A Now Word - I Have Given You Gifts

A Now Word for CCC
Given November 12, 2009

I Have Given You Gifts

"I have provided you -- given you gifts freely. It is time to open your gifts, to embrace them. For each one has a purpose and a use. Each one has a place among you. Do not keep staring at the wrapping and wonder and admire the wrapping. Do not stare at the gifts and wonder what they are. It is time to open the gifts I have given you and begin to see how they will add to you. It is time to open your gifts and put them to proper use in My kingdom and for My kingdom purposes. It is time to let your gifts properly and orderly edify My body -- the Body of Christ. Unwrap your gifts. Unwrap your gifts. Unwrap your gifts."

A Now Word -- A Fresh Wind

A Now Word for CCC
Given June 16, 2009

A Fresh Wind

"A fresh wind is coming to CCC -- for the people of CCC. A fresh wind blowing in new opportunities for work in the natural and the spiritual. You will be praying and the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit will begin revealing new life giving things to you. His Word will take on new meaning in your life as you read and meditate. Your conversations with others in and outside the church will be seasoned with the salt (flavor) of the Lord. People you come in contact with will witness a newness and a freshness about you and wonder, "What is this?" People will seek you out and ask how to get the freshness you have. When they do --- do not be afraid to reveal God to them. The Triune God -- The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit."

Now Words

From time to time as the Lord directs I will post Now Words. This came to me last June during a worship service as I was attending the CFN (Church Foundational Network) Conference in Carrollton, Georgia.

During the Wednesday morning meeting on June 10, 2009 the Lord began to speak to my spirit the following (which I immediately wrote down): Morris it is important that you tune yourself to hear My voice. Listen carefully -- be attentive to My instructions. You will begin to speak into new situations and circumstances as you hear from Me. Listen - listen - listen - listen - listen - listen - listen very carefully. In the midst of storms I will be speaking. In the coolness and calmness of the evening I will be speaking. I will give you a "Now Word" for your family, your city, your nation. I will speak to you as I do to a friend.

The next night (Thursday, June 11, 2009) Apostle L.A. Joiner was giving the evening message. He spoke out of Acts 27 concerning Paul's journey by ship to Rome after he had appealed his case to Caesar (Acts 26:32). As the ship followed the shore line of Crete a hurricane force wind came and the ship was caught in it. L.A. pointed out that in Acts 27:23-26 Paul had a "Now Word" for the men on the ship. L.A. went on to share that as pastors we need "Now Words" today. To hear the truth in the midst of the storms. And that if we are not receiving "Now Words" we are probably not spending enough time with Jesus. Sometimes we have to step out of the comfort of the crowd and lead. And to begin declaring what you hear from God.

I'm sitting there at this Thursday night meeting listening to L.A. and saying to myself, "Wow!" I elbow my wife, Sarah, who is sitting beside me and turn back to what I had written down Wednesday morning. And, I am whispering in her ear, "The Lord told me the same thing yesterday morning. Look at what I wrote down that the Lord gave me."

Since then I have received four "Now Words" for the people I pastor at Christian Covenant Church (CCC). I believe they are indeed words for us as a congregational "family" and for us to claim individually in our lives.

What I would like to do is to begin sharing those "Now Words" with all who would want to hear. So I will begin posting them on my blog page for those who wish to read them and claim them within your own life or the lives of others. The first will be published on Monday, June 21 and will continue weekly on every Monday until all four have been published. From then on as the Lord releases new "Now Words" for us at CCC I will post them shortly there after on my blog page.

The scriptures clearly state that, "For we know in part and we prophesy in part." -- I Corinthians 13:9. I ask you to please keep that in mind as you read and claim or not claim these "Now Words".

What we as a church (the body of Believers at CCC) have seen is that as we claim these words they keep on being fertile "Now Words". That is we continue to see His fruit come forth and great manifestation of His Presence in the life of the church.


God Bless,



MG

My Father is I AM

June 20 is Father’s Day. On that day we are to honor fathers and celebrate fatherhood. I am sure that everyone at CCC (husband, wives, mothers, children) will be participating in that. Perhaps cooking a favorite meal, presenting cards and maybe gifts, making phone calls, etc. I will for sure be calling my dad and thanking him for being in my life.

But, also, I want to remember the Dad, the Father of all creation in a special way on that day. In thinking about Father’s Day I was reminded by the Lord about His conversation with Moses. Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them? God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” – Exodus 3:13-14 The more literal translation is: I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE. God was actually saying to Moses and the Israelites that He would be whatever they needed Him to be at any given time in any given situation. And, for us, as true believers, as Christians – our Father is I AM. I have tried to express that in the Now Word for CCC that has been in the bulletin the last few weeks. God our Father wants us to know that every single day of our existence here and for eternity He is – I AM. Our Father is – I AM.

My Father WILL BE WHAT HE WILL BE in each and every situation and circumstance of my life. I really believe that! If I need a deliverer, my Father, I AM is there; if I need provision, my Father, I AM is there; if I need a front guard or a rear guard or a side guard, my Father, I AM is there!

I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. Reread the Now Word for CCC. Reread the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. Verse 20: “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Our Father, I AM is even there to receive us back when we go astray.

Bottom Line: Yes, definitely celebrate fatherhood and honor fathers. But let us not forget The Father of all creation – my Father is I AM, your Father is I AM.

Love in Christ Jesus,

MG

Whom Are You Living For?

A very simple question, “Whom are you living for?” The answer is in His Word.

“And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again”. – II Corinthians 5:15

If we are true believers, true disciples of Jesus Christ, true followers --- then the answer is as simple as the question: we no longer live for our self but for Him (Jesus) who died for us.

Are we living for Jesus? Or, are we living for someone or something else. Are we living for Jesus and His kingdom purposes? Or, are we living for other purposes. Are we living just to get from paycheck to paycheck to pay the bills, to pay the “man”? Are we living to have more? Are we living to ___________ --- you fill in the blank. I’m not saying we should not work to provide for our needs and wants. That’s a given. We have a responsibility to provide for our families and to not let our debts go unpaid (Rom. 13:8). However, I believe our attitude toward that objective comes into play as we examine – “Whom are we living for?” Yes, we are in the world. A world created by God Almighty. But this will not be the final resting place of our souls. Paul also states in II Corinthians 4:18, “For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

So, while we are here let us remember that we are to live for Christ who died for us. Let us live for His kingdom and His kingdom purposes. Let us live that others may see Christ in us that they too may come to live for Him.

Bottom Line: Whom are you living for? May it be for Him who died for you and was raised again to set you free from sin and death. Amen? Amen!

MG

Rolled Away To Let Us In

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground but the men said to them. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ Then they remembered his words. – Luke 24:1-8

Although the above passage of scripture concerning the empty tomb is from the book of Luke, I love reading the account in the other three gospels, too. Please take time to look them up and read: Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-7; John 20:1-18.

There are several things we could talk about and dwell on in these passages: (1) Jesus was true to His word – He rose on the third day; (2) The tomb is empty – We serve a risen and living Lord and Savior. I like the fact that the stone was rolled away. The women and the disciples were able to see for themselves that their Lord had risen “just as He said.” You see the stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out it was rolled away to let us in. What a testimony (witness) the women and the first disciple had in telling of that experience.

Bottom Line: May we all know that the stone was rolled away for us to look in and to see that indeed – “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.” Hallelujah!

Love in Christ,

Morris

P.S. I want to share with you the words of a hymn I remember singing as a child.

He Lives
By Alfred H. Ackley

I serve a risen Saviour, He’s in the world today;
I know that he is living, whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him He’s always near.

In all the world around me I see His loving care,
And tho’ my heart grows weary I never will despair;
I know that He is leading thro’ all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing will come at last.

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives:
He lives within my heart.

His Word

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:10-11

A very familiar passage of scripture to us that I personally feel we need to return to every so often to remind us of the sovereignty of God’s Word. Which is why we need to be in some type of daily Bible reading and why we need to hear His Word shared.

Week after week, month after month, year after year His Word is shared on Sunday mornings at CCC. If I did not believe that this passage was true, others and myself would not be here sharing from His Word on Sundays. But, I do believe it! And, whether it is me or Lamar or Bill or Buck or L.A. or others that are sharing His Word it does not matter – because seeds of His Word are being planted into hearts, souls, minds, and spirits of all who hear. And, it will not return empty! It will accomplish (achieve) its purpose. Amen? Amen!

So, I encourage you to get into His Word – read His Word – hear His Word – let those seeds be planted and bring forth the fruit that He desires so that His purposes may be accomplished in your life.

Bottom Line: Get into His Word, read His Word, hear His word – it will not return empty.

Love in Christ,

Morris