Tag Archives: Worship

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What Are the Attributes of Life to Please God?

First, let’s look at the word ‘attributes’, what does that mean? 

Attributes: “A quality or feature regarded as a characteristic or inherent part of someone or something.” 

Now let’s take a look at the attributes of pleasing God. In order to operate in the deed or participate in the act of an action of that understanding, one needs to comprehend the full meaning and understanding of that statement presented. So the statement “Please God/Yeshua/Jesus”, let’s also look at the first word ‘please’. The word please means to take ones own wishes into consideration in deciding how to act or proceed, where the word ‘one’ can be replaced with the word God, Yeshua, or Jesus. So, the word please in this sentence would refer to the object of the statement, which would be God. So the meaning of the word please would read as follows: “To take God’s own wishes into consideration in deciding how to act or proceed in life.” For example, let’s look at Enoch. 

Turn in your Bible to Hebrews 11:1-6:

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

So, from these verses, what are the attributes that we can gain? The attributes would be:

1. Faith

2. Belief on God

3. Hope

Now these are some of the attributes that we found first, now let’s turn in your Bible to Ephesians 2:7-10:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Out of these versus we get these attributes:

4. Grace

5. Kindness

6. Walk

Now let’s turn to Mark 9:22-29

22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. 28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

From these versus we can deduce these attributes:

      7. Compassion

      8. Prayer

      9. Fasting 

As we move on, let’s look at Matthew 15:22-28:

 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

So, from these versus the one key attribute worth a cause to action in Yeshua Jesus is: 

      10. Worship

So, now we have 10 of the most important attributes of how to please God/Yeshua/Jesus. 

In my conclusion, listen to the true voice of God, follow the attributes and you can please God. Thank you and bless the name of our God.

Extra reading: Matthew 17:16-21, Matthew 8:5-13

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Building Bridges Back

What I’m about to talk about today is the worship movement and the worship rock stars. One song comes to mind, the lyrics g something like this “Spirit of the living God we are waiting on you.” That Basically is repeated over and over, or “My to Lord,” but never mention the name of Jesus, and I have never seen so many musicians before when so many ministries can’t find any musicians for any service. For the musicians, their services go anywhere from $500 to $1500. How come?
The International House of prayer. All they do is play music, they never speak the Word. Its the Word that breaks the yoke, its not the music. Because He has angels in heaven worshiping 24/7. He doesn’t need us to do that. So what does this have to do with anything?
In 1963, 1964, there was a movement called the Flower Children; the Volkswagen Beetles with the flowers painted on them. During that era, they had a zen of worship. They would go around and lifted arms, hands to the heavens, eyes close, and they would go into some sort of spiritual high. Throughout the 60’s, Satan used that because they got involved with weed, opium etc. Why is it so important? Everyone can’t be saved in the world today and there is still all sin. So when you see on TV all the different groups that come up. International House Of Prayer, as far as I know there is no Pastor, they are just musicians playing music. Out of those musicians come worship rock stars, in so much that they are effecting the old mainliner, Amy Grant. She was never a worship singer.
The Lord put it in my head and heart that its a worship movement. Satan is using the same tactics. Here are thousands of kids on campus, concerts, mega churches doing this raising their hands. A Pastor doesn’t even come out. They begin to perform. I didn’t know it was a concert. Its suppose to be a service. If you don’t believe it just watch yourself. There is a movement taking place in the Christian Church that Satan has taken place to diffuse the Church. Everyone has their arms up, eyes close, music hasn’t even started. Some may say, there is nothing wrong with that. But where is your heart? Do they love the Lord so much that they found their nirvana. You can’t get a musician to play for anyone in the Church, but those at International House of Prayer play for 2 hours straight.
Its a move of Satan to lull away the people. All the songs I’ve heard are “Lord, He is mine,” or “Waiting for Your Spirit.” What does that mean? If you were a sinner coming into that place would you fit in? Why, because they refuse to tell a name of whom they are saying. They are giving you a generic face of worship. You know how many young people specifically are falling for it? You know why? I want to believe. There can be no restoration unless the word of God does it first. “He is wonderful,” yes He’s wonderful. Who is He? I know who I serve and I know who not to serve. You may not like me after this, but do you want to know the truth, or do you want me to give you a lie?
If worship brings people through the door and they don’t know who they worship, how would they know the Lord loves you? I build a relationship so I get a chance to know you, and to know you I love you, and you’ll say automatically what can I do Lord. By their fruit you shall know them. Satan has drawn musicians with money where you can play what you want. He has no respect for nothing that God has. That corrupt keyboard player is over your praise and worship music, and it only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch. There are musician with piercing in their ears, lips, and noise, leading people in prayer. Who are they leading you to? They are leading you to Satan, or a demon that he is controlling. That was a concern of mine. When you are in public, a lot of times people express themselves with hair color, hair highlights. Shave your hair on one side and the hair is growing long on the other side? Just my opinion. The Bible says that a woman’s beauty is her hair. If its her hair, then when you destroy your hair with chemicals, what have you told the Lord? I don’t like how you created me. Are you not satisfied with what God has made? Typically no, so we try to correct what God has done. Now man has put so many chemicals in the air, water and food, but you don’t have to give them any help.
Sometime building bridges back to a place where you can have peace of mind, even finding love again is a God sent time. But finding again how to love yourself once more is a blessing from Jesus and through Him the Agape love will set upon your heart and soul and it will bring you back to His arms to reignite the love you once had when you first fell in love with Him.
Do you know the Lord wants to hold you, and speak loving words to you, that He wants to be in your life fully? But something has destroyed the bridge in your life. We have been side tracked by so many things, and these are the things externally, and that’s not even talking about us. When you combine the external and internal, we don’t know how to get back to God. You get on your knees and say “God,” but do you know He is hearing you? Why do you pray? For things to get better? We pray so we can talk to a higher authority than us. Has anyone seen God at anytime? The point is, is no man has seen God at anytime and is still in existence today. So we pray to who? God? Does He have a name? Who died for you? Jesus Christ. He died for us so why don’t we call Him by His name? “God” is a name we used when we didn’t know Him. His name is Jesus. The Son of most high, the Son of the living God. God deserves worship, but not just any kind of worship. How can you know to give Him what’s in your heart? Because your heart is you, and your heart is your soul.
How do you build a bridge to get back to when you first fell in love with Him? The whole point is this, the song use to say “Take me back, take me back where I first received you. Its been so long.” Do you have that one to one like you want to have with God? Do you have that Elijah type connection? We don’t have that but we desire it. Why are we not building bridges to that? We’re building bridges to our next hair appointment, where am I going to eat next, where am I going to have fun next, what am I going to do next. We build bridges to all the wrong things, but we should be building back to him? How do you build a bridge? A little at a time. Building a bridge is like putting a puzzle together. So how do we do that? By reconnecting. A lamp can’t light unless it has a plug and electricity. Just as the light bulb becomes lit, it has to be connect to the source. Holy Ghost can’t move unless your connected to the source. It needs to be connected, you need to be connected to the Source before you can move in Him. When you’re connected the praises go up and the blessing come down.
John 15:7
I can give God praise when I go through, because my praise is in His name. I know His name. Jesus. If He is not, where is your is your praise going? To the prince of the power of the air, Satan. So when your prayers go up, Satan intervenes with what you don’t need. The only one who can ever wrap you up in love is Jesus. Do y’all know he loves you when you lie, when your thoughts are evil. He goes that is my love. The mess that we do and He still loves us. Do you remember your first love? They left a lasting impression that still if you call their name out today those thoughts come back. Amen? You must desire the sincere milk of the word before you go into communication with God, before you can sup with Him. God, Christ is a spirit, those who must worship mus worship in spirit and truth.
1 Peter 2:2-5

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Its all about Jesus. If God tells you you have to go through Jesus then go. God did not die for you, but Jesus did. 
Psalm 27:4-7

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

 

Set me on a hard sturdy foundation in Him, so I cannot be moved. If your foundation is correct, no one can push you off of it. It’s when your foundation is shaky. God will make sure your foundation is sure. One thing I want to do is be with You lord. Lord whatever You have I want. I don’t need to follow after a group of people. Lord don’t ever leave my situation because if You leave it I’m lost. How many would have been dead if it wasn’t for the grace of God? You might not have made it past birth. Its not by chance there is a reason for everything. Its because He loves you so much. Its an awesome thing to stand in the reverence of a real God.
Revelation 2:1-5

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

The only way you can leave your first love is when your bridge has been destroyed. If it has been damaged because of some other external thing. Some of us are Christians that are burned in. We still have the remnant of what it use to be like, being connected. There are people walking around with a ghosting of what it use to be like, I have an impression, so I’m going on the imprint that has been placed on me. I’m operating under the imprint, but you’re not connected to the Source. If I’m not connected to the Source am I getting anything new? No. So you go around with a false sense of salvation, and if anyone challenges it you combat with a burned in image. We have to reconnect back to the Source, and stop living the past. We’re living with a past anointing. How long halt you between 2 opinions? If God be God, why are you not serving Him? Does He need to serve you? Some like to think He’s a genie in a bottle. He’s not like that. You need to reconnect back to him. If you feel tired spiritually, you feel disconnected, then you need to be reconnected to the source. Rebuild your connection back so He can revive, restore, renew His anointing in your life. Do you like old anointing? Its like old bread. Do you like old bread? We want freshness. Let get back to building Bridges back in our life and in our walk in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.
1 Peter 1:15-25
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
People are still carrying along things that were in the past, and they became traditions. What’s in the past stays in the past. It got carried from this son or daughter or that son or daughter. If the teaching of the Lord got lost back in the 1920s, what would we have today? A mess. Jackedupness.
Romans 5:6-10
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Jesus is the One who died, not God. His Son died for you and that is the only Way to be reconciled back to God. Most people say I have the Spirit of God, its all inside me, the Spirit of God. But you don’t have the Holy Ghost. Without the Holy Ghost you have no power, and without power you can’t do the work of God. Coming against a demon you have no power.
Psalm 103:14-22

For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

Philippians 2:1-5, 2:12-16

2 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Its important that we get the point that we be like-minded. I can’t have you shooting off the mouth here and there, and reports come back that corrupt words have come out of you. That shows disorganization not with the ministry, but the walk of that person. We all have to speak the same thing. If God says you have to be baptized what does that mean? Get baptized. If the Word of God says you must be, you have to be filled with the Holy Ghost, then be filled with the Holy Ghost. If you have this innocent person that says what must I do to be saved, and we are all not like-minded, how is that soul going to receive anything cohesive? The blood of that soul is on your hands. Use the Word of God as your back up. Be careful what you say. If you have any questions go to the Word. Don’t ever try to battle with the Word.
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What Music Means to God & satan Part 1

It’s been an over 40-year journey dealing with music. I’ve played music in the Church for over 40 years, I’ve seen all types of things done, antics played in music in the House of God. I’ve played professionally for over 30 years for different individuals. I’ve been out in the entertainment industry, watching bright and upstanding talent come forth, watched the skills of some of the talent out there. Impeccable skills. I can only say that the gift of all these abilities that I’ve seen in young men and woman today are God given gifts. These gifts come without repentance (Romans 11:29). These individuals have the ability to sing and play because of the gift of God. Of all the times I’ve seen and heard and been around musical influence, the Lord gave to me 4 things. These I’ve observed with music that Satan does not want you to know or understand the power behind. Those 4 things that music and vibration do are:

1)  Express

2)  Effect

3) Expect

4) Empower

The 4 E’s, I call them!

Express

Express of expression means that what’s going on inside of you is being expressed on the outward part of you whether through music or song. So it exudes what is actually going on inside of them, then they begin to manifest it through their music or song. So you really can tell what a persons soul is being changed into by what music they listen to or play. Some individuals say they get their best inspiration from writing music or writing songs when they are unhappily or excited. Their best work has come from those types of emotion. So the music that an individual plays or sings comes from deep inside their being.

Effect

Music from musician effects individuals around them. It will cause a person to be happy, sad, confused. Music or vibration bring about an effect in the individual’s soul, body, and mind. Knowing that whatever is in the individual playing or singing will transfer from them, into the listening individuals. If you ever notice in some of the older movies, they would play certain songs that would bring a sense of melancholy, joyous expectation of a loving romance, a victorious win of a battle, or a happy outcome of a situation. It effects an individuals soul.

Expectation

Music or vibration brings a sense of expectation. If you ever notice any of the 1920’s movies/films, they weren’t talking movies. You could hear no words or songs being sung. But they always had a pianist sitting at the front of the theater, playing music with the movie as it played. I’ll never forget the famous movie when I was a kid looking at reruns of a black and white movie, about Penelope Pitstop who was about to be run over by a train and Dick Dastardly was the one who placed her on the track. The audience would yell at the screen for her to get away, then the villain would come on the scene. There was music played with a lot of base and treble at the same time. When they would show the heroine laying on the railroad track, they’d play music with a lot of treble, and hardly any base to show helplessness, expectation, showing the train coming, its smoke going up in the air. So you were in expectation questioning if the train would run over the heroine, and the villain gets away. What would be the outcome? It all was delivered by the accompanying pianist in front of the theater. Or in another movie with the vampires, blood sucking individuals, behind the door, and the unexpected individual walking through would never suspect what was about to happen. But the audience knew because of how the piano player play the villain music. Some of the more recent movies like Jaws where the shark would be swimming off distance, the girl swimming in the ocean. The only thing you saw was the pectoral fin of the shark in the distance, swimming around. You never saw the sharks body, just the fin. Then you’d hear the famous sound “dun da dun da dun da dun.” Automatically you correlated shark fin, girl swimming in the ocean means that she was out of there. The audience would be expecting the end for her. Then we get emotionally affecting, expressing ourselves by jumping, screaming, and speaking to the screen. Then, everyone would be in expectation of the outcome of that girl.

Empower

Music empowers an individual. You hear people playing music at a concert. It gives you the energy to think you can overcome anything. You hear the sound of the trumpet in the background, summoning you to charge or attack as in calvaries, as in war. It gives you a command to do something that you wouldn’t normally do, but you have been given the empowerment through the sound of music. When the Children of Israel were going through the promised land, they would literally scare their enemies to death by the sounds that they made, 2 Samuel 5:24. When we see the walls of Jerico, as the Children of Israel marched around the walls for the last time, they shouted and blew all the instruments and they were empowered by God to defeat the walls of Jericho and destroy the whole city, just by sound and vibrations, voice did the walls crumble.

We must remember one thing and always understand, that music tells a story without a voice being spoken. When we understand that music stirs up God. The Bible says that the angels in heaven sing and cry holy, holy around the throne, Isaiah 6:3. The Lord looks for the voice and singing all the time. It’s around Him all the time. If we don’t understand this, then we need to know, music sends a petition up before God of what we are going through. Because the petition contains an expression, effect, and expectation so that He would empower us to go forth in Him. So, know this, that those things that God expects from his people, Satan desires the same thing. He wants the people of God, and the world to give him the 4 E’s. People who play music or sing songs that don’t give God the glory, then they are giving satan the glory and he will effect them thorough their soul, and he will only give them nothing like he gave eve, so don’t expect anything from him. David said in the book of Chronicles and Psalms, to send him the chief musician, the skilled musician. David wanted people to know that you can’t give God just any kind of music or song, but you’ve got to give Him that which is skillful. That will show the expression of your inside, that would effect God’s emotions or heart toward you so that you’ll be in expectation from God to empower you to go forth in the world of sin. David would play skillfully himself. When Saul was bothered by demons and stressed, he would send for David to play the harp, with skill so that evil spirit would leave Saul. He understood there were certain notes and vibrations needed to be played to deliver an individual from the torment of demonic possession or demonic attack. After David would play his harp, Saul’s spirit would be calm. In Chronicles 6, david always had skill.

In this age we live in, we pay skilled musicians to come into our edifice to play music and sing among our Church’s. So we have hired the unsaved to usher the saved before the throne of God and to play worship and praise music in the House of God, and they don’t understand about God or Holy Ghost, nor being a Holy Ghost filled musician. They are being hired to perform a job. It’s a job to them. I ask you, do you want an unsaved individual trying to usher in the presence of God, who doesn’t know anything about the Holy Ghost, being filled or being anointed? Or do you want someone to take you into the presence of God, to be an anointed skill musician? Because if you’re hired, you’re no more different than someone hired to play music in the word. If you’re skilled at the things in the world, then you’re skilled on the things for Satan, and the people around you will give Satan praise. Instead of them expecting the Holy Ghost to effect them, the only effect they’ll get is from Satan, empowering them to do even more evil. Do you want a musician skilled in the things of the world to play in your place of worship to God? It’s an oxymoron. They come into the house of God saying they’ll bring you into the presence of God, but what they’re actually doing is giving praises to Satan. They’re doing and playing the same things they play in the world because that is all they know. What is the difference? Skillful musicians in the world excite your emotional being. Skillful anointed musician in the house of God bring you into the presence spiritually before God.

If any Pastor allows hired musicians or worldly unsaved musicians or praise singers to continue to conduct their praise and worship service, it’s like asking an evil spirit to bring you into the presence of God. Then that spirit is going to steer you away from the presence of God and right into the arms of Satan. That is why you hear these hired praise and worship musician’s and singers will play and sing songs prevalent in the world. That reinforces Satan’s hold of bondage on you. So instead of you being set free in the presence of worship and praise, you’re bound even more. Haven’t you ever wondered why those musicians after the praise and worship is over they never stay? They go to the back of the Church, working their way to leave. They’re hired skilled musician, they don’t want to hear the Word of God. But then you turn around and pay them from the House of God for a service rendered. You take that which is holy and give to a dog. You take the tithes and offerings of that assembly and give it to a hirling who will take it and use it for Satan purpose. Did you ever realize that that musician just got through standing guard in your place of worship so that the Holy Ghost can’t come in to deliver the people and restore people and you paid him for it? If it goes on long enough, then God is suffering to put Iccobode on the door of your ministry, which means the glory of God has departed, 1 Samual 4:19-22 when the Ark of Covenant was stolen by the Philistines. There is a difference between a hired musician and an anointed musician. If God gave you the gift freely, I dare you to pimp that for money, why would you go an pimp it back, selling it to God? You should be stripped, or just play in the world. Satan was aware of that when he was in heaven, so he understands what touches the heart strings of God, the notes, the sounds, and what causes the atmosphere to change. In order to keep the people of God from moving into God’s presence, Satan has allowed his hirlings to go into the House of God to block the music so the people of God will not be healed and restored. Selah.

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Timothy Leadership Conference

16th Annual Timothy Leadership Conference 2015, Wednesday, April 15- Saturday, April 18
Christ Haven Worship Center
Philadelphia, PA

This year’s Timothy Conference was truly a blessing! Although Ark of Covenant Ministries arrived late for the 1st evening service on Wednesday night, we got a glimpse of what The Lord was doing through Bishop Gerald Loyd, who was the speaker of the hour for that service, and we were welcomed by Dr. Cummings, the Conference founder, with many thanks and gratitude.

The format for most of the conference’s meetings started with an hour of Morning Prayer power, followed by a seminar by one of the speakers for the night services, followed by a lunch break, following two separate seminar sessions with 6 choices to hear different speakers, followed by a lunch break, ending with the evening service. There were opportunities for sight-seeing in the Philadelphia area, the host church in Philadelphia did an excellent job of providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a very reasonable fee, and as always, conference goers were able to sit down and talk to  the speakers of each seminar on a face to face basis. There was a great deal of teaching that was poured into conference goers, that equipped for leadership, growth, and relationship with the Creator.

For Ark of Covenant Ministries, here were some highlights of the conference:
• Bishop Gerald Loyd’s Seminar “Leading Without Limits and Boundaries” Thursday Morning Seminar
o Leadership without limits and boundaries where he walked us through what it takes to be “purposeful” believers. There are two major frustrations when we don’t find out what our purpose is: unrealized anointing brings on spiritual constipation, and which breeds unrealized purpose.
• Debbie Heller’s Seminar Session “Stress Management for Leaders” Thursday Afternoon Seminar
o That afternoon, conferences goers had a choice between three seminar sessions. Ark of Covenant chose the session titled “Stress Management for Leaders,” in which Ms. Debbie Heller gave strikingly easy daily practices that eradicate stress all together. Coupled with faith, Ms. Heller suggested that we focus our minds on the present, rather than the past or future. Having a full mind or being mindful, is the difference between stressing or not.
• Dr. Graylin Stargell “Who and I Really? Understanding How People See you!” Thursday Afternoon Seminar
o We broke into groups, were given a real life scenario, and asked how we would react. The focus was on finding out how we think, and figuring out how others saw us in our decision making. Dr. Stargell wanted to see if we were “controllers” or “comptrollers.” Controllers are those who take over, dominate, and micromanage situations, while Comptrollers put systems in place, and delegate responsibilities to individuals accordingly for overall success.
• Dr. Graylin Stargell “Is Your Church One Phone Call From Disaster? Church Succession,                  Resignation and Management Planning” Friday Afternoon Seminar
o Many leaders have nothing for their congregations to fall back on if anything were to happen to them. Dr. Graylin Stargell gave us a basis for how to establish a pastoral succession plan so as to avoid the congregation being unfruitful and broken up.
• Sightseeing in Philadelphia
o An Elder from the host church who is also the church bus driver, took a group of us through the city to one of the Philly Cheese Steak restaurants the city is known for. He, being a native Philadelphian, showed us all the wonderful sights around the city area.
• Friday Night Service with District Elder, Dr. D. W. Cummings
o Dr. Cummings preaching ushered in a spirit of repentance, worship, praise, and took some of the older saints back to the days when the young people use to “cut up” in the church. The Spirit of the Lord was present and left a lasting impression on many as we traveled back to the Cleveland area.

This year’s Timothy Conference experienced a new location, and left a new desire to grow all the more closer to the Lord, even in our leadership roles. It was truly a blessing.