If time is being compressed, what does that mean for us? As never before, we must make it count. Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” There isn’t much time in a race, so you have to run to win, with everything you have. When this short life is over, we will have all of eternity to rejoice, enjoy the fruit of our labor, and fellowship. This life is a race to the finish line.

Everyone that I have heard of, read about, or witnessed, who has ever been used mightily, waited upon God with passionate desire until they were changed and empowered. They either said something like, “God come and touch me with your fire, or take me home to be with you, but I have to have more.” Or, “Lord, I need fresh oil from heaven to have something more than I have, to give someone.” Then the fire, the wind, the oil, the rain, and the joy of The Lord came over them in a life-changing experience. That’s what they minister out of today.

The Bible says that "they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength". Our flesh doesn't like that word. Sometimes, a person needs to just stop & worship. That's hard to do when you are used to pushing & pushing. We have to learn to rest. The Word says "Be still & know that I am God."

What is tenacity? The dictionary says it is the quality of being determined to do or achieve something; firmness of purpose... I would say it is stick-to-it-tiveness, a bull-dogged determination that says, "I have ahold of something & you're going to need a ball-bat or a saw to get me off."

I realized that the enemy has a plan of isolation to make each one of us feel like no one has ever been as hurt, betrayed, or accused falsely, as we have been. Not true. Anyone truly serving Jesus will be betrayed, as He was. We are not above our Master.

ACTS: 27:25 ....Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.NKJV Have you noticed that life's storms come to us all? We're not immune. The enemy wants to put pressure on to find out if we believe what we claim to believe.

Remember Norman Rockwell who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for painting vivid and affectionate portraits of our country - like the man standing up at a town hall meeting to exercise his freedom of speech or the crowd pledging allegiance to the flag? He painted the America that normal people love and revere. But did you know there are influential people in America who hate these paintings?

Upon entering our church doors, (& many others), you may feel like you just entered another world, complete with a new language, both verbally, & non-verbally. You may look around & ask yourself or your spouse, "what did they just say out-loud & why?" This is a little blog that we could call a charismatic dictionary & participation help guide. We believe that church should be fun, expressive, & much like a celebration, because we are celebrating the One who has given us life & every good thing. He made us to praise & worship Him. He likes noise & is not afraid of it. He likes, hand-clapping, hands lifted in worship, a joyful noise, instruments of praise, dancing, jumping, leaping, shouting, crying, laughing, & just about anything else that He made us to enjoy life with. He made us like Him, in His image and God has emotions. Anytime that you see a lot of life, excitement & joy, you will notice there is noise. (like when a baby is born) When you never hear anything, it usually means death. Our God is all about life. All through The Bible, we see...