Word of Life Christian Church • August 2014

August 2014

Word of Life | Death or Deliverance! It’s Your Choice

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August 2014

Word of Life | Death or Deliverance! It’s Your Choice

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Contents

The Danger of Deception

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Back In Stride Again

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Words of Life from Pastor G

Daily Devotional

Christian Humor

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Pastor G’s Growth Garden

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5 Weeks of Worship

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Devoted 2 Love

Newlyweds: Roderick & Sunny Larry Kerry & Aqueya Horton

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7 Techniques to Avoid Distractions

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Wired In The Word and Worship

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Sunday Sermons Weekly Meditations Upcoming Events

Word of Life Christian Church George Wilkinson, Pastor 460 W. Atherton Rd. Flint, MI 48507 (810) 232-5944

August 2014

www.thewordisalive.org

August 2014

Word of Life | Death or Deliverance! It’s Your Choice

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Words of Life from Pastor G We are often lulled into spiritual inactivity and ineffectiveness because we allow Satan to deceive us with lies, misrepresentations, and popular worldly views that are inconsistent with God’s word. In the Bible, Satan is not a comical cartoon creature with horns, tail, and pitchfork, ludicrously dressed in long red underwear. Rather, Satan is an adversary, who is clever, crafty, deceptive and dangerous (1 Pet. 5:8). He is aware of our weaknesses and exploits them to dismantle our potential and possibilities.

Satan’s deceitful means is designed to drive our spiritual decline and get us off track with God’s plan for our lives.

So, one important question is what are the primary ways in which Satan will attempt to deceive you into believing his lies and render your spiritual decline? There are three principle enemies that we as Christians must be on guard to prevent which leads to spiritual decline; they are: • The Flesh - Yourself (self-deception) the process of misleading ourselves to accept what is false as true.

It is one form of denying the truth—justifying false beliefs to ourselves.

• The World - Others - unintentionally and intentionally (false prophets and teachers).

• The Devil or his cohorts—Deceiving demonic spirits (1 Tim. 4:1).

Satan’s primary objectives are to first create doubt in your heart about the truth of God’s word. If he can get you to question God’s word, he begins the slide in your spirit to commence the slide on the slippery slope of spiritual decline. Secondly, he discourages believers concerning their spiritual development and encourages them to abdicate the Christian life. The enemy wants to gradually break the believer down to not trust Jesus and create distance in the relationship. This eventually leaves the believer feeling inferior and inadequate. His final objective is to cause division amongst believers by stirring up unnecessary and unresolved conflict.

The way we overcome his schemes is to understand

our offensive and defensive spiritual tools. We are most vulnerable to the schemes of the devil when we are ignorant of the ways of the Lord! This is why the word of God implores us to study, meditate, and read the word.

When we are aware of his schemes and the appropriate Christian response we avoid spiritual demise and decline due to his trickery. Jesus said that we are to watch and pray - this means that we are to make observations and check in with the navigation tower to receive guidance/ instructions. We are vulnerable to Satan’s lies if we fail to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

However, we’re always better equipped when we’re able to relate specific Scripture to specific temptations - similar to Jesus in Matthew 4:1-10.

The month of August I have been compelled to delve into the devices of the devil. We can live a life of Deliverance or we can succumb to the devices of the enemy and live a life of death or lifelessness. Many have already boarded the slippery slope of spiritual decline, however, Jesus wants you to know that you can get your spiritual groove back!! I pray that you are blessed by this sermon series and you get your spiritual groove back

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o you find yourself in a spiritual quagmire, is your prayer life nonexistent, and is your bible as dusty as a car that’s been driven on a country road? You have simply lost your groove. Fear not, you are not alone.

We all experience times in our lives when situations and circumstances pull us off our square and cause us to drift spiritually. When you reach this point it is time to get back to basics and back in stride again. Faith is the first fundamental of being focused. It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6 MSG). It is faith that allows you to operate from a place of grace, recognizing that the favor of God has never left you. Faith honors God and God honors faith.

Secondly don’t lose, give away or allow anyone to steal your hope. It is your hope, which is defined as expectation in the Word of God, which will sustain you. Hope encourages you to look forward to what is to come and be content until it arrives.

When you hope in the Lord it is the fertilizer of your faith. Hope nourishes and promotes growth. I want you understand that the tactics of the enemy are nothing more than the weeds in our garden of life. The purpose of a weed is to kill, steal and destroy.

It will attempt to take over not only a section but your entire lot in life. Weeds choke out the beautiful things, while taking on the form of something to be admired. Dandelions are stunning in color and command attention in any yard. It wasn’t until I was older that I understood that what I used to refer to as yellow flowers were actually destroying the grass. Once fertilizer is applied the yellow flowers dry up and die. Therefore, apply hope along with your faith and watch your miracle grow.

Lastly you are stronger than you realize. Your strength goes to sleep when the circulation of faith and hope are cut off and the tourniquet of trouble is restricting the flow of the things of God. It is time to get things moving again. Whatever your favorite scripture or song is, get it circulating in your spirit. You were chosen to be on the winning team, Jesus said in John 15:16; You didn’t choose me, but I chose you. I have appointed you to go, to produce fruit that will last, and to ask the Father in my name to give you whatever you ask for. We serve and are loved by the same God who spoke and there was, the same God who lit the sun one time and the light has never gone out, the same God who placed the moon in the darkness and it’s never been in for repairs, the oceans have never dried up and the stars still twinkle! Imagine your best life, but expect more. Get to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up with all the fullness of God. Remember that our Father is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us (Ephesians 3:20). This is not the first or last time things will present themselves to be unbearable, but faith, hope and love are the set alarms for a better tomorrow so that you can be back in stride again.

August 2014

Word of Life | Death or Deliverance! It’s Your Choice

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CHRISTIAN HUMOR

August 2014

Word of Life | Death or Deliverance! It’s Your Choice

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ne of the greatest dangers in the body of Christ today occurs when religion replaces an intimate relationship with our King. Religion is anything you do for God that does not stem out of a heart connected to God. It is only in knowing God and seeking Him first in all that you do, say and think that you come to discover His greatest plan for your life.

In One Life Under God, Dr. Tony Evans digs deep to uncover the spiritual truths behind the prioritization of the kingdom, the key to spiritual growth, nourishing a kingdom mindset and discovering your personal destiny.

August 2014

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Week 1: Worship In White

Sin leaves us dirty, dusty and disheveled, but when we give it to the Father, He cleanses us until things are white as snow.

Week 2: The Word is Alive Day

This the day we move from disciple discussion to demonstration and display what Christ is all about, which is Love. Our own family reunion, representing Word of Life and the love we have for God, our church and church family.-John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Week 3: Church Hats and Bow Ties

The tradition of hats worn by women in church is said to originate from the Apostle Paul’s words in 1st Corinthians 11:15, which says that women should cover their heads during worship. The matriarchs of the Church culture embraced those words with elaborate church hats, as it was also considered a type of crown. This is why you rarely see the Queen of England in public without a hat on. We want to always remember where we came from. We come from people who worked in the field 6 days a week and Sunday morning was that one day of the week that you put on your very best for the Lord.

Week 4: Teamwork makes the Dream work

This Sunday we wear our favorite team shirt or colors in an effort to display the importance of unity and working together. There is strength in numbers and together with one voice we glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken

Week 5: Youth Day

Proverbs 22:6 Point your kids in the right direction - when they’re old they won’t be lost Our goal is to help the youth follow Christ with all of their life. We are not just trying to reach children, we are also trying to shape them to look more like Jesus. We will see this happen by leading them to engage in worship, study God’s Word through relevant teaching, and process faith through experiences, with the help of each adult that they encounter being supportive and understanding.

August 2014

Word of Life | Death or Deliverance! It’s Your Choice

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NEWLYWEDS Roderick & Sunni Larry

Congratulations; what has a month married been like?

Fantastic! The only challenge has been blending the two families together. Otherwise, the honeymoon is still on-going. Christianity will be the foundation of our relationshipand our relationship will be the foundation for our family. Otherwise, the honeymoon is still ongoing! !

When did you first apply Romans 16:16?

Our wedding day June 13, 2014. On that day we committed ourselves to love one another under a promise to God where we rejoice in the other’s happiness. The bond that we have requires that we always sincerely have the other’s best interest at heart.

What was it that attracted you to your spouse?

Rod’s Response: Sunni’s smile and her intelligence.

Sunni has an energy that drew me in. And of course her beauty.

Sunni’s Response: Rod was a very friendly handsome guy. He was always sweet and easy to talk to as time went on.

What did you learn from your pre-marital counseling session?

During our marriage counseling session, Pastor WIlkinson advised us that there are multiple references to marriage within the Bible, which all direct wives to “respect” their husbands and for husbands to show “love” toward their wives, as Christ loved the church.

How will you face the challenges of the future?

We are each other’s best friend. We pride ourselves on how deeply and how often we communicate.

We both recognize that best friend’s are capable of hurting one another. We want to have hearts of forgiveness so that we are able to move past the bad situations and negative feelings that are sure to arise.

God is good; always! We believe that God brought us together as one, as an expression of His goodness and grace. We will strive to maintain our marriage by diligently loving and respecting one another in the years to come.

Congratulations; what will a month married been like?

We expect it will be very fun and exciting and we look forward to many more fun, exciting months and years together.

What role will Christianity play in your marriage?

Christianity will be the driving force in our life together. We are trusting God to do great and wonderful things in our life together.

When did you first apply Romans 16:16?

We have been together for 12 years; however, we see our union being made one in Christ on our wedding day as our first application of Romans 16:16.

What was it that attracted you to your spouse?

Kerry’s Response: I was attracted to my wife’s independence and her physical beauty.

Aquyea’s Response: I respected and loved how good he was with his kids.

What did you learn from your pre-marital counseling session?

We learned the importance of placing God first in all that we do, we also learned that husbands should love their wife as Christ loved the church; and wives should respect their husband. Finally, trust and positive communication with your spouse will assist in making the marriage special.

NEWLYWEDS

Kerry & Aqueya Horton

How will you face the challenges of the future together?

We will face the future with faith in God, not in man, and love for each other! Our strength and love for one another will allow us to overcome all things.

August 2014

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Techniques to Av 1.

2.

3.

4.

Discipline yourself to know when it’s time to study God’s Word and when it’s time to play.

Get the proper amount of rest; when you are fatigued, focusing can be difficult.

Shut off your cell phone - with today’s technology, distractions can often come just by having your cell phone on continuously. You can check emails, play games, allow yourself to become consumed with Facebook, be entertained by taking selfies, etc. Avoid the temptation of technology by shutting it off and disconnecting so that you can connect with God. Inform family and others you love of the time you have decided to set aside to study God’s Word. Let them know your peace and quiet are necessary and essential in order to hear from HIM.

void Distractions 5.

6.

Think ahead to what could be a distraction and try to distance yourself from potential barriers to God.

7.

Consider the amount of time it will take you to complete your task and set aside a part of your day to finish. This prevents disorganization and will allow you more time to do the things that matter most.

Set goals! Make a schedule in your mind as to what you want to accomplish as it relates to God and His Word. Stick to it. Give yourself clear deadlines and be accountable for meeting them.

wired in the word and worship June 2014

Word of Life | How to Finish Victoriously! Enter the Winners Circle

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Sunday sermons August 3rd - August 10th - August 17th - August 24th - August 31st -

The Devil’s Device: Distance The Devil’s Device: Distraction The Devil’s Device: Division The Devil’s Device: Defeated The Devil’s Device: Disillusioned

Weekly Mediation Scriptures

Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? (Jeremiah 23:23 KJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8 KJV) Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

(Revelation 12:10 KJV) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.

(Ephesians 4:26, 27 KJV) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4 KJV)

UPCOMING EVENTS

August 24, 2014 House of Prayer Worship & Fellowship - 4:00 pm Annual Choir Day Celebration September 26-28, 2014 Women of Worth Ministry – Women’s Conference Theme: No More Chains – I Choose to be Free!

October 31, 2014 Join The: C.A.U.S.E. (Community Adults Urging Student Excellence) Youth Ministry Event - Candy Mountain Celebration!

August 2014

Word of Life | Death or Deliverance! It’s Your Choice

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August 2014

Word of Life | Death or Deliverance! It’s Your Choice

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