Encounter Testimoney #2

Saturday March 6, 2010.

Media-Youth Pastor: Simon
Faith comes through hearing Rom 10:14.Media is books, radio, TV, movies, magazines. God says guard your heart. Satan is not always obvious; he's a thief trying to get us through the media. 50% of kids who play aggressive video games make them 50% more aggressive than others."Once you know something you cannot unknow it." Pastor Bill. We cannot make room for compromise, no, shut out the evil. Like the boy who heard the loud music in the car along the street with cursing and swearing aloud, the kid plugged his ears and said "LALALALALALALALA" until the car was out of site. We can save ourselves from many temptations, nightmares by not making room to compromise. All music was first created to worship God. Selah. Satan uses media to get into you. Be careful eyes this is why: 1st look-they will hate it. 2nd look-They will dislike it. 3rd look- they will tolerate it. 4th look-they will like it. 5th look-they will love it. Be careful eyes (Matt 6:22-23). Satan can have just a wee bit of you, and that is enough. Selah. We need to set a standard for ourselves. Live in the encounter on a daily bases. “Oh be careful little ears what you hear. And be careful little eyes what you see.”

Being popular, this should not matter. Caring what others think-well what does God think? You want to please people so they will honor you? But God is the one to be honored! When things do not go my way remember: This is the Lords day...not mine. I must pray for my deliverance from these things otherwise I will surely fail. Die daily to Christ (Luke 9:23-27; Rom 8:13-17). “He must become greater; I must become less.” John the Baptist(John 3:30).

Roberto’s Testimony
Sometimes we as Christain’s desire to die so that we can just go to heaven and not deal with all of life’s hardships. I’ve thought this way and often pondered weather or not it is good thinking. Well Roberto has a desire to live a long life in Christ here on earth. Selah.

Roberto was never good enough for his father. In fact he had so much pain and anger toward his father he wanted to kill him and was very close to it twice, but both times his mother a women of God prevented it from occurring. “I did not know the love of Jesus, but when my Mom and Sister came to know Jesus they had this love, and a peace. They treated me different and something inside of me was hungry for it. I came to church many times but still there was something holding me back, still a bag keeping me from being set free. Could God deliver me from drug addictions, the anger? The impossible. Well one day Roberto’s father changed, he came up to him and said “How are you my little child?” They forgave each other and the relationship was restored! Forgiveness brings freedom.

Sexuality-Glades Lara
90% of destruction and damage to relationships is because of sexual problems. Selah. Gen 2:18. “We love the person but we hate the sin.” 1 Cor 6:18 calls us to run, not to stay and stair, not to close our eyes but run. Reading the word of God will keep you strong. Do not fool yourself hiding sin; you are affecting yourself and others, because you are not living up to a high standard. Be careful when you are alone...for you where bought at a high price. You can do anything, but not anything is beneficial (1 Cor 6:12-20). Seek a pure heart.

DELIVERANCE-Josh
Looking at John 8:32 and Luke 4:18. In reference to Matt 21:12 God wants church to be a house of prayer, to lead and direct you. (And was it ever a house of prayer at Metro Christian Center March 7, 2010 I'll get to this later). People will have walls of bondage that keep them from entering into a higher level with God. Bondage like: guilt, fear, depression, anxiety, rage, rejection, bad habits, sickness, sexual immorality. The devil’s work is to kill and destroy John 10:10, he is the robber of your joy and freedom, anything that tries to destroy your freedom in the Lord is from the devil. But as children of God we have authority not in ourselves but through Jesus Christ and he is willing to give it to us, but we must open our heart and be ready to receive. Wrong thinking is not the truth even if it seems believable. There are 3 weapons we can use to defeat the walls of Bondage.
1. We have authority and powerful weapons to destroy strongholds 2 Cor 10:3-5
2. The Word of God-know the truth and it shall set you free
3. The word of your testimony (which I’m writing out)
It is quite easy for us to act or follow Satan’s ways BEAWARE see Matt 16:22-23; Gen 20:25-26; Acts 5:3; Eph 4:25-27.

Now it came time for us to ask God for DELIVERANCE. I seeked deliverance from sexual immorality, jealousy, coveting, arrogance I was on the floor again just soaking in the presence of God. I began so quietly to speak in tongues, I believe for the first time. My hands started to tingle I stretched them wide out on the floor, something unknown to me was happening and I lay on floor late for lunch. Simon (youth pastor) says my face was aglow and I’m not sure when but at some point touched me and felt the presence of God on me. Oh God is so good!

STEWARDSHIP-Karen
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Tony said he had a vision that God is building a people in the staff at Metro now that will stand close by him and the vision of the Church. The Christian who has decided to live imitating Jesus understands God as the OWNER of their heart and therefore, must also be the owner of his possessions. God is the owner of our heart, our dreams. Do you want earthly treasures or heavenly treasures? Often times we worry about are possessions, stop worrying and give it to God. Are you a good steward to what God has given you? If you really put God first in everything then remember even your time is His, let him do what he wants. Wow, impossible.

VISION, MISSION, AND STRATEGY-Jason
Matt 28:18-20 the great commission. The big question asked in this class was “Do you love me?” referring to God. “If yes then feed my sheep.”
When you sit by the television, you sit there and live while other people are out there dying.....”GO”. Every day you need to pray and ask God to break your heart for the lost. The Vision here is: to win, consolidate (come together), disciple, send them, and reach them. "Connect groups" (something we do at the church) are so important see Acts 5:42. House to House. Sending (Matt 10) Jesus sent them. Jesus gives you everything you need because the power of God is stronger than any mans power. Don’t sit around “GO” (2 Peter 1:3 Rom 12:4-3) God has given you so much, now go give to others! Going to feed the sheep has nothing to do with you, but everything to do with God.

Reconciliation With The Father- Pastor Toney Lara
Looking at Luke 15:22-24 God is waiting to give us 3 things: 1. a robe 2. a ring 3. Sandals for our feet. The world is trying to teach us that there is no greater love for a child than the love of a mother, but this is not true. God is known as Father and there is no greater love for a child than the love of their father.

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT –Willie and Pastor Tony
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”(Acts 1:8). Without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to lead a victorious Christian life. If you want to have an effect you must open your heart and receive! Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a gift of God for believers. See also Acts 19:1-6. Over the past couple of years, I’ve grown more to be sceptical about people speaking in tongues, especially when it isn’t interpreted, but that is for edification in the Church see 1 Cor 14:4. But I learned from Willie that tongues are also our own personal communication between us and God (1 Cor 14:2). Tongues have to be exercised. Sarah my divisional leader said "For many people when they first speak in tongues they have no clue what they're saying. But after speaking in tongues for a while you later start to understand what you are praying about as you speak in the tongues, it may not even be a language known to any human, but you are communicating to God. It is like God is speaking through you on your behalf." Tongues is a gift from God and I’m learning to love it! I am understanding that it is a good thing.

HERE IT COMES!
Now it was time Willie was so pumped he didn’t even want to speak long. It was time for all of us at the encounter to be open and ready to receive the Holy Spirit. I’d got some already and wasn’t sure about my tongues from before lunch but it didn’t take long before I was on the ground again and I spoke in tongues soft and a loud. Later I groaned on the floor as people laid hands on me I laughed out loud a strong laughter for short periods, I think of it as Gods laugh of Joy and triumph over Satan. I sought for tingling hands again and it did come slight.Praise God!