow other events and Bible difficulties to fall in place.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth… complete… not void. But something happened to the earth… something made it without form and void. What could that have been. Well scripture in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 talks about the time when an angel named Lucifer led a rebellion against God and was kicked out of heaven, him and a third of the angels in heaven were cast down to the earth and Lucifer became the god of this world[1]. The earth was created most likely beautiful… we know our God and I can guarantee that it was beautiful. Lucifer was kicked out and we see his M.O. in action, to destroy God’s work and bring darkness and void to our world. He still is like that in our world. The bible declares that Lucifer is a thief (John 10:10), “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:” He is still trying to bring destruction and voidness to our world and our lives.

Since we do not know how long this period was, we can only guess. We do have some extra biblical evidence that suggests that this period of time was a long time. If we hold the Genesis account to a literal translation then we are only about year 6,000 away from creation. There is evidence though (some of the radiometric dating methods) that indicate the stuff of the earth is much older. While there are issues with that evidence, if that evidence is accurate, this age between verse 1 and 2 can potentially account for that.

[1] 2 Corinthians 4:4

Genesis 1:1

2009-09-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

Genesis 1:1- In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The first verse of the Bible lays down the ultimate truth. In the beginning, before everything else happened of any import to this universe, the starting point of our biblical imagination and our spiritual timeline… God created the heaven and the earth.

Since our scriptures originally come from the Hebrew, it is also important to note that rabbis believe that the shape of the first character in this verse, which looks like a backwards “C”, is of significance. They believe that the entire body of scriptures opens with a letter that prevents you from going anywhere but deeper into the scriptures. Or in other words, we should not worry about what happened before the creation of the heaven and the earth. There words are these, “In the same manner that the letter beth is closed on all sides and only open in front, similarly you are not permitted to inquire into what is before or what was behind, but only from the actual point of Creation[1].”

We are also introduced to God in this passage. This is the first mentioning of God in the scriptures. When something is first mentioned it tends to be mentioned in a way that sets precedence, or sets and example for every other time that think is mentioned. The word that is used in describing God in this passage is “elohiym”, which translated has a plural meaning to God, which would be the case if God exists as a triune being, which his Word shows us. The Jews radically deny the plurality of God due to the passage in Deuteronomy 6:4 which states this, “Hear O Israel, the Lord our Elohiym is one Lord.” Also around the Jews at the time of their birth as a nation was rampant paganism. When the Jews left Egypt, there was a plague of gods that they left behind… the last thing they wanted to cling to was more gods.

I was taught at my Catholic University that the main point of what Moses was trying to do in writing this passage was not to give a scientific account of what transpired at creation but to assign responsibility. I agree with the ownership aspect of this statement. It is always important for man to realize that the God of the Bible created us. If we were created, this means that we must have been created for something… to determine this “something” we must continue digging into this book.

The choice of the word create here is “bara” which literally translates, “to shape, fashion, create (always with God as the subject)”. In my mind this seems to highlight the idea that God had something to work with… something to shape. The word actually has roots in carving something. Does this mean that the creation story we see here in Genesis does not include the beginning of all things (i.e. matter), I don’t know. I would not be surprised either way. This choice of the word here may add weight to the Gap Theory of creation or God’s never ending process of turning the page in His glorious story of infinity. We do know that at the end of this creation, that God will create a new heavens and a new earth[2]… but does this mean he starts from scratch? I don’t think we can say one way or the other.

It is also interesting to note that God created both the heavens and the earth at the same time… or at least it appears that way here. What is the importance of that? Maybe God’s intention was that physical and spiritual complement each other. I think Adam most likely understood this dynamic to the best extent we will understand this on this side of life. If the physical were not important, why did God even create the physical world? If the physical were not important, why is God going to create a new heavens and a new earth in the future? If the physical were not important, why then did he give his resurrected Son a body made of flesh and bone[3]? When we live in the glory of our Creator, we will be like His Son[4].

[1] Everyman’s Talmud: The Major Teachings of the Rabbinic Sages. Cohen, Abraham. (pg 27 par 2)

[2] Revelation 21:1

[3] Luke 24:36-43

[4] 1 John 3:2-3

A Call to Holiness

2009-07-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

I just want to thank you all for joining us up in Hemet this year! We had a powerful time with the Lord and we really believe that many people's lives will never be the same after coming back from the retreat. That being said... the pictures from the retreat are now posted in the right hand side of this blog under "2009 Men's Retreat". We also would like to get your feedback on what you thought of the retreat so that we can guarentee that we do what worked and exclude what did not work. Please click here to be directed to a survey that will allow you to input your feedback. Thank you and God Bless.

National Day of Prayer

2009-05-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

This is an extremely critical time in America's history. From economic pressures, to the ongoing threat of terrorism, to the unraveling of our culture's moral fabric, many people are dealing with a deep sense of uncertainty and apprehension.

Visit http://links.mail-family.org/ctt?kn=3&m=2468257&r=MTE3NzY4ODgzNDES1&b=0&j=NzAyNTM0NTkS1&mt=1&rt=0, to find local events, connect with other volunteers in your area, download prayer resources and participate in our online video contest, where the winner and a guest will join Honorary Chairman, Beth Moore, and me in Washington D.C., for our national NDP observance. In addition, the winning inspirational video will be aired on GOD TV, which is available in more than 200 countries around the world!

The video contest begins on Monday, April 6, and concludes on Friday, April 24, 2009. Michael W. Smith will kick off the contest with a special announcement which you can watch on http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/.

There are many other ways you can get involved:

Join our LIVE online prayer room every Thursday at Noon CST
Request free devotionals
Sign-up for weekly prayer tips via email
Support Regan Smith, driver of the NDP and Furniture Row race car at NASCAR's Talladega event on April 26th
View GodTV's LIVE webcast and television coverage of the National Observance from Washington D.C. from 9-noon EST on May 7th.

Preserve America

2009-03-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 28:2 (New King James Version)

² Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.

We live in a very interesting time in our United States of America. As the Proverbs of Solomon tell us, our wickedness has resulted in many people rising up above us for "our own good". If we look at how things are panning out, our "non-representing representatives" in congress are passing laws and bills that are not supported by the people because our moral decay has resulted in our inability to be the "check" to the power of congress. How many representatives have been tarred and feathered recently? We have for so long in America been taught that "what is right for you is your business and not mine", that when someone makes a law that holds no value in it but for a small percentage of the population, we are trained not to react. This should not be the case. Our acceptance of evil has gone on long enough. It is from our acceptance of the evil the enemy is pushing on us that we have allowed our "representatives" to become the ruling class. They do not represent our will; they have become our princes.

How do we stem the tide. The proverb contains its own answer. A man... not many men, as in "I hope that the huge bloated bureaucracy that is my government will preserve righteousness", but an individual, like you and me, all of us as individuals, making the choice that is grounded in understanding of the Word of God and the knowledge of who He is, will be the stepping stone to preserving what is Right. But our understanding of the Word is not the final step.

Proverbs 28

¹ The wicked flee when no one pursues,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.

If I trained to be a doctor and went to medical school... what would it matter if I graduated top of my class in the most advanced school of the modern world, if I never practiced medicine? Likewise if I know the Word backwards and forwards, but never use it to shape my world, I am just as useless. If wickedness is being pushed by our leadership, then we, as the righteous should stand against it, bold as lions. We should never let an unjust law pass without a roar... if they propose evil legislation, it should take iron bars and chains to keep us from allowing it to pass. We have allowed the riches of our grandfather's America to fatten us up a point of complacency. This should not be.
We as Christian's are called the salt of the earth by our leader, Jesus Christ. We are blessed in this nation to be a part of the balance of authority. We the people, are the true leaders. We need to step up and do our part as Christians to bring God back to the forefront of our nation. In God we Trust should mean something again. Evil doers should feel uncomfortable practicing evil in our streets. Prayer should ring from every town hall meeting and class room across this great land again. The Ten Commandments should be on display at every public building in this nation. You have the ability to make a difference... attend your school board meeting, run for office in your community, hold a peaceful protest. Remember, we are up against the wickedness of our society... as the above Proverb says, "the wicked will flee when no one pursues." We need to be bold and we need to be strong, they do not have the moral fiber to stand against us.

Epicenter Conference 2009

2009-02-28T18:03:00.000-08:00

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Start 2009 Righteously

2009-01-05T14:53:00.000-08:00

How you say?

Pray. In the morning before you rise and while you shower and shave. During your work day: what would you have me do, LORD? At lunch/on the way home/with your children and wife. Pray all the time.
Read the word. In the morning (yes, sacrafice some sleep time, and get to bed early). Read the Holy Bible, every day.
Worship your Savior...your way is the right way.
Give Jesus Christ the praise and glory that He requires and deserves (this requires step#1 to be successful).
Fellowship. commit to a weekly meeting with other beleivers. attend CCO's Men's Fellowships on Mon nites or Tuesday mornings. Join a small group. Better yet, start one!
Serve God. Commit to sacraficing your time, on a regular basis, and give that time to God, for His kingdom's work...and be blessed by that commitment!

Spiritual vs. Carnal Christian

2009-01-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a passage from a really great resource out there on Christian Discipleship:

Spiritual Believers live according to their POSITION.
Carnal Believers live according to their EXPERIENCE.

The experience of the spiritual believer is most often controlled by position in Christ. On the other hand, the experience of the carnal believer is most often controlled by the environment of experience. ... Being spiritual... is a condition.

Look at some of the differences between the spiritual believer and a carnal believer:
A spiritual believer relies on God's Power. A carnal believer relies on his own strength.
A spiritual believer is spiritually sensitive. A carnal believer is spiritually dull.
A spiritual believer has a fruitful life. A carnal believer rarely produces fruit in the Christian life.
A spiritual believer realizes his unworthiness, but trusts his position in Christ. A carnal believer often doesn't realize he is carnal.
A spiritual believer has victory over sin. A carnal believer lives in slavery to sin.

This is a great contrast between a Christian who will have victory in his home, peace in his relationships, and fruit in his ministry and a Christian who is constantly back to "square one". This year, let us examine our lives before God and plead with Him to create in us a heart that relies on Him alone and not anything else. Then and only then can we move forward in victory.

2008-12-29T10:02:00.000-08:00

Christ(forthe)mas Poem
(12/19/08 – by Oddie Sloan)

The night had been driven by a silent wind
To re-establish bright bliss back into the breath of men.
Listen oh Bethlehem, to the quiet kiss surface from the Father’s lips
To seal His precious plan with the priceless gift of grace and goodwill toward all men
The Shepherds gather to catch the first glimpse at Jehovah’s chosen Lamb
And witness the Savior King in a manger clean such favor is seen for the righteous lads
Can you picture the scene of serenity: Baby Yeshua, completely still in the pursuit of happiness
Sleeping love very calm in Mary’s arms a carried future as the root of David in a dark oasis
Thus a holy seed was replanted in the secret garden of men’s harden hearts of ever increasing impatience! For the knowledge of noise destroys all that the Lord holds sacred
Be still and know on this silent night and witness the forever near amazement
That’s how you grow and rise with open eyes to be surprised no longer in separation
For those fallen years of yesterday, are far away since Yahweh is always salvation
Forever patient, with many faces The Son of David, the greater Solomon
Inheriting the Kingdom teaches us wisdom and rebuilds the temple as the church.
Born to bring peace on earth again; & faithful to complete the task at hand: The Son of Abraham
Brought forth within a genealogy of royal kings, backsliders and sinners,
Yeshua was born in a line of called ones, fallen ones, and ultimately recovered ones-just like us
You see Jesus is the mingling of God with man, for in Him the divine nature and the human nature are mingled together to the bone. A bond slave yet He is wonderful! Peaceful soul
To behold~ so meek & bold~ history’s cornerstone~ never once anonymous~ it’s only oblivious
With 4 unique biographies, Matthew Mark Luke and John to paint a perfect portrait masterpiece
Of Emmanuel: The Messiah King, Servant of all, Son of Men and Son of God
All creation is once again pregnant with promise, ripe for the harvest
So prepare your heart dear church, called ones, held in His Hands
Prepare your greatest gift, your Christ experience and give it back to Him
And Always Rejoice and give thanks for every prayer request He keep’s safe
Until our very bodies get reshaped, from the dust to stars
The church of the firstborn the birth of the true soul, forever patient
The nativity of the new man began with the Lord’s resurrection, and continues onto perfection
+ So we lift every voice – raise every hand –Praise to bestow – onto the Lamb
+Carol of the Lord – Shout it from the Soul – Brings Peace and More – Freedom with joy
+ Oh listen close – Hear the heart of God – No stethoscope – Needed for the Job
+ Sent His Only Son – to save all the Lost – The Lords favorite song – Echo’s in the Dark
Ding Dong Sing Song’s for His Kingdom soon comes, behold it’s here now for He’s risen
So merry merry merry Christmas, to every every every Christian
This is Christ for the masses – Where every race can celebrate and grab a plate with napkins
But there’s no birthday cake inside this place and no need for candles and matches
His very flesh is living bread decorated for our spirits and presented with fashion
Yet no amount of human breath could blow out His flame of passion
The Ancient of Days, Ageless one, blew out His own light on that cursed tree
As a prayer and sacrifice for the whole earth in which the Father was well pleased.
So merry merry merry Christmas, to every every every Person,
You can have peace, be still and know the blessed hope of Emmanuel is always with us.

by Oddie Sloan

That is my King!

2008-09-08T06:46:00.001-07:00

Baby Preacher

2008-09-08T06:37:00.000-07:00

CAN

2008-08-20T18:02:00.001-07:00

Peace... be still.

2008-07-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

Peace, be still
Lay all your worries down
Be still, oh my soul
For our God, is in control

And if God is for us
Then whom shall I fear
And our God is for us
So lay down, be still

He is God
Hallelujah, our God has overcome
Hallelujah, our Lord, Jesus Christ has won

-Sherri Youngward

Listen to the song here.

Oddie Sloan

2008-07-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

The Glory of God

Romans 5:1-2: Therefore having been justified by faith we now have peace with GOD through our LORD Jesus Christ. Through whom also we have access to this faith by grace in which we stand and rejoice in the hope of the GLORY OF GOD.

The Lord is glorious and worthy to praised every morning with

A song of thanks as we dance and pray enjoying all His Holiness

Which the universe displays proclaiming a fame, zoning in

To give their testimony for His glory so let your story live

And reflect the same obedience which Jesus Did

Because our righteousness compared to His, is like a filthy rag

We need you Dad to shine again

Come dwell amongst our midst & let your Shekinah glory bridge-

-Us back into the Fathers arms, who’s been there all along

Since the Dawn of creation He’s been waiting patiently

Can’t you see the glory of His seed, redeeming all humanity (ha!)

Which Jesus did. We’re the last Adams rib

The Lord is glorious how can this be?!

His very words stir all of creation with anxious-bliss

Just take your pick, from such gracious lips

Which speak volumes of importance, we must take heed

As Pastor Mike Reed so eloquently preached and I quote:

“So God’s glory gives us a proper opinion of who He is, providing a glimpse, into His beauty, brilliance, majesty and radiance”

End quote to renew our Hope in saving faith, as we wait for the Glory of his triumphal appearance

We rest in this blessed expectation through grace alone no longer curious

for His mysterious love was manifested by the willingness of His SON

to carry the cross, the heavy weight of sin lost

overcome by the power of his precious holy blood - salvation for us all, we’re now victorious

such awe demands repentance to distinguish His goodness, just rest and reflect

For such a GLORIOUS GOD demands worship and honor

So we fall on hands and knees in response of this heavy glory lead by the Holy Ghost

And sing songs with a new Measure of Hope from a praise team fly as doves

Let our hearts show what we value and treasure the most

as the enjoyment of God overflows in acts of Love towards others

on that note dear church fellow saints, strangers, newcomers

Regardless of color we’re all brothers and sisters, next of kin if you’re in him

Adopted into God’s covenant – Oh how I’m loving this

If you only knew what I once did, you would run quick – stun sick

From this – rebellious kid

But the Lord is Glorious - just ready to forgive

With mercy so deep and rich it’s gets enormous

Makes the oceans look like little drips, there’s no comparison

For this intense glory so heavy and massive

When placed on the scales of our lives will make all heaviness of this

Present tense - vanish

No metaphor for this poet’s pen to exhibit such great glory with emphasize

His glory’s just too big and I’m not equipment to clean his kicks let alone his feet

With all my hair and all my tears I’m incomplete without the KING

and yet He still chose me above all things and He chose you

We all play a role in bringing His glory into full view

The very same glory which raised Christ from the tomb is now on the move

So Rejoice in glorious hope, for the Lord is coming soon.

Click here for a link to Oddie's music.

July Summer Sessions

2008-06-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

My dear men,
We are so blessed at this church and in this country to be able to have access to the wealth of knowledge that we do. Not only are we fed weekly through the anointing of the Holy Spirit on our dear pastor Mike's teaching, but we have the opportunity through weekly Bible Studies at home and at church to dig deeper into our Father's Holy Word. Well, if that is not enough, this July, we are starting Summer Sessions. Think of this as mini Bible college. The Men's Monday night Bible study will be suspended during this time to encourage us to take part in the wonderful classes that will be offered. Here is the class list!

Sunday afternoons July 6, 13, 20, 27 3-5 PM
ASL Sign Language - Deric Terrell
Sign language is such a beautiful, expressive way to worship the Lord. Join us as we learn the basics of sign language and the art of signing in song.

Monday evenings July 7, 14, 21, 28 7-9 PM
Becoming a Contagious Christian - Jason Swanson & Ron McNulty
Evangelism—the word strikes fear in the hearts of many Christians. "I don't feel ready!" or "I don't feel comfortable confronting people" is what most Christians think when contemplating the words of Jesus in the Great Commission. The good news is that Jesus has already prepared you to be a light to this world! Come discover with us the natural style of evangelism that God has already instilled in you! Find out how to be a Contagious Christian!

Understanding Mormonism - Al Olivares & Kevin Elwood
When Mormon “Missionaries” come to your door do you panic or do you open the door and talk to them? We desire to equip you with a better understanding so you can easily reach out to them in love. In this class you will learn how to effectively minister to those caught up in the Mormon cult as well as the differences between true Christianity and Mormonism and some historical information about the Mormon Church.

Spiritual Warfare - Scott McDonald
Deliverance through worship.

Truth - Matt Brunet
What is Truth, why it's important, how to know it, how to share it.

Thursday evenings July 10, 17, 24, 31 7-9 PM 

Tactics in Defending the Faith - Gary Heintz
This course will equip you with practical, concise, useful tools for you to be an ambassador for Jesus. This course will train you to maneuver comfortably and graciously in conversations with others about your Christian convictions and values. There will also be some training on timely issues such as homosexual marriage, religious pluralism, and abortion.

The Deity of God (in Spanish) - Moisef Enriquez
1) The Person of God the Father, 2) The Person of God the Son, 3) The Person of the Holy Spirit, 4) The work of the three within the church
La Deidad de Dios - Moisef Enriquez
1) La Persona de Dios Padre, 2) La Persona de Dios Hijo “Cristo”, 3) La persona del Espíritu Santo, 4) Los tres obrando en la Iglesia

The Seven Feasts of Israel - Dennis Sperino
These Seven Feasts present remarkable illustration of the Lord’s Relationship with His People and point prophetically toward future Prophecy fulfillment, and past Historical record of God’s manifested promise. Discover the historical, relational and prophetic implications of the Feasts of Israel and how they epitomize God’s Grace and Love toward us and exemplify our Savior’s Ministry.

Men of Honor – Sean McCrary (for men only)
In 2 Timothy 2:20-23 God’s word tells us to cleanse ourselves and be sanctified so that we will be useful to the Master; in God’s house there are vessels of honor and dishonor. Men, we all want to be honorable and lead our families into a close walk with our Lord. Come learn how to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and... run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Systematic Theology - Bob Black
Systematic theology is the study of the Bible in a methodical, organized way according to subject categories. The most effective and simplest way to study the Bible and comprehend the entire Bible is to study in the way of systematic theology. This course will divide the Bible into ten topics, and relevant Bible passages on each subject will be arranged by category.

Interactive Prayer – Steve McConnell
Pastor Mike has named “Prayer” as the theme for our church for this year and for very good reason. This interactive class will delve into the Scriptures on prayer and give you a chance to put what you learn into action

Get Vertical... one man's perspective.

2008-05-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

When our men's leadership first came up with the theme for this years men's retreat, it sat there on the idea table for quite a while with everyone very excited about its potential but unable to pinpoint what it means. "Get Vertical" has great strength in its simplicity and deep meaning in its directive, but to practically describe its application and pass on the "gist" of the phrase, reduces the wisest of Christians to speechless (or at best stammering) responses. I would like to share with you all the thoughts that have gone through my mind about this theme... maybe it will help get your mind thinking on the amazing potential stored within these two words.

The phrase gets me very excited because it captures the proper action of a man of God. In our world today, we hear, "Get Busy" or "Get Going" which indicates that the power to "do" is in our hands. The world believes that if you want to achieve, you need to be "the master of your own destiny". We have all heard the famous Bible verse: God only helps those who help themselves. (1 Pharisees 4:20). But the world is wrong. Jesus says that we should set first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) and those things that we worry about will take care of themselves. Paul calls us to set our minds on the things above (Col 3:2) and not on the things of the earth. David refused to kill Saul even though it was in his power to do so because he knew that those things are in God's hands. Solomon built God's house before he built anything else that pertains to his life. But where am I? What do I do? Too often I find myself "Getting Busy" with the things of this world at the expense of my time with God. Our theme this year highlights the importance of setting our eyes to God... setting our hearts on God... and setting our hope on God. This hope in God alone, and not our strategy, wisdom, or strength is to "get vertical".
Another aspect of "Get Vertical" is our position before the Lord. We, as Christians, live a life with a target between our eyes. As children of God, we have a standing that no earthly king can rival, we have authority that no government can match, and we have the power of the God who spoke into existence the universe as we know it. The enemy knows our potential and does all he can to train us to live a life of fear. I know for myself that I am constantly bombarded with mental thoughts such as, "God is not pleased with you today." or "Why would God use you?" which train me to live a mediocre Christian life. But if I can grasp the fact that I am a co-heir with Christ of the heavenly kingdom and that my Father is the Final Say-So... then I can live in boldness with the power of God flowing through me to affect the world I live in for His kingdom. In this vein I see "Get Vertical" to mean that we are to get up from our prostrated life, stand up in the power of the spirit, and to boldly enter into the throne room of grace to commune with God.
In my last thought, "Get Vertical" signifies how change in our hearts and our lives is to come. Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up in all His glory and at that moment, he realized that he was a vile sinner from a vile people. After this acknowledgment, the Lord sent out an angel to cleanse him from his sin. We, like Isaiah, must see the Lord for who He is and see ourselves for who we are before the Lord can uproot our flesh from our being. Getting vertical in this sense is waiting in eager anticipation with your eyes to the Lord and our hearts eagerly expectant on His showing up to cleanse our lives. I fully expect the Lord to show up in a powerful way at this retreat and to kick off the revival that the Lord is meaning to bring.

If you have not, please sign up at the tables for the retreat and join us for a powerful time of worship, fellowship, learning, and waiting on God!!!

What happened to this generation?

2008-03-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

The Crowd Presses In

2008-03-26T15:14:00.000-07:00

I have washed my hands I find no fault in him

Oh what should I do I will let him go

The crowd presses in

This man of love how can this go on

This man of life

The crowd shouts no

But he's innocent you heard him speak

You have seen his works His righteousness

This man of life opened not his mouth

The crowd presses in

Away with himand beat him on the brow

Yes take him away and crucify

This man of love who calls himself the Light of Life

The crowd presses in

Who are you now

His blood be on our heads and our children's too

Who does he think he is to take away man's sin

As the nails are pounded I turn my head

The crowd presses in

Now you don't talk so loud - shout it out

Curse God and die if you are who you say you are

Come down from there and save yourself

Oh man of God Light of Life

The crowd presses in

Father forgive their sin

The Son of God his dying words

The man of life Light of the world

The crowd presses in and walks away

What have we done I wash my hands and let it go...

Who is this man what has he done is there no one to save him

-Jack Whittaker