Faith Center Church

LISTEN TO THE LORD

Though they had been warned that the voyage would end in disaster the ship’s owner was not willing to delay the voyage. He would not listen and in Acts twenty-seven verse thirteen there began a downward spiral that would eventually end in ruin. There arose a tempestuous wind, it caught their ship and would not let it go. (Acts 27:7-20) I think there are times in our lives when we do not listen. Like the owner of the ship we go our own way, not stopping to listen or pray.

Now go with me to Acts 27:23-25. Paul said an angel of the Lord appeared to me. He instructed me not to be afraid and said, you must be brought before Caesar and God has given you all who sail with you. Paul said to those on the ship, be of good cheer for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me. Paul as well as all those who were on board the ship escaped safely to land. Thus began a narrative of miracles as well as the birth of a new church because Paul even in a time of trial in his life was led by the Holy Spirit.

In this text there is such a stark contrast. There was one who would not listen to reason or the warning of the Lord and the other who not only listened, he obeyed and warned them of the disaster that was to come. Because of not listening to reason the course was set for the destruction of the ship. Paul listened and the course was set for the salvation of the crew and his eventual deliverance to his intended destination. I think it is so important that we learn to listen and obey God’s Word and respond to the Holy Spirit when He speaks to our heart. You could say people who are sensitive to the Spirit of God and filled with the Word of God will always get where they are going, though it may be a bumpy ride.  Do you know why all of those on the ship were saved? It was simply this, Paul had to be somewhere that was very important to God and everybody in his boat was going with him. Following the Lord is very important and remember, you never know who is going to get there because of you. (Acts 27:24)

Pastor Danny 

 In reference to the words of my mouth the Lord spoke this to my heart. My God has sworn an oath, over the arrow, I lift  to the bow, so that as I send it on its way it will accomplish exactly what He purposes. The words that I speak, shall bring forth victory from defeat, life out of death, strength out of weakness. His peace is rising, the peace of God and confusion flees as the darkness before the light approaches.

Pastor Danny Borrell

Dec. 20, 2009

Jesus said that you shall have whatsoever you say. (Mark 11:23). If that is true, (and it is), it is a frightening thing to hear so many Christians always claiming God’s inability to keep them and protect them.  It is amazing to see how quickly people change from spiritual thinking to carnal thinking.  We can stand in church, sing, praise and glorify God, and then get in the car and have negative things come out of our mouths.  We choose the condition of our minds and we should  dwell on positive thoughts. 

Today we are more than conquerors.  Yesterday we were more than conquerors.  Tomorrow we will be more than conquerors.  Next week we will be more than conquerors.  Next month we will be more than conquerors.  Next year we will be more than conquerors.  For eternity we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  Your Father said so!

We should plug our brains into the Word. Or, we should plug the Word into our brains.  We should program our minds by the Spirit to the Word, to the things of God and not to problems or negative circumstances.  The apostle Paul said that people who live according to the standard set by their lower natures are usually thinking the things that are suggested by that nature.  People who live by the standard set by the spirit are usually thinking the things suggested by the Spirit of God.  (Romans 8:5, Williams translation)

Pastor Danny Borrell

If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink, the one who believes in me. Just as the scripture said, out of his inward man will flow rivers of living water. Now He said this concerning the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were about to receive. For the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.  (John 7:37-38)

There is a prerequisite to drinking, thirst. No natural water will take away thirst for very long, thirst always comes back. In the same way nothing in this world will satisfy your soul permanently. In the parable of the prodigal son, he did everything he desired and spent all his inheritance, but in the end he came home to his father, broke, hungry and thirsty. (Luke 15:11-18)  In another parable, a rich man tried to satisfy his thirst with grain from the fields, which were his source of wealth. In the end God said to him, tonight your soul is demanded from you, all your stuff will go to someone else. (Luke 12:16-21)  Both men satisfied their thirst by stifling it.  Augustine was correct. He said that the soul, created for God, will not rest until it rests in God.

Jesus said that the water that He gives will quench the thirst of man forever, so man will never thirst again. (John 4:14) Who has heard of a drink which forms a living spring within you so that you never need to drink again? Jesus is not speaking of physical possessions, but of spiritual realities. How does one drink? By praying in the Spirit, the water of the Spirit of Life begins to flow and bubble up out of your inward man. Have ;you ever seen a  spring or an artesian well as it bubbles up out of the ground? You can be the same way, bubbling up all the time, a never ending stream!   

I like what Paul said to the Corinthian Church, “I would like everyone of you to speak in tongues,” Then said of himself, “I pray with tongues more than all of you.” Praying in the spirit gives access to living water. When I was a kid people tried to tell me tongues was not for today, I finally decided Paul taught the Word of God, the Apostles taught the Word of God, Why not just accept the Word of God? I was filled with the Holy Spirit and 54 years later I still enjoy the Presence of God’s Holy Spirit !

Pastor Danny 

“I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”  (ll Timothy 1:6)

There have been times when, sitting around a fire, I watched the fire go out, then reached for a stick to stir the coals and put a few pieces of wood on the fire, then watch it rekindle with all the beauty and brilliance that it had before. Two things had happened, first, there was a lack of care, and then; there was a lack of fuel.

A lack of care, because the fire had attracted so much of my attention, the embers still provided warmth so there was little or no concern that it would not continue to burn, as the embers would soon be reduced to ashes, no warmth, no light, no energy left at all. Many times I have gone looking for wood only to return and find that the ashes would not be rekindled without gathering a few leaves or pine needles and fanning the coals to a flame again. The Holy Spirit is in you and that is the reason for reminding you to stir up the gift of God that is within you.

The Holy Spirit will not fall like ripe cherries off the tree with no effort on our part. Jude tells us that we build ourselves up on our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Praying in Tongues or praying in the spirit builds up our spirit man on the inside. (Jude verse 20) Today Paul might say praying in the spirit will “power you up” after all, living a supernatural life in Christ will require a supernatural prayer life. Praying in the Holy Spirit will enrich your life and charge the atmosphere of your life, so we are learning to pray much in the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Danny