Pastor Joel

Rain

2011-11-26T07:20:00.000-08:00

As I sit and look out the window at the rain I'm reminded of what God wants to do in our lives. I don't know what your summer was like where you live, but where I live there was little rain all summer long. Crops were burned up due to a lack of rain and extremely hot temperatures. The ground has been very dry and burn bans have been in effect. Now it is raining. It has rained over the course of the past few weeks often. This rain is needed for the ground. The farmers want the rain to come and the temperatures to remain up a little so that the grass will grow and their cattle will be fed. Hay is short this year and extremely expensive. This rain is needed so that new growth can happen and the dead can be turned back to life.

This is exactly what God wants to do in our lives. Often we go through times where we are dry. Often this is due to something we have done. Yet God is always right next to us wanting to bring the rain of the Holy Spirit to our life. The raining down of the Holy Spirit is available if we will just give up and let God have His way in our lives. We have to quit fighting God. Jesus tells Saul (Paul) that it is hard to kick against the goads. What Jesus is saying is that when we fight against Him we are the ones that get hurt. When we fight against God and the Holy Spirit's rain in our life ceases, we are the one that is hurt by the dryness.

Do you want the Holy Spirit to rain down in your life? Just ask Him today to come and rain down in your life. Allow God full access to all of who you are. Give God whatever He asks you to give to Him. You will find that the Holy Spirit will rain down in your life and you will be saturated by the presence and power of God in your life.

Vision

2011-08-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

Vision is seeing where God wants you to go in spite of the present circumstances. We live in the present and push towards the future. We live in the present and yet we don't let the present determine our future. God is in control. He gives the vision. We are to follow His vision even when it seems impossible. Look at Nehemiah. He could have been distracted by all that was going on around him. Instead he chose to follow the vision of God.

120 Committed Christians

2011-08-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

How big is your faith? Do you believe that God can do anything? I do and I'm finding that my wife believes that more and more also. She began praying last night for 80 committed Christians in our church that would reach the town of Ashdown. God told her this morning that 80 wasn't enough. He wants her to trust Him for 120. Will you join us as we believe God to give 120 committed Christians that will win the town of Ashdown for Jesus? God has amazing plans for our church and the town of Ashdown.

Missionaries Doug and Angie Fleming Deputation Service Sunday August 21 6 PM

2011-08-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

HWY 7 Band In Worship August 28th 10:30 AM

2011-08-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

If I Could Just Touch Jesus

2011-08-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

Matthew 9:20-22 (NIV) says, "Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, 'If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.' Jesus turned to her and saw her. 'Take heart, daughter,' he said, 'your faith has healed you.' And the woman was healed from that moment."

Do you live each day as a day where you just say to yourself, "If I can just touch Jesus, everything will be ok"? We should live that way each day. We should have the faith in Jesus to know that if we just touch Him today, we will be able to face whatever comes our way.

Ask God to let you touch Jesus today.

HWY 7 Band

2011-08-16T06:48:00.000-07:00

HWY 7 Band will be in concert at Ashdown First Church of the Nazarene on August 28th at 10:30 am. I hope that you will come join us. You can check HWY 7 Band out at www.hwy7band.com, youtube.com, and facebook.com

Acknowledging Jesus

2011-08-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Matthew 10:32-33 (NIV) says "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven."

This Scripture makes me wonder why we don't acknowledge Jesus in our worship services? Don't misunderstand me. We sing praise to His name. We preach the Word. We give of our tithes and offerings. That is not what I'm addressing. What I'm addressing is the lack of acknowledgement of Jesus when it comes to the altar service. The Holy Spirit is speaking to us and the preacher calls people to the altars and the altars remain empty. Is this not at least some of what Jesus was talking about? If we can't stand up for Jesus in front of those in our own churches, how much harder will it be to stand up when we go out into our mission field?

Here is my encouragement to you. Take a stand for Jesus in your church. When the Holy Spirit begins to move upon you during a service and the altars are opened. Move out and go meet with Him. He will bless you and you will be able to stand in your mission field. He will also acknowledge you before God the Father.

Where do we stand?

2011-08-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

Psalm 97:10 (NIV) begins by saying this, "Let those who love the Lord hate evil,". I was challenged recently when I heard this spoken in church. I had to ask myself if I really hate evil? Do I really take a stand against evil? Do we as believers take a stand against evil? Do we hate evil or do we participate with evil? I pray that the Church will rise up and take a stand against evil. If we don't we will see our world continue to spiral out of control.