Posted in Uncategorized at 12:01 pm by jeff@dlaog.com
Jer. 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Gods plan is not to harm you.God’s plan is to prosper you, to give you a hope and a future.God has a plan for your life.A good plan, a positive plan.To give us hope.God spoke this promise of hope to a rebellious generation.
God’s plan is not to harm us.a. God tells us that He knows His heart towards us.He knows His plans for us.He knows that His plan is not evil; His plan is not for our harm. God is not out to wreck our lives.He is not out to hurt us, to watch us come to ruin and to harm.He does not delight in our suffering and pain, He does not rejoice when we come into bad situations and circumstances.Somehow in our reasoning, we have decided that, because bad things do happen to us, pain does come into our lives, evil does in fact touch us, that it must be God’s will for us, and somehow He derives pleasure from it.b. Evil comes to us because:1.We live in a fallen world.There are sinners in this world, and they will behave like sinners.Because they behave like sinners, and their lives touch ours, we get hurt in the process.2. Sin in our own lives.This is why Jerusalem experienced such a terrible fate.Deliberate, continual, generational acceptance of and participation in sin, in spite of warning after warning through prophet after prophet sent to warn the people of judgment to come as a result of sin, eventually brought the very opposite of God’s intention to His people.c. Sin derails God’s plan for our lives.We must understand that sin prevents God’s plan from taking place in our lives.1. Ps 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;2. Ps 106:43 Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.Sin keeps us from the plan of God.If we want to step into the plan of God, we must flee sin, repent of sin that we are currently involved in, amend our lives and our ways, cleanse our hearts and resist temptation to any future sin.This is why I put a “Holiness” quote in our bulletin weekly…to remind us that this is the path into the plan of God.1Pe 1:15-16 says: But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:13 am by jeff@dlaog.com
Jer. 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Gods plan is not to harm you. God’s plan is to prosper you, to give you a hope and a future. God’s plan is not to harm us. God tells us that He knows His heart towards us.He knows His plans for us.He knows that His plan is not evil; His plan is not for our harm.God is not out to wreck our lives.He is not out to hurt us, to watch us come to ruin and to harm.He does not delight in our suffering and pain, He does not rejoice when we come into bad situations and circumstances.Somehow in our reasoning, we have decided that, because bad things do happen to us, pain does come into our lives, evil does in fact touch us, that it must be God’s will for us, and somehow He derives pleasure from it. Evil comes to us because: 1.We live in a fallen world.There are sinners in this world, and they will behave like sinners.Because they behave like sinners, and their lives touch ours, we get hurt in the process.2. Sin in our own lives.This is why Jerusalem experienced such a terrible fate.Deliberate, continual, generational acceptance of and participation in sin, in spite of warning after warning through prophet after prophet sent to warn the people of judgment to come as a result of sin, eventually brought the very opposite of God’s intention to His people. Sin derails God’s plan for our lives.We must understand that sin prevents God’s plan from taking place in our lives.Ps 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; Ps 106:43 Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin. Sin keeps us from the plan of God.If we want to step into the plan of God, we must flee sin, repent of sin that we are currently involved in, amend our lives and our ways, cleanse our hearts and resist temptation to any future sin.This is why I put a “Holiness” quote in our bulletin weekly…to remind us that this is the path into the plan of God.1Pe 1:15-16 says: But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”A holy life is the key into God’s plan for our lives.
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:03 am by jeff@dlaog.com
Hello,
I believe that God is saying something very clear to His people. He wants to return our focus to Him alone, not some man, or some agenda, or some political faction or party. I believe this so strongly that I am posting my notes that I will speak from this coming Sunday morning, 11/9/2008, so that everyone who reads this can follow and study with me.
Jeff
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Let us look to God alone11/9/2008 amI believe that God wants to re-direct the eyes of His Church to Himself again.For to long we have been putting our hopes into man-made positions of authority and power.For to long we have looked to man, and He is a jealous God.He wants to be “The One” we look to alone.For about a month before the elections, I have been hearing this verse as I pray:a. Jer. 17:5 NKJV Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.Let us be a people who look to God in every situation, in every circumstance.Why?I.Can God not save us?a. Isa 50:2 Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?Again, He declares:b. Isa. 59:1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 1. His hand is not shortened here.He can still reach us.He can still redeem us.He can still save us.He still has the power to deliver us from ourselves.Nothing has changed in the heavenly places.2. His ear is not heavy.He is not hard of hearing.He has not gone deaf.He is not in need of a hearing aid.As a Blood-washed child of God, I have the right of access to the very Throne of God and I can get near Him and He will hear my request!Rather…II. 2 Chron. 16:9 (RSV) For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show his might in behalf of those whose heart is blameless toward him.a. God is not intimidated by situations or circumstances.Rather, this passage of scripture speaks to me that God is actually actively looking for opportunities!Opportunities to demonstrate His nature, which He has already revealed throughout Scripture. One of the ways which He has revealed His nature is the various names given to God throughout the scriptures.Our English translations tend to translate the various names and nuances all the same as “Lord”, “Lord God”, or “God”, but they say so much more than a generic God.I want to look briefly this morning at 16 Names of God in scripture this morning, and their meanings.Some are used in rather mundane verses, but speak volumes to the nature and character of our God.III. His Kingship – He is the King.The only true and supreme King.The Only One who is rightfully called “Lord and King and God”a. Gen. 15:2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”Adonai Yahweh, The Lord Godb. Ps. 98:6 With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King. Hamelech Yahweh, The Lord, the Kingc. Josh. 3:13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.” Yahweh Adon Kol Ha’Aretz The Lord, the Lord of all the Earthd. 1 Sam. 1:3 This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.Yahweh Sebaoth, The Lord of HostsIV. He is full of strength and mighty powera. Ps. 24:8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.Yahweh ‘Izuz We Gibbor, The Lord strong and MightyV. He is our source of strength, both corporately and personally.a. Corporately: Ps. 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.Yahweh ‘Oz-Lamo The Lord, the strength of His peopleb. Personally: Ps. 27:1The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? Yahweh Ma-oz Khayyay, The Lord, The strength of my life.VI. He is the One who will defend usa. Ps. 89:18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, And our king to the Holy One of Israel. Yahweh Maginnenu, The Lord our Defenceb. Ps. 91:9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place… Yahweh Machsi, The Lord my refugec. Deut. 33:29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, The shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, And you shall tread down their high places.”Yahweh Magen, The Lord, the shieldd. Jer. 16:19 O Lord, my strength and my fortress, My refuge in the day of affliction, The Gentiles shall come to You From the ends of the earth and say, “Surely our fathers have inherited lies, Worthlessness and unprofitable things.”Yahweh Ma’oz, The Lord my fortressVII. He is our source!This is where God wants us to look!To Him!Him alone!a. Ps. 18:2The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.Yahweh Mephalti, The Lord our deliverer.1. He alone is our source of deliverance!There will never be a human who will lead us into deliverance.b. Ex. 17:15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner;Yahweh Nissi, The Lord our banner.1. The Lord is our covering! He alone is the One who can cover us properly, and that is with the precious blood of Jesus.There is no other covering that can protect us and shelter us from whatever storm may come our way.c. Ex. 15:26 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”Yahweh Rophe, The Lord that Heals1.Health Care was a big issue in this election.Jesus Christ took care of health care 2000 years ago when He took stripes on His back for our healing just as the prophet Isaiah foretold 700 years beforehand.Now this is healthcare with no exemptions, no clause for pre-existing conditions, no co-pays, no chance of canceled coverage.He is our healer.Praise God for modern medicine and the relief that it brings to so many.I am so grateful that I live in this era and not in the middle ages or some ancient time when lifespans were short and painful.I just love Tylenol when I have a splitting headache, Nyquil when I have a bad cold.Praise God.But He is our healer.And I believe that He wants to re-direct the eyes of His Church back to Him as our healer.d. Isa. 60:16You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.Yahweh Moshi’ekh, The Lord your savior.1.And this is the point I believe that God wants us to see…that He alone is our Savior, our Redeemer, He is the Mighty One, our Deliverer, our Strength, our Defender.VIII. He is with us!a. Judges 6:12 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”Yahweh ‘Immekha, The Lord is with you.1.He will never leave us or forsake us.The Lord is with us.He is strong and mighty.He is, as the traditional address for God in many ancient Jewish Prayers address Him, “Blessed are You, King of the Universe.”Rise and Praise His name with me this morning.
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:54 am by jeff@dlaog.com
Hello,
As an addendum to to what I posted below, I wanted to post the lyrics to one of my favorite worship songs right now, “Mighty to Save” by Hillsong.
Everyone needs compassion,
Love that’s never failing;
Let mercy fall on me.
Everyone needs forgiveness,
The kindness of a Saviour;
The Hope of nations.
Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.
So take me as You find me,
All my fears and failures,
Fill my life again.
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in,
Now I surrender.
My Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave. (x2)
Shine your light and let the whole world see,
We’re singing for the glory of the risen King…Jesus (x2)
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:33 am by jeff@dlaog.com
Hello,
Just a few quick thoughts regarding the elections and everything going on in the United States today. As I was praying
this morning, I was strongly impressed with this statement the Lord makes from Isa. 50:2 (NKJV) “Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?”
I look at the fear and trembling of American Christians over the impending results of this election. But I have to ask, is the Lord’s hand shortened that it cannot deliver? Has He lost His power to deliver us from trouble? I think not. He is still able to deliver today. He still has the power to redeem us. He still has the power to save us. He still has the power to exalt His Holy Name on high.
Again, Isaiah says in Isa. 59:1 (NKJV) “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.”
Whoever gets elected to office, whichever party is declared the winner, we must cry out to God, for no earthly political party can rescue us. Only God alone can rescue us from the mess we find ourselves in as a result of our sin. Only His hand can reach us in the mire of our dispair, and only His hand can bring the healing touch we so desperately need as a nation.
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:41 am by jeff@dlaog.com
The title is a list of things I’m just not good at. I just do not do these things very well at all. I always have to be doing something. I was the kid that never stood still. I still have a hard time sitting still. I fidget, wiggle, move. The best way to keep me quiet is to handcuff me…I can’t talk without my hands!
Rest is good for us physically. We need it. We don’t function well without it, and the longer we go without rest, the lower and lower our performance becomes.
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:58 am by jeff@dlaog.com
Hello,
Throughout scripture, God makes several statements that I believe show that He wants to demonstrate His greatness in such a way that everyone takes note. Look at the following scriptures as just a sampling:
I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.
Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.I think that this sample of scriptures shows that God wants to put some “Wow” in our religious experience. Most of us are really happy with a predictable religious experience. Most of us actually prefer the mundane to the “wow” and would be rather put off with a service where God showed up.
I remember pastoring one church in Alaska, where a member of the Trustee Board came to me and told me never to preach on the glory of God, a subject which occurs over 350 times in the NKJV that I use. Why? Because the glory of God upset his religious preferences. But God likes to display how great He is. Grand hymns such as “How Great Thou Art” to modern hymns such as “How Great is our God” proclaim the bigness of God, the greatness of God. Shouldn’t we let Him display His greatness in our midst?
I summed up last Sunday’s sermon with this thought:
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:12 am by jeff@dlaog.com
I really don’t watch TV much at all, just sports. Outside of sports on TV, I see no reason for one. None at all. I just could care less about the latest show or miniseries or what have you. Not interested. If I’m going to watch a movie, it will be one that I own on DVD, that I am not embarassed to show to someone else. So, over the past few weeks, as I’ve been watching football, I have noticed that the shows the networks are advertising are increasingly supernatural in nature. So I went to the networks websites and did a little digging, and was greatly suprised at what I found. A sizeable amout of programming is devoted to supernatural gifts and issues. Prophecy, raising the dead, spiritual warfare, miraculous powers are all part of the menu this fall.
Now, I know that doesn’t qualify as very Biblical, but I think it says an important thing…Americans are hungry for something real and practical and supernatural…exactly what a Spirit-filled Christian is supposed to be! Each of these shows shows the supernatural as helpful, practical and positive. Now, when we Christians think of the prophetic, we think of it in terms of a special meeting with a prophetic person, such as we are having on Wed. night 10/15/2008, or a prophetic word given during a season of worship, a generally religious, churchy kind of thing. ABC has an interesting take on the prophetic with the series ELI STONE, in which a lawyer develops prophetic giftings after an aneurysm, and uses these giftings for the benefit of others in the context of his daily job. Now, people have been teaching from the pulpit for decades now the need for the gifts of the Spirit in operation in the market place of life, outside the sanctuary, into daily life. ABC has chronicled this call and transformed it into houshold entertainment.
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:04 am by jeff@dlaog.com
This Sunday, I’ll be ending my message with this thought, but I wanted to put it out here now. Dan. 11:32b tells us that those who know their God will be strong and do exploits. I think more than anything else, we need to get the horse in front of the cart and do things in order. “Those who know their God” comes before being strong and doing exploits. For to long, we have marketed the anointing as “transferable”, encouraging people to just “come and recieve.” It does great to fill auditoriums and sells a lot of ministry materials, but if you have followed this for a while, you will notice that there is not a lot of fruit to this concept. Just the same people going to the next conference, the next ministry and buying the next DVD or book.
I think it is time to get to know God for ourselves. To recommit ourselves to knowing our God. Here are my thoughts.
Posted in Uncategorized at 3:43 pm by jeff@dlaog.com
Hello,
Just a brief entry here. Music is an amazing thing, and to many churches, still a controversial one. Some people think that God doesn’t like a certain kind of music or different beats. I believe that God inhabits the praises of His people, no matter the style, rythmn or tune. Here is a classical/Spanish-style guitar melody that I wrote with my wife on the keyboard. We offer it up a simple tune of worship to our King, who told us in Ps. 33:3 (NIV) to “Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”