Monday February 4th, 2013

Take away points from yesterdays sermon.

• God answers prayers in a way that will guide you to accomplish His goals on this earth and for His Kingdom to come.

• Every Christian who is earnestly seeking God and His direction for their life is in "process." Don't get discouraged while you are in process. Trust God and become aware of all the subtle changes and coincidences that may be occurring in your life. These could be the beginning to Gods answer to your prayer. The "process" is usually not pleasant. I likened it to marine basic training though I have never been through marine basic training I hear it is quite tough. God must train and equip us to be able to do the work he has planned for us. The bigger the job, the tougher the training.

• I told you that 35 years ago I prayed to God that I wanted to become pastor of a church. A big church! In about a week I got a call to teach a 2nd or 3rd grade Sunday school class. Had I not chosen to step into that subtle answer, who knows where I would be today. It has taken God 35 years to bring me to this point of being pastor, AND I am still in process. The answer to that prayer is still in process 35 years later.

• All Christians who sign on with God will be in process their whole life!

• God wants you to be able to complete the unique plan He has for you. Yes He has a unique plan for everyone! The Key is surrendering to His plan. 

• How do you surrender to His plan?   You must get to know Him by reading the bible and praying. Then you must make a commitment to surrendering your wants and desires to His wants and desires. That is when life gets interesting real fast!

• There is too much work to do for Gods Kingdom for any practicing Christian to think that Gods plan for their life is to accumulate wealth so their life can be easy! Refer to Luke 12:16-21 and Matthew 19:16-30

• Here is what I have experienced in my life, God always answers my prayers but most the time He does so not by changing my circumstances, but by how I perceive my circumstances.

• God goes all out for those who are all in!

God does have a wonderful plan for your life. You may never discover it unless you come to know Him personally by spending time with Him. I suggest you try to tithe your time to Him which would amount to about 1 1/2 hour per day. It is only then that we can learn to hear His promptings His still small voice that speaks to our spirit.  The more time I spend with God the more I understand Him  and what He wants me to do for him. You are never too young or too old to pray the second most life changing prayer you could ever pray. The first being the salvation prayer, the second being, God I surrender myself to your will, your plans, and your desires for my life. You can have all of me!

 Sincerely, and with love, Kent

February 1, 2013

My House Shall Be Called A House of Prayer

Take an hour and let the Holy Spirit into the deepest part of your soul by watching my favorite pastor talk about prayer.

Below I am giving you a link to Jim Cymbala's sermon, "My House Shall Be Called A House of Prayer. Please do yourself, your friends, me, your spouse, all the people you love in your life a favor. Seclude yourself, turn off your cell phone and for 51 minutes  watch this powerful, Holy Spirit filled sermon on the power of prayer.

If you can watch this before this Sundays service all the better, but do your spirit a favor and watch all of this sermon. You will be blessed!

Here is the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jRfPlJG1rc

If you cannot open the link just go to youtube and put in Jim Cymbala My House Shall Be Called A House of Prayer.

Let God into your life and watch out!  God has an amazing plan for your life! When do you want Him to get it started?  It is up to you.  See you at 2:00 pm Sunday!   Blessings to you, love Kent

Wednesday January 30th, 2013

                  The two most powerful, life changing prayers you will ever pray!

This Sunday at 2:00 pm in the afternoon (because we love our sports fans) we will continue our series on prayer. I hope you will join us because if ever there was a Sunday that could literally change your life, this may be the one. We will be talking about "The Two Most Powerful, Life Changing Prayers You Will Ever Pray!" Of course we will be recording the message for those who cannot make it this week.

 This will also be a Holy Communion Sunday. I hope you will come and join us before you head off to your super bowl parties.  We will resume church the following Sunday, February 10th, at 6:30 pm as usual.

I hope you are using your prayer diaries. If you have not received one yet, you can pick one up this Sunday.

IMPORTANT:  If you know of anyone who usually attends our service but does not use a computer  to get these emails and updates, please give them a call and remind them about the time change for this Sunday.

God has a grand, wonderful plan for your life.  See you Sunday!   Go Rams!   Love, Kent

Tuesday January 29th, 2013 PM

Prayer Diaries

Tonight as the thunderstorm rumbles through I have been working on my prayer diary. I want to share with you what I call "Only With Gods Help" prayer goals or OWGH goals.

I have three categories of these OWGH goals and I would encourage each of you to consider doing something similar. The first category I worked on is my OWGH goals for Praise Community Fellowship.

PCF OWGH Goals

1.) That PCF will become recognized as the most Loving, Caring, Doing, Sharing, congregation in the     United States!

2.) That the RTP choir will raise over one million dollars for our chosen charities in the next 5 years!

3.) That the PCF congregation will touch over 100,000 lives world wide for Christ in the next 10 years!

4.) That the PCF congregation will also come to be known as the "Praying" church.

Like I said, if you are going to dream big for God, make it a dream that can only be accomplished through us with His power. That becomes known as a miracle!

The second category I made of OWGH goals were for Bonni and I. And the third category were personal OWGH goals.

Go to God and ask Him to help you with a OWGH goal list. I can't wait to see how God starts moving in our lives!   God has an amazing plan for your life.  See you at 2:00 pm Sunday!  Love, Kent

Tuesday, January 29th 2013

Some of my favorite bible verses on prayer.

I am sharing some of my favorite bible verses on prayer but there is something you must understand about isolating bible verses. I suggest you always read the chapter of the bible from where the verse is found. It is always good to get a picture of the content in which the verse was being used. 

Here is what the bible is "NOT"about. It is not about being able to quote a particular verse and use it like a "genie in the bottle", "get out of jail free card" all encompassing promise to heal, fix, bring into existence, or remove unwanted circumstances like magic.

I think too many people get falsely led to believe that such is true. "If I can only learn enough about God by going to church and bible study, and learn the right bible verses my life is going to get perfect and blessed in every area".   Not true. If you believe that way, you are probably going to be a very disappointed Christian.  One only needs to read about the lives of Gods servants throughout the bible to see that that way of thinking is false.

Signing on with God does not guarantee a life without problems. As a matter of fact, signing on with God will probably complicate your life!  Thats right, make it more challenging, create discomfort, and possibly make you even ask, "God, I'm trying to serve you, whats up with all the trials?"  But here is what God says in the bible about such:

James 1:2-8

Profiting from Trials

² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

So, place these verses in your heart, but do not consider them as magic mantra's! But rather as a faith enforcer as to the love God has for us! The main message of the bible is this: GOD LOVES YOU and HAS A PLAN FOR YOU!

James 1:5-8

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

James 5:13-14 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
 and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

John 14:13-14 

"And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

1 John 5:14-15 

And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Philippians 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 comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 


Rejoice always; pray without ceasing. in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 50:15 


And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me."

Psalm 145:18 


The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.

Matthew 6:5-12 

"And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. "Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him. "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 'Give us this day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 


Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayer of the righteous.


Matthew 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Luke 18:1 And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;


Luke 11:9-13

9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.


Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.


1 Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

God has a plan for you life.  See you Sunday at "2:00 pm .  We moved service up because of Super Bowl.  No excuses for not attending!  I'll be taking role.   Love, Kent

Monday, January 28th 2013

So what happened last night?  

For those of you who attended the service last night I am sure you walked out wondering, "What in the world happened to Kent's sermon?"

Let me tell you something encouraging about a "not so good sermon."  You know God is about to do something wonderful when satan puts an all out attack on you.

Satan does not want you to discover the power of prayer!  It is that simple. Why? Because when you discover the reality and the power of prayer that brings God into every situation, satan's plans are doomed. Praise Community Fellowship is on the verge of  something very big and wonderful. We are a very unique, wonderful family of people seeking to know God personally.

Let me share with you a note that Judy Bertels, (founder of African Vision of Hope) sent me this morning. Judy and Bob were at the service last night.

Lessons Paul learned from hardships and challenges - 2 Corinthians 1  8-11
1.  We sometimes face the most difficulty when we're being use most powerfully
Verse 8    Acts 19-8-12 and 1 Corinthians 15  30-32

2. The enemy can't squelch the power of God so he tries to disable the servant
of God. In verse 8 Hardship means to be compressed on every side,
great pressure me ans to be oppressed (to be burdened , weighed down
with affliction)  "This is what I was dealing with last night. kent"


3. Even the most devoted believers can encounter hardships far beyond
our ability to endure, 1 Corinthians 10:13 - tempted here means to
throw beyond.

4.  Believers can and do experience despair.  The original word for
despair means to be wholly without resource (in the pits)'

5.  Paul actually felt doom, in verse 9

6.  God wants us to rely on Him, Rely means to be Convinced, to come
to trust, to be convinced of the reality of God in your presence of
trouble

7.  When hardships surpass our ability to endure, God wants us to
discover His surpassing power (2 corinthians 4:7)  Power actually
means achieving power.  He wants us to discover His surpassing Glory,
Glory means to recognize.  (2 corinthians 4:17).  He wants us to use
His surpassing comfort (2 Corinthians 1  3-5)

8.  GOD HAS A SPECIAL DELIVERY IN MIND WHEN HIS CHILDREN SUFFER
HARDSHIPS(2 Corinthians 1:10), The original greek work rescue means to
DRAW to oneself


THE ENEMEY WANTS US TO QUIT - HE IS NOT WORRIED ABOUT AN INEFFECTIVE SERVANT

GOD CAN ALLOW OPPRESSION BUT HE DOES NOT CAUSE IT


I AM LEARNING TO DO BATTLE WITH THE DEVIL EVERYDAY - Put on your
battle gear today, I am praying for you.

Love Bob and Judi

Thank you Bob and Judy.  Tomorrow I will post some of my favorite bible passages on prayer.  Be encouraged God is real and has a plan for your life. Please make prayer the top priority of your day and watch the power of God begin to move and influence your life.   

The Raise the Praise Choir kicks off practice tonight, please pray for us. Anyone who wants to join the choir can show up tonight.

Sincerely and with love, Kent

Saturday January 26th, 2013

Today is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

Tomorrow, 6:30 pm at Esic Baptist Church I will be continuing the series on prayer, "You are Always Just One Prayer Away from a Miracle!"

There will be worship with music, prayer, and the message. I hope you can join us. Bring a friend that needs encouragement and hope. You might even hear some Elton John tomorrow evening.

When you allow God into your life, all the way, watch out. Things are going to get exciting!

For those of you who did not receive a prayer diary yet, no worries, we will have one for you tomorrow. See you then!  Love, Pastor Kent

Pray for one another.