Does it matter that you don't know them personally? Does it matter you might not recognize their faces? They might be from anywhere or living down the block from you. Attached to these names are dozens of children, possibly spouses, extended family and friends.
They may not have a living and growing relationship with Jesus Christ or they might. They might be living the great life or they might be surviving on a daily basis. They might be healthy or they might be going thru revolving doors of doctors offices. They might be stable or they might be all over the place. They might be walking in sin or walking with the Lord. They might hide their burdens or they might wear their hurts on their sleeves.
Whatever they are going thru ... Do we have space in our hearts to love them? Do we have time to say a quick prayer for them? Do we have space for them to sit next to us on a Sunday morning or at small groups? Do we have a burden for souls for Jesus? If you want to see more lives connect and grow in Christ & His Word, say a prayer for any or all of these names...they asked for it!
Sandra
Idania
Linda
Zarmin
Sade
Gerard
Liliana
Martha
Maria
Sara
Angella
Nasir
Delna
Micha
Carol
Noor
Marvo
Denise
Gladys
Matt and Leyda
Jennifer
Alicia
Enjoy The Ride,
Cecil
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Extra Extra - Read All About It
God is great and faithful. Please feel free to read an article in the local paper about First Church of God loving on the Elmont community!
Special thanks to all volunteers, sponsors, families, and the community for allowing us to serve the families of Elmont!
Enjoying This Ride,
Cecil
Local church provides families with school supplies:
Special thanks to all volunteers, sponsors, families, and the community for allowing us to serve the families of Elmont!
Enjoying This Ride,
Cecil
Monday, September 19, 2011
Remember the "IF-THEN" Equation?
CAN WE TAKE CARE OF THE "IF" SIDE OF THE EQUATION?
IF WE DO, GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF THE "THEN" SIDE!
Our young church is preparing ourselves as individuals, families, and as a church for prayer, we look at 2 Chronicles chapter 7 for a friendly reminder in verse 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Be Specific: This is an answer from God to Solomon because of his prayer request in chapter 6. Read it and see how specific Solomon was with this request. God answered him back with specifics.
Know Your Identity: God's own people can and may turn away for Him and His ways. He's allowing us another chance because of His great love and mercy to come back. Know we are His chosen generation. Know we are the temple of the living God. His glory needs to fill our lives!
Proactive Humility: Before God humbles us forcefully, he's giving us a chance to humble ourselves voluntarily. Oh and another thing, we don't have to showcase our humility. Let our hearts and minds be humble and submitted to the will of God. He will raise us up in due time. But He might not, until we are completely in His will. Take care of our internal and God will take care of the external.
Take Initiative: We must pray and seek after God. He's challenging us to make a move! Are we desperate enough to do it? Are we hurt enough to be taken care of by a loving God? Go hard after Him. As we get closer to Him, He will get closer to us!
Dead End: If we are on the road of wickedness, we are on a dead end road! Our life and soul will be dead physically and spiritually. We get a chance to turn back to Him. Will we take advantage of another chance? Or will it be too late and we run over the cliff or into the brick wall with no turning back?
Get His Attention: We can get God's attention with our prayers. Are you ready to see God's power in your life? Is there something or someone that needs to experience the presence of God, forgiveness of sins, a healing in your body, family, relationships, emotions, finances, career, etc...! Revival is coming to the people and to this community!
Enjoy The Ride,
Cecil
IF WE DO, GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF THE "THEN" SIDE!
Our young church is preparing ourselves as individuals, families, and as a church for prayer, we look at 2 Chronicles chapter 7 for a friendly reminder in verse 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Be Specific: This is an answer from God to Solomon because of his prayer request in chapter 6. Read it and see how specific Solomon was with this request. God answered him back with specifics.
Know Your Identity: God's own people can and may turn away for Him and His ways. He's allowing us another chance because of His great love and mercy to come back. Know we are His chosen generation. Know we are the temple of the living God. His glory needs to fill our lives!
Proactive Humility: Before God humbles us forcefully, he's giving us a chance to humble ourselves voluntarily. Oh and another thing, we don't have to showcase our humility. Let our hearts and minds be humble and submitted to the will of God. He will raise us up in due time. But He might not, until we are completely in His will. Take care of our internal and God will take care of the external.
Take Initiative: We must pray and seek after God. He's challenging us to make a move! Are we desperate enough to do it? Are we hurt enough to be taken care of by a loving God? Go hard after Him. As we get closer to Him, He will get closer to us!
Dead End: If we are on the road of wickedness, we are on a dead end road! Our life and soul will be dead physically and spiritually. We get a chance to turn back to Him. Will we take advantage of another chance? Or will it be too late and we run over the cliff or into the brick wall with no turning back?
Get His Attention: We can get God's attention with our prayers. Are you ready to see God's power in your life? Is there something or someone that needs to experience the presence of God, forgiveness of sins, a healing in your body, family, relationships, emotions, finances, career, etc...! Revival is coming to the people and to this community!
Enjoy The Ride,
Cecil
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Dirty Issue #2
Dirty Issue #2: Idols (v. 3)
Nevertheless he continued in the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led the people of Israel to commit.
We have some idols now or we've had them before! Is it your spouse? Or your children? Or the house and cars? Is it the initials before or after your name? Or maybe even the church you attend or ministry you're doing? Is it blogging, facebook-ing, tweet-ing, etc.?
What takes up your time, talents, and treasure? Take a look at your calendar, your spent energy, your finances. If you really study what you find, you can identify if and what idols are in your life. Idols don't have life and cannot give life. But Jesus lives and He has life and can give life.
Keep Jesus first in your life. To be honest, He doesn't deserve to be anywhere else on anyone's list of "priorities". After what He went thru and did for us, its shameful for us to peg him anywhere below #1 on our list. "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out..." - Matthew 6:33 (The Message)
Enjoy Digging,
Pastor Cee
Nevertheless he continued in the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led the people of Israel to commit.
We have some idols now or we've had them before! Is it your spouse? Or your children? Or the house and cars? Is it the initials before or after your name? Or maybe even the church you attend or ministry you're doing? Is it blogging, facebook-ing, tweet-ing, etc.?
What takes up your time, talents, and treasure? Take a look at your calendar, your spent energy, your finances. If you really study what you find, you can identify if and what idols are in your life. Idols don't have life and cannot give life. But Jesus lives and He has life and can give life.
Keep Jesus first in your life. To be honest, He doesn't deserve to be anywhere else on anyone's list of "priorities". After what He went thru and did for us, its shameful for us to peg him anywhere below #1 on our list. "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out..." - Matthew 6:33 (The Message)
Enjoy Digging,
Pastor Cee
Thursday, September 8, 2011
For a New Plant ... These Are Miracles!
It's definitely been a new and different week for me. Almost every day this week, I've seen God's faithfulness and favor!
Take a listen and look for one miracle ...
The audio is the radio ad running on KLOVE 96.7 FM in New York this week. It's humbling and exciting! Sherin and others have said they heard it throughout the week. I've tuned in everywhere I can and still haven't heard it yet ... ARRGGHH! The church's hope is that children and families are blessed by this act of love. We love Elmont and the people of Elmont. We believe that God will bless this community and truly revitalize it for the greater good of all people. Our chuch just wants to play a part. God will enable and empower the church to reach beyond Elmont in the coming days!
Wait, there's more ... got confirmation the local paper is sending a team to take pics and do a story on the event and the church. God is showing favor! We are praying that thru this people get connected to the church which will direct them to Jesus.
Ok, if that wasn't enough, here's one more miracle. A local business has decided to be a financial sponsor for this event. Any amount is a big help! And few others have decided to sponsor with gifts for raffles and in-kind donations. God is good and He will provide for His glory! If you would like to support with your God-given resources, please contact us!
There's a PARTY IN THE PARKING LOT this Saturday. I'll be there in my orange t-shirt. The entire team is working hard and we all are prayerfully and thankfully moving ahead!
Enjoying the Miracles,
Cecil
Take a listen and look for one miracle ...
The audio is the radio ad running on KLOVE 96.7 FM in New York this week. It's humbling and exciting! Sherin and others have said they heard it throughout the week. I've tuned in everywhere I can and still haven't heard it yet ... ARRGGHH! The church's hope is that children and families are blessed by this act of love. We love Elmont and the people of Elmont. We believe that God will bless this community and truly revitalize it for the greater good of all people. Our chuch just wants to play a part. God will enable and empower the church to reach beyond Elmont in the coming days!
Wait, there's more ... got confirmation the local paper is sending a team to take pics and do a story on the event and the church. God is showing favor! We are praying that thru this people get connected to the church which will direct them to Jesus.
Ok, if that wasn't enough, here's one more miracle. A local business has decided to be a financial sponsor for this event. Any amount is a big help! And few others have decided to sponsor with gifts for raffles and in-kind donations. God is good and He will provide for His glory! If you would like to support with your God-given resources, please contact us!
There's a PARTY IN THE PARKING LOT this Saturday. I'll be there in my orange t-shirt. The entire team is working hard and we all are prayerfully and thankfully moving ahead!
Enjoying the Miracles,
Cecil
Monday, September 5, 2011
Dirty Issue #1
We all have issues in our life. It may look and feel different for each person. Some things we have faced, while we are facing others right now. Sometimes we bury these DIRTY ISSUES in the deepest parts of our mind and cover it up with dirt. But to be truly liberated from these issues, we have to dig it out and throw it away. In the next few days, I'd like to share a few things I received from meditating on 2 Kings chapter 3. Please read it so you understand the context. These installments of Dirty Issues will focus on verses 1 thru 12. Let's dig some ditches!
Dirty Issue #1 - Generational Curse (v. 1 & 2)
Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made.
Joram had an opportunity to break the status quo from the way of life he grew up in. His dad and mom didn't lead by example in terms of living a life that pleases God Jehovah! They were evil people and they raised their kids in that environment. That's the only way of life that Joram knew. But when Joram came into power he did something that showed a shred of hope in getting out of that way of life.
We all are born into a "situation". Some of us were born into great surroundings with stability and a faith in God & His Word. Some of us were born into broken homes and relationships. Some of us didn't know both of our parents. Some of us witnessed craziness as we grew up. Some of us live each day wondering will we be alive to see tomorrow. We think we have to be stuck in the rut because that's all there is and all we know. Joram did what he watched growing up. We can continue to live in what we know. These might be called generational curses in different forms and fashions.
But here's the thing, we don't have to feel stuck to just live out life with the cards we were dealt by our previous generations. If we had to be stuck in generational curses, then Jesus would also be stuck in the curse of sin because of his forefathers, Adam & Eve! Here's a friendly reminder and bold statement...THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST IS STRONGER THAN POWER OF GENERATIONAL CURSES. If we start and develop a relationship with Jesus, we can truly live a "new life" with Him. Our old person starts to shed off and the new creation from within starts to appear. We can't do it on our own. We need His presence and power! Let's not get stuck with a generational curse but let's turn it around and start a new chain of generational blessings thru God.
Enjoy Digging,
Cecil
Dirty Issue #1 - Generational Curse (v. 1 & 2)
Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made.
Joram had an opportunity to break the status quo from the way of life he grew up in. His dad and mom didn't lead by example in terms of living a life that pleases God Jehovah! They were evil people and they raised their kids in that environment. That's the only way of life that Joram knew. But when Joram came into power he did something that showed a shred of hope in getting out of that way of life.
We all are born into a "situation". Some of us were born into great surroundings with stability and a faith in God & His Word. Some of us were born into broken homes and relationships. Some of us didn't know both of our parents. Some of us witnessed craziness as we grew up. Some of us live each day wondering will we be alive to see tomorrow. We think we have to be stuck in the rut because that's all there is and all we know. Joram did what he watched growing up. We can continue to live in what we know. These might be called generational curses in different forms and fashions.
But here's the thing, we don't have to feel stuck to just live out life with the cards we were dealt by our previous generations. If we had to be stuck in generational curses, then Jesus would also be stuck in the curse of sin because of his forefathers, Adam & Eve! Here's a friendly reminder and bold statement...THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST IS STRONGER THAN POWER OF GENERATIONAL CURSES. If we start and develop a relationship with Jesus, we can truly live a "new life" with Him. Our old person starts to shed off and the new creation from within starts to appear. We can't do it on our own. We need His presence and power! Let's not get stuck with a generational curse but let's turn it around and start a new chain of generational blessings thru God.
Enjoy Digging,
Cecil
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