II Kings deals a lot with the life of Elijah and of the lives and history of Israel from which we can learn. A lot of these examples deal with the temple, tithes and money. A lot of times we can over-spiritualize money. I can’t tell you that when you give your tithes and offerings all will be well. We know what God says about money - we bring Him our first and our best. God requires us to trust Him in this realm, believe that He is bigger than our circumstance and believe He will bless you and cause you to overcome despite what you see. We don’t ignore natural circumstances, but there are very clear Biblical principles of how we are to react and act when we are faced with uncertainty - especially with money. This passage deals a lot with this principle.
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 Pastor Dean - February 10, 2008: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Every now and again we need to understand in a refreshed and renewed way what is going on in the spirit realm. It is so hard not to get caught up in the natural and stay focused on the supernatural. You have continually renew your thinking and retrain your mind to not allow the things of the world to challenge your faith when the things of the natural don’t line up with the things of the Kingdom. A lot of things in the natural do not line up with the Kingdom.
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 Pastor Dean Sweetman - February 6, 2008: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

If there is something that is easy to loose sight of but that should always be a priority in everything we do, it is to bring God’s presence into the earth and into our daily lives. God wants to invade his church. God wants to be involved. He so loves to be in the midst of our lives. It’s like being a parent and seeing your kids really happy: nothing is better than that. When God sees us happy, he is rejoicing more than we are. It is the presence of God that changes our lives.

II Chronicles 7 - When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifices, and the glorious presence of God filled the Temple. Every so often, people start to have problems with giving. They say that tithing is not of the New Testament or of the New Covenant. I know that God doesn’t change. The Bible says he is the same yesterday, today and forever. Let’s observe God and how he moves, functions, operates and interacts with His people.
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 Pastor Dean - January 30, 2008: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Why are we so passionate about church? Why are we so focused on living out and expressing our faith by our passion for what is important to God? Oftentimes we can become trapped in the mundaneness of life and miss the big picture. God is building His kingdom. And he is going to prevail because he loves the earth and its people. In that great love for the world, he designed this amazing plan to create an environment that he could dwell in, in the midst of us, so that we could move in and spread his spirit. This plan is the church. He is building his kingdom on earth by establishing his presence on earth through us.
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 Pastor Dean - January 27, 2008: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Luke 10: 27-28

Who have you loved today? Even as great believers, we can fall into the habit of climbing the ladder in life - gaining the positions that we feel are improvements and that we think hold more esteem. People have the ideas of going somewhere big in life and they try to equate it with big names or trying to achieve something we see as “big”. None of us actually graduate through hierarchical structures that we try to attach ourselves to. God actually promotes us based on our hearts and how we treat others - based on who we have loved today.

In this scripture, Jesus answers a Pharisee (in response to the question “How do I get to Heaven?) and says “Love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Do this and live.” Notice that he says all four times. Even when we aren’t feeling like reaching out to or loving others, he says pull on your strength. Make the decision in your mind that you are going to love that person. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do this and you will live.
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