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JEREMIAH
29:12-13
Posted: September
18, 2008 by Pastor Greg Denham
This is a unique time of year
on the Biblical calendar as we approach the “fall feasts” of
“Trumpets” (Sept 30th) – “Day of Atonement” (Oct 9th) and
“Tabernacles!” (Oct 14th). Prior to these fall feasts the
“Shofar” (Ram’s horn) would be blown for thirty days and Ps.
27 would be read that “The Lord is my light and my
salvation….” The thirty days leading up to “Trumpets”, “Day
of Atonement” and “Tabernacles” were special days of
preparation with prayer, and repentance, and seeking the
Lord for spiritual revival. Again, this is a unique time of
year on the Biblical calendar and it is inspiring to
remember this season with its unique Biblical holy-days
which are fulfilled in our Lord Jesus.
All of that to say …
I would like to invite you to
a week of prayer (next week September 22rd thru September
26th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.) as we seek the Lord as a
church family to “… pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace
with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Tim
2:22). We will be praying for our country, our church
family, the cause of Christ in this generation, the various
ministries of the church, the young people in our city and
schools – personal REVIVAL and, of course, those in the
church family who have special needs and are facing unique
challenges. In addition, if YOU or your family is in need of
prayer – or you know someone who would like prayer from the
church elders, this would be a great opportunity to be
prayed for. Jeremiah 29:12-13 promises, “Then you will call
upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And
you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with
all your heart!” Myself, along with staff and elders in our
church, will be in attendance every evening. Hope to see you
there!
P.S. if you are unable to
make it you can submit a prayer request by
clicking here and we will
be glad to pray for you.
Till He Returns,
Greg
REIGN DOWN
(Part Two)
Posted: April
24, 2008 by Pastor Greg Denham
I want to invite you to
consecrate yourself for FOUR DAYS of devotion to GOD’S
WORD that will TRANSFORM your life. Whatever it takes to be
at the REIGN DOWN Church Advance Part 2, I encourage
you - be there! Maybe it means taking a break from
television, simplifying your schedule, or making
arrangements to get off work early. Whatever it requires for
you to, “get away, come out and separate” … will be worth
it! The sheer speed of life these days leaves a choking dust
cloud. Our culture is increasingly godless and soul-less. We
need our minds renewed. We are the BODY OF CHRIST in this
generation! And, while nothing will remove us from God’s
FIRM GRIP IN CHRIST – it is possible that we can become
distracted and double-minded, thus undermining potential
growth and godly influence in our homes and in this
generation.
Maybe you are not content
where you are spiritually.
Maybe you want to go further
in the Lord.
Maybe you want God’s Spirit
to work deeper in your life.
Are you detecting a need for
revival, for a personal revival?
“Reign Down” is all about, PERSONAL
REVIVAL!
I see it like a “church
retreat”, where we are getting away and seeking the Lord -
but of course it’s right here in our own backyard. I believe
the Lord will reach into our hearts with healing, change,
and transformation!
Here is what some of those
who attended the first “REIGN DOWN” had to say
about what the Lord did in their lives…
“It was wonderful and
re-kindled the fire in my heart for the Lord!”
“Energizing and
revitalizing!”
“I attended all four evenings
and it was wonderful – just what I needed!”
“I felt so close to the other
members of our church family--it drew us closer as a whole
body!”
“It was absolutely life
changing for me!”
“It was nice to have a
“Retreat” that we could go to as a family and it initiated
fruitful conversation.”
”We need this on a regular
basis.”
I would also like to invite you to join US as we prepare
for our “Reign Down” services in a
time of prayer and
fasting!
Would you join me and the
pastoral staff for eight days of prayer and fasting to
prepare our hearts for our “Reign Down” services? Maybe
eight days of prayer and fasting seems a bit daunting for
you; here is some perspective. Biblical fasting is
refraining from food for a spiritual purpose. It is denying
bodily hunger to focus on hungering after the Lord. Jesus
spoke of “prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29). If you have never
fasted, I recommend it - and encourage you to do so. There
are different types of “fasts” that you can implement for
your time of fasting. Let me explain.
#1 There is the “Full Fast” -
which is drink only.
#2 There is the “Daniel Fast”
- which is: no meat, no sweets, no bread (only water, juice
and vegetables).
#3 There is the “Partial
Fast” - from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm (or from sunrise to sundown)
-which can be a “Full Fast”, “Daniel Fast” or where you give
up at least one type of food.
The type of fast that you choose, the length
of the fast, and whether or not you choose to fast at all,
is entirely up to you.
The Bible does not command that we fast; and if you choose
not to fast, you can still pray! However, before beginning
any fast, be sure to consult your physician.
God Bless you and looking
forward to being with you …
Pastor Greg
Saturday, May 3rd
Pray for personal revival in
your life. Pray for a deeper walk with the Lord. Pray for
conviction of sin - making way for purity and allowing for
greater intimacy of relationship with the Lord and love for
the Lord Jesus Christ!
Is there sin in your life?
Are there, “Goliath’s”? Ask God to help you face them and
turn from them today and with the motivation of David who
said “…that all the earth may know that there is a God in
Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the
Lord does not
save with sword and spear; for the battle is the
Lord’S …” I
Samuel 17:46-47 David cried, “Search me, O God, and know my
heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is
any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way
everlasting.” Ps 139:23-24 “Let everyone who names the name
of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2Timothy 2:19
Sunday, May 4th
Pray for a greater
understanding of who God is and His work that He
accomplished on the cross and in the resurrection, and the
reality that the Lord Jesus is returning.
Pray that the focus in your
life is on the size of God rather than on the size of
your circumstances. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it’s
impossible to please God …”
Monday, May 5th
Pray for a heightened receptiveness to the teaching of God’s
Word.
John 17:17; Psalm 119:9-11; I Peter 1:23; I Thess. 2:13;
2Timothy 3:16-17
“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed
according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought
You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your
word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against
You.” Psalm 119:9-11
Perspective …
Change is not easy. It is
always difficult, and sometimes painful. And it is radical!
Growth on the other hand, is a slow but sure process to the,
“Land of Maturity”. Growth is a type of reformation,
while change is transformation. Change is about
becoming different The good news is that change is
possible! It is possible to get past the only pain worse
than needing to change - trying to change! But only
God can change us. Only His plan works -we need to
HEAR and DO the Word of God.
Tuesday, May 6th
Pray for a greater openness and availability for the
ministry of the Holy Spirit working in and through our
lives.
Eph 5:18; Acts 1:8; John 16:7
Perspective …
The baptism of the Holy
Spirit is God’s strength and spiritual gifting to live out
the Gospel in this generation, as an “arm of the Lord”
– as an “arm” of healing, help, and truth;
influencing Christians and non Christians. (Acts 1:4-8; Acts
Chapter 2; I Cor 12:6-7). It is when our life becomes a “Vessel”
and “Conduit” of the life of Christ!
Wednesday, May 7th
Pray for your marriage and
family; that you would love the Lord first, love your
spouse, and bring your children up in the faith.
Thursday, May 8th
Pray for the church family
and the ministry of Calvary Chapel Auburn to be a greater
Christ-like influence in our city and county, by continuing
to introduce others to Christ; and to grow as disciples of
Christ, who then influence younger believers in the faith.
“But
in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and
silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some
for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the
latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful
for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also
youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace
with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2
Timothy 2:20-22
Friday, May 9th
Pray that you live out both
godly priorities and the essential disciplines of the faith:
prayer, personal Bible study, being a godly witness, and
church attendance.
Saturday, May 10th
Pray for a great work of the
Lord’s Spirit in every person’s life who attends the “Reign
Down” services.
REIGN DOWN
Posted: February
06, 2008 by Pastor Greg Denham
I would
like to invite you to our “Reign Down” services at the
church each evening from Sunday, Feb. 24th through Wednesday
Feb. 27th. Maybe you are not content where you are
spiritually. Maybe you want to go further in the Lord. Maybe
you want God’s Spirit to work deeper in your life. Are you
detecting a need for revival, for a personal revival?
“Reign
Down” is all about, personal revival!
The
Bible says …
“Come
let us RETURN to the Lord …
He will
REVIVE us …
Let
US PURSUE the knowledge of the LORD …
He will
come to us like rain …” (Hosea 6:2-3)
If you
want more of the Lord in your life, more heartfelt worship
and more measurable progress in personal righteousness, I
encourage you to join us. I am excited about this time! I
see it like a “church retreat”, where we are getting away
and seeking the Lord - but of course it’s right here in our
own backyard. I believe the Lord will reach into our hearts
with healing, change, and transformation!
Would
you also join with us as we prepare for our “Reign Down”
services?
I would
also like to invite you to join with me and the pastoral
staff for eight days of prayer and fasting to prepare our
hearts for our “Reign Down” services. Maybe eight days of
prayer and fasting seems a bit daunting for you; here is
some perspective. Biblical fasting is refraining from food
for a spiritual purpose. It is denying bodily hunger to
focus on hungering after the Lord. Jesus spoke of “prayer
and fasting” (Mark 9:29). If you have never fasted, I
recommend it - and encourage you to do so. There are
different types of “fasts” that you can implement for your
time of fasting. Let me explain.
#1
There is the “Full Fast” - which is drink only.
#2
There is the “Daniel Fast” - which is: no meat, no sweets,
no bread (only water, juice and vegetables).
#3
There is the “Partial Fast” - from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm (or
from sunrise to sundown) -which can be a “Full Fast”,
“Daniel Fast” or where you give up at least one type of
food.
The
type of fast that you choose, the length of the fast, and
whether or not you choose to fast at all, is entirely up to
you. The Bible does not command that we fast; and if you
choose not to fast, you can still pray! However,
before beginning any fast, be sure to consult your
physician.
God
Bless you and looking forward to being with you …
Pastor
Greg
Feb.
16th
Pray
for personal revival in your life. Pray for a deeper walk
with the Lord. Pray for conviction of sin - making way for
purity and allowing for greater intimacy of relationship
with the Lord and love for the Lord Jesus Christ!
Is
there sin in your life? Are there, “Goliath’s”? Ask God to
help you face them and turn from them today and with the
motivation of David who said “…that all the earth may know
that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall
know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for
the battle is the Lord's …” I Samuel 17:46-47 David cried,
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my
anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And
lead me in the way everlasting.” Ps 139:23-24 “Let everyone
who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2Timothy
2:19
Feb
17th
Pray
for a greater understanding of who God is and His work that
He accomplished on the cross and in the resurrection, and
the reality that the Lord Jesus is returning.
Pray
that the focus in your life is on the size of God rather
than on the size of your circumstances. Hebrews 11:6 says,
“Without faith it’s impossible to please God …”
Feb
18th
Pray
for a heightened receptiveness to the teaching of God’s
Word. John 17:17; Psalm 119:9-11; I Peter 1:23; I Thess.
2:13; 2Timothy 3:16-17
“How
can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to
Your word.
With
my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander
from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart,
that I might not sin against You.”
Psalm
119:9-11
Perspective …
Change
is not easy. It is always difficult, and sometimes painful.
And it is radical! Growth on the other hand, is a slow but
sure process to the, “Land of Maturity”. Growth is a type of
reformation, while change is transformation. Change is about
becoming different The good news is that change is
possible! It is possible to get past the only pain worse
than needing to change - trying to change! But only God can
change us. Only His plan works -we need to HEAR
and DO the Word of God.
Feb
19th
Pray
for a greater openness and availability for the ministry of
the Holy Spirit working in and through our lives. Eph
5:18; Acts 1:8; John 16:7
Perspective …
The
baptism of the Holy Spirit is God’s strength and spiritual
gifting to live out the Gospel in this generation, as an
“arm of the Lord” – as an “arm” of healing, help, and truth;
influencing Christians and non Christians. (Acts 1:4-8; Acts
Chapter 2; I Cor 12:6-7). It is when our life becomes a
“Vessel” and “Conduit” of the life of Christ!
Feb
20th
Pray
for your marriage and family; that you would love the Lord
first, love your spouse, and bring your children up in the
faith.
Feb
21st
Pray
for the church family and the ministry of Calvary Chapel
Auburn to be a greater Christ-like influence in our city and
county, by continuing to introduce others to Christ; and to
grow as disciples of Christ, who then influence younger
believers in the faith.
“But in
a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver,
but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for
dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the
latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful
for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also
youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace
with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2
Timothy 2:20-22
Feb
22nd
Pray
that you live out both godly priorities and the essential
disciplines of the faith: prayer, personal Bible study,
being a godly witness, and church attendance.
Feb
23rd
Pray
for a great work of the Lord’s Spirit in every person’s life
who attends the “Reign Down” services.
AGREE
WHOLEHEARTEDLY!
Posted: December
04, 2007 by Pastor Greg Denham
I just
finished reading the below remarks from Billy Graham.
I
thought they were fantastic especially as we are praying for
Revival during this unique week of rededication and prayer
(see the below Blog).
I could
not agree more with what Billy Graham said when asked:
“What
do you think is the greatest need in our churches today? Do
you think it's better preaching, new styles of worship, more
youth work, or what? I'm on the board of our church, and
we've been debating this recently.”
Billy
Graham’s answer was …
”I'm convinced that the single greatest need in most
churches today is spiritual revival - for a renewed
commitment to Jesus Christ and a greater desire to do His
will, regardless of the cost.
How does this happen? It must begin with an awareness of our
spiritual poverty - an acknowledgment of our sin and our
emptiness before God. It is no accident that Jesus' first
words in the Sermon on the Mount dealt with this truth:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). This must lead us to confession
and repentance, asking God to forgive us and turn our hearts
toward Him.
Spiritual revival also means seeing the world the way God
sees it, with all of its brokenness and rebellion and
heartache - and then asking God to use us to touch it for
Christ. When we are concerned only for ourselves, our lives
and our churches will grow cold and stagnate - but when we
become burdened over a world that has lost its way, then God
can begin to use us.
Spiritual revival cannot be manufactured or created by our
own efforts; only the Holy Spirit can bring true revival to
our hearts. But we can pray for revival, and we can ask God
to remove anything in our lives that would create a barrier
to God's work. May the ancient prayer of Habakkuk become
yours: "O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years"
(Habakkuk 3:2, KJV).”
Onward!
Pastor
Greg
Prayer
Posted: November
29, 2007 by Pastor Greg Denham
This
year the “Feast of Dedication” (more commonly known as
Hanukah) is celebrated from December 4th through December
11th. It’s an eight day commemoration of the re-dedication
of the Temple in Jerusalem after it had been defiled by the
evil Syrian leader, Antiochus. John’s gospel tells us that
Jesus participated in the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem.
(John 10:22)
Is a
Christian to do the same?
The
Bible does not give specific instructions that Christians
are to participate in the Feast of Dedication -- and,
obviously, there is not a Temple in Jerusalem today!
However, the Bible does say that in Christ we are the
“Temple of God” because the Holy Spirit indwells us. (I Cor
3:16) Therefore, the idea behind the celebration of Hanukah
which commemorates the re-dedication of the Temple can still
resonate with Christians in a personal way.
In
light of this, I would like to invite you to join me and the
pastoral staff at Calvary for eight days of prayer and
fasting in the name of re-dedication to the Lord and living
to God’s glory.
When
you hear the subject of fasting, it may be a bit
intimidating to you, which I understand. Simply, Biblical
fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose. It
is denying bodily hunger to focus on hungering after the
Lord (Note the subject of the first day’s prayer listed
below). There are different ways of doing this, with
different kinds of fasts. There is a “Full Fast” which is
drink only; there is the “Daniel Fast” which is no meat, no
sweets, no bread – only water, juice and vegetables; and
there is a “Partial Fast” from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm (or from
sun up to sundown) -- which can be a Full Fast, Daniel Fast
or “Partial Fast” where you give up at least one type of
food. The type of fast you choose is entirely up to you
(However, before beginning any fast, be sure to consult your
physician). If you choose not to fast, its O.K. – you can
still pray!
Would
you join us?
As you
can see below, we are praying for specific issues from
December 4th – December 11th.
May the
Lord light up our lives and church with His presence and
power!
Tuesday December 4th
Pray
for personal revival - a deeper walk with the Lord which
involves: conviction of sin - making way for purity, thus
allowing for greater intimacy of relationship with the Lord
and love for the Lord Jesus Christ!
Wednesday December 5th
Pray
for a greater understanding of who God is and His work that
He accomplished on the cross and in the resurrection, and
the reality that the Lord Jesus is returning.
Thursday December 6th
Pray
for a heightened receptiveness to the teaching of God’s
Word.
Friday December 7th
Pray
for a greater openness and availability for the ministry of
the Holy Spirit working in and through our lives.
Saturday December 8th
Pray
for the marriages and families in the church: that husbands
and wives would love the Lord first, love each other, and
bring their children up in the faith.
Sunday December 9th
Pray
for the church family, and the ministry of Calvary Chapel
Auburn, to be a greater Christ-like influence in our city
and county, by continuing to introduce others to Christ: and
to grow as disciples of Christ, who then influence younger
believers in the faith.
Monday December 10th
Pray
for the church family to live out godly priorities and the
essential disciplines of the faith: Prayer; Personal Bible
Study; Being a godly witness; Church attendance.
Tuesday
December 11th
Pray
for pastor Greg and the pastoral leaders on the church
staff: for protection, personal growth in Christ, their
marriage and family; and to be Biblical and inspired by the
Holy Spirit in vision and direction in the ministry of the
Gospel.
THE
POTENTIAL OF TAKING AN INTEREST
Posted: October
18, 2007 by Pastor Greg Denham
The
potential of taking an interest in others is endless and it
is something that we all can do! We all can be kind. We all
can listen. We all can be understanding. If you think about
it, the heart of a, “witness” for Christ, is being “other’s
oriented!”
Check
out a few examples of what took place as a result of taking
an interest in others…
#1 The
Father took an “interest” in the world, and it resulted in
the, “Incarnation” of the Lord Jesus Christ.
#2
Jesus took an “interest” in Peter after Peter had denied Him
three times, and it produced a “restoration” in Peter’s life
that resulted in thousands coming to know the Lord.
#3
Barnabus took an “interest” in Paul and it resulted in an
“expansion” of the ministry and missions throughout the
known world.
#4
Peter took an “interest” in a Gentile named Cornelius and it
resulted in one of the most important turning points in
church history!
Christians need to take the lead by taking an interest in
others with simple gestures of kindness. There are a bunch
of people who would even attend church if only someone took
an interest in them and invited them! We’re amidst a great
“Encouragement” series on Sunday morning that will resonate
with a lot of people and help them to see who Jesus is and
what He accomplished for them. Let’s make a difference in
this fast paced, fractured and impersonal culture of ours,
by taking an interest in others and yes, to even invite a
friend or co-worker to church!
Onward
– Pastor Greg
What does
being a friend of “Israel” look like?
Posted: October
2, 2007 by Pastor Greg Denham
#1 A
Christian stands against the ignorance and madness of racism
and anti-Semitism. There is no greater friend of sinners, of
man, of Israel – than Jesus. History attests of unspeakable
acts toward Jews by those who have worn a mask of
Christianity. Genuine Bible believing Christians denounce
these acts! Zechariah 2:8; Duet. 7:7-9a;
#2 A
Christian is a Bible believer who stands on the promises
that God gave Israel of a homeland in the land of Israel.
God keeps His promises and cannot cancel His character.
Zionism is the belief that Jews have a right to a national
home in Israel. 1 Chron. 16:17-18; Ez. 26:24; Romans 9:1-5;
Joel 3
#3 A
Christian believes in the whole Bible! The roots of the
Christian faith sprang forth from the soil of Judaism which
began in Jerusalem not Rome. A Christian has been engrafted
into the promises that God gave to Israel of the Messiah and
the Kingdom of God. A Christian believes in the whole Bible
and calls both Jews and Christians back to the study of the
Holy Scriptures.
#4 A
Christian’s highest expression of blessing “Israel” and the
Jewish people is demonstrating unconditional love toward
Jews and helping Jewish friends (and the world) to see the
hope and salvation of the Messiah of Israel, the Lord Jesus!
The Bible foretold that through Abraham, “…all the families
of the earth shall be blessed;” that “Salvation is of the
Jews” and that the “…the gospel of Christ … is the power of
God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew
first and also for the Greek For in it the righteousness of
God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The
just shall live by faith.” Genesis 12:3; John 4:22; Acts
2:22; Romans 1:16-17
#5 A
Christian is not anti-Jewish but on the contrary a Christian
worships the “Lord God of Israel” and a Savior who is Jewish
who demonstrated that He is the Savior of both Jew and
Gentile by resurrecting from the dead. Jeremiah 31:31 says,
“Behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will make a
new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of
Judah.” The word Jeremiah uses for “New Covenant” is the
Hebrew phrase “brith Hadasha” – from which the phrase “New
Testament” comes. A Christian is not calling Jews to
assimilate and convert to another religion, but rather to be
complete in Messiah! Mt 5:17-18 … Jeremiah 31:31 … Romans
10:1-4
#6 A
Christian stands against Islamic extremism - which is rooted
in racism and hatred that targets Israel, Christians and the
non-Islamic world. Allah is not the God of the Bible.
Wednesday Update
Posted: September
12th, 2007 by Pastor Greg Denham
The new
Wednesday series entitled, "Answers" is going great. Below
is a recap of our first message entitled "The Evidence God
exists!" Hope you enjoy it ...
There
is one fact that evolutionists and creationists would agree
upon: the universe had a beginning. However, where they part
ways is over what took place after, “the beginning.” Is
there evidence of the truth of Genesis1:1 which reads, “In
the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth?”
The
position you hold with regard to “origins” will have a huge
impact on your life. What’s at stake is whether you see and
live life as a cosmic accident, or with divine purpose and
design. Following are four concrete evidences that speak of
the truth that God exists, and that He has a plan for
mankind…
#1)
Obvious signs of intelligence all around us! Imagine
yourself walking over sand dunes for hours at a time, when
all of the sudden you come across a fully chromed Harley
Davidson motorcycle with its engine running and lights
flashing – sitting there right in the middle of no where!
Obviously its existence reflects an intelligent origin,
right? Yet, how much more complex is a human being!
Consider the intricacies of the human brain, the human eye
and the wonder of the birth of a child! Is there evidence
that God exists? Yes! There are obvious signs of
intelligence all around us! The Bible says, “For since the
creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His
eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as
God ...” Romans 1:20-21
Astronomer, Sir Fred Hoyle, compared the theory of the
origin of life by mindless nature, to lining up 10 to the
50th power (ten with 50 zeroes after it) of blind persons,
and then handing each of them a Rubik’s Cube to solve, at
the exact same time.
#2)
Another sign of the existence of God is the staggering
complexity of life itself! One of the benefits of modern
technology is that it has revealed the complexity of life’s
design. Darwin never peered through an electron microscope.
If he had he would have been able to witness the
extraordinary complexity of a single cell! Today, we know
that there is more information in a single cell of a human
being than there is in a whole set of the Encyclopedia
Britannica (a thirty volume set of books) three to four
times over! With regard to DNA, Microsoft founder Bill Gates
commented that, “DNA is like a computer program, but far,
far more advanced than any software we’ve ever created!” The
complexity of DNA is such that if you put it into “print” it
would take a stack of books 500 times the distance from
earth to the moon to contain it!
#3) God
has made us with an internal “Moral Compass” called the
“conscience.” Romans 2:15 says, “…who show the work of the
law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing
witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or
else excusing them)...”
Why do
humans have a sense of right and wrong? Is it yet another
sign that there is a moral governor of the universe? Oxford
professor, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Human beings, all over the
earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a
certain way, and cannot really get rid of it!”
One
historian noted, "One lesson and one lesson only, history
may be said to repeat with distinctness that the world is
built somehow on moral foundations, that in the long run, it
is well with the good, and, in the long run, it will be ill
with the wicked."
With
regard to atheism, scholar J. Budzizewki offered this
perspective saying that it (atheism) was more a result of
denial of conscience, than the lack of evidence. He wrote,
“Not many people disbelieve in God and then begin to sin;
most atheists adopt some favorite sin and then find reasons
to disbelieve in God!”
Finally, #4 the evidence of a Creator was clearly
demonstrated in the person and work of the Lord Jesus
Christ! In infancy Jesus startled a king. In boyhood He
puzzled the learned teachers of His day. In manhood He ruled
the course of nature, walking on water, raising the dead and
healing the multitudes. He set His face toward Jerusalem to
give His life as payment for the sin of the world that
separates us from a right relationship with God, now and
forever. Throughout history great men have come and gone,
yet He lives on. The mob could not kill Him. Satan could not
seduce Him. Death could not destroy Him and the grave could
not hold Him!
IMAGINE THE
POTENTIAL!
Posted: August
17th, 2007 by Pastor Greg Denham
Yesterday I had a great meeting with our Jr. High and High
school leaders, Ken Avila and Jason Phillips, to discuss how
we can maximize the time in our youth ministry in order to
best equip our youth in this generation.
We believe that the young people in our church can know the
power of Christ in their life, and also live their life with
conviction in today’s relativistic world!
We believe that the Bible provides, “all things that pertain
to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him” --
making God’s Word not only relevant today, but also equips a
life with the right world-view.
We believe that our Jr. High young people CAN enter High
School prepared with the right answers to questions such as:
-
“What is the origin of life?”
-
“Who is Jesus?”
-
“What are the evidences for the resurrection of Jesus?”
-
“Why
the Bible is the Word of God?”
Imagine
hundreds of young people who attend the Jr. High and High
Schools in this area having the answers to the major
questions of life! Imagine the potential impact this would
make for the Lord Jesus Christ in this generation!
This is what has been burning in our hearts; so, please pray
for us as we seek the Lord, His direction, and the gifting
of His Spirit in our life as we, “Aim High!” in this next
generation.
Onward…
Pastor Greg
the wonderful team in Auburn
Posted: August
10th, 2007 by Pastor Greg Denham
It’s been a busy couple of weeks for me, and for the church
family as a whole!
A few weeks ago we held our crusade in Auburn, and how
fantastic it was to be a part of the wonderful team in
Auburn! I’ll never forget the gathering we had for prayer
at the High School stadium the night before the crusade,
with so many coming out and demonstrating their love for the
Lord, their heart for our city and to impact it for our
Lord Jesus Christ.
It’s been a great and fruitful summer!
I’ve also been traveling back and forth from Southern
California to teach some of the Impact Classes (training for
crusade volunteers) in preparation for the Harvest Crusade
at Anaheim Stadium with Greg Laurie. Our own S.W.A.T. team
was there on their way back from their Mexico Missions Trip
to share their faith and invite people out to the Anaheim
stadium. The outreach at the Anaheim Stadium resulted in
some 10,000 people responding to commit or recommit their
life to Christ!
Let’s remember those who came forward to receive and
recommit their life to Christ in both the Auburn and Anaheim
crusades, that they “go forward” in the faith and get
connected to a great church.
Onward!
Pastor Greg
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