Prophetic Picture

As everyone knows we are in the middle of our "Sex in the City" series. I called the The Leaf Chronicle newspaper and asked them if they would be interested in doing an article featuring the series. Of course as everyone knows they said yes and it was an absolutely awesome. Stacy did a great job. When I got to the Leaf Chronicle Office Stacy told me about the idea the photographer had. It was the picture you see above. I was sitting there as we were getting everything set up praying my butt off about the picture. I was very concerned that many believers would be upset and that the picture would be counter-productive to what I believe God is wanting to accomplish with this series. So as we were taking the photo I felt God say relax. Then He told me that it was a Prophetic Picture of His people. He went on to explain that His people have taken the pornography out the brown bag and put the Bible in it.

After praying I felt that this means that the people of God are no longer ashamed of pornography and have brought it in the light, but that they have taken the Bible and hidden it away.

Please pray for us as we venture into our second week of the series. This week we have our ladies meeting on Friday night where they will be conducting a study on "how to be better than a porn star." In this meeting they will talk about the deadly affects of pornography on women and families and what a wife can do to help her husband in the struggle for sexual purity. Then Saturday morning the men are getting together for "Porn and Pancakes" with Matthew Starks from Pure Life Revolution. In this meeting we will be discussing the damaging affects pornography has on men and the way they evaluate sex and their sex lives in marriage. Finally we will conclude on Sunday with "Porn Sunday." This will be a sermon where I will discuss what is actually going on in the world of pornography and how it is destroying marriages, families, men, women, and even children. Once again please pray for us that we can lead men and women into the fullness of Biblical Marriage and ultimately into a right relationship with Jesus Christ.

Earmarks of an Apostolic Church PIV

As we move forward advancing the Kingdom and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ it is always important to remember that He is the one who makes it all possible. It is Jesus Christ who has made us strong, bold, made it possible to be filled with the Holy Spirit, brought us into the realm of the supernatural, set us in this place for this time and Religions worst nightmare. Jonas Clark in his book identifies all of these as "earmarks of an apostolic church".

"1. STRONG
Apostolic churches have a spiritual strength and fortitude that transcends any natural ability. Not only do they possess an apostolic grit but they impart the same fortitude into those who join themselves with them. God told Zerubbabel, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zec 4:6 KJV) The spiritual strength of an apostolic church is the divine capacity given by the Holy Spirit that empowers the church to be vigorous, advance, grow, press on, increase, break through and move forward. It is the power to endure hardship, resist hindrances and obstacles while remaining steadfast, faithful, firm and durable. It is truly the grace of God

2. SUPERNATURAL
As soon as you walk into an apostolic church you can tell there is something different. What's going on? The atmosphere is charged with faith for miracles. Apostolic churches are set to flow in signs, wonders, and miracles. Altar calls for divine healing and the laying on of hands is common. God has never withdrawn his gifts and supernatural presence from his church.

3. FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST
The core group of apostolic churches are filled with the Holy Spirit and anointed for an active and effective Spirit life ministry. They understand there is no way to handle the extreme pressure and gospel opposition in our lives without the free gift of Jesus' dumanis power to witness, the Holy Spirit Himself. We must be baptized with fire. Where others may struggle in this, apostolic churches have the grace upon them to help people get easily baptized in the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist stated, 'I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchest of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire' (Luke 3:16 KJV). Jesus is our baptized!

4. SET IN CITIES & GIVEN TO TERRITORIES
An earmark of apostolic churches is their spiritual understanding of boundaries and assigned territories. They have a unique and heart-felt burden for their assignments. The Apostle Paul describes this territory like this, 'But we will not boast of things without our measure (Greek metron, i.e. place of spiritual authority and jurisdiction), but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you' (2 Cor 10:13 KJV). Apostolic churches are set in cities and given to territories with spiritual jurisdiction given by the Holy Spirit.

5. BOLD
Boldness is a trait of apostolic churches. They are as bold as lions (Prov 28:1) as they demonstrate a fearless when persecution, threatenings, and suffering arise because of the gospel (Phil 1:14, 1 Th 2:2, Acts 4:29). The Holy Spirit loves boldness. To be bold shows a readiness to take risks, face danger, be daring and fearless. It is not a boldness worked up by man's soul but, in fact, is an evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of his grace.

6. RELIGION'S WORST NIGHTMARE
The religious church has a caretaker mentality with a don't-rock-the-boat mindset. It's cold, quiet, and formal. Where the pastor has been selected by some pulpit committee based on his religious education, affiliation or degrees, whose office walls are filled with plaques of men's recognition confirming that they have made the right choice. This is a church where you can have two lives, a religious one and a secular one. This is the 'bless me only, but don't ask me to change, become involved, grow, mature, advance, pursue, increase, or do anything' church. It is full of those with spiritual religious sayings and flattery, smooth talkers with vain words. This is a church where sin is seldom addressed and a false love covers the unrepentant, rebellious and defiant. This is the church where one can do according to his own deceitful heart's desire with no accountabililty required. The apostolic church is religion's worst nightmare."