Live from Impact youth

Posted: January 21, 2012 in Uncategorized
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This year I will be doing a a lot more live blogging from various services here at Living His Word Church. My first service of this new year was with Impact youth. The first youth service of the new year started off with a focus on the vision. “The purpose of IMPACT youth ministry is to raise a generation of young people who are connected to God, committed to each other, dedicated to ministry, and devoted to reaching the lost!

Pastor Shane stresses the importance of having vision while at the same time mixing in a few jokes to keep the youths interest. Amazingly this shift in focus to discipleship has been in line with the church vision for 2012 “In Pursuit Of Him”. This truly is the year to connect to God. Stay tuned!

God Bless,
Pastor Zeke

Experiencing God In My Trials

Posted: September 26, 2011 in Connect to God, Connect4
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 I believe that in every aspect of life you can have an experience with God.  The bible says in 1 Peter 4: 12 “Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job.  Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced.  This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner” (MSG). In other words, there is a reason why you’re going through this tough time.

 First and foremost recognize that God is still on the job.  He hasn’t taken a break, or quit.  He’s not home sick, or trying to leave early.  He’s still on the job working in your life. Secondly realize that your breakthrough is right around the corner.  This is the hard part.   Sometimes the enemy will confuse or trick us into focusing on things that don’t really matter.  It’s merely a last-ditch effort to get you to focus on distractions rather than God.  If he can get your focus off-center, then he can get you to revert to old habits, old comfort zones…old sin.  It’s a trick that I’ve fallen for many times. 

I’m learning that I can have an authentic experience with God right smack in the middle of my toughest moments.  Paul explained it like this.  “I was given a struggle as a gift to keep me in touch with my limitations.  Satan’s angles tried hard to push me down; what he did actually was push me to my knees (to pray).   At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God three times to remove it.  Then God told me my grace is enough; it’s all you need.  My strength comes into its own in your weakness.   Once I heard that I was glad for my struggle. I quit calling it a struggle and began to appreciate it as a gift.  It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in my weakness”.(MSG)

In the midst of Paul’s toughest time he experienced God in a real authentic way.  You can have this same experience.  God’s strength is made clearer in your weakest moments.  It shows you how much you need him, and how strong He is.  Imagine the seasoned swimmer in the water of a large pool.  His technique is perfect. His air capacity is amazing.  He switches effortlessly between the breaststroke, and butterfly, He truly is impressive in the water. Out of nowhere he begins to drown and pleads for help.  A 60-year-old man jumps in and saves his life.  At first glance the old man would have been perceived as weak in comparison to the seasoned swimmer.   But in the swimmers weakest moment the old man’s strength was made clear.   The swimmer in his weakest moment had a true authentic experience with the man who saved his life.

In your weakest time God is still present.  In your hardest moments God is still on the job.  You don’t have to revert back to old habits or sin to get through your trials. It’s nothing more than a trick from the enemy.   Keep your focus on God and you will experience Him in an authentic way.

God Bless,

Pastor Zeke

True Joy

Posted: August 23, 2011 in Uncategorized
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True Joy

Ever since I could talk I have always had a desire to make people laugh. I would settle for a smile or a chuckle but it is something about making a person laugh hysterically that makes me feel like I have accomplished something. My entire life I wanted to be a comedian and just speak to crowds making them laugh but at the same time getting my point across. So I gave up a lot of things to try to make this happen…. Noticed how I said “try”.
After getting my scholarship I decided to stop playing baseball and make people laugh. I was at all the local comedy clubs from Gainesville, Orlando, and Tampa; rather than paying me money they fed me alcohol. At 19, I thought this must be the life. It was…. The life of a sinner. I started down a path of total destruction ending in unnecessary heart ache, loss of friendships and jobs and at one point almost my marriage.
Then my wife and I started attending Living His Word in Ocoee, FL. I could not understand why these people were always just so happy. Skipping around like a GAP commercial my first reaction was like, “Kelly we have to go; I want to get away from alcohol and I believe these people are drunk, there is no way Christians can be this happy”. As I started to grow I understood that you can keep your humor and serve God. Now if you aren’t funny before you get saved you probably won’t be funny after (well maybe on the day of baptism, then everyone looks silly coming out of the water trying to fight Pastor Glen). God made me in his own image so he must have a sense of humor. I thought I had always had happiness but having a relationship with God gave me Joy.
He allowed me to go through different seasons to crucify my old ways and teach me to be fully reliant on him. Through that season I lost a lot including comedy. Why would God do this? I thought he gives us what we want. Then a spirit of conviction hit my heart followed by the scripture “Seek ye first the kingdom and it’s righteousness and all else shall be added unto the”. (Matt 6:33) Then I said from this day forth Lord I give myself away. Not just being a hearer of the Word but a doer. I made a decision that I would not be a lukewarm Christian anymore.
Since then He has allowed me to perform Christian Comedy. Opening doors that no man can close. Everything I thought was long gone, God had given me double for my trouble. As I drew closer to Him he drew closer to me and I have discovered my gifts. I went back to school for Biblical Ministries and will be going on the Mission field. God told me that through laughter many will be healed and I believe that and stand on that and as long as I am standing on his word I know all things are possible.

The Adjustment Bureau

Posted: August 16, 2011 in Connect to God, Connect4, Uncategorized
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 One day a rich young man came up to Jesus and asked him “What do I need to do to have eternal life”?  Jesus thought about it and told him “Honor your mom and dad, don’t steal or murder, don’t lie, and love your neighbor”.  The young man breathed a sigh of relief and responded that he had done all of that. “What’s left?” he asked.  Jesus told him that if he wanted to really give it all he had, he should go sell everything he had and give it to the poor.  “After you’ve done that, “ Jesus said, “then come and follow me.”That was the absolute last thing the rich young man expected to hear, and so broken hearted he walked away.  He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to make the necessary adjustments. ( Matt 19: 16-22 The Message)

Adjustments are hard to make, but are necessary if you ever want to reach your fullest potential in Christ.  I have to be honest and tell you, my biggest struggle is making the right adjustments in my life.  I love my comfort zone.  Like Burger King I want to have it MY WAY.  And anything that challenges “MY WAY” is usually pushed aside.

Like that rich young man I have presented myself to God with pride and asked Him, what else do you want me to do?  I’m saved, I pray, I read, I preach, I even play an instrument in church.  On top of that, I pick up trash, greet visitors, shake hands, and attend church faithfully,  and blah blah blah blah blah…..

After I finish my list, God responds, if you really want to give it your all, then (fill in the blank).  And it is at that point in which I walk away broken hearted because I’m holding on to those things tightly and I can’t bear to make the necessary adjustments.  

What about you?  What are you holding on to?  If we are ever going to experience God and go to the next level we have to make the right adjustments.  It might hurt. It might even make you feel uncomfortable, but if you adjust your life to God’s word and his prompting, you will experience God like never before.

Think about the first time you drank, or smoked. It was nasty, gave you a headache, made your breath stink, and possibly sick. Yet in order to fit in you adjusted.  You adjusted long enough to the point in which smoking no longer made you cough, and drinking no longer made you gag.  We are constantly making adjustments in our life.  It’s time to make the right adjustments so we can be all we can be for the Kingdom!  I challenge you to faithfully pray and respond to God’s adjustment for your life.  God Bless!

Pastor Zeke

How I became a children’s worker by Kelly Shannon

Posted: August 11, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Children are a blessing from God, it is our job to prepare and train them in every way possible. As a new Christian I do not know every story in the Bible and I cannot remember every scripture but as I am learning, I share it with my class and teach them to have a relationship with God and pray daily for yourself and others.
I encourage them to let their light shine and that God can use you at any age. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6).

Working with children is something I did not always know I wanted to do, I knew I love children and wanted to help make a difference but until one night, about two years ago, God woke me up in the middle of night and said “Teach.” I tossed and turned but I could not go back to sleep until I said “Okay God, I will call Pastor Machelle in the morning and let her know this is my calling.” Now I’m getting my degree to be an elementary education teacher, something I would have never thought of doing. I now have peace in my heart.

Working with the children at Living His Word is rewarding and challenging all in one. At times I am gasping for air because I am being hugged so tight, and chuckle when the children start planning slumber parties at my house telling me who is coming. Before class starts I need to make way to the water fountain to dilute the juice so I can try to tame the children that day.

Knowing that I am making an impact in their life is amazing and rewarding all on its own. It is so awesome to see young people with such passion for God, filled with the Holy Spirit, hands out at worship and knelt down on the floor during altar call surrendering their life. They do not care what their friends think; they want that love relationship they hear Pastor John always talking about.

Sometimes Living His Word has more young people than adults, it is amazing to see each week how many friends and family the children invite, do not know if it is the teachers or the snacks, but it is amazing to see.

I love all the children at Living His Word, I love seeing God move in their lives in such an amazing ways and excited for their future to see where God takes them. . These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you get up (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

Experiencing God Series

Posted: August 8, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Since I’ve joined Living His Word I have…

You know you’re from Living His Word if….

You hate missing a service because you never know how God is going to show out!!!  Machelle Wall

You’re being put to work in the church and not being just a seat warmer.  Michael Rackard

You fall or fail and everyone loves you and lifts you up.  Teleea Wall

You’re texting people at 4am because you’re up praying and wanted to let them know what revelation God gave you….And they wake up to text you back.  Jessica Cunningham Adamson

Every get together ends in some talk about spades.  Pastor Zeke

 

This is my first official blog for Frontline Living His Word.  I intend to be open and honest and I hope you will be too. 

This experiencing God series has been life changing for me.  The Holy Spirit has been revealing so many things and challenging me to “step up”.  I’m so excited about what God is doing in the frontline young adult ministry. 

I literally see people moving and operating in the things of God.  #AwesomeGod

Here’s a top 5 list of what I’ve learned so far in this series

5.  It’s not about me….there is a bigger picture.

4.  I have to surrender all.

3. I still have some unforgiveness that I have to let go.

2. God wants to give me a real experience with Him.

1.  God is always doing something, somewhere… It’s my job to get there!

So what has God been revealing to you? What are you learning?  More importantly what are you doing about it?  It’s not enough to know what to do.  You have to put some action behind your words.    Remember that we must be doers of the word and not just hearers.  James 1:22-25

Imagine waking up and getting ready for the day.  You get up, go to the bathroom and see the results of the nights sleep on your face.  You know, real nasty…sleep in your eyes, a slobber stain on your face, and hair in a mess.

You leave the bathroom get dressed, kiss your loved ones goodbye and walk out the door.  You think your ok but you didn’t clean your face.  Actually it’s worse than that because you forgot how nasty your faced looked when the morning began.

When we refuse to do what the Bible says, we look just as foolish (and nasty) as the person who forgets to clean his face.  You walk around all day spiritually dirty, thinking you are ok.  The truth is you’re not.  Its nasty, gross, unappealing and disgusting…..  Let’s put the word to work in our lives. Make up in your mind today to Live His Word so that you can experience God in a new exciting way.   

God Bless………….Pastor Zeke