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My devotion today was on this passage. Talking about ” Setting Aside Those Things. ” Those things that do no reflect the character of Christ in our Daily CGMF Prayerline Message.
3 Therefore, if you were raised with Christ, look for the things that are above where Christ is sitting at God’s right side. 2 Think about the things above and not things on earth. 3 You died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. 5 So put to death the parts of your life that belong to the earth, such as sexual immorality, moral corruption, lust, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 The wrath of God is coming upon disobedient people because of these things. 7 You used to live this way, when you were alive to these things. 8 But now set aside these things, such as anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene language. 9 Don’t lie to each other. Take off the old human nature with its practices 10 and put on the new nature, which is renewed in knowledge by conforming to the image of the one who created it. 11 In this image there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all things and in all people. Colossians 3:1-11 CEB Listening To The Prayerline Message We have a new and fresh message on the CGMF Prayerline daily. Hope you will take the time each day to call in and get your fresh bread for the day. To listen in call the CGMF Prayerline at 712-432-8399 and use the Conference number 584684. Then hold to be placed in conference and the message will play.
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September 1st, 2018
Today's Message from Mark 7:24-23 " Contamination Of The Heart " We have a new and fresh message on the CGMF Prayerline daily. Hope you will take the time each day to call in and get your fresh bread for the day. To listen in call the CGMF Prayerline at 712-432-8399 and use the Conference number 584684. Then hold to be placed in conference and the message will play. August 31st, 2018
Today's Message from 1 Corinthians 1:17-25 " Human Wisdom Versus The Cross " We have a new and fresh message on the CGMF Prayerline daily. Hope you will take the time each day to call in and get your fresh bread for the day. To listen in call the CGMF Prayerline at 712-432-8399 and use the Conference number 584684. Then hold to be placed in conference and the message will play. August 20th 2018
Today's Message is from Psalm 86. " A Plan, Provision and Deliverance " We have a new and fresh message on the CGMF Prayerline daily. Hope you will take the time each day to call in and get your fresh bread for the day. To listen in call the CGMF Prayerline at 712-432-8399 and use the Conference number 584684. Then hold to be placed in conference and the message will play. My Rough Draft Of My Sermon For Last Sunday, ” The Glory Of God Reflecting Upon Us And Through Us. “8/8/2018 Haven’t had a chance to polish up my notes from Sunday, but wanted to share with you the basic information and notes from my message last weekend. Thanks guys always for your thoughts, prayers and support.
The Glory Of God Reflecting Upon Us And Through Us. Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shonebecause he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him. Exodus 34:29-35 Moses’s Radiant Face (34:29–35). There is something fitting about this entire section regarding the golden calf ending with this passage about Moses’s radiant face. What is it that God wants for his creatures? He wants us to be able to know him intimately. He wants us to reflect his character. He wants to transform our lives by the immediacy of his presence. The Israelites only knew that they needed the presence of the divine in a way that would meet their needs. And when they tried to cast the divine in a form that would be amenable to those purposes, they fell into that way of thinking described by the apostle Paul in Romans 1, which can only further alienate us from God and will ultimately destroy us. But God does not give up. And in Moses’s experience we get a glimpse of the reason why he does not give up. Moses talked with Yahweh “face to face” (33:11; cf. 34:29). Moses had not “seen” Yahweh face-to-face (cf. 33:20) but something better than that had happened: He had spoken with Yahweh. And that experience was reflected in Moses’s face (34:29–30), although he himself was completely unconscious of it. That is as it should be. Moses did not seek God so that his face would be “radiant” (see note on 34:29). He sought God because he wanted to know him and his ways (cf. 33:13). But if we have experienced the “face” of God, it must surely transform our “faces”—the expression of our lives—so that other people cannot avoid the reality, even if it might frighten them and make them uncomfortable at times. At the same time, the radiance is wholly derivative. It was when Moses had been with God again and came to share his word that the radiance was to be seen (34:34–35). The radiance did not become some permanent possession of Moses’s. Yahweh alone is self-sufficient; we are but the filaments in a light bulb through which his glory flows. Cut the filament off from the source of electrical supply and it will be as lightless as a stone. The apostle Paul got it right when reflecting on this incident. If a covenant that could only show us that we are sinners produced a glory like that, what ought to be the effect of a covenant that can reproduce the very character of Christ in us (2 Cor 3:18)? The old covenant could not produce the character it called for because it could not overcome our disposition to sin (Rom 8:3), but now the Spirit of Christ has come through the New Covenant and he is able to make “us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Cor 3:18). ( Cornerstone Commentary ) “ Horns “ 34:29 had become radiant. Lit., “the skin of his face sent out horns” (cf. 34:30, 35). In the Hebrew language, a “ray” or “beam” is designated by the same word used for “horn” (so also in Hab 3:4). The literal rendering explains Michelangelo’s sculpture of Moses with horns on his head. Sarna (1991:221) suggests that the root qaran [7160, 7966], with its connotation of horns, may have been chosen specifically to contrast this experience with the golden calf episode, which began this segment of the book. ( Cornerstone Commentary ) Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” —not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen. Luke 9:28-36 9:29 the appearance of his face was transformed. Lit., “the appearance of his face became different” (heteros [2087, 2283]). Luke does not use the Gr. word “transfigure” (metemorphōthē [3339/A, 3565]), the term employed in Matt 17:2 and Mark 9:2. It seems Luke deliberately steered clear of a term that had negative associations in the pagan world, where apotheosis (the elevation of humans to divine status) was known. “Luke was aware of the danger of confusing Jesus with some polytheistic pagan notions (compare Acts 14:11 [NIV], where Paul and Barnabas are acclaimed in Lystra as ‘the gods’ who ‘have come down to us in human form’). Jesus is not to be identified in Luke’s mind with one of the Hellenistic deities. He is the unique bearer of the divine glory (9:32; cf. 2 Cor 4:7),” and no comparison with any Hellenistic figure is appropriate or illuminating (Hurst and Wright 1987:74). For literature on the Transfiguration, see DJG 834–841; NIDNTT 3.861–865; Trites 1987a. ( Cornerstone Commentary ) Luke in contrast to his other gospel counterparts wants us to know that “ Jesus is the Unique Bearer Of The Divine Glory. “ Not like the Hellenistic or pagan gods in contrast. Reflecting His Glory Blaise Pascal, the brilliant 17th-century intellectual, made significant contributions in the fields of science and mathematics. He established the groundwork for the development of mechanical calculators and modern hydraulic operations. As a young man, Pascal had a profound encounter with Jesus Christ. This life-changing experience motivated him to refocus his study from science and math to theology. Pascal wrote a remarkable prayer that can help each believer in facing the tasks of life. He prayed: “Lord, help me to do great things as though they were little, since I do them with Your power; and little things as though they were great, since I do them in Your name.” July 2018
Times Are Changing At CGMF. I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own, that we’re not able to direct our paths. Jeremiah 10:23 CEB As the Prophet has written, it is not we who direct the paths of men but God. Our ministry here at CGMF, my life, your life, it is seemingly in our hand, but ultimately is in the hands of the Lord. His direction is of the primary importance, and His changes are for our benefit. Whether we are comfortable with those changes or not. We are facing such changes at CGMF after so many years, by the departure of some of our esteemed leadership for various reasons. Now the changes coming are natural ones, and are good in many ways, but will be uncomfortable for us in others. I as well the other Shepherd Leaders must be praying and looking for those who can stand in the gap, and be used to take up the mantle of those who have faithfully served for so many years. We have three wonderful couples and one extraordinary young man who will be leaving our ministry soon. First, we have Skip and Mary our Spiritual Coordinators who basically are the ones who take care of daily ministry. Who have been visiting, leading and assisting this ministry for 8 years. They have for the past 5 years basically been " pastoring " in my stead as I have been more of a director and teacher of the ministry. They have traveled back and forth from North Platte to Omaha meeting, guiding and assisting all our CGMF Shepherd Leaders and Groups so wonderfully, They will be missed terribly. However, retirement calls and a move to warmer climates. I want to personally thank Skip and Mary for making my life so blest, and the ministry a joy in so many ways. You guys will be sorely missed. Unfortunately, we will be losing Jeff Hughes and his dear wife as well. They will be leaving to Tulsa, Oklahoma and teaching at ORU, in addition to attending and serving at Church On The Move. I pray they will greatly be used of God. Jeff and his dear wife have been in charge of carrying out the discipleship portion of the ministry I put in place here at CGMF. Their work especially among our young people will be hard to replace. Thanks Brother and Sister Hughes for your gracious service to this Founding Shepherd. Then there are Garcia's. What can I say about this exciting couple who led our diverse group of personalities in our outreach ministry. Their work with organizing our Gatherings Music program and evangelism was outstanding. For family reasons they are moving back to Texas and working in a church in the San Antonio area. I trust and pray God will use them greatly for His cause. Finally I have tentative resignation from Brother Baker as well. This dear friend has stood with me in starting this ministry from the beginning, and has kept us almost totally debt free for years. I no doubt know to many he has been a pain in butt with his frugality. However, 99% of the time he has been right! His practicality and faith has seen us through so many things. Thanks my dear friend for helping me both start and expand this ministry. Sometimes with just seemingly no resources to use, but somehow God always has provided. Again, your integrity and faithfulness is a testimony to us all. All this being said I am betwixt. We have some big shoes to fill, and I am wondering whom God is going to use to fill them. Be praying for us Shepherd Leaders in our consideration for the future, and how to proceed under the direction of the Lord. I will say we might look outside the church for the first time for those who might take some of these positions. Now we have never done that and everyone has " grown up " into their ministries in the past. Nevertheless, we are considering it and laying it all at the feet of the Lord God bless the entire CGMF family. Love you all so much. In His Grace, Founding Pastor, Patrick Vossen Our July 25th Prayerline message comes from 2 Chronicles today talking about the son of Hezekiah. Mannassah takes over at the age of 12 and things just don't start off very well.
We trust God will touch you through His Word. We have a new and fresh message on the CGMF Prayerline daily. Hope you will take the time each day to call in and get your fresh bread for the day. To listen in call the CGMF Prayerline at 712-432-8399 and use the Conference number 584684. Then hold to be placed in conference and the message will play. “First seek the counsel of the Lord.” (1 Kings 22:5 NIV) Boundaries How to Set Them—How to Keep Them June Hunt Is your life really your life or is it controlled by someone else? Is your time really your time or is it manipulated by someone else? Is your schedule really your schedule or is it dictated by someone else? If your response is, “That’s me!” then you need boundaries. Do you say yes to everyone and no to no one? Do you find yourself easily taken advantage of? Do you have to grease every squeaky wheel? If so, then you need boundaries. Are there not enough hours in the day to do all you have to do? Are you feeling stretched beyond your limits? Are you meeting yourself coming and going? If so, then you need boundaries. Do you try to be everything to everyone? Do you think everyone’s need is your need to meet? Is your life swallowed up in someone else’s life? If so, then you need boundaries. Are you overcommitted, in over your head, burning the candle at both ends? Do you try to please everyone, yet often please no one? If so, then you need boundaries. You need to know where your responsibilities end and someone else’s begin. You need to say yes to God and no to everything that’s not His will. You need … boundaries! Like nations, relationships rise and fall based on the boundaries that guard and protect them. If we try to be everyone’s best friend, we will be no one’s best friend. We all have limits on our time and on our emotional and physical energy. We cannot be or do everything for anyone, much less everyone, so we must choose who we will be and what we will do regarding the individuals God brings into our lives. Jesus established boundaries for His relationships by … prioritizing the Father … discipling the twelve … and being intimate with the few. He also set boundaries on His actions.… “Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.… By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” (John 5:19, 30) Hosea, God And Leadership
7/10/2018 “They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. From their silver and gold They made idols for themselves-- That they might be cut off. Hosea 8:4 KJV In this very profound chapter from the book of Hosea. The prophet is notating that he and the Lord were left out of the equation, considering a choice of monarchy or leadership. Stating quite vigorously that the people had received leadership contrary to the divine order of God. Rather choosing instead to use criteria other than God Almighty's input considering a choice of leadership. Because of these actions they would open up a conundrum of problems in the nation's relationship with God, and the true prophets of God. We see as we explore the next passage the direction the nation had gone. For in verse five Hosea rebukes the idol worship and religion being promoted in Samaria. A calf representing idol worship, and a king from whom man had chosen without the insight and petition of the true prophets of God. Thus, supplanting humble leadership of divine order which God required. Rather choosing to replacing it with man-made religion of idolatrous order. Therefore showing no heart for God, and no allegiance toward honoring the true voice of the Lord. Thereby giving God only lip service, and manipulating the religious community for their own gain. God never intended for kings to lead his people, but he gave them one called Saul out of their ignorance. However, He also chose whom it would be, and through the prophet of God chose men of the best caliber He could. Saul was the first. Later on God would replace him with David because of his lack of respect toward the will of God. David was the king " everyone " overlooked, but whom the Lord chose because He knew he was a man after the heart of God. David would rejoice in his worship, he loved to sing, he loved the the things of God. He was a man though, and would make his mistakes, but who would also always return to the altar of God. He always, humbled himself, he always showed forth a spirit of repentance. Humble leadership given toward repentance, and leaning toward grace toward all his or her people. Is the heart, mind and will of God. Supplanting or replacing such leadership with just quote " qualified " people or someone who treats his or her people with disrespect. Always leads to ruin and destruction in the long term. Things might be good for awhile, life might not seem to have changed much. Yet, in heaven God oversees the affairs of men and women. He will test those whom we have chosen, and in the fire of God's presence. We will see their sins, their flaws, their lack of true anointing and exposed for all to see. If you are in leadership of any kind. Honor the Lord in true humility, give your heart to Him. Let Him direct your heart. Let not your heart be persuaded by the misguided understanding of this generation, or the subtle manipulations of those with evil intent in heart. Seek godly counsel, wise men or woman whose hearts have been tried in the fire and have been found to be true to the core. Consider folks of integrity and not given toward the personal graft, greed or personal gain, but for the favor and blessing of others. There you will find God's will, there you will find the favor of God. Wanted to share this message I shared with the congregation today. I thought it would be of benefit to our students, faculty and friends of FBC. I appreciate all of your prayers and assistance as we continue to expand the ministry of FBC, and see it become an even greater tool for the FGRMC & beyond.
Resolving The Issue Of Indifference Job 38:1-11 The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me. "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? "Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb?—when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors, and said, 'Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stopped'?" A lack of knowledge is a crippling affliction when it comes to your faith walk. Job questioned God’s intent, His love. Job wondered, was God blind, did He not see what was happening? God then responded not answering his questions, but challenging his faith. God was waiting for him to realize something, and had confidence in Job that he would persevere. What did He want Job to understand? That He believed in him and that he was an overcomer. He hadn’t abandoned him, but He was working something special out through him. When God did show up, He wiped the tears from his eyes and showed his benevolent love, we soon then read that Job received double the blessings he had previously. Plus, God revealed through his trials those whom were his friends, and gave a fresh revelation to Job about who God is, and how He operates. God didn’t abandon Job, and He was not indifferent toward him during his entire struggles at all. He was there all the time! Mark 4:35-41 When evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” The disciples thought Jesus didn’t care if they perished. That He just lay there asleep and was blind toward the circumstances all around them. However, when He woke up! He was not unaware, He was not afraid, He was not dismayed, and gave them a lesson about faith in Him that we cherish to this day. God is not indifferent toward us at all. He is in the boat, but He wants to see what you will do with that deposit of faith He has given to you. Do You Recognize Whose Got Your Back? I remember one day when a bunch of neighborhood kids were picking on me and started to hit and curse me. Three boys just were putting a whooping on me. Then my brother Steve showed up. All of a sudden boldness came over me, and I got up one more time. We were still outnumbered it would seem, but without even throwing one more punch, the bullies ran away. Not even one punch. Amazing! We had overcome, I was not alone. The enemy was defeated without another blow. I Challenge You Brother And Sister In Christ. Don’t try to take on the whole world! Start with taking on that family issue unresolved, that racial issue at work, that hate you see exposed in someone’s life, the hurting children in your neighborhood, the need for a better education opportunity in someone’s life. Don’t get discouraged looking at the problems of the world. Look unto the author and the finisher of our faith, the God who spoke all things into existence. For when you put your faith in Him and and allow yourself to be anointed by the Holy Ghost. There is no obstacle you can’t tackle. No job you can’t do. No mountain you can’t move. For my God is the God of the impossible, who wants to work through you. Martin Luther King, Jesus of Nazareth. Gandhi, Rosa Parks, and so many more. They all made a difference. They drew a line in the sand and said NO MORE! God is going to turn this around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even if I am the only one standing up right now, with God on my side I am a movement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amen, Amen. |
Reverend Patrick Vossen,
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