Category Archives: Online House Church

Larry Craddick, Online House Church

CAN YOU SEE YOUR FAITH COMING?

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CAN YOU SEE YOUR FAITH COMING?
A lot of us, myself included, feel that we need feelings, some say
affirmation or warmth, happiness to have FAITH in our walk with
God. But feelings and confidence are the by product of our Faith.
Let me explain…
I believe the Lord wants us to see what happens when we take the
Bible seriously.
A pastor friend of mine, Larry Kreider says it this way…
“Imagine a train running down a track. We could say that the
engine that pulls the train is the Word of God, the next car is our
faith, and the last car, the caboose, is our feelings. When we place
our faith in the Word of God, our feelings will always follow, just like
the caboose does. Let’s purpose in our hearts to live by the truth,
the Word of God.”
In Hebrews 4:12 in the The Passion Translation it tells us this..
“For we have the living Word of God, (the Bible) which is full
of energy, like a two-mouthed sword. (In some translations, a
two edged sword) It will even penetrate to the very core of our
being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet! It
interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of
our hearts.”
Hebrews 4:12 TPT
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I would claim that both the Bible and The Holy Spirit are what give
us discernment.
When we let our feelings rule our beliefs we miss out on the truth
written in the Word of God.
In John 10:10 Jesus says this…
“A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal,
slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything
in abundance, more than you expect —life in its fullness until
you overflow!”
John 10:10 TPT
Has d-evil lied to you? Told you that your not worth of God’s love
and His forgiveness? This Usually comes at us after we sin.
Are you unsure in the area of forgiveness?
If your like most of us, you sin, then confess it, and then later you
commit the same sin again; then you feel guilty and the process
starts all over again. Making us feel unworthy of love and feeling
down about ourselves, even like a failure. That’s the way d–evil
works agains us
So how do you get off this merry-go-round?
First let me say that the fact that you feel guilty is a positive sign. It
verifies that you are a believer in Jesus Christ. For if you were not
a believer, why would you care about your sins in the first place.
Because the Truth of the Bible rings true in your feelings of guilt.
There needs to be a change.
Romans 8:1 says:
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1NASB
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When you believed the gospel of your salvation your sins were
forgiven both past, present, and future.
So if that is true, why do we have to confess them? Does that
mean if I die with unconfessed sin that I will lose my
salvation? Absolutely not! We are eternally secure in Christ
(Romans 8:38-39).
“So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the
universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m
convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles,
fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing
in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his
love. There is no power above us or beneath us—no power
that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us
from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us
through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!”
Romans 8:38-39 TPT
Thats the reason 1 John 1:9 tells us to confess our sins; it’s
because of fellowship and not our salvation.
The Apostle John tell us this in 1 John 1:5-9..“This is the
message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is
light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if
we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in
spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we
are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have
fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son,
cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are
only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we
confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
1 John 1:5-9 NLT
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Notice that this is about having fellowship. Verse 6 says that if we
claim to have fellowship with God and yet walk in darkness
(commit sin), we are not practicing the truth. Then in verse 7 it says
however if we walk in the light as God Himself is in the Light, we
then have fellowship.
A prerequisite for fellowship with God therefore is our daily
confession of any known sin (1 John 1:9). Let’s look at that
again..
“But if we freely admit our sins when his light uncovers them,
he will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to
forgive us our sins because of Christ, and he will continue to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 TPT
It’s the Holy Spirit who now works our conscience to reveal our
sins.
Actually we should confess our sins the moment we commit one,
because we do not want sin to take control over us (Romans 6:12;
Galatians 5:17).
“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful
desires.”
Romans 6:12 NLT
“The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite
of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that
are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two
forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free
to carry out your good intentions.”
Galatians 5:17 NLT
But to truly grow spiritually, we must read and meditate of the Word
of God every day. We need to immerse ourselves, in worship,
listening to music, reading, listening and in study of the Bible, even
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hanging out with believers that are like minded; going to church
together.
In this way, our minds become renewed.
To meditate simply means to “roll something around over and over
again in our minds.”
When I understood this, after I gave my life to Christ, I was in a
Bible Study Group (Navigator’s 2/7) we would take two verses on
small cards with us all week, then pull out the card to memorize
and think about at different times throughout the day each week,
then come together and quote them to each other by memory.
Partnering and accountability was the commitment. I
memorized many verses this way. As we fill our minds with the
Word of God and fellowship, we will start to think like God thinks.
As far as our sins go. God is always ready to hear our
confessions, and whatever other cares we might have in our
prayers.
Hebrews 4:16 says:
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of
grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in
time of need. Hebrews 4:16 NASB
Whenever we commit a sin, we should always confess it
immediately for the purpose of having our fellowship restored to
God.
Over and over again as necessary.
By the way committing a sin, this has nothing to do with our
salvation, we are sinful by nature, that was settled when we
believed the gospel it’s known as the(Good News). Jesus died on
the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins. God wants us to
know His Love and His Will for us.
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Paul wrote it this way in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4…
“Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the
Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then,
and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves
you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless,
of course, you believed something that was never true in the
first place. I passed on to you what was most important and
what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins,
just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised
from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.”
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NLT
God desires that we have an ongoing relationship of unbroken
fellowship. 1 John 1:9 is an exhortation to continuous fellowship
with Him. God desires that we have an ongoing relationship of
unbroken fellowship with Him. God is always ready to forgive us of
our sins, whenever we confess them.
Having faith in the truth of God’s Word(s) comes way ahead of our
feelings. It comes first. As we meditated on it, live it out daily, pray
and confess our sins; then we live our lives better, in the way God
has designed us to live!
Victoriously and in love for one another and as a light in the world
Like Christ intended.
Remember, His will and His Word are one. The Word – truth is the
engine, as we believe it and place it in our lives is Faith – the first
car. Then comes feeling – the caboose. They are the map for us to
understand and guide us in our lives.

Online House Church, Roy Cypher, Susan Cypher, Teaching, Tom and Lalla Goka

The Seven Churches Rev 2&3 Part 1

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Revelation 2 (NKJV)
The Loveless Church
1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand,
who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience,
and that you cannot bear those who are evil.
And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not,
and have found them liars;
3 and you have persevered and have patience,
and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
4 Nevertheless I have this against you,
that you have left your first love.
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen;
repent and do the first works,
or else I will come to you quickly
and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life,
which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

The Persecuted Church
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich);
and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not,
but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.
Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested,
and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.

11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’

The Compromising Church
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:
13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.
And you hold fast to My name, and
did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr,
who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there
those who hold the doctrine of Balaam,
who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel,
to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat.
And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written
which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’

The Corrupt Church
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire,
and His feet like fine brass:
19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience;
and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
]20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you,
because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess,
to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality
and eat things sacrificed to idols.
21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her
into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know
that I am He who searches the minds and hearts.
And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
25 But hold fast what you have till I come.
26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
as I also have received from My Father;
28 and I will give him the morning star.
29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

————————————————————————————————————————-
Revelation 3 (NJKV)
The Dead Church
1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars:
“I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die,
for I have not found your works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.
Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief,
and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments;
and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments,
and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life;
but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Faithful Church
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who
opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:
8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;
for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not,
but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet,
and to know that I have loved you.
10 Because you have kept My command to persevere,
I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world,
to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God,
and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God
and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven
from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Lukewarm Church
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness,
the Beginning of the creation of God:
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will vomit you out of My mouth.
17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—
and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich;
and white garments, that you may be clothed,
that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed;
and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”
Revelation 1
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come,
and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.
And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man,
clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

16 He had in His right hand seven stars,
out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword,
and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

Gene Lucas, Online House Church, Teaching

Walk by Faith

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Romans 12:3 (NKJV)
3 For I say, through the grace given to me,
to everyone who is among you,
not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,
but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Hebrews 10:23(NKJV)
Let us hold fast the confession
of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.

Romans 4:17 (NKJV)
(as it is written, “I have made you a father
of many nations”)
in the presence of Him whom he believed—
God, who gives life to the dead
and calls those things which
do not exist as though they did;

Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV)
22 So Jesus answered and said to them,
“Have faith in God.
23 For assuredly, I say to you,
whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’
and does not doubt in his heart,
but believes that those things he says will be done,
he will have whatever he says.
24 Therefore I say to you,
whatever things you ask when you pray,
believe that you receive them,
and you will have them.

Romans 4:20-21 (NKJV)
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

 

James 2:14-26 (NKJV)

New King James Version
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [a]your works, and I will show you my faith by [b]my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [c]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made [d]perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Hebrews 10:19-33 (NKJV)
New King James Version
Hold Fast Your Confession
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

The Just Live by Faith
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” [b]says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But recall the former days in which, after you were [c]illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: 33 partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated;

Hebrews 12: (NKJV)
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame,
and has sat down at the right hand
of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who endured
such hostility from sinners against Himself,
lest you become weary
and discouraged in your souls.

1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)
But you are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
His own special people,
that you may proclaim the praises
of Him who called
you out of darkness
into His marvelous light;

Jeremiah 29
11 For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you, says the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon Me
and go and pray to Me,
and I will listen to you.
13 And you will

Hebrews 11:6 (PTP)
And without faith living within us
it would be impossible to please God.
For we come to God in faith
knowing that he is real
and that he rewards the faith
of those who give all
their passion and
strength into seeking him.
—————————————————————————————————————-
Hebrews 6:1
The Passion Translation
Moving On to Deeper Truth
6 Now is the time for us to progress beyond the basic message of Christ and advance into perfection. The foundation has already been laid for us to build upon: turning away from our dead works to embrace faith in God,

Luke 18:8 (NKJV)
I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes,
will He really find faith on the earth?”

Luke 17:20-37 (NKJV)
20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees
when the kingdom of God would come,
He answered them and said,
“The kingdom of God does not come with observation;
21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’
For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
22 Then He said to the disciples,
“The days will come when you will desire to see
one of the days of the Son of Man,
and you will not see it.
23 And they will say to you,
‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’
Do not go after them or follow them.
24 For as the lightning that flashes
out of one part under heaven
shines to the other part under heaven,
so also the Son of Man will be in His day.
25 But first He must suffer many things
and be rejected by this generation.
26 And as it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
27 They ate, they drank, they married wives,
they were given in marriage,
until the day that Noah entered the ark,
and the flood came and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:
They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold,
they planted, they built;
29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom
it rained fire and brimstone from heaven
and destroyed them all.
30 Even so will it be in the day
when the Son of Man is revealed.
31 “In that day, he who is on the housetop,
and his goods are in the house,
let him not come down to take them away.
And likewise the one who is in the field,
let him not turn back.
32 Remember Lot’s wife.
33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
34 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:
the one will be taken and the other will be left.
35 Two women will be grinding together:
the one will be taken and the other left.
36 [Two men will be in the field:
the one will be taken and the other left.”
37 And they answered and said to Him,
“Where, Lord?”
So He said to them, “Wherever the body is,
there the eagles will be gathered together.”

 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (PTP)
The Passion Translation
16 For the Lord himself will appear
with the declaration of victory,
the shout of an archangel,
and the trumpet blast of God.
He will descend from the heavenly realm
and command those who are
dead in Christ to rise first.
17 Then we who are alive will join them,
transported together in clouds
to have an encounter with the Lord in the air,
and we will be forever joined with the Lord.
18 So encourage one another with these truths.

Intercessory Prayer, Online House Church, Tom and Lalla Goka

A Friend for Intercession Ministry

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A Friend for Intercession Ministry

I. Luke 11: 5-13 A story about us who have a ministry and a FRIEND to turn to
A. We have a FRIEND that we could go to at midnight and seek a need (vs 5)
1. John 15: 14-15 – Jesus is this FRIEND
2. James 2: 23 – Abraham believed and was called a friend of God
3. Exodus 33: 11 – Moses & God, face to face, as friend
4. 1 John 3: 13-18 – laid down His life for us
B. Then there is the friend that comes to us unexpectedly (vs 6)
1. Arrival of this friend is Not expected or would have had bread to feed
2. This friend is on a journey; thus we are neither the origin nor destination of this journey
3. We are not on this friend’s journey
4. Our paths cross for an interval of time, a divine appointment if you like.
5. This friend did not ask for bread; we ascertained we need to provide bread which we do NOT have
C. So, not being able to provide (vs 6), we must know we can go to FRIEND, even at midnight (vs 5)
1. We ask for 3 loaves (vs 5)
2. Response is not what we expected, or even desired (vs 6)
3. Our persistence causes FRIEND to respond (vs 8)
4. FRIEND rises and gives as much as need (more than 3 loaves asked) (vs 8)
II. Verse 9-10 Ask-Seek-Knock = ASK
A. Often thought of as 3 examples of the point (and this is not wrong), this is actually sequential steps for intercession for a friend before our FRIEND
B. When done in the right order, we have the word ASK…our of order we get sak or ska or kas or ksa…which is meaningless. This illustrates the importance of the order of the sequence
C. We Ask – and then must receive
D. What we receive we use to Seek – and we find
E. Use what we find to Knock – and things open to us
F. This gives us the persistence to have our FRIEND rise and open the door and provide

III. We earthly, self-serving, distracted, controlling fathers give correspondingly to requests of our children
A. We don’t respond with useless (stone) or dangerous (serpent/scorpion) gifts to requested needs that our children ask for
B. Our heavenly Father, to whom we can get to through Jesus, responds to our requests with the Holy Spirit

IV. As revealed in Luke 11: 1, this is all part of Jesus’ response to the disciples’ request to be taught how to pray.

V. Do we understand that we have a FRIEND that we can go before unexpectedly to seek on behalf of a traveling friend and that we can Ask and Seek and Knock until we have our FRIEND respond to minister to a friend.
If we don’t understand this, we need to Ask, Seek, Knock for more of the Holy Spirit.

VI. These journeying friends that come across our lives for a season, we seek our FRIEND on their behalf. These friends are not here to add to our list, our congregation, our following, our roadies or groupies. They need intercession ministry.

VII. We worship with shouts of Joy! Not unlike the Hebrews when trumpets sounded for Jubilee; or when walls of Jericho were to come down; or when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem; or when the foundation was laid for the rebuilding the temple in days of Ezra.
A. Ruah (#7321) Hebrew to vocally and physically make war cry of confidence, shouts of joy, triumphant or religious impulse. Noun form for these shouts is Teruah.
B. Instructed in Psalms to shout with joy or to have shouts of joy
1. Psalm 81: 1 shout joyfully to the God of Jacob
2. Psalm 95: 1-2 sing for Joy and shout Joyfully to Lord God
3. Psalm 98: 4, 6 Shout Joyfully to God, to our King with trumpets
4. Psalm 100: 1 shout joyfully
C. When we recall what God has done and meant to us, should we not shout joyfully, be overcome by shouts of joy…for we have a FRIEND closer than a brother, a FRIEND that will answer our cries.

Online House Church, Teaching, Tom and Lalla Goka

Being Thankful in 2020

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Being Thankful When Times are Difficult, Desperate, Dire, Disappointing

i.e. Being Thankful in 2020

I. 1 Thessalonians 5: 18 directs us to give thanks in everything, as this is the will of God for us

A. Focus on the 1st 4 words

1. The preposition ‘IN’ makes it clear that it means location or place

2. The noun ‘EVERYTHING’ means all, as all situations, environments, conditions

3. The verb ‘GIVE’ is to freely transfer from self to another; implicating a release

and causing another to take control and possession

4. The noun ‘THANKS’ is an expression of gratitude which is often, but not

restricted to words; actions and posture and emotions are such expressions

B. So what this command is telling us is to express gratitude in all situations, environments, or conditions that we find ourselves in

C. What it is NOT telling us is to give thanks for the situation, environment or condition that we find ourselves in

II. What about giving thanks when there is a year like 2020 with pandemic, politics, social unrest, economic woes, civil distress?

A. We are not likely thankful for these events

B. We are, however, need to give thanks

1. To whom?

2. For what?

III. To give thanks when the situation is dire

A. It helps to know to whom we are giving thanks

1. Psalms136: 1-3

2. God who is good

3. Lord of lords

4. God of gods

5. God whose mercy towards us endures forever

B. For what are we thankful?

1. His mercy endures forever

2. For all that HE has done

3. For all that He is doing

4. For all that He is going to do

C. How do we give thanks? With words, songs, actions, posture and without an agenda or expectation or strngs attached…see giving definition above.

IV. How do we give thanks when we can’t

A. It is a choice – choose to, despite circumstances; that is a sacrifice…therefore a sacrifice of thanksgiving

B. Colossians 3: 15-17

1. Let (allow, chose to surrender to) the Peace of God rule in our hearts

2. be thankful for this

3. Let (allow, choose to surrender to) the Word of Chris richly dwelling in us

4. Singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord

5. Whatever we do in word or in deed, let it be done in the name

(under the authority of , being a representative of, being responsible to, responding to) Christ

6. Giving thanks to God through Lord Jesus

V. Habakkuk 3: 17-18

A. Know that Habakkuk is looking at a nation oppressed by unrighteous evil leadership

1. he complains to God about the bad guys prospering

2. God tells him that they will not go unpunished

3. Habakkuk sees that things will get worse for the people as God addresses the wickedness through captivity to Babylon

B. Yet, Habakkuk lets the people know that though things get worse with loss of harvest and shortage of food and loss of income:

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will joy in the God of my salvation.

1. Hebrew word for rejoice is alaz (Strong’s Hebrew #5937) exuberant joy

jumping for joy, exulting triumphantly

2. Hebrew word for joy is giyl (Strong’s Hebrew #1523) to spin in overflowing

emotion expressing depth and strength of joy

C. Habakkuk has chosen to give, expressing, showing thanks to the God of his salvation in spite of the forecast of hardships and disruption of life. He will do this with physical action.

D. Perhaps when we don’t feel like giving thanks in a situation, we should get physical!

VI. I will remember it is God that I am giving thanks, regardless of my situation or the circumstance. Let the Peace of God rule in my heart; Let the Word of Christ richly dwell in me. I choose to give Him thanks with my word, my deed…with my song and with my body leaping for joy because HE is the GOD of my Salvation. Amen

Online House Church, Our Gang

Our Gang Oct 18

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Colossians 3:16 (NKLV)
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly in all wisdom,
teaching and admonishing one another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Psalm 123 (NKLV)
1 Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid
to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He has mercy on us.
3 Have mercy on us, O Lord,
have mercy on us!
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled
With the scorn of those who are at ease,
With the contempt of the proud.

ps 21:5 (NKLV)
His glory is great in Your salvation;
Honor and majesty You have placed upon him.

Daniel 2:44 (NKLV)
And in the days of these kings the
God of heaven will set up a kingdom
which shall never be destroyed;
and the kingdom shall not be left
to other people;
it shall break in pieces
and consume all these kingdoms,
and it shall stand forever.

Psalm 3:3 (NKLV)
But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

Psalm 3:7 (NKLV)
Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
For You have struck
all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.

Psalm 37 (NKLV)

1 Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.

2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Isaiah 60 (NKLV)
1 Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.

3 The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.

4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see:
They all gather together, they come to you;
Your sons shall come from afar,
And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

5 Then you shall see and become radiant,
And your heart shall swell with joy;
Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

6 The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba shall come;
They shall bring gold and incense,
And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.

7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you,
The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
They shall ascend with acceptance on My altar,
And I will glorify the house of My glory.

8 “Who are these who fly like a cloud,
And like doves to their roosts?

9 Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me;
And the ships of Tarshish will come first,
To bring your sons from afar,
Their silver and their gold with them,
To the name of the Lord your God,
And to the Holy One of Israel,
Because He has glorified you.

10 “The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls,
And their kings shall minister to you;
For in My wrath I struck you,
But in My favor, I have had mercy on you.

11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually;
They shall not be shut day or night,
That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles,
And their kings in procession.
12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish,
And those nations shall be utterly ruined.

13 “The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,
The cypress, the pine, and the box tree together,
To beautify the place of My sanctuary;
And I will make the place of My feet glorious.

14 Also the sons of those who afflicted you
Shall come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet;
And they shall call you The City of the Lord,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

15 “Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
So that no one went through you,
I will make you an eternal excellence,
A joy of many generations.

16 You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles,
And milk the breast of kings;
You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior
And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

17 “Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
Instead of iron I will bring silver,
Instead of wood, bronze,
And instead of stones, iron.
I will also make your officers peace,
And your magistrates righteousness.

18 Violence shall no longer be heard in your land,
Neither [a]wasting nor destruction within your borders;
But you shall call your walls Salvation,
And your gates Praise.

19 “The sun shall no longer be your light by day,
Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you;
But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light,
And your God your glory.

20 Your sun shall no longer go down,
Nor shall your moon withdraw itself;
For the Lord will be your everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning shall be ended.

21 Also your people shall all be righteous;
They shall inherit the land forever,
The branch of My planting,
The work of My hands,
That I may be glorified.

22 A little one shall become a thousand,
And a small one a strong nation.
I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.”

Online House Church, Our Gang

Fast and Pray Oct 25

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2 Kings 17 (NLT)

13 Again and again the Lord had
sent his prophets and seers
to warn both Israel and Judah:
“Turn from all your evil ways.
Obey my commands
and decrees—the entire law
that I commanded your ancestors
to obey, and that I gave you through
my servants the prophets.”

14 But the Israelites would not listen.
They were as stubborn as their ancestors
who had refused to believe
in the Lord their God.

15 They rejected his decrees
and the covenant he had made
with their ancestors,
and they despised all his warnings.
They worshiped worthless idols,
so they became worthless themselves.
They followed the example
of the nations around them,
disobeying the Lord’s command
not to imitate them.

Daniel 10 (NLT)

1 In the third year of the reign
of King Cyrus of Persia, Daniel
(also known as Belteshazzar)
had another vision.
He understood that the vision
concerned events certain
to happen in the future—times
of war and great hardship.

2 When this vision came to me,
I, Daniel, had been in mourning
for three whole weeks.
3 All that time I had eaten no rich food.
No meat or wine crossed my lips,
and I used no fragrant lotions
until those three weeks had passed.

12 Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel.
Since the first day you began to pray
for understanding and to
humble yourself before your God,
your request has been heard in heaven.
I have come in answer to your prayer.

13 But for twenty-one days
the spirit prince of
the kingdom of Persia blocked my way.
Then Michael, one of the archangels,
came to help me, and I left him there
with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia

14 Now I am here to explain what will happen
to your people in the future,
for this vision concerns a time yet to come.”

Psalm 140 (NKJV)

1 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
Preserve me from violent men,

2 Who plan evil things in their hearts;
They continually gather together for war.

3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent;
The poison of asps is under their lips. Selah

4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
Preserve me from violent men,
Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.

5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set traps for me. Selah

6 I said to the Lord: “You are my God;
Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.

7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
Do not further his wicked scheme,
Lest they be exalted. Selah

9 “As for the head
of those who surround me,
Let the evil of their lips
cover them;

10 Let burning coals fall upon them;
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into deep pits,
that they rise not up again.

11 Let not a slanderer
be established in the earth;
Let evil hunt the violent man
to overthrow him.”

12 I know that the Lord
will maintain
The cause of the afflicted,
And justice for the poor.

13 Surely the righteous
shall give thanks to Your name;
The upright
shall dwell in Your presence.