APRIL-JUNE 2019
THEREISMORE+
God warns us not to look to what was, but to fix our eyes on what is.
ACTIONWITHOUTUNCTION+ Is your Christian life high and dry lacking strength any power?
WHATISYOURGOLIATH+
Will you trust in the living God to be your strength through it?
+
HOL Y Rollin'
MELISSA' S
MH H EA RT
Welcome to this issue of Point of Hope. It?s hard to believe that this is the final issue of PoH for this year. As I reflect on the year and where God has taken the ministry and me personally, I stand amazed. This has been a year of morphing. Dictionary defines morphing as to undergo or cause to undergo a gradual process of transformation. Believe me when I say that there were times when I didn?t realize what God was doing. I didn?t think any transformation was occurring within my life. However, when I look back, I see now how God used various situations and events within my life to make a gradual process of transformation. It was His journey of transformation designed specifically for me. We are all on a journey with God. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. I think that the problem of not recognizing what God is doing, lies with us and not God. We want to get to the result without going through the process. God is interested in the process, because the process produces the result of what He desires ? a spirit of excellence. A spirit of excellence should not be confused with perfectionism. A spirit of
O U R T EA M Founder/ President Rev. Melissa D. Pearce
ContributingWriters Nettie Clawson
excellence is focused on character and operating in the empowerment of God?s power; whereas, the spirit of perfectionism is focused on what we do and how it reflects on us. A spirit of excellence is grounded in God?s grace. When we feel inadequate or disqualified, God is there to reinforce that we have not disappointed Him, even when we feel like we?ve blown it big time! The most important part of the process is learning about God?s grace and how to abide in His grace, in every aspect of our lives. When we abide in His grace, we embrace His truths ? how He sees us. When we abide in His grace, we cultivate a spirit of excellence. God strengthens us in our transformation process, and we must abide in His grace through the journey. His grace will give you the empowerment to endure and to complete the mission before you. The process is beautiful and so are you! Keep abiding in God?s amazing grace! In Him, Rev. Melissa Pearce
W A N T M O RE? Checkout more happenings at:
Endur ingHopeMinist r ies.com
Dr. William R. Glaze
Copy Editor
Toni Hembree
Ginny Gates
Rev. Melissa D. Pearce
G ET CO N N EC T ED / ENDURINGHOPEMINISTRIES
@EHMHOPEENDURES
Point of Hope is published by Enduring Hope Ministries, a non-profit organization, Fort Myers, FL Š USA 2019 Enduring Hope Ministries, all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited by federal law. Point of Hope has no subscription price and is supported through the contributions of our supporters. All gifts to this ministry are tax-deductible (in countries where this applies) For more information: please call (239) 362-1050 or visit www.enduringhopeministries.com
04 THEREIS MORE
10 HOLY ROLLIN'
18 20
ACTIONWITHOUT UNCTION
24
APRIL-JUNE 2019
C O N T EN T S
POH MAGAZINE
WHATISYOUR GOLIATH? Magazine Layout & Designs created by: L ogicWebDesigns.com | contact@logicwebdesigns.com Point of Hope is a publication dedicated to encouraging and equipping people of all ages with the Word of God. Our Goal is to provide readers with life applicable articles that will edify and strengthen their personal walks.
Point Of Hope His Word, Your Hope EnduringHopeMinistries.com
03
T H ER E IS M O RE WRITTEN BY:
Rev. Melissa Pearce
M
any have been on a journey with Abba Father to discover who He is and who they are in Him. It has been a time where God has been dismantling the false theologies and ideologies that have erected within our hearts and minds. The orphan mentality, the victim mentality, and the poverty mentality has infected and affected our understanding of who God is and our identity in Him. The orphan mentality is ingrained in false theologies and ideologies pertaining to God, thus causing a hinderance in developing an intimate relationship with Him. The victim mentality takes root when we do not understand who we are in Christ Jesus. The victim mentality inhibits our ability to function as God has created. Instead of being confident in what God has called us to do for Him and His abilities to work through our lives, we become fearful, doubtful and hesitant. Finally, the poverty mentality causes individuals to become stuck. They get into a vicious cycle of defeat, believing the lies of the enemy verses the truth of God. All of these different mentalities are connected to false belief systems that have
been erected over the years, and God is tearing them down so that you and His Church can walk the way He intended ? with confidence, vigor and steadfastness. We are now entering a new season. I believe it is symbolic to what God is doing in the supernatural. I have been sensing for some time that many are finally beginning to ?see? the trueness of God, His character, and our identity in Him. ?Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wildernessand rivers in the desert? (NKJV- Isaiah 43:18-19). God clearly warns us not to look to what was, but to fix our eyes on what is. He is about to do a new thing within our lives. Moving in a new direction can be difficult and resistant. It is easy to want to remain where we are because it?s familiar, secure and comfortable to us. However, with God, we must realize, there is always MORE with Him. There is MORE for us to discover about Him and for us to learn about ourselves.
Point Of Hope His Word, Your Hope EnduringHopeMinistries.com
05
God would have never given us His Word if He didn?t intend for us to operate in the MORE. The enemy wants you to remain where you are, to become stagnant, unproductive and fruitless. We must guard ourselves from his entrapments. God desires for you to experience the MORE within your life, but you cannot do so by remaining comfortable and complacent. There must be something within you that yearns for the MORE of God to be revealed to you. The MORE of God calls you to go where you have never traveled before. The MORE of God stretches you in ways you ever thought. The MORE of God compels you to fulfill the mission. The MORE of God calls you to operate in the inheritance of what has been given to you. You know it is yours, and you are not backing away from it nor backing down. The MORE of God ignites a fire within you to become unstoppable for Him. God desires for you to ?know?there is MORE. You need to take the limitations off of God and of yourself. It is time for you to start functioning in the empowerment of what He has given to you. "Never doubt God?s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you " (TPT- Ephesians 3:20). We have been given the Word of God. God would have never given us His Word if He didn?t intend for us to operate in the MORE. As our perspectives shift to His, we align
06
2019 Oct-Dec Point Of Hope Magazine EnduringHopeMinistries.com
ourselves with Him. God is Faithful and True. He watches over His Word to have it performed within our lives. His Word indicates that He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request. What is your request to God? What you are you believing Him to do on your behalf? The answers lie in the MORE. The MORE is you realizing you have done all you can do and are now being still, knowing He is God. (Psalm 46:10). There is MORE and God desires for you to experience it! Jesus did not come to earth so you would just barely get by, but He came so you would have life more abundantly in Him. The MORE is you experiencing His peace, joy, and assurance. The MORE is you having everything you need to fulfill the assignment before you. The MORE is realizing that with God, there is always MORE ? exceedingly, abundantly, overflowing MORE. God always builds with intention and with purpose. When God says, ?There is MORE?, He always intends to expand; expansion to bless; expansion to invest; expansion to produce; expansion to increase. As you embark on this new season, be prepared. God is doing something new! This new is screaming ?There is MORE?in store for you! In Him, Rev. Melissa Pearce
HOLY ROLLIN? By: Toni Hembree
Im agin e f or a m om en t t h at y ou h av e b een in v it ed t o w it n ess t h e c om m ission in g of t h e Old Test am en t p r op h et Isaiah . You get a f ir st h an d ac c ou n t of t h e L or d on h is t h r on e w it h H is m ajest ic r ob e f illin g t h e en t ir e sp ac e ar ou n d y ou . T h e sou n d of t h e an gels sin gin g, ?H oly , H oly , H oly is t h e L or d A lm igh t y ? ? (N IV - Isaiah 6 :3 ) is b ot h b eau t if u l an d t er r if y in g. T h e sc en er y it self b r in gs Isaiah t o r ep en t an c e. In t h e d ay s of t h e p r op h et , on ly t h e P r iest c ou ld en t er
10
2019 Oct-Dec Point Of Hope Magazine EnduringHopeMinistries.com
t h e ?H oly of H olies,? t h e in n er m ost p lac e in t h e Tem p le, w h ile t h e lay m an w or sh ip p ed at a d ist an c e. B u t Isaiah is b r ou gh t d ir ec t ly in t o t h e p r esen c e of t h e M ost H igh , a p lac e w h er e on ly f ew h ad t r ead . A s t h e sc en e p r ogr esses, t h e r ep r esen t at ion of God an d h is an gels or c h est r at e a c er em on ial c lean sin g of Isaiah b ef or e h e is c om m ission ed (see Isaiah 6 ). H is r ev er en c e f or t h e L or d , as t h is sc en e is p lay in g ou t , is ast ou n d in g an d som et h in g t o em u lat e. Point Of Hope His Word, Your Hope EnduringHopeMinistries.com
11
H OL I N ESS I S A SACRED CON CEPT In today?s wor l d, th e ter m holy h as been h ijack ed. Th e n atu r e of h ol in ess h asn ?t ch an ged, bu t we h ave sk ewed its m ean in g in m an y ways. W e often u se it in for m al l y to sh ow su r pr ise, excitem en t, or even offen se (i.e., ?holy cow!?). Bu t h ol in ess is a sacr ed con cept. Th e ter m h ol y in its for m al u se is an adjective th at m ean s ?dedicated or consecr ated to God for a r eligious pur pose.? In H ebr ew, th e ter m is qadosh wh ich m ean s "set apar t.? H ol in ess is h ar d to defin e in a wor d or ph r ase becau se it is an abstr act con cept. Th er e ar e m an y in ter pr etation s th at su ppor t its m ean in g. I l ik e th e descr iption fr om theBiblepr oject.com wh ich says: ?God's holiness is H is defining char acter istic. The holiness of God is a ter m used in the Bible to descr ibe both H is goodness and H is power . I t is com pletely unique, and utter ly all-power ful, r adiating out fr om God like an ener gy. I n fact, God's holiness is so over whelm ing, that it can actually be danger ous to appr oach? an d ?[u]ltim ately, this par adox is r esolved by Jesus, who em bodies God?s holiness that com es to heal H is cr eation.? God al l ows u s to dr aw n ear to h im becau se Jesu s is h ol y. H e gives u s access to th e th r on e th r ou gh th e power of h is H ol y Spir it. W e al on e cou l d n ever en ter h is pr esen ce with ou t an in ter m ediar y becau se we ar e sin fu l by n atu r e. God k n ows al l of ou r sh or tcom in gs, bu t exten ds gr ace an d h el p to u s th r ou gh th e pr om ise of h is H ol y Spir it.
12
2019 Oct-Dec Point Of Hope Magazine EnduringHopeMinistries.com
"GOD'S HOLINESS IS HIS DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC" In Joh n 14:15-17, Jesu s expl ain s wh at th is pr om ise can do. Essen tial l y, th e H ol y Spir it is a par t of Jesu s th at is al ways with u s, to sh ow u s r igh t fr om wr on g, to r em in d u s to l ove at al l tim es, an d to poin t u s in th e way ever l astin g. ?I f you love M e, keep M y com m andm ents. And I will pr ay the Father , and H e will give you another H elper , that H e m ay abide with you for ever ? the Spir it of tr uth, whom the wor ld cannot r eceive, because it neither sees H im nor knows H im ; but you know H im , for H e dwells with you and will be in you? (NKJV Joh n 14:15-17). Th e H ol y Spir it?s m ain job is to con vict u s of sin . W e don ?t in stan tl y becom e sin l ess wh en we accept Ch r ist?s sal vation - we ar e a wor k in pr ogr ess. ?H e [the H oly Spir it] shows the offense, r eveals the foolishness of the sin, points out the consequences, convinces of guilt, and leads the sinner to r epentance. H e is the chur ch?s gr eatest ally in its evangelizing effor t. W ithout the help and the filling of the Spir it, the evangelistic task of the chur ch will fail? (Diaz-Pabon ). Th u s, th e H ol y Spir it?s pu r pose in u s is to ch an ge u s so we can ch an ge th e wor l d.
Point Of Hope His Word, Your Hope EnduringHopeMinistries.com
13
H OL Y L I VI N G I S N OT I N STAN T Th e Spir it is n ot waitin g for u s to m ess u p. H e is n ot ou t to get u s, n or does h e con dem n u s for ou r im per fection . If we wer e to ach ieve per fection by ear th l y m ean s, Jesu s?death on th e cr oss wou l d be fu til e. It?s th r ou gh th e Spir it wh o con qu er ed death th at we can ach ieve wh ol en ess an d wal k bl am el essl y befor e H im . As we l ear n to discer n th e voice of th e Spir it an d obey ou r con viction s, ou r action s wil l l ead to h ol y l ivin g. H ol in ess is n ot a fl eetin g em otion , bu t a l ifestyl e. It is a r esu l t of ou r r esol ve to l ive l ik e Jesu s. ?Ther efor e, I ur ge you, br other s and sister s, in view of God?s m er cy, to offer your bodies as a living sacr ifice,
holy and pleasing to God? this is your tr ue and pr oper wor ship. Do not confor m to the patter n of this wor ld, but be tr ansfor m ed by the r enewing of your m ind? (NIV - Rom an s 12:1-2). H ol y l ivin g does n ot h appen th e in stan t we accept Ch r ist in to ou r h ear ts. It is a pr ocess, an d at tim es can be a gr u el in g on e. W e m ay feel l ik e we ar e m issin g ou t on wh at th e wor l d h as to offer ,bu t in th e en d th e r ewar d is m u ch gr eater. ?Ther efor e, since we have these pr om ises, dear fr iends, let us pur ify our selves fr om ever ything that contam inates body and spir it, per fecting holiness out of r ever ence for God? (NIV- 2 Cor in th ian s 7:1). So th at on e day we too, l ik e Isaiah , can r ever e th e m ajesty of H im wh o is seated on h igh - for ever an d ever !
~Ton i H em br ee
W or k s Cited: Diaz-Pabon , Pastor Lu is Ă n gel . ?W h o Is th e H ol y Spir it? ? 5 Th in gs You Need to Kn ow.? Bibl e Stu dy Tool s, 3r d October ,2018, h ttps:/ / www.bibl estu dytool s.com / bibl e-stu dy/ topical -stu dies/ wh o-is-th e-h ol y-spir it-5-th in gs-you -n eed-to-k n ow.h tm l . Accessed 26 Ju l y,2019. ?H ol in ess.? Th e Bibl e Pr oject. 2019, h ttps:/ / th ebibl epr oject.com / expl or e/ h ol in ess/ . Accessed on 26, Ju l y,2019.
Point Of Hope His Word, Your Hope EnduringHopeMinistries.com
15
Action Without Unction Written by: Dr. William R. Glaze
"And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him" (KJV - Judges 16:20). A strong young man applied for a job as a lumberjack. He was hired and made his employer proud because of his efficiency in cutting down trees with great speed. As time went on, his output became less and less until he lost his job due to a lack of productivity. Frustrated and discouraged, he shared his demise with an experienced lumberjack. He said, ?I don?t understand, when I first started, I could cut down trees like nobody?s business, but
now even though I am working harder, it seems like I am cutting down fewer trees.? The seasoned lumberjack replied, ?Did you take time to sharpen your ax?? To which the young man exclaimed, ?No, I was too busy cutting down trees.? This young lumberjack failed to realize that his power and productivity were in taking time to sharpen his ax. He lost his power!
Point Of Hope His Word, Your Hope EnduringHopeMinistries.com
19
Today weseeal ot of performance without power , ministry without might andservicewithout
strength.
Samson was one of the few individuals in the Old Testament who was anointed by the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit came upon him, he could perform great feats of strength. His downfall came when he fell in love with a Philistine lady named Delilah. Samson was a pain in the neck to the Philistines because of his great strength. At the direction of the Philistine leaders, Delilah was instructed to find out the source of his strength. Three times he falsely told her the source of his strength. Each time
20
2019 Oct-Dec Point Of Hope Magazine EnduringHopeMinistries.com
she would let them know the source of his strength and they would attack him, and each time he arose and conquered them. Finally, Delilah wore him down, and he revealed the source of his strength was his hair. She cut his hair and called the Philistines to take him. He thought he would arise as he did on the other occasions to defeat them. He arose only to find out that his strength had departed from him. The Philistines captured him and put out his eyes, bound him with chains, and made him grind at the
mill. Somebody asked the question, ?What is unction?? The reply came back, ?I don?t know, but I know when it is not there.? Samson could testify to that? he had action without unction. Unction is the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through believers for living a victorious Christian life and rendering effective service for the Lord. Unction is power! It is what both the lumberjack and Samson were missing. Unfortunately, it is also what many of God?s people are missing. Today we see a lot of performance without power, ministry without might and service without strength. Maybe you have come to a point in your Christian life where you are high and dry without any power. If so, there is good news; you can get your unction back. Be encouraged by this truth, ?Howbeit, the hair of his [Samson?s] head began to grow again after he was shaven? (KJV - Judges 16:22). Yes, Samson did regain his strength and was able to perform one final act in service for the Lord. Let us go t o t he Throne of Grace, Why don?t you begin the road to restoration by humbly asking the Lord to give you wisdom as to how the unction can be returned to your life. ~Dr. William R. Glaze
In 1 Samuel 17 David?s confidence in Christ is displayed as he defeats a Philistine champion known as Goliath. The most REMARKABLE thing is that David was just an ordinary guy. In fact, he was a slave to his father Jesse and worked with the livestock as a shepherd. God told Samuel, the prophet, that David was next to be anointed as king. He would be king over the Israelites after King Saul?s disobedience.
24
2019 Oct-Dec Point Of Hope Magazine EnduringHopeMinistries.com
What Is Your Goliath? B y :Nettie Clawson
?w h o sh ou ld d ef y t h e ar m ies of a liv in g God ?? 1 S am u el 17:2 6 The CRAZY thing is that even though David was anointed as king, he would have to wait for years; continuing to tend to the sheep until he could finally take the throne.
God put a pause in t he pasture. God knew that the time David spent tending the sheep in the pasture would grow more of his heart for God. God told Samuel He had ?a man after His own heart? (1 Samuel 13:14) that He was calling as King. David was just that man. David found out about this Goliath who was taunting the army of Israel. Unlike any other Israelite, David said ?who should defy the armies of a living God?? (1Samuel 17:26) David?s trust in the pasture acquired a greater confidence in the battle. The pain of the pasture works a greater confidence in the conquer. The conquer is to defeat any Goliath with the living God as our strength. What is your Goliath? You know that one thing you battle that seems to be impossible to defeat within your life today. Will you trust in the living God to be your strength through it? ~Nettie Clawson
26
2019 Oct-Dec Point Of Hope Magazine EnduringHopeMinistries.com
NOWAVAILABLE!
Purchase Your Copy Today:
EnduringHopeMinistries.com/Store
EnduringHopeMinistries.com
Copyright approvals: Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.? Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The ?NIV? and ?New International Version? are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. May not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.? Scriptures being referenced are from NKJV, NIV and ESV translations.
