Gary Wayne Bible Teaching

Spiritual Emphasis on My Spirit Man By Pastor Gary Wayne This is Spiritual emphasis month - It’s my goal to influence us for this month of September to re-establish the foundational places God says we should live from. To create an atmosphere around us for our spiritual person to excel. Today I want emphasize the need to focus on the welfare of my spirit man. Text: Hebrews 4:12-13, James 1:21, Romans 8:5-8 When we were created, God created us Body, Soul, Spirit. My soul is made up of mind, will, emotions. My spirit man is what came alive when I became a Christian – God placed His Holy Spirit inside me, and I came alive to Him. When you were conceived in the womb, your body and soul came alive. When you were born again, you spirit came alive. For much of our life, we live with our soul in charge. We do what we want - what is best for me – my flesh tells me LOUDLY what it wants. But when we become a Christian, we are instructed to switch the order to where our spirit now tells our soul what to do. And given the new loving feeling we experience, our soul just says “ok” to what God wants. NOT without a fight. Last week as we emphasized the importance of reading the Word, a HUGE truth is the more I get into the Word of God, the easier it is to let my spirit man lead. The Word transforms my soul – mind, will, emotions. Rom.12:2 “…be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Jas 1:21 Save = wholeness of my soul. Not salvation, but transformation (Read in Passion Translation) With what I watch, listen to, or read, which do I feed the most? Soul or spirit? Do I read more on Facebook then I do in the Life-book? Which effects my outlook the most? Does Fox News influence my belief system more than the "Good News?" What I feed myself the most, that area is going to excel. There is a war between my soul and spirit. Hebrews 4:12-13 The Word gives a sharp distinction between what my soul wants - thinks is right, thinks is justified in action - and what my spirit should do. The end of v.12, thoughts = mind, intents = will, heart = emotions MY SOUL. ver.12 - word - (logos) = written word - (how does this relate to this message? I have to expose myself to the word "MYSELF" not just when I go to church.) God is not wanting my soul to get better, - NO He wants to kill it. Why? Ga 5:16-17 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts [wars] against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Ver.24 “And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Ro 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Read v.12-13 AGAIN! Ver.13 is a key to ver.12 The word “open” = trachelizo, trakh-ay-lid'-zo - to seize by the throat or neck, i.e. to expose the gullet of a victim for killing. To bend back the neck of a victim to be slain - to expose the gullet of a victim for killing. This is so graphic, because WAY TOO OFTEN we live out of our mind, will, and emotions rather than living out of my spirit man who's voice telling me to do it God's way is drown out by the volume of my "feelings", my “will”, and the “emotions” that tell my spirit man “no.” God wants me to think about myself the way He thinks about me, but my soul reasoning dominates. Most of us know what God wants, but our soul wars against it. That’s why we need a month of “spiritual emphasis.” To let my “spirit man” take the lead. What is the Holy Spirit saying to me in this message? Take 30 seconds and search your heart for the voice of God.

Spiritual Emphasis on Reading the Word By Pastor Gary Wayne The month of September has always been a transitional month. My hope is this month we will take a personal look at our lives, and focus on where we can create an atmosphere for our spiritual person to excel. I want to look at the importance of reading scripture, and to increase our involvement with the Word. Text: Psalms 119:9-11 Most of us if taking a test on the importance of the Bible will pass with the right answers. Yes the Bible is important. Yes we need to read it. Yes it is God’s word for us. But I am continually amazed by how many people only read on Sunday, and haven’t read the book from cover to cover. Most would die for this book they haven’t even read. My first time to read it all the way through had to do with me wanting to become a licensed minister. One of the questions I faced – “Have you read the whole Bible?” Here I wanted to become licensed to minister, and I hadn’t even read the whole book. So at age 23, I began and finished reading it for the first time. Up to that point, it was more like when I eat at a smorgasbord board restaurant. You only go to the places you like - and TOTALLY IGNORE EVERYTHING else. When I finished the Bible, I began to realize things I hadn’t understood before – it didn’t make sense, but as I read – EVEN the parts I didn’t understand, or enjoy, or couldn’t figure how why God would put those in His book – something changed inside, or I experienced spiritual strength I hadn’t had before. It changed me in ways I can explain – even to this day, I don’t get it, BUT I KNOW every time I read the whole book; I AM CHANGED for the good. Ps.119:9-11 Ver.9 / How does Ephesians tell us Jesus is cleansing His bride the church, making us ready for our wedding day? 5:26-27 “…that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” God’s word changes me from the inside out. 2Ti 3:16- 17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, (teaching), for reproof for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Ps.119:11, 18, 24, 32, 33, 26-67, 73, 93, 104, 125, 130, 133 The most common response to someone not reading has to do with how hard it is to understand. There are more translations and tools available for us today than ever before. If you are struggling to read, start with an easy version to read and understand. The NKJV is my personal favorite. The NIV was written for someone reading at an 8th grade level. The Passion Translation is a great paraphrase. There are SOO MANY tools to help. Apps for our phone. Apps for our computers. I count listening as reading – I am wanting my soul exposed to truth. If you are new to this, read the first 4 books of the NT over and over. Reading the Bible is to my spirit man what food is to my physical man. When Jesus was asked to teach His disciples to pray, He said: Mt 6:9 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Also Luke 11:2-4) Ver.11 Do we think Jesus was talking about physical daily bread only? When Jesus was tempted by the devil, (Mt.4, Lk.4) He quoted Deu.8:3 "So He (God) humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.” Joh 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” 14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” Jn.6:31-35, 48-51 "I am the bread" Ver.63 Jesus said, "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” When you read the Bible, you are taking in Jesus. Can I influence us for this month of September to begin again to read this Bible more? Just like last week with prayer, set a realistic amount of time to read. Get yourself on a daily bread schedule. Bible Charts, Listening schedule. Let’s be People Of The WORD!

Spiritual Emphasis on Prayer By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: Psalms 116:1-2 The month of September has always been a transitional month. It’s a time of seasonal change. Weather changes, school starts, summer activity changes, etc. So I want this month for us to take a personal look at our lives, and focus on where we can create an atmosphere for our spiritual person to excel. We usually focus on our natural man, or flesh, and soul. I want to look at the importance of prayer, and stimulate us (draw a circle on the floor) individually to increase our involvement with prayer. 1Th 5:17 “pray without ceasing,…” Jer 33:3 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' Php 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Eph 6:18 “…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…” Last week we spent time looking at the fact that we are the temple of God, we are God’s house with a gate. Isa 56:7 “…For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." Ro 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” 1Ti 2:1-4 “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Trick question – loaded question - Do you know the #1 reason our prayers are not answered. Because we don’t pray. We all believe prayer is important - We all believe there is power in prayer - yet prayer gatherings are the least attended meetings. Can we enter into a “GUILT FREE ZONE?” Why is it we don’t pray more? I think one of the biggest lies that we believe down deep in our heart is that prayer actually doesn’t do anything. After all, I’ve been praying and ….. So we un-internally base our belief system on our experience rather than on God’s truth. Sit down with Holy Spirit and ask this question: “Why don’t I pray more?” I think that with every important, powerful principal of scripture, Satan tries to twist what I believe – influence how I feel - so I will be ineffective in that area. Has the enemy influenced what I think / feel about prayer? What I want this morning is to emphases God’s perspective of what happens when you pray. God says prayer is important. YOUR prayer is important! God says prayer is effective. YOUR prayer is effective! God says _______ What I would like to accomplish in this message is that this month of spiritual emphasis on prayer, each one of us would adjust our basic belief system about prayer, adjusting to God’s opinion about prayer. And for the rest of this month we would daily dedicate some fresh time to pray. My caution is that we often go too extreme with what we want to do – “every day, I’m going to pray for 1 hour.” But it’s not realistic, and after a few times of blowing it, we just give up. Make some realistic commitments to prayer for this month. Set your timer on your phone to prompt you through the day. Maybe set your alarm to go off 5 min. early Set a date with a friend to pray – not talk just talk about a problem, but pray. Do some drive by praying for our community. Do some “listening prayer” time. – Where I ask, God, what’s on Your heart? What do You want me to pray about?

God’s House Has a Gate! By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: Genesis 28:10-22, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Paul talked about the understanding that with the Holy Spirit living in us, then we are the “Temple of God.” What does it mean to be the “tabernacle with God?” To be God’s house? Why does this matter? How should this change the way I live every day? Let’s go to the first place scripture talks about the house of God. Gen.28:10-22 Ver.17 “This is not other than the house of God…” What did Jacob mean? There was no physical building there. He wasn’t talking about a religious gathering, or group, or organization. I believe he was simply saying, he had stumbled onto a place where God was. But I also believe he was prophetically pointing to who Jesus was when Jesus came on the scene. John 1:1, ver.14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” The word dwelt = to reside as God did in the Tabernacle of old. “Jesus became flesh and “tabernacled" with us.” The “house of God” is not a building, but a Person. So the fulfillment of Gen.28:17 was initially with Jesus, but it didn’t stop with Him. When Jesus taught His followers about Him leaving He said he would sent the Holy Spirit. Joh 14:16-17 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Cor.3:16 We are the “tabernacle”, dwelling place for the presence of the Holy Spirit. So the prophetic dream of Jacob wasn’t just about Jesus, but about us also. Gen.28:17 “… and this is the gate of heaven!” In Biblical times, both Old & New, What are gates for? To protect, To allow access, To deny access. I think God wants me to be a gateway to His presence. For me, and others. So if I am the House of God, what gates have I allowed to my / His house? Ok, now what? Now that I understand I am the House of God, and that God has made me to be a gateway, now what? Do you remember what took place right after Jesus took a whip and cleaned the temple in Matthew 21? Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. Mt 21:14 It is imperative that we keep the holy place holy. If a gate hasn’t been used much, it starts to protest at being used by being resistant and squeaking. The Holy Spirit’s anointing oil, keeps the gate free to move without squeaking and reduces being resistant. In Jacob’s dream, angels were ascending and descending on a ladder. (ver.12) Too often angel activity in my life is rare, because I live safe enough, I don’t need angelic activity. The month of September has always been a seasonal change. Weather changes, school starts, Summer activity changes, etc. I want to challenge us to make next month “Spiritual Emphasis” month. That’s where I take a look at making my house comfortable for the presence of God. I re-establish God as my sole desire. As my soul desire.

I Almost Missed It By Pastor Gary Wayne 2 Kings 5 Psalms 73

God is With Us in Times of Crisis By Bishop Don Johnson Psalms 46:1-7

What’s Comin Out of my Mouth? #2 By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: Romans 12: 2, Romans 10:17 Notice this does not say, “faith comes by hearing the word of God.” “Faith comes by hearing.” “Hearing comes by the Word of God.” Not just listening to the Bible. But it’s when my ears / heart is tied to the heart of what God is saying. My hearing has to be tied to the voice / heart of what God is speaking. His word activates my hearing. The Greek uses 2 words that are translated into the English word for “word.” “Logos”, and “Rhema.” Logos = is the message expressed usually through writing. Rhema = the spoken Word of God. Logos is the written scripture. Rhema is the word of God spoken. In this verse “rhema” is used. In this text it would be accurate to read this “Faith comes from hearing, and being able to hear comes from the fresh spoken (rhema) word of God.” I personally believe this is amplified, enhanced, or supercharged, when I use my voice out loud to say what God says. Rom.12:2 The word transformed in the Greek = metamorphoo, where we get the word metamorphous. It’s the process that changes a caterpillar into a butterfly inside a cocoon. How does the caterpillar get inside the cocoon? It spins the cocoon around itself by a silk web that comes out of its mouth. It wraps itself up by what comes out of its mouth. When we speak the Word of God – it wraps me up and transforms me. It is fascinating to study how God made our bodies to respond to two different reports – good news and bad news - our bodies respond. The pituitary gland controls the whole endocrine system, which is a system of complicated glandular secretions that run our bodies. One set of glands are hooked onto our kidneys called the adrenal glands and they respond when we believe the bad news. It’s easier to believe bad news 100% then good news 100%. We have to work on believing good news – bad news comes easier. When we believe the bad news, our adrenalin glands start pumping. They pump adrenalin into your system that is designed to mobilize you for flight. Unfortunately our adrenal glands can’t see what is going on, so when our pituitary glands tell them something bad is going to happen, they start pumping. When we have adrenaline in our system too often, it starts our destroying our immune system and tears down our body. Our bodies can’t handle a constant diet of stress – bad news. From the day we are born there is a conforming pressure (Rom12:2 – don’t conform) to cause us to view life from a perspective different from God’s. So if I agree and believe a lie…. Now the good news. Our pituitary gland can also release in our brain an ‘opient” called a peptide molecule, that crates ecstasy, and brings joy to you. When you say something positive, our brain responds. When you laugh – even a fake laugh, our bodies respond towards the positive. When I say a positive word I believe, peptide molecules are released in my system. The endorphins from the pituitary gland kills pain 100 times more than morphine and it accentuates our immune system. They have proven that you will get well a lot faster if you believe you will. Prov.4:20-23 “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” When we speak a truth: “I know that all things work together for good to those who love God…” (Rom.8:28) At first our minds resist, saying, “Oh yea? Well what about…” Half our mind says “it can’t be true.” The other half says, “God said it, it’s true, and I will keep saying it out loud.” We usually start out with a split mind on every truth God gives us, so we need to wrap ourselves up in that truth until our thinking is “transformed by the Word (rhema) of God.” What a difference - when out of my mouth – I say and believe: “I KNOW that ALL THINGS will work together for GOOD!” “I’m God’s Favorite! 1/5 of a second later, my brain is bathed in the Word and I am rewarded physically and spiritually.

What’s Coming Out of My Mouth? By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: Isaiah 59:21, Joshua 1:8 How did Joshua tell us to be successful? Speak God’s Word, Meditate on God’s Word, Observe, or act it out. Isaiah tells us God put His Words in our mouth. Notices in scripture how many times the Bible tells us to speak out loud the Word of God? To speak truth? To Praise out loud? To Sing out loud? Declare His Works. Ephesians 5:18 “… speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Psa.100:1 “Make a joyful noise…” Joel 3:10 “…Let the weak say, 'I am strong.’ ” Isa.61:3 “…The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…” Study how many times the Bible says to “declare - out loud.” The enemy can’t read my mind, but he can read my body language, and he hears what is coming out of my mouth. I believe God set me up to be able to change the atmosphere around me by what I say – out loud - with my mouth. His Word changes the atmosphere around me and in my heart as well. Jude 1:20 build yourself up – Paul said to “stir up your gift. 2Tim.1:6 Sometimes it’s hard to walk in faith because all our physical senses we have relied on our whole life are telling us something else. Most of the time, in my gut, I feel opposite of what God says is true. When I don’t feel special – God says “You are my favorite.” When I feel rejected – God says “I chose you.” When I feel alone - God says “I am with you.” Which one of us is right? God is! So what am I going to do about this? I believe I need to be pro-active in creating atmosphere. Out of my mouth – OUT LOUD – I say what God says. Do you realize that you hear everything you say? There is something incredible about our ears. When you study the senses, you find that each eye covers half of the brain. The nose is the same – the right nostril covers the left hemisphere, the left nostril covers the right hemisphere. Same with the tongue – it is divided. Same with our hands. But not the ears. Each ear covers the entire brain all by itself. So when we hear something, we hear it with twice the power. In learning, when I am reward for an action, I am more likely to do it again. And if the reward comes 1/5 of a second after the action, the reinforcement is the highest. Guess how soon you hear what you say after it’s said. 1/5 of a second. Medical science has proven that our physical bodies respond to what you say. In psychology the study of “Operate Conditioning” tells us if I do something, and I’m rewarded, I am more likely to do it again. The opposite is true. If I sit here and say, “I can’t do it…, it’s too hard… I’m stupid, etc We are speaking a lie, but it reinforces that lie in my mind. But when I am going through an impossible situation, and I speak truth (Phil.4:13) I am feeding my person in two ways. Positive reinforcement to my body, and spiritual reinforcement to me and the atmosphere. I may not “FEEL” like saying it, so I use this principle: “Don’t say it when you feel like it, say it until you feel like it.” It is hard to say something you don’t feel. If I feel like scum, it’s hard to say, “I’m beautiful.” If you feel week, it’s hard to say, “I am strong.” But we don’t use our feelings as a source of Truth. Too many of us use our emotions as a baseline for truth. I WILL declare out loud what God says is true in the face of EVERY NEGATIVE LIE the enemy wants to re-enforce in me. It may not “feel” like speaking is a very big action, but Neurologists say different. It takes 90% of our brain to say one word. It only takes 10% to do jumping jacks. Jumping up and down looks harder, but saying one word is 9 times more powerful. Ps 107:1-2 “ Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,…” Ps 141:2-4 “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil…”

MY DECLARATION By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: 2Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV - we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. I want to talk about taking control of my thoughts. Taking captive every thought that is negative and make it obedient to Christ. When we open our mouth and declare out loud the Word of God, we take control of our thoughts and we establish a baseline of truth. Illustration – Have someone start counting (not fast) from 1-10, then right in the middle, stop them and ask them to say their name. It breaks the thought pattern. When you break a chain of negative thinking by quoting scripture, it interrupts the controlling thought and we are establishing a baseline for truth. We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. We don’t fight thoughts with thought – we use one of our weapons of warfare which is the spoken Word of God. I don’t say, “don’t think about it.” “don’t think about it.” – That actually reinforces that negative thought. Instead, out of my mouth I declare what God says is true. Notices how many times the Bible tells us to speak out loud the Word of God? To speak truth? To Praise out loud? To Sing out loud? To declare His Works. Ephesians 5:18 “… speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Psa.100:1 “Make a joyful noise…” Study how many times the Bible says to “declare.” Do you realize that you hear everything you say? Now there is something incredible about our ears. When you study the senses, you find that each eye covers half of the brain. The nose is the same – the right nostril covers the left hemisphere, the left nostril covers the right hemisphere. Same with the tongue – it is divided. Same with our hands. But not the ears. Each ear covers the entire brain all by itself. So when we hear something, we hear it with twice the power. In learning, when I am reward for an action, I am more likely to do it again. And if the reward comes 1/5 of a second after the action, the reinforcement is the highest. Guess how soon you hear what you say after it’s said. 1/5 of a second. So you brain is rewarded with truth. The negative cycle of thought is interrupted. And I reinforce God’s baseline of truth in my heart. Now you may not feel like saying it, so use this principle: Don’t say it when you feel like it, say it until you feel like it.” It is hard to say something you don’t feel. If I feel like scum, it’s hard to say, “I am special.” If I feel week, it’s hard to say, “I am Strong.” But we don’t use our feelings as a source of Truth. Too many of us use our emotions as a baseline for truth. But I don’t feel special to God – SO WHAT! I WILL declare out loud what God says is true in the face of EVERY NEGATIVE LIE the enemy wants to re-enforce in me. Passion Translation ver.5 “We can demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes God and break through every arrogant attitude that is raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God. We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to the Anointed One.” Find a verse from the Bible that pertains to the truth you are battling, and have it in your holster ready to do war when the enemy tries to start the cycle of negative thinking.

Freedom ~ Part 2 ~ Making Agreements Last week: Tool to help me with freedom – “Where is this coming from?” The evil one speaks to us in 1st person voice. That voice is so close to home, I think it’s my thoughts, so I own them as truth. “I’m lonely,” “I’m miserable.” I want to re-visit “What lie have I believed?” Text: Galatians 5:1 NIV – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…” Christ “has” set me free. So if I am not experiencing freedom, or I don’t believe I am or will ever be free, I KNOW that baseline is not from God. 1Pet.5:8-9 says our enemy the devil is looking to destroy you. Psa.51:6 “…You desire truth inside my heart…” (paraphrase) Everyone of us has an enemy. Satan HATES you because you belong to God. Re 12:10 calls him “the accuser of our brethren.” Jesus called him the “father of lies.” (Jn.8:44) He is good at it. He is an expert at reading my body language, and taking advantage of my weaknesses to convince me of his lie. What is an agreement with the enemy? Let’s look at where it started – with Adam & Eve - the evil one distorted the interpretation of what Eve said God had said. If his spin was obvious, we wouldn’t have a problem. When he begins to talk to Eve, it is subtle as he twists what God had said. Gen.3:1 “…"Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" Ver.4 “You won’t really die.” He comes into experiences we have had – especially where pain in involved, and he will wrap his subtle distortion in partial truth. He will give us a different interpretation of what God says is true. Another way to explain agreements is how I interpret something. My interpretation of reality. Of yourself, Of God, His intentions towards me, etc. The enemy loves to imbed these agreements when we are young, when you are vulnerable, and you don’t have the ability to see or reason the truth. So if I have carried these agreements most of my life, and my process for obtaining truth is intensified by my feelings, even in the face of God’s point blank truth, I have a hard time realizing that I have believed a lie. It doesn’t seem like an agreement because it has always been my filter of truth. I have always been klutzy, slow to grasp what others get instantly, always been chubby, skinny, ugly, stupid, on the outside, always had a short fuse, etc. Agreements are always based on some kind of fact, and usually imbedded in my heart in painful moment. Often all I have to do is look at myself in a mirror and make observations to myself about me. Is what is coming out of my mouth from God’s heart? What about when I have blown it – maybe on purpose. What do I say to myself? Have I forgiven myself for those places where I sinned? Where I damaged my wife – my family? My goal today is not to discover all those places where I have made agreements with the enemy, but to understand how to work with Holy Spirit to take this tool and start breaking every agreement I have made with Satan, and align my heat with God’s truth and agree with Him and re-enforce that truth in my soul. Jn.8:32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." When breaking these places in me, it can be, but not usually a onetime event. I have to re-new my mind with His truth. Rom.12:2 “transformed by the renewing of my mind…” I need God’s truth to battle, or transform my baseline, my filter. Personally, I have to do it again and again and again…. …memorize & quote scripture. How to break these agreements: Ask the Holy Spirit to shine His light on anything in me that is not truth. Prayer: Jesus, we ask you to come this morning and shine your beautiful warm light into any cold area of my heart / mind that is dark. Show me where my agreements with the enemy was made. I ask for healing in that wound. Reveal every place the enemy has twisted events to interpret them with a negative spin. Forgive us for the places we have made agreements with the enemy. “In Jesus’ name I break the lie!” Let the freedom of Your truth break every stronghold that has been established as I have sided with the enemy against Your truth. Do you want more? Go to YouTube search: “John Eldredge – Agreements”

Be Anxious for Nothing By Pastor Gary Wayne Eph. 1:17-19, 3:15-19 1Pe.5:7-11 Ver.7 NIV – “cast all your anxiety” The word care denoted distractions, anxieties, burdens, and worries. The emphasis is because our Father provides everything we need. Text: Luke 12:22-30, 1 Peter 5:7-11, Philippians 4:6-8 Ps 139:23 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” NIV One of the first steps towards freedom from anxiety is to acknowledge what is there. It is important to be real with this. Ignoring it or hiding it can make it worse. Unfortunately, the “religious church” does not understand depression, grief, and anxiety. Its answer is, “get over it! You shouldn’t feel bad, because Jesus gives us joy, so there must be sin in your life.” Not everything is spiritually based. Go to a doctor and talk to them. I have some good friends, and actually Heatherann, who have worked with a doctor to help. Medication can help take the edge off. Seek out someone to talk to and help you – don’t stand alone! It might not be spiritually based, but our enemy will take advantage of anything he can to keep us in pain. So when it comes to this area, start changing the way you “think.” I acknowledge anxiety is there, now what am I going to do about it? A truth is that anxiety actually can't hurt you. How you deal with it, can. "God, how should I deal with anxiety’s presence?" Is there something else contributing to this? (Unforgiveness? Bitterness? Un-healed memories?) Is how I am thinking towards anxiety adding to it? Changing the way I think, can start with what is coming out of my mouth. (2Cor.10:3-5) I make a choice to say what God says about me. (Say it out loud) Out of my mouth I am going to choose to NOT agree with anxiety. Instead of dwelling on what is wrong, or what might happen, or how bad I feel, I intentionally choose to meditate on what God says. I stop my thoughts from rehearsing my past, and predicting my future based on how I feel. How I feel is not a great analyzer of past events. It is terrible at predicting the future. Instead - "God what are you doing in my life?" What are the small things that are good in my life? Phil.4:8 think on these things Again, find someone to stand with you in prayer! Ephesians 1:17-19, 3:16-19 I pray: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of my understanding would be enlightened – that I would know the hope to which He has called me, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power (made available to) me as I believe, according to His mighty power. That He would grant me, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in my inner man, that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith; that I, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints, What is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; That I may be filled with all the fullness of God!

Freedom By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: Galatians 5:1 NIV – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” The topic of freedom is huge, but I want to look at just a couple points. When slavery was abolished in this country, the slaves were legally set free, yet many stayed under the control of their previous owners. Sometimes people come to Jesus are saved and delivered, but because their thinking hasn’t changed, they return to living the way that seems normal. According to our text, it is possible to be set free and return to slavery. You are a Christian, yet living with a lack of freedom that we know is ours. Years ago, Heatherann and I went to counseling for our marriage, for our personal lives, and for our spiritual freedom. We picked up some major tools that have helped us again and again in our lives, and working with many people towards freedom. One principal is called “Fruit to Root.” If there is fruit being produced in my life, it comes from roots – good or bad. So when I encounter any fruit in my life that is not produced by God’s presences the question I ask is: “Where is this coming from?” Everyone gets hit with thoughts that are not our own. The enemy can place thoughts, but he can’t read your thoughts – only God can. Often the enemy will plant thoughts of: loneliness, nobody cares, I’m miserable, why did God make me this way? Despair – “why is this happening?” “I will live this way the rest of my life.” Depression – “nothing will ever change, hopelessness, I wish I were dead.” Defensive indifference - “so what, who needs them any way.” “I don’t care.” Self-protection – “Nobody will hurt me again,” “I won’t feel.” “I will never…..” Something that will help navigate these thoughts, feelings, and emotions is to know that the enemy will often speak in 1st person. 2Co 2:11 “…for we are not ignorant of his devices.” We hear it and we think it’s about me, when it’s actually the enemy projecting thoughts to me. “I’m miserable.” “I don’t feel good, I’m all alone, even in a crowd. The Devil is talking about himself – he takes truth and wraps it in an exaggeration or a lie, and speaks to us, - talking in 1st person – yet he is talking about himself. He is the one who is miserable; he is the one who is alone; etc. The problem is we connect to those thoughts, we partially identify with them, and we then begin to own them. That voice is so close to home that I think it’s my thoughts, when it is the enemy of my soul. It “FEELS” true, so I allow it to be my baseline. Tool 1: “Where is this coming from?” Tool 2: “What lie have I believed? OR “What agreement have I made with the enemy?” Ps 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; (anxious thoughts) And see if there is any wicked way in me, - (any place that is opposite of God’s TRUTH.) Prayer: So Jesus, we ask you to come this morning and shine your beautiful warm light into any cold area of my heart / mind that is dark. 2Co 4:6 “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” We ask You God to come and shine into our lives Your light. Shine into our deep places of damage, of captivity, of our brokenness, of pain, of our cynicism. Show me where my agreements with the enemy was made. Forgive us for the places we have made agreements with the enemy. Show us those places now. Let the freedom of Your truth break every stronghold that has been established as I have agreed with the enemy in the face of Your truth.

God is Calling By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: Exodus 3:1-14, 4:1-3, 6-14a, Isaiah 6:1-9a, Ezekiel 22:26-30 In the last few years, as I read through the OT, the thing that speaks loudest to me is the mercy of God. The Love of God. His heart to go the extra, extra mile. 2Pe 3:9 “… He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Eze.22:26-30 Stand in the gap, before God, on behalf of the land. What does that look like? I think it is a little different based on who you are, and God’s design for you. Ver.30c “but I found no one.” Isa.6:1-9a When Isaiah had a revelation of who God was, and then cleansed from sin, he heard the voice of God asking: “Who will go?” When God called to Moses out of the burning bush, what did God ask Moses to do? How did Moses respond? Exo.3:1-14, 4:1-3, 6-14a When God asked Moses to go back to Egypt to, it triggered some of his insecurities, and old bitterness at trying to help and having it blow up in his face. 3:11 “Who am I …? Wrong question, Wrong focus. But it is one of the first questions we tend to ask. 4:10 “I can’t talk…” 4:13 “Please send someone else.” 4:14 “So the anger of the Lord burned against Moses..” Why did God get angry with him? Because this wasn’t just about insecurities, but a heart issues. (bitterness) God doesn’t have an issue with my stuttering problem. “But God I tried to help those people out, and they blamed me.” When I do it for the people, it will always bite me. Sheep bite! But when I do it for God, and sheep bite me, God brings healing to my wounds. Heb 5:11-12 “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, thought by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again….” (NIV)

Father's Day Message By Bill Campbell

The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippor By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: Romans 9:11-14, Leviticus 23:26-28 Read through Lev.16, Heb.9-10 – it gives us an excellent picture of this celebration. This is the most Holy day of the Jewish colander. It was the only day the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and offer sacrificial blood in repentance for the past year. No other celebration comes as close to explaining what Jesus did for us when He was the sacrifice for our sin. This fall celebration begins with Feast of Trumpets, (Rosh Hashana). This started a 10 day period of repentance and preparation for the Day of Atonement. During this time, people would spend time in studying scripture, in prayer, and in setting their lives in order for this special “Day of Atonement.” These ten days repentance and sacrifice prepared them for the Feast of Tabernacles five days later. The Day of Atonement had its special meaning filled rituals that all began when Moses set up the Tabernacle in the wilderness. Two look-alike goats would be brought and they would cast lots to determine which one would be the sacrifice, and which would be the scapegoat. A red ribbon would be tied around the horns of the scapegoat to tell them apart. They would then take a young bull and the high priest would lay his hands on its head symbolizing the transferring of his personal sins onto the bull. They would kill the bull, catching its blood in a bowl. A rope was tied around the ankle of the high priest, because if things didn’t go well and he was killed, no one could go in and retrieve his body. The high priest would then enter the holy of holies and sprinkle the bull’s blood on the Ark of the Covenant to cleans himself from sin. If he lived through the experience, they knew God had forgiven him. The high priest would go back out and kill the first goat, again catching the blood to be presented behind the veil in the Holy of Holies again. He would sprinkle the blood on the Ark seven times, representing the sins of the whole camp of Israel. Because of the shedding of blood, God would forgive their sin. Heb.9:22 “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” It is only by the shed blood of Jesus that we can personally enter the Holy of Holies today. The high priest would go back outside and lay his hands on the other scapegoat, symbolically transferring the sin of Israel onto that goat. That goat would then be lead out into the wilderness where it would be left to remain lost forever. When Jesus died on the cross He fulfilled the first sacrificial goat. But Jesus is also our scapegoat. Isa 53:6 “…And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” The word Atonement = to cover, blot out, or cancel. Jesus was the Atonement sacrifice. Jesus covered, blotted out, or canceled OUR SIN! That’s GOOD NEWS!!! What happens when we try to cover up our sin? Adam & Eve tried that. They sowed fig leaves together – human attempt to deal with a sin problem. How did God respond to Adam & Eve? He covered them Himself. (Gen.3:21) Only God can cover sin. Heb 9:11-14 In the O.T. Israel was forgiven only once a year, but today, because of the New Covenant Jesus gave to His bride, we can go into the Holy of Holies any time we desire, and be forgiven, and have relationship with God. In the O.T. animal blood covered our sin. In the NT, Jesus Blood "removes" our sin. Isa.43:25 "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins." Ps 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Listening By Pastor Gary Wayne Seldom do we actually “hear with our ears” God speaking to us, yet He speaks constantly. We were spiritually hardwired to hear. Why did Jesus teach in parables? Text: Ezekiel 33:30-32, John12:27-30, Matthew 13:10-17 MT.13:10-17 Read in Passion translation. Jn.12:27-30 They actually “heard” God speak. Look at their reaction. V.29 Jesus told them, God did not speak for His sake, but for theirs. Yet they discounted God’s voice as “thunder, or an angel, but concluded it wasn’t for them. It wasn’t that God didn’t speak clearly, or mumbled, or … Someone call 911 - Why doesn’t someone call? Studies have shown the larger the crowed, the less likely someone will call, or take it to heart. Because they are in a crowd mindset – he’s talking to someone else. Isn’t this a lot like Sunday morning service? God speaks, but it is for someone else. I think this is why in so many churches around the world, people go to church, but their lives are not changed. When you hear someone whispering, isn’t our natural tendency to get quiet and lean towards them. That’s what makes the difference for us to hear God’s voice. When you want to hear, we lean in. Rev.3:22. “He who has an ear, let him hear...” 7 Times! Ez.33:30-32 Often, it’s just a subtle quiet voice that if you weren’t listening on purpose, you would have missed it. A seemingly passing thought turns out to be Him. Heb. 514 “by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern …” NKJV “by consistent use have trained themselves to distinguish ...” NIV Our sensitivity to Him can be and should be trained and exercised. 2Cor 3:16 “when one turns to the Lord…. the veil is taken away.” Note the sequence.

The Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot Text: John 7:37-39, Leviticus 23:34-35, 39-44 Israel was commanded to observe 3 major feasts every year - Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, each one revolved around the harvest season - Spring, Summer, and Fall. The Feast of Tabernacles also called “Feast of Ingathering” (Ex.34:22) was the time they harvested all their crops. Just like at Thanksgiving time, when all the gardens have been emptied, and the food set up for the year, we have a big meal, so God commanded the Israelites to celebrate His provision for them. It was a time to celebrate His sustaining them, but to also remember when they lived in tents for forty years in the wilderness. It reminded them of the “Tent of meeting,” or “Tabernacle” where God’s presence could be seen in the middle of the camp. They may have been in a wilderness, but God’s presence and provision was ALWAYSE there. On the first day of the 7th month started the Feast of Trumpets. Then 10 days later was The Day of Atonement. Five days later started the Feast of Tabernacles. And all wrapped up in this last feast was a party atmosphere. The Day of Atonement let them know they again had favor with God, then with all the work of the harvest behind them and having LOTS of food – party time! Israel was to build booths or shelters to hang out in for 7 days. They were usually built using poles and branches. Kids probably loved this event, as the family ate and slept in these booths, like camping in the back yard. During the time Jesus lived, they had added more ceremonies to this feast time. One was huge oil torches were all around the temple area that would light up the whole area, so often they would party all night. Picture about a ¼ of a mile square, filled with people around temple. This feast was the most joy filled celebrations, and in some of the writings of the Rabbi’s they have said, “that if you have never experienced the celebration in Jerusalem at this feast, you have never experienced joy.” There would be special prayer for rain to come. A time of giving thanks. Singing and dancing. On the last day of the feast, the High Priests would have a “water pouring ceremony.” Again picture the event - The whole area was filled with people waving palm branches and singing Psalms. Psa.118 Isa 12:2-3 “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; 'For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.'" Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.” The High Priest would start a procession of priests down from the Temple to the Pool of Siloam whose water came from the Gihon spring that was the main supply of water for Jerusalem. With a golden pitcher, the priest drew water from the large pool. Because this water came from a spring, the water was considered “living water” and was used for ritual purification. They took the picture of “living water” back up to the temple and would do a ceremony where they poured the water out onto the altar of sacrifice. As they were pouring the water out, and it was now running down the steps, the crowd would be praying. Growing up in this area, we don’t have the appreciation for water that they do in the Middle East. The only place where there is life was where there is water. So in the Bible, water is a metaphor for life, for everything that gave life, for the Holy Spirit. So they were praying for rain, also asking God to send the Messiah, and send His Holy Spirit. In the middle of this noisy activity one voice cuts through the noise that silences the crowd. John 7:37-39 Remember that these last three feasts are about end time events yet to be fulfilled. Rev.21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. This feast anticipates the time when God will dwell with us. Feast of Tabernacles is all about God dwelling with man. Isn’t that what the whole of scripture points to? The incredible God that redeems, buys back, atones for people who don’t deserve Him, yet He wants relationship with you.

Feast of Trumpets ~ Part 2 By Pastor Gary Wayne The last 3 feasts point to end time events. We are living in-between the first 4 feasts fulfilled by Jesus, and the last 3 feasts. The Fall Feasts point to the future when God will fulfill those promises. The rapture of the church, and the day we will “live” with Him in Heaven. Feast of Trumpets begins with a ceremony of the blowing of trumpets. Which got people’s attention to turn from their everyday activities, and focus on what God was up to. The sounding of trumpets always caused anticipation. This week I want to take a look at Hebrew marriage customs and how they coincide with the Feast of Trumpets. Text: Mathew 25:1-13, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, In Hebrew culture, it was the father that chose a bride for his son. When it came time to purpose marriage, the son would go to her house, sit down with the young lady and her parents and they would go over the marriage contract. He would pour a cup of wine and set it before her and if she wanted to enter into this marriage covenant, she would pick up the cup and drink. This was the sealing of the contract, and they were now as legally bound to each other as they would be later on after the wedding. Before he left he would give her a gift or a pledge so she would know that He is going to return. He would leave enough assets that she wouldn’t have any needs in his absence. 2Co 1:21-22 “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (NIV) 2Co 5:5 “Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (NIV) Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as the guarantee (earnest money) that He will return, and in His absence the Holy Spirit supplies everything I need to thrive during this waiting time. The young man would then leave and go to his home and begin to prepare a place for them to live. How long he would be gone was not known – it often depended on how good a builder he was - it could be months or even a year or more. This is exactly what Jesus said in John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” During this waiting time, the groom would be preparing a place for them, but it wasn’t up to him when it was time, it was up to the father. Given the nature of a young man, anything would be ok to bring his bride to, but only the father could say when it was ready. Remember in Acts 1:7 when the disciples asked Jesus when this would all happen – what did Jesus say? "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” While she waited the bride would make every possible preparation she needed to be ready at a moment’s notice for the time the groom would return. She would gather her wedding dress, and everything else she might need for that time. She would choose some friends to come and help her with getting ready. They would also be ready so at a moment’s notice so they could come to her house and do the final preparations needed at the last minute. This is the place the Church is today – we the bride of Christ are watching and waiting for the return of Jesus, and we are making every effort to ready ourselves for His coming. Eph 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (1 Thess.4:13-18) The night would arrive for the wedding to take place and the Father would say to the son, “go get your bride.” (Feasts of Trumpets started at sundown) The son would then call his friends and together they would begin a grand torchlight procession, blowing trumpets to announce and precede his coming. By-standers would begin to shout, “Behold the bridegroom is coming. Others would pick up the shout on ahead so the bride would have a little bit of notice. She would then send word for her close friends to come and help her get her thing together. When the bride adorned for her husband was ready, she and her bridesmaids would leave her parent’s home to join the groom and his party outside. The procession would return to the groom’s home and the wedding party would go in for the celebration, and the doors would be shut. Mt 25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Re 19:7 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." Jesus is coming back for a bride who has made herself ready, not having “spot or wrinkle or any such thing – holy and without blemish.” Eph.5:27

Feast of First Fruits = Resurrection Sunday By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: John 20:1-19, 1Cor.15:20-23 , Leviticus 23:1-14 If we want our Resurrection celebration to be accurate, we wouldn’t call it Easter, because Easter is actually a pagan holiday with a pagan goddess of fertility. VERY MUCH like how Halloween & Christmas has become in the western culture. Pagan thinking mixed with Christian things to form a celebration that is actually VERY FAR REMOVED from the actual Biblical accounts of what God tells us to celebrate. For us to celebrate the resurrection, our focus is on the “Feast of Firstfruits.” When someone refers to the Passover, it can have two different implications. It can refer to the event of the Passover meal, or the season of Passover. Much like we might say, we are going to have a Christmas party, but it’s only the 19th . The phrase takes in the season as well as an individual event. So when people talk about celebrating Passover, it sometimes refers to the season of the events. The season includes the preparation for the Passover, the Passover itself, from the Passover right into the feast of unleavened bread, which is one weak, and then inside that week is the feast of first fruits. Ver.9-14 V.10 When did God begin the observation of this feast? There were two main gain crops – barley, then wheat about a month later. Down through Hebrew history, the priests would use different methods for this, but the basic happing would be much the same. There was a piece of ground not far from the temple for the priests to use. They would sow the seed in the winter, and when it came time to celebrate the Feast of Firstfruits in the spring, they would go to the field before sunset, and mark an armful or a handful of grain to harvest. One priest would prepare himself with the stalks in one arm, a sickle in the other. A second priest would stand watching the sun setting. At the exact setting of the sun, the watching priest would give the command, and the first priest would take a sickle and cut the first cutting of grain and wave it before the Lord. The main idea was to dedicate the first ripened stalks to God in anticipation that the greater harvest to come. The sun would set and night would begin. The next morning they would then take this fresh cut grain, beat it, grind and prepare it into bread and again wave it before the Lord – this time before a torn veil. 1Cor.15:20-23 Jesus literally fulfilled the feast of Passover by shedding His blood. Jesus literally fulfilled the feast of Unleavened bread by being bread without sin. And now He fulfilled the feast of Firstfruits being the first from the grave. Think about early dawn on the morning of the Feast of Firstfruits. What was happening? Mt 28:1 “Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.” Mr 16:2 “Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.” Lu 24:1 “Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.” Joh 20:1-19 Put this together in your mind - What was going on at sunrise at the tomb? What was going on in the Temple? The first harvest was being prepared for bread, and then waved before the Lord in preparation of the meal for Firstfruits. Like the wave sheaf offering, in the intervening hours Jesus ascended to the Father and been accepted as a suitable redeeming sacrifice for God’s people. Then later that same day, Jesus met with His disciples. There is still a harvest to come. Each of the feasts God said to observe, looked to an original event God wants His people to remember, but it also pointed forward to a day when the meaning and principal of that feast - what it was about - would be fulfilled. But not just fulfilled, activated to be on-going in the lives of His people. For example - Passover started as a miracle of God to deliver Israel from bondage, but it pointed to the day when Jesus would fulfill the Passover – and once activate it as an ongoing, the blood of Jesus continues to set us free.

Feast of Trumpets ~ Part 1 By Pastor Gary Wayne Israel has two major harvest seasons – Spring harvest, and Fall harvest. The Feast times God set up in Leviticus happens during these harvest times. Around Resurrection Sunday, we began to look at these feasts and how God fulfilled the first four feasts hundreds of years after He gave them to His people to be observed every year. The timing and precision of how God fulfilled and activated the meaning and purpose of these feasts are incredible. Looking at the Biblical time line, the first four feasts were fulfilled through Jesus. The Fall Feasts point to the future when God will fulfill those promises. The rapture of the church, and the day we will “live” with Him in Heaven. I want to start looking at these Fall Feasts and what they point towards. - The “Feast of Trumpets” (“Rosh Hashanah”) that teaches repentance. - “The Day of Atonement” (Yom Kippur)that teaches redemption. - The “Feast of Tabernacles” (Sukkot) that teaches rejoicing. Today we are going to look at The Feast of Trumpets. Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Leviticus 23:1-4, 23-25, 26-27, 33-36 Feast of Trumpets begins with a ceremony of the blowing of two silver trumpets. This celebration was a reminder of when Israel was gathered at Mount Sinai. God wanted all Israel to come into His presence, so Moses told them, "...When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain." (Ex.19:13) So this feast began by getting people’s attention to turn from their everyday activities, and focus on what God was up to. Feast of Trumpets, The Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles all pointed to the conclusion of the end of the year, and the end of the harvest. Again I want to point out that these three feasts are yet to be fulfilled. Spiritually, they point to the conclusion of an age – the church age. They point to the end of a harvest time. 1 Thess. 4:13-18 All the way through the N.T. there are parables and references that align themselves with the ceremonies that take place in these feasts. We believe in the “rapture of the church.” The word rapture isn’t found in scripture but comes from this text, ver.17 “caught up.” Note in ver.16 as it describers the “trumpet of God” being associated with “the voice of an archangel.” This feast flowed into the next celebration – The Day of Atonement. For 10 days Israel was to remember the Lord, repent, and prepare for the most high and holy day, the Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur. On this day the High priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for Israel. So this feast focused on preparing their hearts and lives to go into His presence, but also looking for His return. It is fascinating to me to study how Jesus fulfilled all the spring feast with increasable precision and detail, down to the exact hour. I believe these Fall feasts will also be fulfilled with precise detail and timing. It is a prophetic look at what God said He would fulfill in His coming back to get His bride. So if we know for thousands of years, God set in motion feasts that point to end time fulfillment, and these feasts let us see how precise God is fulfilling His promises, How Shall we live? Two extremes to ovoid: Knowing Jesus is coming back tomorrow can lead to “short timer’s” attitude. Or “I have heard this all my life,” so I get careless in how I life. In Luke 19 there is a parable of the “ten minas” that points to end time events. In there, we are instructed to focus our attention on “doing business for the Master until He returns.” Live life with a strong mixture that He may return today, but continue to make plans on expanding His kingdom. Next week – Biblical Marriage ceremonies that coincide with the Feast of Trumpets. (Mat.25:1-13)

God’s Plan of Perfection By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: John 19:25-30, John 20:1-18 How many understand the things of God, are layered with meaning? In studying about the Resurrection, this year, I felt compelled to study the feasts God set up. God’s plan of perfection. When you study the “7 feasts”, it just gets deeper and deeper. All these feasts point to God’s complex plan for Jesus to fulfill God’s desire to make it possible for us to spend eternity with Him. The Hebrew calendar is much different than ours, with the first of their year starting in the month of Nisan, our March & April. Last week I referred to this time of the year being highly spiritual. The time of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, happened at the exact timing that coincided with the first 3 feasts of God that began in the book of Exodus 12 with the Passover. That first Passover happened 3,500 years ago and these feasts God set up to observe have been celebrated 3,500 times every year. So when we see the events surrounding the Resurrection we celebrate today, you can see an intricate plan God unfolded at the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of God’s Son Jesus. What are these feasts about? After God brought the plagues on Egypt, when Pharaoh wouldn’t let the people go, God caused one more plague to take place. Passover. God sent a death angel over the land, and in preparation, God instructed the people to place lamb’s blood on the door posts and mantel of their house. That night, when the death angel moved over the land, every house that was covered with the blood of the lamb he would pass over them. But for those who ignored God’s salvation plan, the death angel killed all the first born. Why lamb’s blood? I’m sure there are MANY reasons, but recently I came across some fun facts I want to share with us. Gen 46:33-34 Do you remember when Joseph set his family up in Egypt? Joseph told them to tell Pharaoh their “occupation has been with livestock”, because ever shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians. History tells us hundreds of years before Joseph's time, there was an Arabian shepherd that ruled and abused the Egyptians for 200 years. The Egyptians said, never again will a shepherd rule over us. Now fast-forward to Moses’ time, God used one of the most humble and helpless animals to destroy this proud, arrogant, and powerful nation. WITH THE BLLOD OF A LAMB! How has God destroyed our enemy’s bondage over our lives? With the blood of the Lamb, applied to the door of my heart. When Jesus sat down with His 12 disciples for the Last Supper, I think He walked through all the traditional steps of in that meal that pointed to that season. During a Passover meal, there are details that directly point to what Jesus went through. One fascinating step was for the father of the house to place some unleavened bread in the middle pouch of a 3 partition linen pouch. At some point, He would reach in, take out that middle piece of bread and break it and place it in a linen napkin. Then as the children hid their eyes, he would hide it. Towards the end of the meal, the kids would go in search for that hidden piece to finish the meal. Lu 22:19-20 “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” Jesus was acting out what God put in place a few thousand years earlier. When they took Jesus down from the cross, they wrapped Him in linen and placed Him in the tomb. Then on resurrection morning, the women we read about went in search for His body to anoint it properly for burial, BUT….. When Jesus took the last cup after supper, I purpose to you it wasn’t the last cup He would drink from. John 19:25-30 I don’t think He was thirsting for a physical cup, but a spiritual cup. In the garden praying, Jesus prayed “Father… take this cup from me” Lk.22:42 When Peter tried to defend Jesus in the garden, “Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?” Jn.18:11 I think when He said I thirst, He was saying, I am ready to drink the cup – the sins of the world – I am ready to do whatever it takes to become that sin offering I’m ready for the cup –“ I thirst.” I chose to read this resurrection text because it shows how personal Jesus was. While hanging on the cross, He took care of His mother. Even thought there was a lot going on here, He took time for individual people. God has a plan for your life that is full of complexities and potential. What looks like chaos is nothing to Him.

Mother's Day word and Blessing to our ladies. Gideon's Ministry.

What is the Feast of Pentecost? Then & Now? ~ Part 3 ~ Who & How By Pastor Gary Wayne Last week we looked at scripture showing that there are 3 different baptisms we can experience. The Baptism the Holy Spirit does – He baptizes us into salvation. (1Cor.12:13) The Baptism Jesus does – He baptizes us with or in the Holy Spirit. (Mat.3:11) The Baptism we do – we baptize new believers in water. (Mt.28:19) Text: Luke 11:9-13, Acts 1:4-8 The last words of instruction to us are not go, but wait until. Acts 1:4-5 At the end of last week’s message, I asked the question: Does Jesus say we need this Baptism? The answer is yes. So - Who can receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and How do you receive it? Who? The only requirement I can see in Scripture is that you are a born again believer in Jesus. That’s it! It has nothing to do with your doctrine, your gender, denominational background, age, maturity level. Peter said "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." (Act.2:39) Not just for some. In Acts 1:4 Jesus said this Baptism in the Holy Spirit that is poured out in Acts 2 was the “Promise of the Father.” So this is a gift from the Father for ALL. If this is a gift from Father God that Jesus baptizes us with, then why is there so much fear attached to it? Fear is from the enemy, especially if fear keeps me from a peace that God gives. (1Joh 4:18) Luke 11:9-13 If Jesus wants me to have this gift, and the Bible talks about this baptism in a positive light, and if it is a gift from the Father, why the fear? Many people, and many churches have wrongly misrepresented the things of God. Focusing on Hell instead of the Love of God, focusing on the abuse of tongues instead of the Holy Spirit. Focusing on just 1 of the manifestations of the Spirit. Our enemy doesn’t want me to have Acts 1:8 so if he can take the focus off this being a gift from a loving Father and create fear around this topic, he keeps people from walking in power. A major foundation to remember is when you receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, you don’t receive “A” gift, you receive Him. With the Holy Spirit comes the ability to operate in any of the gifts of the Spirit, not just one of them. For example, you don’t’ receive the “gift of tongues,” or the “gift of prophecy,” etc. You receive the Holy Spirit – He is the source of the individual gifts. One gift – the Holy Spirit – has MULTIPAL functions and manifestations. TOO OFTEN tongues get all the attention because it seems to be the most unique. (1 Cor.12:7:-10 Holy Spirit manifestations listed) How? Since it is a “gift of the Father” all I need to do is ask. In Acts 2, as they were praying, it simply explains they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14-17 Acts 10:1-48, v.44-46 The Holy Spirit fell upon all while Peter was speaking. Acts 19:1-7 When Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. What’s going to happen? Every time it’s uniquely different. Brian Lovelace – When he was baptized in water came up speaking in tongues. My dad – prayed for the manifestation of tongues for at least 2 years, then one day, as he was at the altar worshiping, heard someone speaking in tongues. Heatherann, when she was a child, after the children’s church teacher taught on this gift, went to the altar after Sunday night service, asked for the Father’s gift, began speaking in tongues, went and sat down and no one around her knew, because she wasn’t demonstrative. At camp when I prayed for a young lady. At camp, watching around 50 young people, they all started speaking about the same time. Some don’t seem to manifest tongues, yet they often operate in words of knowledge, and words of wisdom. (1 Cor.12:7:-10 Holy Spirit manifestations listed)

What is the Feast of Pentecost? Then & Now? ~ Part 2 By Pastor Gary Wayne In Lev.23:15-16 it explains the “Feast of Weeks” which is the same as the “Feast of Pentecost.” The word Pentecost is Greek = fifty. So God had them count 50 days from the “Feast of Firstfruits” to the “Feast of Pentecost.” At the 1st Pentecost the Law was given, the 2nd Pentecost the Holy Spirit. Following His resurrection in Jn 20:19-22, Jesus met with His disciples and ver.22 “…He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.” Jesus then spent the next 40 days teaching His disciples before ascending to heaven. His followers had 10 day prayer. (Acts 1) After ascending to heaven to sit at the right hand of God, Fifty days after His resurrection, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as promised to baptize = to immerse, submerge fully - His followers in the Holy Spirit and empower them for ministry. The first 3 feasts are about Salvation and having the Holy Spirit come and live in us at that salvation moment. (Rom.10:10) 50 days later in Acts 2, we have the Holy Spirit given in a different experience called the “Baptism “in” the Holy Spirit.” Today I want to look at three different baptism that are talked about in Scripture. Text: Matthew 3:11, Corinthians 12:12-13, Acts 2:1-4 Acts 1:4-9 In Acts 2, we have the account of the “Baptism “in” the Holy Spirit.” Often this happening in incorrectly referred to as the Baptism “of” the Holy Spirit, which is different. The Baptism the Holy Spirit does. 1Cor.12:12-13 This is clearly speaking about when we are saved, we become a part of the “body of Christ.” Ver.13 uses the wording “by the Spirit we are all baptized” into on the body.” This is the baptism “of” the Holy Spirit – the action of the Holy Spirit – He baptizes us into Christ at salvation. So the baptism of the Holy Spirit is into salvation. The Baptism Jesus does. Acts 1:4-5. Mat.3:11 John the Baptist wasn’t speaking to the 12 disciples. They weren’t called until the next chapter. This was not just for the 120 in the upper room. John was saying Jesus the Messiah will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. When Messiah comes, this is what He does. Mrk.1:8, Luk3:16, Jn.1:33, Acts 1:5 The Baptism we do. Mat.28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,…” What does water baptism represent? Death, burial, resurrection. This is the baptism the followers of Jesus do to new converts. (Not just clergy.) Many confuse the first two baptisms as being the same, but as you study them, it is clearly they are TOTALLY different. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is into salvation. Jesus baptizes us in / with the Holy Spirit. A major event to note is that Jesus did not start His earthly ministry until He was 1. Baptized in water, 2. Baptized with the Holy Spirit. Directly after coming out of the water the Holy Spirit descend upon Him in the form of a dove. Jn.1:33 “…Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” If Jesus needed this Holy Spirit baptism before He started ministering, how much more do we need what He told us in Acts 1:4-5? His last instructions to His believers were not go, but wait until. Many try say, this experience was for the 12, or for the 120 in the upper room, but read what the Scripture says. Acts 2:39 “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” In Acts 8, this took place 5 years after Pentecost. In Acts 10 took place 10 years later. Acts 19 was 25 years after. Acts 19:1-2 Why did the greatest apostle that wrote ¾ of the NT ask this question? Didn’t Paul understand correct theology? Isn’t Salvation enough? Ver.3-6 Did Jesus say we need this Baptism? Yes. When you get saved you become a new creation – a new person. When you get water baptized, you leave that old person behind. When you get Spirit baptized you receive power to walk in the New Covenant.

What is the Feast of Pentecost? Then & Now Part 1 By Pastor Gary Wayne Text: John 20:19-22 Leviticus 23:1-4, 15-16 There are 3 Major feasts - Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Tabernacles. Jewish men were required by law to go to Jerusalem for them – a “holy convocation.” Inside Unleavened Bread were: Passover, Unleavened Bread, First fruits Feast of Weeks stood alone Inside Tabernacles were - Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Tabernacles We spent last week looking at how God, through Jesus fulfilled and activated the first three feasts, so today I want to look at “Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost.” What is it then and now. I started studying this months ago, wondering what took place on the first Pentecost. Everyone knows about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, but all these feasts started back with the children of Israel leaving Egypt – what event started Pentecost? Let’s begin by looking at the word Pentecost. Acts 2:1 The word Pentecost can be a scary word for many people, connected with negative connotations. “Feast of Weeks” is what the Greeks called Pentecost. The Greek word for 5 is “Penta.” Pentagon in geometry has 5 sides. Cost = to the 10th power. So penta-cost = 5 x 10 = 50 Pentecost = 50th. What does Pentecost it mean? 50! It’s a scary word. FIFTY. Pentecost is in the Bible in a good light, so…. Why are people afraid of the word “Pentecost?” Because the enemy tries to make what God says is special, something to be afraid of. The Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost was to be celebrated 50 days after Passover. So back to my original wondering about what took place on the original day of Pentecost in the O.T.? Hebrew tradition tells us 50 days after the original Passover, was the giving of the Law. That was a MAJOR event! As you study these two events, the giving of the Law in Ex.19-32, and the giving of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, there are amazing parallels. When the Law was given, there was a loud noise, God descended in a cloud, there was fire, God wrote His law on Tablets of Stone, and on that day, 3,000 people died. On the day of Pentecost, there was a loud noise, there was fire, God descended, God wrote His law on men’s hearts, and 3,000 people were saved. When God gave the law the people couldn’t keep it. At the giving of the law, down the mountain they were breaking this law. Now God writes His righteous standard on our heart and the presence of the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live that standard. Jesus was crucified as the Passover Lamb, He was the unleavened bread, and rose from the grave at the Feast of First fruits. Following His resurrection, Jesus spent the next 40 days teaching His disciples before ascending to heaven. Then His followers had 10 day prayer. (Acts 1) After ascending to heaven to sit at the right hand of God, Fifty days after His resurrection, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as promised (John 14:16–17) to baptize His followers in the Holy Spirit and empower them for ministry. The Bible doesn’t give us very much of that teaching and time – the 40 days - just a few snapshot encounters. John 20:19-22 When God breathed into Adam and Eve what happened? They came alive. I see this event as the transition from the terms of the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. When we are born again, our spirit man comes alive to God, and His breath, His ruwach (roo'-akh) comes into us. That’s the Holy Spirit. When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit to live and dwell in us. This wasn't the giving of "the promise of the Father”, or the baptism in the Holy Spirit. That didn't happen until Acts 2. Note that this account where Jesus said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” took place about 50 days before Pentecost. Pentecost wasn't for salvation or to have the Holy Spirit live in us, it was to empower us to live and minister with power to be witnesses. Now look with me at the last words of Jesus in Acts 1:4-9 The last instructions of Jesus were not to Go, but to stay until. Jesus fulfilled and activated Passover – We can experience this when we apply His blood to our hearts. Jesus fulfilled and activated Unleavened bread – We can experience this when we live with His law written on our hearts and have the presence of Holy Spirit. Jesus fulfilled and activated First fruits when He was presented to the Father as the first fruits to rise from the dead – we are the more to come. Then at Pentecost – “The Promise of the Father” is given for us to experience and live with a baptism in the Holy Spirit.