Pentecost Rally Testimonies

We had such a wonderful time in the presence of the Lord!  We want to hear from you!  Please leave a comment with your testimony of what happened in the lives of your people.  Thanks for all you do and what a blessing you are to our section!

Pastor Brent Heishman – Presbyter
Pastor Joe Summers

 

Lessons from Jehoshaphat

I was reading today in 2 Chronicles 19 – 21.  It talks about the life of Jehoshaphat.  It was amazing to see the things that God used him to accomplish.  His heart was turned toward following God.  I noticed something though in looking at two things in this passage.

1.  He didn’t tear down the high places.  He left the window for the people to set their hearts on other things.  I believe brothers we can do the things that God has called us to do, doing the WORK of ministry, but if we don’t work at helping people to grow and help them move toward God, then we leave the window open as well.  Now I know that helping people should be the work of the ministry, but I have seen and experienced the busyness that we call ministry that has nothing to do with growing people.  Jehoshaphat did follow God, he just didn’t lead the people to do the same.  In chapter 20, verse 33, it states, “the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their fathers.”

2.  That also had a trickle down effect in his own family.  Jehoram was his son.  If you read chapter 21, you find that he did not walk in the ways of his father, but in the ways of Ahab.  Jehoshaphat had done well for himself, but neglected to train, teach, and disciple his own son in following God.  It doesn’t say, but you wonder how many opportunities passed for him to tell Jehoram of the greatness of the God he served.  I sometimes wonder if we don’t do the same.  We can’t stress too often to our children of how awesome God is and explain all the amazing things that He has done in our lives. 

I don’t want to allow myself to get so caught up in the ministry that I forget to grow people and forget to grow my family.  I don’t want to get so caught up in the battle and in busyness that I forget to grow people and show them the way to relationship with Christ.

Joe Summers
Byesville A/G

 

Pray

2 Chronicles 7:14 Tells us if my people will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways…

So you begin… trying to humble yourself.  What does that look like?  Humility is teachability.  It is a right view of God.  A right view of you.  A right view of others.  Humility is not a physical position.  It is the heart of a diligent student seeking knowledge from the King.

We pray… Wondering how we are going to get everything on our to-do-list done.       Yet, prayer is being with Jesus.  It is relationship.  It is conversation.  It is a walk with Jesus behind the veil into the Holy of Holies.  Prayer is passion for His presence.  Prayer cannot wait for the next encounter and resents the pull of business.  Most of the things on your to-do-list will be taken care of if you pray.

The enemy lies to us and tells us what good will all this do.  Very few are willing to pray…maybe just you.  You are going to spend all this time and still not see revival.  But the truth is, prayer does change things.  Much prayer, coupled with fasting convicts communities, changes churches and produces Great Awakenings.  I am encouraged by what Jonathan, son of Saul tells his armor bearer.  1 Samuel 14:6

⁶ Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”

The truth is, God is waiting for you to do your part.  He so wants to do His part:  hear from heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land.  He is waiting for you to pray.

I admonish you, pray.  Pray much.  Pray hard.  Pray until you break.  Pray until the heavens break.  Pray until hard hearts break.  Pray until revival breaks.  Pray until strongholds break.  Pray until the Lord our God has a stronghold in you, your family, your church and your town.  Pray as if you are in the throne room talking to Jesus…because you are.  Pray!

Praying for you,

Pastor Brent Heishman

 

Holy Spirit Gifts & Fruit

I remember as a boy growing up in a Baptist Church and getting saved (praise the Lord!).  Now once I got saved, I started reading the Bible.  Now, no one told me to read the Bible – well perhaps that’s not entirely true.  I am sure the Holy Spirit led and I listened.  But if I remember correctly, there were some in the church who weren’t happy with my reading the Bible.  You see, I had questions.  I read about the New Testament Church, but I didn’t see us being the New Testament Church.

My tenure in the Baptist Church came to an end when myself and the Pastor (a man I loved with all my heart – and still do) had a strong “discussion” about the gifts of the Spirit.  About this same time, I had met a young person from an Assembly of God church.  I was introduced to the Holy Spirit at the Coshocton Assembly of God Church.  I only attended there about six months before joining the Air Force.  During my time in the Air Force, I, and later my wife and children, attended various Pentecostal churches.

In all those churches, I witnessed the working of the Holy Spirit, mighty and wonderful works.  But I always noticed that there was something missing.  Now please don’t anyone take this as a criticism, but maybe I can offer it up as a correction.  For about ten years ago, God showed me that I was paying too much attention to the gifts of the Spirit and not allowing the fruit of the Spirit to lead the way.

If I can paraphrase 1 Corinthians 13, pretty much everything works through love if it’s going to work right – which is the first of the fruit of the Spirit.  This is just something for us to all think about.

 God Bless,

Pastor John Simms

 

“Living” Verbs

I’ve been reading a book that has been very thought provoking. It is entitled Primal by Mark Batterson. There is a statement that I read last night that really struck a cord in my heart. It says: “Christianity was never intended to be a noun. And when we turn it into a noun, it becomes a turnoff. Christianity was always intended be a verb. We’ve got to act on God ideas. We’ve got to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We’ve got to seize the opportunities to serve.”

My daughter is learning in school the difference between nouns and verbs, subjects and predicates and how to identify each one. It brought back a flood of memories when I was helping her. One little trick that I was taught was in identifying verbs, you say “a verb, it’s what you do.” I like that. I especially like that in the context of what I read.

Being a Christ follower is all about what you do. It is an action. We are called to serve, called to act, called to do. Are you doing discipleship? Is your Christ walk actually that, a walk? Think of how awesome God is that He chooses to use us as His action verbs!

 

Hearing From God

How did Jesus do what He did on earth?  How did He raise the dead, heal the sick, set captives free?  Some would simply say, “He did those things because HE is God”.  True, I agree, but is this missing the point?  What I mean is, could such an answer serve as cover for justifying why we do not do “greater things than these”?  Would you agree that Jesus was tethered to the Father?  That He spoke nothing save that which the Father spoke.  That He did nothing save that which He saw the Father doing? 

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself what did “that” tethering, dependence upon the Father look like on a daily basis?  Let’s say a man named Gamaliel came to Jesus after a teaching and asked Him a question.  What was going on in Jesus mind and spirit in the brief interlude before he gave a response?  Have you ever wondered if Jesus ran all His thoughts, words and deeds through a screening process with the Father. 

“Father, Gamaliel is asking a question.  What is behind it?  What does he need to hear?  Is he ready to hear the truth?  Is he looking for the truth?  Is he sincere?  Is he speaking for someone else?  What principality and or power is at work behind the scene?  Do I speak or act?  Provide an illustration or explain doctrine?  Am I to be silent?  Is something blocking his understanding?  What is blocking his understanding? Is it a lie, a hurt, a spiritual entity?  Who else is thinking the same thing?  What exactly should I say?  What exactly should I do?” 

I am not sure if Jesus asked all these questions, but I am sure he and the Father were on the same page.  What I do know is, if Gamaliel asked me a question, and Jesus was standing with me, I would be asking Jesus those questions and a few more before I responded.  I would likely defer the whole question to Him and be happy to listen and learn with Gamaliel.

Ah…and this is where I get hung up.  Jesus is not physically standing next to me.  I can ask him these questions and feel the need to, yet my confidence in the communication process is strained to say the least.  I seldom hear the voice of Jesus with my physical ears and I struggle “hearing” the answer spiritually.  It is like a very bad cel phone connection.  If I struggle hearing answers for a single question, how can I effectively hear Jesus’ voice in the midst of a conflict against supernatural enemies? 

Which brings me to four questions I would love to hear your thoughts on:

1. In what ways do you receive answers from God?  Do you sense them?  See them?  Hear them?…
2. What helps you “hear” from God more clearly?
3. How do you know you are hearing from God?
4. Would you like to have a conversation about this on a deeper level at a section meeting?

 

Don’t Put God in a Box

(16) “For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.  (17) And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and the fatness of the olive tree, (18) do not boast against the branches.  But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.  (19) You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.’  (20) Well said.  Because of unbelief, they were broken off, and you stand by faith.  Do not be haughty, but fear.  (21) For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.”  (Romans 11:16 – 21 – NKJV) 

For two or three days I’ve searched for the scripture to go along with the topic God gave me.  Then, during my wife’s and mine daily Bible reading it leapt off the page at me.  Praise God for His Word!

In Romans 11, we see Paul explaining that the Jews did not accept Christ because they put Him in a box.  Let me explain what putting God in a box means to me.

26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;  let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26 – NKJV)  As you see here in Scripture, we are made in God’s image.  When we put God in a box, we are making God in our image.

1- “And God spoke all these words, saying : (2) “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  (3)You shall have no other gods before Me.  (4) You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; (5) you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.  For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the inquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” (Exodus 20:1-5 – NKJV)

When we put God in a box, we are worshiping an idol we have made in our heart, an idol we call God.  We do it so subtly that we believe we are doing right.  But if you remember, in the garden, subtleness was a trait of someone we don’t want to emulate!

This god we create in our image does things our way, which can give us temporary happiness, but cannot really satisfy.  Because we want to find God, the real God.  We won’t be satisfied with anything less.  And God, because He loves us, will reach out to us.  Every once in a while, He will show up, and we’ll have those nagging doubts that something is wrong.  He may show up in a church service, or in a time of prayer, or when we are reading His Word.  And when He shows up, conviction will come.

You know what I find really amusing?  As I grew up in Pentecostal circles, I heard on many occasions preachers say that denominational churches had put God in a box.  But in the last few years I’ve wondered if we haven’t made our own “Pentecostal” box.  I see services that are more about what we want, what we think they should be, rather than what God wants.

I think it’s time we got rid of the box altogether.  That we don’t come to God with our ideas of who He is and what He can do; but that we come to God, according to what His Word says.

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)  “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” (John 4:23)

If we’re that workman that is studying the Word of Truth, then we’ll know the truth and we will worship the one true God.  And through an open mind and an open heart, truly seeking the true face of God, we will find Him and His will for our lives.  And with that will come satisfaction and fulfillment.

 

Pulse?

In an effort to know how to pray for you, share with me what you observe to be the spiritual strongholds in your community.  What symptoms do you see?  What is the source of those symptoms? 

 For example, in Newcomerstown, I see many people without hope.  There is not an abundance of happy people.  I think this is a symptom of a spiritual stronghold that suppresses physical and spiritual harvests.  People work hard, do not have much to show for their hard work…for various reasons, and lose hope.  What about your community?

 Also, comment how you are praying about this and how it affects the way you minister to people, if at all.

 Thanks For Your Faithfulness!

Brent Heishman
Victory A/G – Newcomerstown

 

We Value…?

A few years ago, I participated in a Church Planter’s Boot Camp.  One of the exercises we did towards the end of the week was to determine the core values of the church we would be planting (or re-planting).  A plethora of ideas began to percolate, and soon a “We Value” list came together.  Growth, discipleship and families were winners, making the top of the list.  Following were a number of items that could be summarized as “relationships”.

I certainly admit that building strong and healthy relationships is essential for ministry to be both viable and successful.  However, this is one of the most challenging, and sometimes painful, aspects of the ministry.  As important as it may be, I have made a determined effort to move it from the top of my values list.

In Philippians 3:10 Paul prayed a simple yet life-changing prayer.  Cogley’s paraphrase says “I want to know Jesus above all else”.  More than ever, I find myself yearning for a greater level of intimacy with my Lord.  As I draw nearer to Him, I know He is drawing nearer to me.  Growing more deeply in Jesus has become my priority, my #1 value.  Quite frankly, by making my relationship with Him my highest priority, my other relationships will be a blessed by default!

As pastors, we want to give our congregations our best.  Let me leave you with this thought – “The greatest gift we can give our church is the quality of our spiritual life”.

Mike Cogley
Coshocton Assembly of God

 

Trees & Bushes

Judges chapter 9 contains a parable about trees. All the trees gather to choose a king. Their first choice is the fig tree. It declines. They ask the olive tree, and the grape vine to be king. They too decline the offer. Finally the trees ask the thorn bush to be their king. The thorn bush replies that it will be their king under one condition. That everything must grow under it’s shade. Nothing of value grows well under the shade of a thorn bush. The whole forest suffered because leadership was left to the thorn bush.

The week after Thanksgiving I went to Cuba on a missions trip. One of the Cuban Christians shared his story with me. He worked very hard to clear a piece of land and to plant a beautiful garden to bless local pastors with fresh vegetables and fruit. The land was full of briars and thorn bushes and he had turned it into a lush fruitful garden. But the work was hard and he became discouraged. One day in prayer he told God he was going to quit…it was too much for him. God brought him to this parable in judges and told him that if he decided to quit that he could…but he would be responsible for what happened to the garden. He could not bear to think that the garden would be overtaken by briars again. So he renewed his work with greater determination. Today, not only is there a productive garden on that land but a retreat center that hosts churches and pastors for conferences. I am glad he didn’t give up.

These stories made me think about what we do. We are not content to let thorn bushes take over. We have dug up alot of them. And through faithful service to the Lord we are keeping thorn bushes from reclaiming the land. God is using the good fruit of our labors to bless the people around us.

Thank the Lord for all of you who refuse to let the briars take over and choose to bless others with spiritual figs, olive and grapes!